After a years-long break from ceramics, Priscilla Lentini has dusted off her passion for pottery with Pottery by Priscilla, her locally-run ceramics brand that specializes in handmade, wheel-thrown works of art.
While Priscilla creates a variety of ceramic pieces, including pots, magnets and bowls, she primarily focuses on making mugs, which have proven to be her favorite pieces to make.
“You start making something new, but the clay in your hands starts to show what it wants to be. Usually, that’s a mug,” she says.
Priscilla has a special connection to the mugs that she makes, though, and she hopes that her customers find their favorite mug in her shop.
“I find mugs to be personal and special, where you are maybe drinking a cup of coffee on your porch, or it’s a snowy evening drinking hot cocoa or tea,” she says, “They’re very comforting and special to a lot of people. I like making special and unique items that people can hold. It’s functional art that’s handmade with care.”
Priscilla Lentini’s passion for ceramics began in high school, where she fell in love with the craft in her ceramics class. She continued to hone in on her craft throughout college and beyond, wherever she could find a kiln.
“I really enjoyed the creative aspect of having functional artwork. I had an amazing pottery instructor-- it was my all-time favorite class. I took pottery at my local community college, and then I did pottery in my spare time,” she says, “My university had a pottery wheel and kiln in the basement dorm, so I was able to do it then. I had a bit of a hiatus after moving to Wisconsin, but it’s been absolutely great getting my hands dirty again.”
Pottery by Priscilla began in June 2020 as a way for Priscilla to rediscover her passion for ceramics and create functional art for her family and friends, but she’s expanded to sell her works online and across farmers’ markets and craft fairs in the Madison area.
When asked what inspired her to begin Pottery by Priscilla, Priscilla admits that it was “mostly because I needed to get rid of it. I can only have so many mugs in my own cupboards.”
Priscilla’s side hobby quickly grew, however. After experiencing such positive reception to her pieces, she decided to share her works past her own circle of friends and family. What started as a passion project has expanded to an up-and-coming small business.
Priscilla cites her proudest accomplishment with Pottery by Priscilla as her repeat customers, especially those who share in the same passion and excitement she has for her ceramic works and are coming back again and again.
“When I first got repeat customers, it was very satisfying, very gratifying recognizing that no one was buying them out of pity or because they know me, but that they really loved the first mug so they bought another,” she says.
In the future, Priscilla hopes to expand even more, turning her side hobby into a full-time business. You can find Priscilla’s works on her website, Etsy shop, Facebook or Instagram. You can also find her at the Monroe Street Farmers’ Market every month, and twice a month starting in the fall.