About Jess

A Potter, Milliner, Costumer Making Functional Art Out Of Mud And Fire.

Growing up I was drawn to the messiest corners of the art room and often susceptible to paint and dye stained hands. As an adult, I’m afraid little has changed.  At 18 I found myself an apprentice and glaze mixer for a clever ceramicist, before turning my focus to the needle and thread studying Costume Design at The Theater School of DePaul University in Chicago.  After graduating, I relocated to Los Angeles and worked in costume departments across every genre of theater, film, and TV production -- from period drama to modern horror.  I drew from the experiences of an imaginative milliner, accomplished costume designers, and collaborative peers in the Local 705, but I found myself ready to shift my focus again.

After 15 years of long days and costume problem solving, I took an entirely new path and set about making a family and home. Those first years of motherhood, followed by the global pandemic and general chaos of 2020 left me (like most everyone) totally out of balance. In an effort to find light, hope, and some tiny connection to my former self, I returned to my love of pottery. The hand-to-earth connection and the therapeutic spin of the wheel was exactly what I needed to rediscover my center and I haven’t looked back.

Thank you for your interest in my craft. Please know that every purchase made from Paper Doll Pottery directly supports a real life human family and we are grateful for your contribution.