We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Murray and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I am risk averse. Rather than jump into the unknown with both feet, I tend to wait for the tide to reveal my opportunity. While I wait, I work on my craft— which is what I love. The opportunities will come. It seems they always do (for me) when the craft and commitment are there.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a creative professional living and working in a cottage surrounded by coastal redwoods in Marin County California. For 30 years, I’ve had my own graphic design business with a fairly organic growth model. For 10 years, I’ve also developed a ceramic body of work that is the synthesis of a lifetime of studying form, combined with a lifetime of living in nature. I do not do a lot of self-promotion for either my design or pottery business. Clients find me by word of mouth. Pottery collectors find me through shows, pinterest and most recently, a gallery.

Having the freedom to live within the means provided by creative entrepreneurship is a measure of success that I embrace with much gratitude.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I moved away from the city (San Francisco) to live in the redwoods 12 years ago and haven’t really looked back—altho I might drag my friend in to the Museum of Craft and Design for a day. Otherwise, after checking out what’s happening around the houseboats in Sausalito and Marinship, I’d head up the coast – stopping at the Parkside in Stinson Beach for a beach town cafe vibe, go huckleberry picking on Mt. Tam; head up to Point Reyes for some beach nature, camp at Pomo Canyon, stop at the Kate Wolf music festival wayyy up in Northern California and generally just chill and explore.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Over the years I have been inspired both by those whose immense talent and knowledge have influenced my aesthetic, as well as by those whose lives well-lived have informed my personal goals. Of the former, Bob Devito was a cherished mentor in my early package design days. From him I learned to obsess over alignment, typography and proportion. I was also influenced by Ankie and Bruce Bajema —potters, weavers, woodworkers and parents of my dear friend Maya. They surrounded themselves in life with craft, design and friends who loved them for it. All three of these beautiful humans have passed on, but their influence lives on.

Website: workingpotter.com

Instagram: @workingpotter

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