Simple and Honest with Alison Evans

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Thank you for listening to the Slow Goods podcast.

 

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Logan Rackliff:

Welcome to Slow Goods Podcast, where we love to talk design, quality adventure. We love to talk about Maine. Today we have on with us, Allison Evans, came all the way from Boothbay. Thank you very much Allison. Allison is a artist creator of ceramics. She also is a store owner and in Boothbay, Maine. And, it's just a pleasure to have you. Thank you very much for coming, Allison.

Allison Evans:

Thank you for inviting me. Yeah, it's an honor to be here.

Logan Rackliff:

Allison has been in multiple publications. Most notably, she had the centerfold in Downey's Magazine. It was a great spread, spanning Garden & Gun, Cosmo, Maine Home & Design. I mean, it goes on and on. All the places that like to show beautiful, timeless objects, I would say, or many places. So, what's your favorite parts about Maine or Boothbay, I guess, in the summer, we could say, in the summer, or in general?

Allison Evans:

I love getting out on the water in Boothbay. Well, I guess, I could go for anywhere on the coast of Maine. But, it's what I know. We have some really beautiful points and really great places where you can go for walks with your dogs. We have lots of preserves that we have. I don't know. There's one called... I can't remember it right now.

Logan Rackliff:

Well, you probably don't want to call it. Leave it top secret.

Allison Evans:

I know, right? I shouldn't tell it.

Logan Rackliff:

Leave it top Secret.

Allison Evans:

I should leave some things top secret.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, yeah. A secret spot. Yeah. Yeah. But what do you love about it?

Allison Evans:

That it's really not that heavily used.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

It's nice. I like living in Boothbay, mostly in the wintertime, honestly.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

I mean, it gets a little bit nuts in the summer.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

It's just really beautiful.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

Walking through the woods, looking at all of the different types of moss, all the different trees. I really enjoy getting out into nature, whether it's in the woods or out in the water.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, I hear you there.

Allison Evans:

It might be my favorite thing to do.

Logan Rackliff:

That's your favorite thing to do?

Allison Evans:

Absolutely. Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Good. We'll have to get more into that. So, I guess, we love to talk quality and design on here and hear about Maine or adventure about, I think, favorite thing is just to get to know artists like yourself. And, I would just love to hear your story. I mean, you can start from when you're super little, or wherever you want. Just hear your story of coming up through, and then getting to where you are now.

Allison Evans:

Let's see. Well, I guess I got started with ceramics when I was in high school.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

I took a class, it was a winter session, they had the short session in the middle of the year for us to experiment with different things, and that was one of the opportunities. And I loved it. And I couldn't believe how easy it was for me. I got on the wheel, I could throw it right away. And, I had never considered myself an artist. I was always more of the athlete in my family, and more of a mathematician, science person. And so, it was really strange when I really took a liking to this. And I think it helped that I had a math teacher who actually saw me throwing on the wheel, and she also taught physics, and she talked to me about the connection of math, and science, and art, and it really blew my mind. And that was one of the first moments where I really looked at art as being a real job. I don't think I had considered that as a possibility before that in my life. So, I think I was 14 when this sort of concept opened up to me.

Logan Rackliff:

At 14, you thought it could even be a profession?

Allison Evans:

Well, yeah. I was also taking a computer programming class and I realized I did not want to have a job where I sat at a desk.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

So I was looking for things that I could do when I grew up. I was born in New York, we lived there... We moved around my whole life. So, the only real place that I've ever felt like was home is Maine.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

But we lived in New York, Atlanta, Connecticut. I went to high school in London.

Logan Rackliff:

Wow.

Allison Evans:

That was a really formative time for me.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And then, I went to school in New Orleans. And then, I went to RISD. So, I've bounced around a lot. But the one thing that stayed constant was Boothbay Harbor.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And so, I think that's why I ended up gravitating back, because I really longed for belonging somewhere.

Logan Rackliff:

Sure.

Allison Evans:

And so, I latched on to that when it was time to settle down. And when I finally decided that I was going to go and really try to start my own business, I chose Boothbay.

Logan Rackliff:

You chose Boothbay? So, was that a place that you guys summered at or something?

Allison Evans:

Yeah, my mom's the youngest of five kids, and her oldest sister, the matriarch of the family, would always invite the whole family up, and she'd have these big lobster bakes.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And, I think, starting at eight years old. So every summer we would come up and have these big family gatherings. And, it's amazing. So many people in my family have now moved to Boothbay year round. It's really great.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, that is great. That's so cool. So, wherever you were at the time, when you started throwing on the wheel, when you were around 14, and you started really thinking about that, so were you in London at the time?

Allison Evans:

I was in Connecticut.

Logan Rackliff:

Connecticut. Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

And so, just keep going on from there. What happened from there, when you just really started going on in your-

Allison Evans:

I don't know. I think, I continued to take ceramic classes throughout high school. And, when we lived in London, we lived in Knightsbridge, right next to Herod's. I don't know if you know that store. It's this beautiful department store.

Logan Rackliff:

... I've heard of it. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

I'd have to walk around three sides of it every day to get to the train, to get to school. And, I think, just seeing the window displays, and seeing how beautiful, and there were so many... Whether it's fabric, or objects, or whatever, even how they were set up. Every time I would walk by I would see something new. And I started to realize, once again, like, "Ooh." Epiphany moment, "These things were made by somebody. Somebody designed that somebody." And I'm like, "Okay. I could be that person someday that designs things that could be in a store like this."

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And so, I think, just being exposed to the architecture in Europe, and that store in particular really showed me what quality could look like.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And, I think, I don't know, I just always strove achieve that aesthetic.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Did you just keep throwing in high school and then getting into RISD?

Allison Evans:

I was too scared to go straight to art school.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

I went to Tulane University down in New Orleans. They have a really strong ceramic program. The Newcomb College of Art is part of Tulane.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And, I thought I could go get a liberal arts degree and just potter around in the pottery studio. And maybe do that as a minor. But as soon as I got serious in college about it, I realized, "Either I'm going to do this or I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to just do it halfway." So, I applied to RISD. I figured, "If they accept me, then that's going to be my path." And so, I got in, and the rest is history.

Logan Rackliff:

The rest is history? Well, fill us in a little bit.

Allison Evans:

That was all I needed.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, that was all you needed. So then, it kept taking off, right? So, I've never done any ceramics. So tell me, what's the experience throwing, and how do you continue to get better, and start knowing what you are passionate about making in the ceramic world?

Allison Evans:

It's interesting how things... When I first left RISD, I was making installation sculpture and stuff, very feminist, very much more New York art scene. I was living in New York. I was trying to build these rooms, and create these environments, and working for other artists, working as a temp wherever I could. It was just scrambling, trying to survive. And, at one point, I just realized I had to get out of there. And it was a good time, because I left in August of 2001.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And so, that was the year that the towers came down, right? So, I missed it by a couple days, which I felt relieved by. And, all along the way, I feel like there've been little things that have happened where there's been signs that have just said, "You're on the right path. You're on the right path. You're doing the right thing." So, I moved to Boothbay at that point. And, I started to... Actually, before I moved to Boothbay, this was pretty cool. This was another one of those moments. I was in Brooklyn. I was at a bar. And I was talking to people about how I was moving back to Maine. And, this kid next to me at the bar who I hadn't met, heard me talking and he said, "Oh, my uncle..." Or no, "My mom's best friend has a pottery studio in Damariscotta. And, he usually rents it out to people." Because I was telling them that I don't need equipment, I just need to find a space, because I know there are so many people who play around with ceramics that never actually really pursue it because it's hard.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

It's really hard.

Logan Rackliff:

I can imagine. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

So, people try to do it all the time. So, I knew I could find a spot where I could just take over the studio and try to make my body work. And so, anyway, I'm sitting at the bar, and George Mason is the guy's name. He renovated a church in Damariscotta.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And, he lives in the building. And the basement is his studio. He's one of the founders for watershed. So anyway, that was cool. So we called him, and right then and there, I already had a studio.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Wow.

Allison Evans:

So, I mean, just little lucky things like that I feel like have happened for me along the way. Little doors have opened up, and it's been natural progress.

Logan Rackliff:

Tell me about some of the things you did in New York. You said you were trying to create these rooms and these spaces. What were you sculpting?

Allison Evans:

Well, I didn't have a kiln, so I was working with all kinds of materials. I was working with rubber. I was making molds, because I could work with plaster. And I was making a lot of things out of plaster.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

They were all very angry feminist stuff. And, that's another thing. There was a point in my life where I decided I could focus on the things in life that are beautiful, or I could focus on the things in life that make me crazy. And, I decided, if I wanted to have a happy life, I should focus on beautiful things. And, that's when I started looking at the oyster shell, and just the history of the oyster shell.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And, I also was looking at the magnetic fields of the Northern lights.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

Those are really cool patterns. So, there was a few things that I was focusing in on, honing in on.

Logan Rackliff:

At that time?

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

And then, you came to Damariscotta?

Allison Evans:

Yep.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And I just started playing with the shapes. And, a lot of it was making molds, honestly. I mean, I was more making molds than throwing.

Logan Rackliff:

What's a mold in your world?

Allison Evans:

So I would make a model out of clay. And the, I would cast that shape in plaster. And, that way I could get shapes that were... I don't know, you can defy gravity a little bit more sometimes when you work with the mold. And you can also remove the preciousness of things when you work with the mold. So, I could make a general shape, and then I could roll out a slab, and press it into that hollow mold. And, I could alter it after that. But, a lot of the work can be done quickly at that point. Once you have that mold, you can lay a slab into it, let it set up, and then pull that out, and you can sculpt it more from that point. So, that's when I started to really work on with the oyster shell in many different sizes.

Logan Rackliff:

So what do you love... The oyster shell, this is what you're really known for, and the go-to, and your... So, what about the oyster shell that you-

Allison Evans:

It's just so beautifully organic. And it's so recognizable, even though it can be a million different shapes.

Logan Rackliff:

... Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

So I think that to me was really interesting, because other shells are stiff. But, the oyster shell is just loose and gorgeous. And, there's so much history that goes with the oyster. I mean, I don't know. And, in our region, I mean, we are so lucky, we have the most delicious oysters, I think, in the world.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

Won't you say?

Logan Rackliff:

That's what everybody tells me. I don't go around the world eating oysters.

Allison Evans:

I've tried other oysters and I still think the Damariscotta River oysters are the best.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, I am really good friends with one of the guys that runs one of the Damariscotta River operations. He's a good guy. And, they go through a lot of oysters.

Allison Evans:

Yes, they do.

Logan Rackliff:

There's no question about it. I know that's really sought after. Yep. So, you're in Damariscotta, and you're making these molds, and getting going. So, what happens then? What happens next?

Allison Evans:

Well, I guess, it was from 2001 until 2004, it took me many years to build that workup. And, I applied to the New York Gift Show. And, I got in right away. I wasn't expecting to. So, 2004 is really when I started to have to produce in quantity.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And so, that was a big changing point for me.

Logan Rackliff:

You did that out of your Damariscotta place?

Allison Evans:

I did not. I did not. Actually, so I built the body of work there, and then I turned a garage in my parents' guest house into a ceramic studio. So I bought my first kiln. I was waiting tables. That's how I made my money to buy all my first equipment and everything. So yeah, I slowly built it up. But, once I went to that trade show, I realized, "Oh my God, I've got to get another kiln, and I have to figure out how to do this. I think I might need an employee." It was a big moment for me.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

I didn't realize it would happen so fast once I put myself out there.

Logan Rackliff:

Right. When was that? 2004 you said?

Allison Evans:

Yeah. Yep, that was the first one.

Logan Rackliff:

That's when they're still buying a lot of stuff at trade shows too. That's where they were writing their orders.

Allison Evans:

That's where it all happened. Yeah. It's very different now.

Logan Rackliff:

Right. That's must have been like, "Whoa." Yeah. That must have been a cool moment. About the time we came into the trade shows, it was slowing up on that end of things. So, how do you end up in Boothbay?

Allison Evans:

Let's see. So, I don't know, I hopped around. So, okay. So in 2004, trade shows happen. I'm in the garage. And then, I meet my husband Chris in 2005.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And, actually I think... Yeah, we got married. So, it was 2004.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

So I think, he actually came with me to my first trade show.

Logan Rackliff:

Cool.

Allison Evans:

I had already been accepted. I was building my booth. And he is from a family of lumber. They owned a bunch of lumber yards in Western Massachusetts. And, he knew how to build anything and everything. And so, he stepped in and helped me figure out my booth. And, he actually came to my first trade show with me. And, he wasn't ever planning on joining me full time in the ceramics world. But, he has at this point, which is pretty awesome.

Logan Rackliff:

That is awesome. Yeah. That's so neat. So you guys went to the trade show, and then you came back, and then it was just... Yeah, how did you end up where you ended up, where you guys have now? Do you have a whole building right where you produce?

Allison Evans:

Yeah, let's see. So, I moved out to Western Mass for a few years after we got married.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And that felt very strange, producing sea inspired ceramics in the middle of the woods, far, far away from the ocean. I was not that happy out there. I really missed being by the ocean. And I convinced him to move back this way. His parents also have a home in Boothbay. So, he has quite a connection there as well. And so, I convinced him to move back with me, and he was going into real estate at that point, and he found the building in Yarmouth that we had the store in for several years.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

And so, we were living in Boothbay, we would commute every day down to Yarmouth to our studio/store.

Logan Rackliff:

And that's where you were making everything in Yarmouth?

Allison Evans:

Yeah. Yeah, for a while. I don't know how many years that was. But, it was a while.

Logan Rackliff:

I feel like when we first met, you still had the place there.

Allison Evans:

Probably. For a while, I had both the store in Yarmouth and in Boothbay.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, right. That's what I remember. So, you go to the show, what are you bringing there? Give us a good visualization for everybody listening. What are you bringing there for art? What are you selling?

Allison Evans:

Well, I was selling... I think in the beginning actually, I did have many more pieces that were much harder to make, because I did not realize in ceramics there's a lot of loss, especially with the more intricate shapes. So, I had nautilus vases, and these ram vases, and teapots, and some really intricate, tough pieces. And, it's tough to bring that stuff to a trade show in crates and transporting this stuff. Ceramics is so fragile. It's so heavy. And, I had a Subaru Forester. And I would pack everything into the Forester, and then I would pack the whole ceiling. The whole roof of the car would be stacked with however I was going to be decorating the booth, the walls, totally weighted down, driving into New York City.

Logan Rackliff:

There was no suspension left. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

It's so funny when I think back, it must've looked hilarious. But, I got it done.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. So, did you immediately have to hire someone?

Allison Evans:

I did. I just hired one person.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And honestly, all these years later, I've had a really hard time giving up control. I still make pretty much touch everything. Make everything myself, to some extent. Me and Chris, we are the ones who glaze everything.

Logan Rackliff:

Oh, really?

Allison Evans:

And, load the kilns. We have staff that's great. I mean, I have somebody who I've known for... He actually was one of my first employees many, many years ago, and he came back to me a few years ago, which I feel very lucky about.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, that's so nice. So yeah, would you say, teapots and what else? Obviously, you have more tea pots.

Allison Evans:

Coffee table bowls.

Logan Rackliff:

Yep.

Allison Evans:

Dinnerware.

Logan Rackliff:

Dinnerware. Okay. Now, take use to now what do you have? I mean, I know what you have, but what do you have?

Allison Evans:

I mean, I've expanded into sea urchin bowls, and razor clam plates, and I developed a whole series of... Or a whole round series. I always thought I would stick with more organic shapes, but there was this woman named Bunny Williams who is a big designer, and she came to me, and asked me to make round plates so she could sell them in her store, and give them to her. She's a big plate collector. And so, I'm like, "Okay, sure. If you want this, I will do it."

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

So that was cool working with her on that stuff. It was just the mitten charcoal glaze that she wanted. And I ended up doing it in all the different glazes at this point.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. So, you go from Massachusetts back to Boothbay, you go right from Massachusetts to Boothbay?

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Roughly. Yeah. And is that when you got the building and did the store?

Allison Evans:

No, it took a while. Because we had the store in Yarmouth.

Logan Rackliff:

That's right.

Allison Evans:

So, it took several years. We thought we were going to be living-

Logan Rackliff:

But the goal was always Boothbay?

Allison Evans:

... No.

Logan Rackliff:

No?

Allison Evans:

It actually was Yarmouth.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

We thought we were going to be able to buy more of the building that... We had bought a piece of it, and there were all of these other pieces that we were trying to buy. But that was 2008, I think, when everything was abandoned, and nobody could figure out who owned what mortgage. And, I couldn't find anyone to buy it from.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

Nobody knew who held the paperwork. So, we got bored. We got sick of waiting. And, there was this really cool building on the corner of Townsend and Union and Boothbay Harbor that is this huge building that was falling apart, and had been many different things over the years. And the last thing it had been, it was a restaurant. And so, we thought about it, and we're like, "Well, we could turn the whole first floor into a studio store and we could live upstairs." So, that's what we ended up doing. We renovated the building. And, I don't know how many years it's been now since we've had that. I feel like it was 2015 that we bought that and moved in there. I think we were able to produce in there in 2016.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. Is that where everything still happens now?

Allison Evans:

No. So then, I realized, well, as the business was growing, it was really hard to keep a clean, beautiful store. And I was starting to sell other things. So, I was starting to sell Studio 412 dresses, and I was starting to sell your stuff.

Logan Rackliff:

How did you decide to do that, that's what I'm totally curious about?

Allison Evans:

I don't know.

Logan Rackliff:

Was it just having a storefront?

Allison Evans:

It just happened. I had a store and I realized, "Not everybody's going to come into my store and like what I make. And that's fine. That's fine. They don't have to." But, I felt like I was missing an opportunity to sell something that they would like. And, because I've never been really a salesperson, that's not really my thing, I really gravitated towards things that I absolutely loved and I thought were really special and well-made. And, the people that made them, I wanted to have a relationship with the people that made the stuff that I was selling. So, that's one of the reasons I found you. And I was like, "Oh my God."

Logan Rackliff:

Also buy stuff from us.

Allison Evans:

I didn't know that you even existed.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And ever since, it's been... We sell so many of them because they're beautiful.

Logan Rackliff:

And so, yeah, Alice, we've met at trade shows at New York now. And, we didn't realize you at a store and you're going to start buying from us. That was such an honor. And you guys have done such a good job of that. The store is gorgeous. I would definitely say that. And that's coming, not just from me, but my wife, who really has a good eye. And, you do such a good job with it. So you realize you had to move production outside somewhere else.

Allison Evans:

Yeah. And we also realized that we're not getting any younger. The truck would pull up with the clay and we would be taking every 50 pound box out of the truck off of a pallet by hand and carrying it into the building. Or, we had some dollies and stuff, but we knew that we needed equipment. Because we were going to hurt ourselves... We were hurting ourselves. Our backs were giving out. It was not good. So, we bought a piece of land, and as soon as I went to go... I actually had to tear up a house down that was dilapidated to clear the space for a warehouse. And, somebody pulls me aside in this little restaurant next to my store and they said, "Why didn't you go to Bill Haney and ask him if you could buy his warehouse?" And I told him, "I don't feel comfortable going up to someone and asking to buy something that's not for sale. I would never do that." And he said, "Well, this is Bill Haney right here."

Logan Rackliff:

Nice.

Allison Evans:

"He would love to show you his warehouse. He's willing to sell it to you." So, that's another one of the little things.

Logan Rackliff:

Wow. That's so cool.

Allison Evans:

So that really saved us a lot of time. And, I prefer working with something that already exists than building something from scratch, solving problems that already exist. I don't know. The blank slate, trying to create a warehouse in a production studio from nothing was really intimidating. So it's been nice having a space... I don't know, that you change around.

Logan Rackliff:

I know what you're saying. Yeah. So, you don't have to think as much. But also, it's still a challenge. But, "Give me the pieces so I can put the puzzle together."

Allison Evans:

Exactly.

Logan Rackliff:

That's how I always think of it. I'm the same way. That's why I'm relating so much. So, tell me about Allison Evans, the entrepreneur. Is that something you enjoy or just something that came with the territory as an artist? How do you see that now? How did that unfold?

Allison Evans:

I don't know what else I could have done. I don't know how I would've been able to work for someone else, really. I loved waitressing. I really enjoyed that, but that was always a temporary gig for me. I don't know. I guess, I fell into it. It wasn't really that intentional.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. What are the main things that you take care of? Is it just making sure creative direction? Or is it where you have a team now? What are the things that you stay focused on and keep doing that you're passionate about, or just want to control over maybe?

Allison Evans:

Things can rotate a little bit amongst us over the years. I think we all can get a little bit bored with what we're doing. I mean, I've always been the one who designs the new objects. That's all me.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And, working with glazes, that's all me. But, as far as dealing with managing the studio, that's my husband's job. He's really good at working with people, and getting people excited about stuff, and doing things in the ways that we want them to do them. I don't know. I think that, Chris also, he's the one who maintains all of our equipment, which is a huge piece of it that I never... You don't think about this stuff. My kilns are constantly needing a lot of love, in order to get those crystals to grow the way they do, you need a lot of control. And, they're constantly aging. So, we're always playing around, trying to get the best quality out of every load. It's constantly changing. So, that's a big challenge. But, we've gotten really good at it at this point. We've fired that kiln so many times. It's starting to take a little bit longer. And so, we know, we can add stuff to the glaze or we can fire the kilns slightly differently.

Logan Rackliff:

How long will kiln last?

Allison Evans:

I mean, I've had kilns forever. I mean, since the beginning, just for 20 years. But they turn into this kilns, they can't handle the more high fire stuff anymore, because they've spent their time doing that already. They're in more retirement.

Logan Rackliff:

I see. Interesting.

Allison Evans:

But I don't know.

Logan Rackliff:

Most things.

Allison Evans:

There's elements, there's thermal couples, and then there's relays, there's fuses, there's things that just fizzle out.

Logan Rackliff:

What inspires your creations? I think you've touched on some things already. But, I remember, you love nature, being out in nature. You've talked about oysters, and razor clams, and then you had the picture in London, seeing the quality goods. And so, I've heard a lot of that inspiration. What else inspires you on a regular basis? And, what are you looking to? And, just tell me a little bit about that.

Allison Evans:

Well, I mean, I still go walking along the coastline, and I'm always looking for a rock or something that I find just generally beautiful. I don't know. Sometimes I go snorkeling. There's a lot of really beautiful stuff under there. There's a lot of really pretty colors that I feel like... The mint charcoal glaze combo for me is my favorite, because it reminds me so much of the water here, the colors, those green blues, and the seaweed, sounds so beautiful. So, I don't know. I mean, usually, it's in nature where I find all of my inspiration, I'd say.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. You do such a good job of making these creations. How do you tow that line of... Of course, we know, there's the very coastal, kitschy-nichey world. How would you explain to people what your really sweet spot is?

Allison Evans:

If I find something absolutely gorgeous and something that I've made and I'm blown away by when I open the kiln, I know that at this point in my life, that someone else is also going to think it's beautiful. But, there was a long time there where I didn't have that confidence. But I think, over the years, I've realized, that if it really turns me on when I open the kiln, I look at that thing, and I'm like, "That is so beautiful." I'm psyched. And that's it. I think, finding something that is so naturally beautiful and functional, that's a trick. I think, it's really hard to keep things really organic, and natural looking, and still have them be really functional.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

So, I don't know. And, there's definitely that coastal theme, but people use my stuff all over the country. So, even in the mountains, people will see... Especially, well, maybe the round stuff, but maybe they like the ocean and they want that coffee table bowl-

Logan Rackliff:

They bring a piece of the ocean with them.

Allison Evans:

... To remind them of their summer place.

Logan Rackliff:

Can you walk us through the process? I know nothing about ceramics, pottery. What is step one? You said the clay shows up. What goes from the clay to when it's sitting on the shelf? What's the process?

Allison Evans:

There's a ton of... I think we've counted before, but every piece gets touched, I don't know, over 100 times.

Logan Rackliff:

Really?

Allison Evans:

It's ridiculous.

Logan Rackliff:

Wow.

Allison Evans:

It's ridiculous. So, we get the clay, depending on which piece it is, some of the stuff we still throw on the wheel. Some of the plates we actually use a ram press for, which is a hydraulic press with a steel in case mold, where we press out the plates. But, even then, making the mold is an art in and of itself. I mean, it's really hard to make these molds, because you have to purge them while they're setting and just to keep the air flow going through them. It's actually quite technical. And, my husband, Chris, has figured out how to make them, which has been a huge, huge, huge help, as far as picking up production's gone.

So, let's see. So you take the piece of clay, if it's not being made on the wheel, if it's not being made on the press, it's probably being made by me. And, I take a chunk of clay, and take a rolling pin, and I roll it out, and then I press it into a mold that I've already made.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

So, in the original pieces, I usually would sculpt them upside down, and then cast them that way. And then, go back and forth between the plaster and clay to get to the final piece and then make a mold of that final piece. And so, in the end, I roll a slab into a final mold, and it sits in the mold overnight usually. And then, I pop it out the next day, and clean it up, and then it takes about a week to dry. And then-

Logan Rackliff:

This is every piece?

Allison Evans:

... Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

This is every piece. Yeah. So I mean, you're making batches. So, I can make maybe 40 pieces a day sometimes, depending on what it... I can't do that every day though, because physically, it's intense. But, I love it. I love that part of it. That's one of the reasons one of the things I chose... I did not want to be sitting down. So, I don't have to when I'm making that stuff.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. So, what about making the mold? How do you make the mold?

Allison Evans:

Making the mold is... Well, there's plaster repairs. And, you essentially figure out... So you're using lots of math and science here. You got to figure out the volume of the space around it. You build walls around the piece, and then you mix the plaster according to the volume you've decided you need. And, the plaster comes in a powder form, and you mix it with water, and you pour it into this space where you want to make this negative cast of this model. And, it sets up. So, it heats up and it turns-

Logan Rackliff:

The plaster does?

Allison Evans:

... The plaster turns hard.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay. So, do you make a piece out of clay first, and let that harden, and put that in the plaster?

Allison Evans:

The clay is existing. So, imagine this is the clay.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

I would build a wall around it. And then, I would pour this liquid plaster in around it. So, I would take the plaster off, and then I'd have to peel the original out of it.

Logan Rackliff:

All right. So you make the original?

Allison Evans:

Yes.

Logan Rackliff:

And basically, set that in or put the plaster on top of it?

Allison Evans:

Yes. And liquefy.

Logan Rackliff:

And the, pop it off, and then clean the mold.

Allison Evans:

And then you peel it out, and then clean up the mold, and then you got that to make multiples. And, those can last a while. The thing that really gets worn off the most is my logo.

Logan Rackliff:

Geez. That's a problem.

Allison Evans:

I know.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

You know what? For years, I didn't actually sign my work.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And my sister was the one who was like, "Allison, you have to sign it." And I said, "But it looks like my stuff. It's fine. I don't need to sign it." She said, "You absolutely have to sign it."

Logan Rackliff:

So, you got the mold, and then on a regular basis... You put clay in the mold.

Allison Evans:

Yep. Let it sit overnight.

Logan Rackliff:

Sit over that night.

Allison Evans:

And then, pop it out the next day, and clean it up, and then put it on a shelf to let it dry for one week, usually. Sometimes, it can be quicker. It's this humid weather we've been having. Someone hired me to make them some sinks. And, I couldn't get it, because I had to make them much thicker.

Logan Rackliff:

Some sinks?

Allison Evans:

Sinks. Yeah, we make sinks sometimes. Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

What? Cool.

Allison Evans:

Not a ton of them, but they end up looking pretty cool.

Logan Rackliff:

So who calls you to make a sink? Anybody or interior designer, they're specialized?

Allison Evans:

Interior designers do. Homeowners. It's often homeowners.

Logan Rackliff:

So if I buy a sink, is it from you? Is it the price of buying a custom slate sink or something like that?

Allison Evans:

I don't know. I don't know the price comparison.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, sure. But man, is that a different clay, that's harder?

Allison Evans:

No, it's not. I just make it thicker and hardier.

Logan Rackliff:

Sure. Cool.

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Must be a pretty big kiln too.

Allison Evans:

You know what? They're not that big. How many kilns do we have going right now? We have four kilns going right now.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And we can put, I don't know, 30 pieces depending on the size in each kiln.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. So they sit on the shelf for a week. And then, is that glazing time?

Allison Evans:

No, then they have to go through their first firing, which is called a bisque firing. So they get fired to a lower temperature. It drives out all the moisture, and gives them some structure so they don't fall apart when you apply the glaze, because the glaze is water-based. So, essentially, a glaze is a mixture of clay, glass, and metal. And, the metal gives it the color.

Logan Rackliff:

Clay, glass, and metal. Okay.

Allison Evans:

Yep. So, we bisque it, and then it comes out, we sand it down.

Logan Rackliff:

You sand it all down too?

Allison Evans:

We sand it before it goes in the bisque. We rub it down, try to get any weird stuff-

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Looks like we're not giving out any trade secrets away. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

... See that's the funny... I don't worry about anyone trying to do what I do, because it's too hard. They don't want to.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. You touch it on 100 times, they're like, "How do you make money out of this?" Yeah. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

No, it's cool. So, where do you get to the glazing, or where were you in the process? I cut you off.

Allison Evans:

That's okay. So, we bisque it, it comes out, we sand it, and then we put a, it's called, wax resist on the foot, which is the part that touches the table. You've noticed that, that's usually not glazed on ceramic wear, because it would stick to the kiln shelf if you did, because when you fire it, it becomes a liquid mold in glass.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And it gets stuck. So, we wax it, and then we pour the glaze on the outside, and then we paint the glaze on the inside. And then, we put it back in the kiln again for another firing. And each firing takes about 24 hours, essentially. It takes 12 to 14 hours to fire it. And then, another 12 hours to cool, usually.

Logan Rackliff:

Cool. And then, you open it up. And it's there.

Allison Evans:

And sometimes there's magic and sometimes there's not magic.

Logan Rackliff:

Well, obviously, it seems pretty obvious when there's magic. But, what can happen? What's not magic?

Allison Evans:

Oh my gosh. So many things can happen. Things can explode.

Logan Rackliff:

They can?

Allison Evans:

Especially when I'm making sinks that are really thick and it's been humid out, I think they're dry.

Logan Rackliff:

So right now, they're all blowing up.

Allison Evans:

Yeah. I had a bunch of loss. But you know what? It's part of the deal.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

I mean, and I know better. I know that I need to wait. But, you have customers, they're looking for their stuff.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

And you're like, "Well, I think it's pretty close. It feels pretty dry." And, it's called candling when you leave-

Logan Rackliff:

Oh, so they have to be completely dry when-

Allison Evans:

... Yeah, because the reason things explode is because there's moisture in there. Because, once you get to 212 degrees, all the little molecules get really violent, and they pop, and that's what happens. So, you'd think I would not blow things up at this point in my career, but I still do it.

Logan Rackliff:

... I blow things up all the time, not quite to the same cool effect. But, yeah. Then you've got yourself a beautiful piece of ceramic. And, oh man, I want to see one of these sinks. That's all I can think about right now. So, you have interior designers reach out to you much or who are your customers, you'd say normally, people that enjoy your stuff the most?

Allison Evans:

Definitely some interior designers. I wouldn't say that that's the bulk of our business though.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

Most of it is people come directly to the store, who go to our website, that's the bulk of it. And then, we sell to other stores all over the country. So, usually, gift and tabletop type stores, and design showrooms. There's so many places in Florida that are selling my stuff right now and California. And then, restaurants. That's been a fun thing, working with restaurants. Had a handful of restaurants come to me over the years.

Logan Rackliff:

To say, "We want to outfit our-"

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

... Any hotels?

Allison Evans:

Or just maybe not the whole thing.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Well, The Standard Hotel in New York City, they used my stuff for a little while.

Logan Rackliff:

Cool.

Allison Evans:

But not for the hotel, for the restaurant.

Logan Rackliff:

Tell me about your design process. You're out walking on the beach, or you're snorkeling and you see something cool, you're like, "Oh, I want to make that." What's the next step? Do you draw it? I don't know what you do. What do you do?

Allison Evans:

Usually, I draw it. I'll draw it, and then... Really, I'm much better 3 dimensional. Honestly, I'm not that good at drawing, but I try to solve some of the problems ahead of time on paper.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And then, I really just grab a chunk of clay, and usually make things solid, so they're easier to sculpt, because I know in the end, I'll be creating a hollow vessel or a hollow piece.

Logan Rackliff:

Oh, I see. I was going say, "What else would you make something if it's not a solid?" Yeah, okay.

Allison Evans:

Because then it can't be a vessel.

Logan Rackliff:

Because yeah, ceramics a lot of times is a vessel. Right. So, you start it as a solid. Now, the problem, you say, you try to get over the problem, so what might a problem be if you're trying to draw it out first?

Allison Evans:

"Is it going to be top-heavy? Will it be stable? Will it sit flat? Will it slump?" You're always fighting gravity with ceramics.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, you mentioned that earlier. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

It's constantly threatening, because if you get the kiln too hot, things collapse. If the pieces are too thin, they slump. Yeah, gravity is-

Logan Rackliff:

So, most of your stuff is in molds, or is that the right term?

Allison Evans:

... Yeah, I would say. Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

So, what do you do on the wheel? Is that the circular things you were talking about?

Allison Evans:

Yes. Yes.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And we slip cast as well, which is mold making. That's what you use for more tall vessels, like pitchers and vases, more enclosed shapes. You pour clay into a hollow mold, a liquid clay, and then after it sets up for a while, the plaster pulls the water out of the clay. And, it leaves a nice layer of clay. And then, you pour out the inside, and you've got yourself-

Logan Rackliff:

Right. I have heard.

Allison Evans:

... Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

I would love to see that. That's really neat.

Allison Evans:

It's not my favorite method, honestly.

Logan Rackliff:

No.

Allison Evans:

I've never loved it, but we do it. It's a necessary thing at this point for us.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. Yeah. So what about being a store owner? How do you like that?

Allison Evans:

It's been really fun.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Because I buy things that I love, that I would never buy for myself, because I'm way too conservative when it comes to spending money. So it's fun. And, I've also gained a lot of confidence over the years by picking things that I love. And then, I've got a nice following now at that store. It's really cool.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. That would be cool. We'd love to start a brick and mortar someday. And, that would be neat. What do you think the key is to creating a following?

Allison Evans:

I think, just really being true to yourself. That's what I've done. Just been really honest with what I love and what I don't like. And, I just put it right out there.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. That makes sense to me.

Allison Evans:

It's been really easy in that way for me. I mean, I don't know how else I would've done it, because I never, in a million years, would've thought that I would be a store owner. No way. Salesperson, no way.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

So it's been funny to have a store, and I realized that I definitely need staff to run the store. Because I can't stay there. When my studio was in the store, it was fine, because I could stay busy and be productive. But, there's times in between customers, just sitting there, I can't do it.

Logan Rackliff:

That's not you?

Allison Evans:

No, not at all. Not at all.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. So, in your eyes, what is really quality all about?

Allison Evans:

I would say, when you're dealing with something that's handmade, there's always going to be variation and things. Nothing's ever really perfect. And that's been hard for me to juggle over the years, because I can see so many flaws in a piece that nobody would ever see a problem with at all. So, I've been very picky over the years about what's a first, what's not a first.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And, I don't know. I would say that it can stand the test of time. And, it is not too fragile, although it is ceramic. So, it's the nature of it, they can break. But hopefully, they're stable enough and sturdy enough where they can last a while.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

And I also think the process of making things with people that you really enjoy working with, I think, that's been very important to me, is to have a really happy work environment, to know that I treat my staff really well. We try to have fun at work. We like to hang out with our FedEx guy and have a friendship with him. We try to really enjoy our time together. And I think that, that comes through in every aspect of what we do.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. So, as people, when they get your art, your ceramics, and as you guys do this as a team, and have this great thing, what are you hoping that people take away from your art, or from your store, or from the experience of getting one of your things, or interacting with you guys?

Allison Evans:

I think just taking the time to just enjoy life, and enjoy the beautiful things that we have around us. Whether it's the food that's in that really cool bowl, or the people that you're enjoying your meal with. I don't know. It's just taking a minute to enjoy what you're doing, and have it mean something to you, and know that a nice team of people made that for you to enjoy.

Logan Rackliff:

Right.

Allison Evans:

I think just knowing, through the whole process, that it's a very honest, simple product.

Logan Rackliff:

I love it. Simple and honest. Yeah, that speaks to me. And so, what are your favorite aspects of the designs that, I guess, speak to you the most? In the whole process, what is your favorite? Or maybe there isn't, maybe it's just the whole thing, everything that you do, what really stands out to you?

Allison Evans:

I love filling the molds. I love rolling out slabs, and filling the molds, and I like to time myself, see how fast I can do it sometimes. I mean, it's fun. I enjoy it. I don't know. I think, yeah, because I get to take a chunk of clay, and put it on the table, and I just have to beat it really hard to flatten it first.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, yeah.

Allison Evans:

And, I don't know. It's very cathartic.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Well, that's a good question. I asked Hannah, I said, "What should I ask everybody?" And she said, "Well, these people that are doing all these stuff, these entrepreneurs are running around. How do they get rest and recharge? How do they do everything they do?" Do you have any thoughts on that?

Allison Evans:

We work really hard in the winter time, and this is the first summer that I've had in a really long time where I haven't been working that hard. I've been trying to take it easy a little bit, and take a step back and enjoy our daughter, and just enjoy the nice weather that we are starting to have.

Logan Rackliff:

Should get. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

I don't know.

Logan Rackliff:

So, yeah, you said, "We're going to go harder in the winter, so we can have time to rest and enjoy the Maine summer."

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, yeah.

Allison Evans:

And it feels really good. I mean, we've been able to build up our inventory really well for the first time ever, just to try to get ahead of everything.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

I've always made everything to order to the tee, from bisque to glaze, and to have actually finished product ready to ship when people place an order has been a miracle. Of course, it does happen, I'll have a piece in every single color, except the color that somebody orders. That happens a lot too still. But, we're getting better at it. And that feels nice. It's taken the pressure off a lot to have that cushion of product.

Logan Rackliff:

Right. You said, "Going around the water." Do you guys have a boat or do you get out on boats?

Allison Evans:

We do. We do. We got a boat. It's been three years. We have an old lobster boat.

Logan Rackliff:

Oh really?

Allison Evans:

Yep, we do.

Logan Rackliff:

Interesting.

Allison Evans:

And, we can sleep underneath. It's got a head on board.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. You know what it is for a hall, by any chance? Or how long it is?

Allison Evans:

Oh, it's really one of those beautiful classic-

Logan Rackliff:

Like a Young Brothers.

Allison Evans:

... It's a Young Brothers. Thank you.

Logan Rackliff:

Is it really?

Allison Evans:

It is. Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

It's a 33?

Allison Evans:

I don't think... Is it? Yeah, I think. Yeah, yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah, that seems to be the classic. That's really the classic lobster boat, turned a smaller type yacht. Right?

Allison Evans:

Yeah, it's a nice size, because you can get in and out of places.

Logan Rackliff:

You can do it. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

And it's not overly crazy expensive or whatever it is. You can handle it. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Yes. I still haven't really learned how to drive it.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Yeah. No, no.

Allison Evans:

I leave that to Chris.

Logan Rackliff:

That's right, Chris-

Allison Evans:

He's a very good captain.

Logan Rackliff:

... Cool. So, I love to ask this question. What is your favorite item that you use around home, or at work, or just anything somewhat regularly in your life? Do you have a favorite object or item?

Allison Evans:

I would say, the coffee table bowl is by far my favorite. I leave it out on the counter, keep all of our fruit, and stuff that you don't want to put in the fridge.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm.

Allison Evans:

So, it's nice to have that out. And then, as far as handling things, right now, we're using all the round dinnerware, so we use that every day.

Logan Rackliff:

At your own house?

Allison Evans:

Yeah, yeah. I get all the seconds, which I get upset about. I really should allow myself to have the good ones.

Logan Rackliff:

I love that your favorite items are something that you make, that is so neat. So, what's next on the horizon? Any new projects? What's exciting? What's going on?

Allison Evans:

Honestly, right now, no I don't have any new exciting projects that I'm planning to do. I'm just riding the wave right now. My daughter, I can't believe she's already 12. So much time has passed. I'm just trying to just focus more on her at this time.

Logan Rackliff:

Awesome.

Allison Evans:

And, I mean, I know I will have waves of inspiration and I will make a new body of work at some point. But, I'm going to take a little break, unless... Who knows?

Logan Rackliff:

Who knows?

Allison Evans:

Unless something hits me.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. Are you in the store much?

Allison Evans:

Not anymore. I'm really lucky that I have a really wonderful employee that has taken that over for me.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. What's her name again?

Allison Evans:

Ellie.

Logan Rackliff:

Ellie. Yeah, she's awesome.

Allison Evans:

Yeah, she's wonderful.

Logan Rackliff:

But, in the store, or what people are looking for, are you seeing any trends in your world at all? Any leanings?

Allison Evans:

Sometimes, there's trends with color, I feel like. I'm surprised this year that there isn't more people buying the abalone glaze color, because that pink was supposed to be the color of the year. Did you see that there's this fleshy pink.

Logan Rackliff:

Like the pantone. Yeah.

Allison Evans:

Yeah, yeah. Sometimes that's true, but with my work I can pick it out, I'm like, "Okay, is this going to happen?" And, lo and behold, at the end of the year, I look at what sold the most, and it's funny. I think this year though, even though it's that pink, I think it's the mitten charcoal again, because... I don't know.

Logan Rackliff:

Timeless.

Allison Evans:

That's my favorite one.

Logan Rackliff:

That's got to be it. Yeah, maybe.

Allison Evans:

And, actually, you know what? I have to give us credit. We did come out with a new glaze combo this year. And we call it sea foam. So it's a minty green on the inside with white on the outside. And that's been really, really popular. So, it's been a big hit with our stores, and even customers that have already been collecting.

Logan Rackliff:

Mm-hmm. Yeah, well, I guess you're just enjoying time with your daughter right now, and keeping things running nice and smooth. And, like you said, another day, who knows what you'll be doing? Do you have any other areas you ever want to work in, or have you ever done any other art?

Allison Evans:

Not really, no. I've made some rope... I used to call them rope paintings. So I would take actually rope that I would find on the beach before the whole rope rug thing was a thing. I would find them, and I would also find driftwood, and make a frame, and use old metal, and just different hardware that I would find in the driftwood, and turn them into, I'd call them, paintings. They're more a sculpture, I don't know.

Logan Rackliff:

Put something together.

Allison Evans:

Yeah, yeah. Like a collage. It wasn't really my original idea. I remember seeing some really beautiful rope art in New York City one day, walking past a gallery, and just thinking, "Wow, that is incredible." And so, it put the bee in my bonnet.

Logan Rackliff:

Do you have any of those left?

Allison Evans:

I have one. Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Really? Man, I bet that'd be cool to see.

Allison Evans:

Yeah. I never sold them or anything. I've always made tables at driftwood tables and things like that. I don't know. Scavenging. In the beginning, and if I needed a table to put my pottery on to sell it, I couldn't afford to buy it. So, I would go find some wood and I would make a table and put it on it.

Logan Rackliff:

Wow. Cool. That's awesome. Yeah, I bet those are timeless. I'd like to see those too.

Allison Evans:

Yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Well, thank you so much for everything else. And, we're so grateful you came and so happy to have you. Where can we find your stuff? Where can everybody find you? And we'd love to share that.

Allison Evans:

Well, let's see. We have our store in the Boothbay Harbor.

Logan Rackliff:

What's it called?

Allison Evans:

It's called Ae Home.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay.

Allison Evans:

And, it's not right in the center of town. It's a little bit on the outskirts, as you're driving out of Boothbay. You can't miss it. And then, there's lots of different galleries and stores that sell it in the state. L.L.Bean carries some stuff in their home store. Abacus, they have a few locations. They're selling some of it.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. You must be perfect for Abacus.

Allison Evans:

Yeah, yeah.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

For a long time I wouldn't sell to them because they had a store in town.

Logan Rackliff:

Oh, right.

Allison Evans:

But, we ended up-

Logan Rackliff:

Some overlap.

Allison Evans:

... Yeah. But we're like, "As long as they don't sell it theirs, we don't care."

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

You got to protect those zip codes. You can't have too much of it.

Logan Rackliff:

I know. It's a constant battle. If you ever figure that out, you let me know.

Allison Evans:

Yeah, it's not easy.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah. But, yeah. Do you guys have an Instagram?

Allison Evans:

We do. Yep. It's Ae Ceramics, and we also have one for Ae Home.

Logan Rackliff:

Okay. You have one for both?

Allison Evans:

Yep.

Logan Rackliff:

Yep. And, well yeah, thank you so much for coming. I mean, we just can't say how much we appreciate it. And your stuff is just so beautiful. And especially, if people want the coastal, or bring the coastal back, I mean, your stuff is timeless and practical, ultimate design and quality, I think. And, I love the nature and your inspirations are the same things that inspire us. So, we really enjoy your thing. So, can't say enough. So, thank you very much.

Allison Evans:

It's been fun.

Logan Rackliff:

Yeah.

Allison Evans:

It's nice to see you.