What began as a home-based pandemic pivot-project born out of necessity, has since transitioned into a growing small business.​

 

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Hey there! Thanks for stopping by! 

A little bit about me (Wyeth), and how Pinch came to be!

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I am the 26 year old proprietor (I was recently referred to as this, and it made me feel fancy, so I'm going with it), of Pinch.

I grew up on an island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, only accessible by boat or plane. The island has no traffic lights, no chain stores/restaurants, and dedicates a weekend each year to daffodils. While beautiful, hobbies are a necessity when it comes to survival (especially during the dreary winter months).

 

Cue my fondness for art!

I fell in love with wheel throwing in high school, after watching and learning about the craft on YouTube.  Working with clay served as therapeutic relaxation for me (and still does), often quelling my severe anxiety - a lifelong struggle, that I work hard to manage each and every day.

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In 2020 I graduated from college, moved across the country to San Diego, sight unseen, and was left with little to no job prospects. From 2020-2022 I juggled multiple jobs - a thing I have been doing since the age of 13 (yes really, 13) -  while making and selling pottery from my 500 sq ft studio apartment. I would bring my pottery to and from the studios that I taught at, wrapped in toilet paper and packed in cardboard boxes, an hour each way via bus, just to be fired. 

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Fast forward two years. 

 In September of 2022 I began renting a teeny tiny studio in the wonderful, communal, creative hub, that is the San Diego Made Factory. It was then that I purchased and set up my very own kiln, a rite of passage for all potters... the big leagues.

I nicknamed the space "Pinch" and began teaching private lessons a few times a week, to help pay off my (very) expensive new toy, as well as compensate for my newfound studio rent. Little did I know how much interest there would be in my hands-on private pottery lessons!

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By June of 2023 I was beginning to feel as though not much  room for growth was left in my teeny tiny 260 sq ft studio space. It was then that I began my search for a commercial storefront.

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But who would want to lease a commercial retail space to a newly 25 year old with no savings, no financial backing, and whose knowledge of business comes from managing a defunct pizza shop and doom scrolling Google? 

Apparently a very kind man named Howard, who has more faith in me and my abilities than I do myself. 

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I have heaps and heaps of gratitude for all who have helped entertain this (at times) lofty dream, taken a lesson, told a friend, brought a friend, and become my friend in the process!
And a big heartfelt thank you to my tiny team of three instructors who have wedged countless balls of clay and evolve with me as I learn and grow. 

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And so here we are.

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