BEHIND THE BRAND: LAUREN OF FROM TREE TO SEA

Hi! My name is Lauren Strybos, I’m a ceramic artist living in Calgary, Alberta, with my partner and my corgi puppy Remy! You can find me on Instagram and on Youtube where I share day-to-day in the studio, weekly vlogs, and occasional instructional pottery how-to’s.

I draw a lot of my inspiration from being outdoors - you might notice I have a lot of animal influence in my work. I used to create quite neutral pieces but have been in a colourful phase as of late - there is something extra exciting to me about opening a kiln full of bright & cheery work.

We were so excited to see the pictures of you in our pieces! Describe your style to us and how harly jae complements that :)

Because I spend so much time in the studio, I like to be comfortable, but I also like to feel “put together” - which is how I would describe my pieces from harly jae. Perfect for everyday, relaxed, and something I can move in freely. I try not to restrict myself from wearing nice clothing when I’m working, beautiful pieces like these deserve to be worn in the studio too!

How often do you create pieces/batches? It seems like they sell out quick!

I’m always working on something new, but the process of creating ceramics is such a long one. There’s the initial wheel-throwing or hand-building which is often romanticized online, but then there’s also the trimming, attaching handles, hand-painting, bisqueing, glazing, firing and sanding - so many steps involved! I try to make collections of work available every few months. They do sell fairly quickly, and I’m so grateful people choose to have my creations in their homes.

I did a solo show in 2021 where I made pieces inspired by white & blue Chinese porcelain, and on this large hand-built vase I painted different species endemic to both China and Jamaica. It was a very special piece as it combined my cultural background and my love for animals & art all together.

I went to school for environmental conservation - to be honest I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I got older, but I knew that I loved animals and being outside - so it seemed like the perfect match!

When and why did you decide you wanted to become a full time ceramicist?

In 2015 I took my first pottery class and fell in love with it! I was working full-time as a biologist and bought some clay and tools to play with at home, eventually found a studio near me that I rented hourly wheel-time from, and kept working on my skills.

Eventually I quit my job and actually ended up travelling across Canada in my car with some friends for a year, ended up in Calgary and tried to make a more solid effort at selling my work while also working part-time at a plant shop. By the time 2019 came, I felt like my business was doing well enough to transition to full-time, and I started making moves. I would say my journey was pretty slow and steady!

Outside of ceramics, what other activities do you enjoy doing?

I love camping, hiking, watching scary movies, spending time with my friends and my dog, filming & editing videos for my Youtube channel @fromtreetosea