About Free Range Ceramics

Hi there!  My name is Cale Kennedy, and I'm a ceramic artist and an organic farmer.  When I’m not in my home studio or creating at Paonia Clayworks, you can find me in my market-farm garden running irrigation, working in the field harvesting veggies, or managing the wash station.  I'm energized by the dynamic relationship between soil, clay, and the composition of the two as an art.  My earth-centric style is derived from the connections that exist between growing food in our region's heavy clay soils and forming clay into elegant yet functional pottery. My work is contemporary yet grounded, and intentional but yet with an organic approach to glazing, meaning no two pieces are ever created exactly alike.

After receiving my Bachelors of Fine Arts from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2008, I pursued various art related avenues for several years, teaching art to children, running a paint-your-own pottery studio, and creating my own work.  Never having found my niche and the financial stability that I desired, I eventually found myself working a nine-to-five office job for a major telecom company. This life chapter was unfulfilling, to say the least, and in 2016, tired of city life, my wife and I packed up, left Denver, and headed for Colorado's rugged, rural western slope to start an organic vegetable and flower farm.  Having fallen in love with the joy of growing food for ourselves and our community, I made, what was for me, the next logical step and returned to my potter roots, creating timeless, classic pieces that just fit functionally and aesthetically on a farm.  

My first home studio was in a converted root cellar, but it lacked the natural light and energy necessary for creating.  It was a great stepping stone, but was heavy, dark, and constricting. This past year, I built out a new, small studio on the farm in our garage, repurposing a retired wood-burning stove and creating a warm space in which to create.  Now, my wheel resides in my garage studio and my kiln in our seasonal greenhouse, my art life being fully integrated with my farm life, the whole operation having come full circle.  Occasionally, I enjoy working in a community space, especially while in the glazing stage, and my work brings me to a neighboring art community, Paonia, where I share space with other ceramicists. My art can be found at galleries and boutique stores throughout Western Colorado and online at: https://www.freerangeceramics.com/