After spending more than a half a dozen years knee deep in the trenches of the global refugee crisis as a social worker I was exhausted and tattered in the mind and heart. The result of documenting and narrating the truth of all those seasons whilst experiencing its weight in real time had me in great need of attention to self. My overarching approach was to create a more sustainable way of living while still being in service to this God call over my life. 

Sitting at my wheel became a place of presence for me. The decision making wasn’t life or death. There was boundless room for fluidity. It was the exact freedom and focus I needed. The transformation from wet clay to a vase on a table with fresh picked wildflowers was beautiful to me. That gratification of creation enticed me to keep coming back to my wheel.

The healing continued, the assortment of bowls and vases, plates and mugs increased rapidly and I soon outgrew the nook that I had been creating in. To commence my first studio I made a collection of candles to adorn my new dream space. Between friends and family nearly the entire collection had gone out the door before I got to light any of them! Thus leading to the genesis of, The Barefoot Potter shop. 

The holiday collection you have found here in my shop is inspired by that original studio commencement collection. My hope is for you to savor the season among us and to find -a moment of deeper presence when you need it too.

We all deserve time and space to heal and evolve, to redefine and transform ourselves. I am confident that we are all created to create. Repeatedly I have learned that expression and creativity is merely about trying to create art but rather learning how to let the art create us.

New Hampshire native, author & potter

-Julie-Marie Zarba