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Jennie Tang
Jennie Tang
01:20

Jennie Tang

The Workshop Mpls

Minneapolis, MN USA

"Find the things that light your fire and surround yourself with people who feel the same way."

Career Roadmap

Jennie's work combines: Art, Entrepreneurship, and Building Things

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Day In The Life

Owner

I own a pottery studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

02:52

Day In The Life Of A Potter And Business Owner

My Day to Day

I start by throwing a piece of clay, which is the process of forming it on the wheel. After it dries, it goes through the trimming process, where it's tidied up. That's where I'll add things like handles or knobs. I also paint and carve almost everything that I make. It then dries out completely and then goes into the kiln for its first firing. After it cools, then it's glazed and fired again. Outside of making pottery, I also work to create access for all people to work in this creative space.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

It's been difficult to navigate success in a creative field when the world has deemed art an unacceptable career path, but I knew early on that this was the right path for me. Since declaring my major, I've worked really hard to take every opportunity presented to me to gain skills and create a living out of this.

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Ceramics

    Undergraduate

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    When I was 11 years old, we moved from Nashville, Tennessee, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to live with my grandmother after my parents divorced.

  • 2.

    My grandmother urged us to figure out ways to get involved with things—I had happened to see someone throw pottery and was immediately transfixed by it.

  • 3.

    I spent all the time I could outside of school being creative, and clay was my favorite medium.

  • 4.

    I didn’t expect to go to school for ceramics but ultimately did end up going down that route.

  • 5.

    I’ve since worked hard to take any opportunity presented to me to gain skills and find success in ceramics.

  • 6.

    I started with a studio in my home but decided to look for a studio space outside my home when my youngest child went to kindergarten.

  • 7.

    I launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund my studio—it was funded within one weekend!

  • 8.

    I now own The Workshop MPLS, a pottery studio that is welcoming and accessible to all people of all skill levels.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Society in general:

    Art is not an acceptable career path.

  • How I responded:

    It's been difficult to navigate success in a creative field when the world has deemed art an unacceptable career path, but I knew early on that this was the right path for me. Since declaring my major, I've worked really hard to take every opportunity presented to me to gain skills and create a living out of this.

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