High Desert: Kenesha Sneed

You have your own studio where you work alone—was that by accident or by design?

It was by happenstance that a girlfriend of mine had a studio in downtown LA, and she invited me to set up there. I came into her space and it kind of just fell into place perfectly. I ended up sharing the studio with her for the better part of a year before she had to move away.

I took over the space and stayed there for a while before I moved to a more residential location. Now I have a studio here at my house with everything consolidated into one place and I can do all my design and ceramics work from home.

Did going from sharing a studio to working in your own space change the nature of the work?

I think that my work as a whole is constantly evolving and changing. I’m always thinking of different ideas, and I think that’s partly because I have a design and illustration background, enabling me to switch things up all the time.

I can’t help but play with new ideas and I would say that having my own space does leave more room to explore and mentally clear my head a bit. In some respects I have more creative freedom, but that said, it is good to have people around and it’s important to find that balance.

You’ve done a number of collaborative projects—how do they come about?

With motion graphics design, which is what my background is in, I don’t always have an option as to who the client is. But when it’s an illustration job, I mostly work directly with the client, so I know more about who they are. With ceramics, I know exactly who I’m working with because I’m familiar with the shop. I build a closer rapport with those I communicate with and there are always different levels to it, but with my ceramics I like to work with smaller businesses and just all-around nice people.

Some people I collaborate with and some I sell to, so it depends on that relationship, but it’s easier to design pieces for those who I admire. I always try to work with people I connect to, people that share similar ideas.

What is it about Southern California that inspires you?

I grew up in the high desert of Southern California, and I’ve lived most of my life in the LA area. I spent a few years living in Venice Beach, close to where my college was located. My work is a mix of that overall vibe: carefree and fun. I like to make things that emphasize positive qualities, and I think that translates into my work.

What do you make of the line that is sometimes drawn in the sand between high art and low art?

I think it depends on your individual perspective as to what you consider high or low art. For me, with making ceramics, there’s such a craftsmanship to it that it feels like my own sort of therapy. It feels good to create it and if I can share it with other people, that’s great.

I don’t really hold anything I design to anyone else’s standards. If I did, I wouldn’t create anything. You have to continuously go to the beat of your own creativity and let that drive you.

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