Deliciously Artful Dishes Made
with Ingredients of the Craft
WWhen chefs are depending on that last ingredient to finish
the story of a meticulously thought out entree they reach out
to Jered Nelson, self-proclaimed clayboy and owner of Jered‘s
Pottery, to create something truly inspiring.
“The same sentiment has been reiterated a number of times
by different clients; they have worked so hard to create these
entrees to have the right flavor profile,” Nelson described. “They
are using local, seasonal ingredients and they are spending all
this time on very specialized sources and to then put it on a $2
white China plate just seems wrong.”
Jered described how a majority of his chef clients will know
exactly what an entree will taste like and how the plating of it
will look, but seldom do they know what they want the serving
vessel to look like, and this is where he comes in.
“When chefs come to me they might give me an indication of
what colors they like or think will work and then generally they
let me go. It is inspiring having the food and seeing how I can
help them with the message of what they feel is most important
for the entrée,” he said. “I think one of the things that has really
helped me is to just be open to working with these artists. Once
you become open, they see you as a resource to improve what
they are doing.”
With a client list made up of some of the country’s top chefs
and having his pieces sold in local and national retailers, it is
clear that Nelson’s artistic eye and creative openness have been
a driving force behind his word-of-mouth reputation, however,
he believes that his skills and natural problem solver abilities
are the real reason.
“I am not your typical potter in that I know how to make
things exceptionally strong and resilient for the kitchen. To be
able to go through the dish washer and to hold up to multiple
platings in a night,” he said. “I think that since I am not set in my
By Jeannie Howard
ways clients can come to me with a project that needs a new
process and I’ll figure it out. I’ve been doing this long enough
that I can figure it out and get things done quickly.”
Nelson admitted he really enjoys seeing his art in use. “It feels
really good to see them in the kitchen, to see them being plated
on, and to see them at the tables.”
Being a large volume production studio, Nelson does have
a skilled group of staff in the studio who are able to help. “I do
all the throwing. For those pieces I’ll throw and trim them, then
hand them over to be glazed,” he said. “If it’s a handmade piece
I’ll make a few of them and figure out the best way to do it and
then show the person who is making the handmade stuff how
to do it.”
Throughout the more than 25 years Nelson has been a potter
he has held a variety of jobs, such as working in factories, riding
in a rodeo and being in the Navy, but he always went back to
the clay.
“I’ve always been interested in the arts but is has always
been the physicality of the clay—putting your hands directly on
your medium and manipulating it—that makes it fun, relaxing
and challenging,” he said. “There’s a lot of detail in all of the
processes in ceramics that lend itself to inspiration. The way the
clay moves and the different properties of it.”
With a steady stream of custom orders, from dishes to
sculptures and murals, Nelson makes sure to have personal
time honing his craft. “At least once a week, I’ll come in when all
the staff is gone and I’ll sit and make a few pieces that are for
fun.”
This time alone is something that Nelson said is important to
him and continuing to build his skill as a potter first and artist
second. “I love what I do—I love making things. It holds true for
me that my artwork comes on the base of my craft.”
Jered’s Pottery | 867 S. 19th St., Richmond | (510) 680-5444 | Jeredspottery.com
28 ccmarketplacemag.com September 2022