CxC The Story & The Why

Hi! I'm Courtney, and I’m the owner, designer, maker, marketer, and shipper behind Ceramics By Court.         

I create everything from start to finish in Southern California, in the great coastal city of Costa Mesa (aka Costamazing). I throw all of my pieces on a pottery wheel in my garage studio, and fire in the kiln at my local studio down the street. Inspired by the Sea and Mother Nature, I love creating functional art pieces for the kitchen & home that elevate everyday life. As a practical, hip (?) Mom of two young kids ages 5 & 3, I design my pieces to be beautifully functional, durable, dishwasher safe (usually unless it’s fancy with 22k Gold), lightweight, and easy to use!

My ceramics journey began in high school in 2002, and I quickly became obsessed with wheel throwing, practically living in the studio. Both being featured in the senior art show with my porcelain carved blue celadon tea set and a few of my pieces garnering purchase inquiries sparked the initial thought that this could be a future business someday! 

At the University of Southern California (Fight On!), I majored in Art History after realizing that I had a knack for quickly writing persuasive essays and art/visual memorization (iykyk). I took a hand building ceramics intro class freshman year and made some cool pieces that my mom still has, but I didn’t actually come back to the wheel until 2024 (and no, that handful of one-off classes with friends in my 20s doesn’t really count!).  

While I dreamed of being an artist, my career took a 14-year detour into Market Research Consulting, where I designed & managed research projects (online surveys, focus groups) and analyzed data in PowerPoint – which I used to say was "my medium!" After marrying my coworker best friend and having kids, I realized the corporate path wasn't sustainable for this new chapter. 

The strong pull to create led me back to ceramics after my second baby became a toddler. I eagerly enrolled in a local studio course in January 2024, had an amazing reunion with clay - like we could just start right back in together, immediately launched my CxC shop, and haven't looked back. Just six months later, I began building a home garage studio for more flexibility with my family, who remain my top priority. CxC is incredibly important too, fulfilling my creativity and sense of self as a mom. Life is short, so I jumped in fully to pursue this passion.

Elevate your everyday. My art pieces tend to be a reflection of me: where I LOVE to live, the function I need, the sumptuous texture and forms that excite me, and the vibrant colors that soothe & relax me. I love to cook at home, so I tend to make a lot of high-functioning, durable kitchen tools that also happen to be unique countertop statements. I constantly love experimenting with new clays & glazes and playing with new forms & utilities. Everything is meant to be beautifully functional and one-of-a-kind. 

The journey so far has been sweet, and I love hearing about how my pieces make you feel and seeing them in your homes! It has been incredible to be part of such an amazing community of potters & makers, both locally and online. Interacting with customers at local pop-up shops (new product ideas & feedback!) has been a favorite part of my journey too! From seeing repeat customers come back to imagining & creating new pieces specifically for your home are true “pinch me” moments as I live out my artist dreams! 

Thank you for the support!
Courtney