Conversations with Rachael Reuter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachael Reuter. 

Hi Rachael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in a small artsy town called Eureka Springs located in Northwest Arkansas and was first introduced to clay in high school. Immediately, I fell in love with the medium but honestly didn’t put much thought to pursuing it past high school. While attending College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri, I found my way into the clay studio and because I knew how to throw on the wheel, I quickly landed a studio assistant position. I switched my major to ceramics and after graduating/taking a couple years to explore, I moved to Boulder, Colorado to start my career. I spent three years working as a production potter for a local artist before deciding to move to Chicago to develop my own line. After three years in Chicago, I realized Colorado was where I wanted to end up so I packed up and found a small studio in Denver. That’s when Raereu Ceramics was born. The name Raereu (pronounced Ray-Roo) is a mashup of my first and last name. My family called me Sweet Baby Rae like the BBQ sauce when I was younger, but as I grew older it evolved into Raereu. It’s nostalgic, so I kept it. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been the smoothest. Moving a pottery studio across the country multiple times and finding a suitable space for it is less than ideal, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. Chicago exposed me to a lot of creatives and really taught me how to get after it and sell my work. Working long hours alone in the studio can be tough, and there are so many stages in the process of creating where things can go wrong. At least 25% of what I make doesn’t survive for one reason or another, but the support from people who love my work keeps me going! 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in functional, hand-crafted pottery and my forms explore the harmony of abstract geometry and texture with special attention paid to functionality, shape, and playful movement of design. I draw my inspiration and color palette mostly from desert nature (which I love), but I also spent time in the city and grew up in the 90’s so sometimes that vibe sneaks into my work. I’m most proud of sticking with it through all of the failures (and there have been a lot). Like I said before, the support and love I’ve gotten is what keeps me in the studio. Although my style is uniquely influenced by my personal experiences, my designs still feel familiar and appeal to others. Being able to strike a balance between authentic expression and market appeal can be difficult for a lot of working artists and I think my ability to do that is what sets me apart. 

How do you think about luck?
I’ve had kilns fail during the most critical part of the glaze firing causing me to lose everything inside, but I’ve also had some amazing, unexpected results and opportunities come my way through no effort of my own. Take the wins and move on from the failures when they happen. That’s really all you can do! 

Contact Info:

• Email: info@raereuceramics.com
• Website: www.raereuceramics.com
• Instagram: @raereuceramics

Image Credits
Kelly Miller