Jackson County, and Ocean Springs in particular, has long been known as a destination for artists, both locally and beyond. Catie Daniel is one of those local artists. Catie discovered a love of art when she was very young, Catie sums it up this way, “Even from a very young age I remember making art, whether it was drawing my family members or painting animals, I always gravitated towards creativity. As I got older I added clay and pottery to the mix and further solidified that creating and making art was what I wanted to do.”
Catie isn’t just a full time artist, however. She’s a wife, a homemaker, and a mother of two beautiful little boys. While it can be hard to find the time to do the art she loves, she always knows there is an outlet for her.
Recently Catie has had requests to do some special pottery. She had a request for a mug that was shaped to look like an elephant, and a mug that was shaped to look like an armadillo. It might seem somewhat silly to the casual observer, but there is a serious effort involved in shaping pottery to resemble particular animals. Getting the intricate details right requires a great eye, skill, and immense patience, especially with two rambunctious boys running around.
Catie, the ever determined artist, sidetracked. She sat down, molded the mugs one at a time, colored them, fired them and wah lah! Two beautiful mugs!
Customers were beyond satisfied with the results of her labors. “I had a couple of friends who saw my latest mug, the armadillo, and they placed orders for one for themselves on the spot. I’m seriously considering making one for myself because i like it so much,” mused Daniel.
Art is not only about finding your voice, but using it to connect with others in ways that speak to them as well. It remains to be seen whether or not this niche venture of animal shaped mugs will forge that connection, but for now, they certainly convey more than something to simply hold your morning coffee in.
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see,” said Edgar Degas
I believe that Catie’s new venture conveys love, dedication, commitment, and maybe even a few things we can’t quite put our fingers on. If you’d like to check out more of Catie’s work, please visit her web site, www.catiedaniel.com
