MADE HERE West Hill Studio • Keene, NH

"Working with clay is always challenging, but I love that about it. It's a very needy medium; you have to see it through," says Leila Meehan, potter of West Hill Studio in Keene, adding that "it demands your attention." &emsp;&emsp;Most of her work is made with a potter's wheel, which she finds has a meditative quality. An important aspect of wheel work is to get comfortable with centering, which, she explains, can make or break a vessel. Other factors the artisan must strive for are an even thickness of the piece's sides and bottom; if the bottom is too thin, it will collapse, she says. &emsp;&emsp;"I do like centering. It's kind of Zen. One of the other things I love about clay is that you're totally using your hands. In something like centering, you have to really feel it to know when it's right," says Meehan. &emsp;&emsp;She adds that you have to be OK with having your hands be really messy and full of clay. Once the pieces are complete, they must be kept moist during the drying process; if they dry too fast, they can crack. &emsp;&emsp;Her love of plants inspires her many hanging planters, which are among her customers' most requested items, along with mugs. &emsp;&emsp;Plants influence her design work, too, like a leaf just starting to open that has a certain curve to it, leaves that have interesting designs and repetitive patterns, and things that look like they're underwater, like seaweed. &emsp;&emsp;Meehan likes two different styles in her process. One is flowy, as when glaze colors flow together. The other is to use an underglaze and add carving or detail to the pottery. She enjoys the contrast of the sharpness carving creates upon the soft round edges of wheel-thrown clay. &emsp;&emsp;Friend and fellow artist Pamela Bys says Meehan creates beautiful work inspired by observing the fine details of the natural world and that she is "meticulous about the care she puts into her work." &emsp;&emsp;She began practicing her pottery craft in this area when she moved here with her family in 2012. Before purchasing her own wheel and kiln, she rented studio space in Brattleboro, Vermont, first at Brattleboro Clayworks, where she took a class with Shari Zabriske and later at Wheelhouse Clay Center. &emsp;&emsp;She says of Zabriske, "Her pottery is just divine. She's very inspiring. I wish I could have that same touch." &emsp;&emsp;On Instagram, she posts pictures of her work, and people can message her about interest in specific pieces. In addition, she sells pieces through Hannah Grimes Marketplace in Keene and at fairs like Keene's Art in the Park, a craft fair in Sunapee, and other pop-up craft fairs. &emsp;&emsp;Meehan has been working with clay since high school in the Hudson Valley area of New York, where she grew up. She had great opportunities to explore art and pottery-making at the Poughkeepsie Day School, a private school that offered students a weekly 3-hour central study class in their choice of subjects. &emsp;&emsp;She continued to practice ceramics at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, majoring in psychology and minoring in studio arts. &emsp;&emsp;"I was a teaching assistant for a pottery class, so I was lucky enough to learn to use the kiln," she notes. &emsp;&emsp;Meehan purchased her own kiln in 2020 — a big investment, she notes. &emsp;&emsp;"I have a piecemeal studio at my house. I have a wheel in the basement, where I make everything, and we're fortunate to have a cement-sided garage that the kiln can be used in," she explains, referring to the high kiln firing temperatures. &emsp;&emsp;Operating a kiln requires much technical knowledge; understanding how the temperatures affect the glaze, for example. She explains that it is very scientific and exacting, yet results can still be unpredictable. &emsp;&emsp;"With glaze, most of the time, you get what you get, and you don't get upset. Some glazes stay in place, and others move around," says Meehan. &emsp;&emsp;She notes that mixing your own glazes makes the results more predictable, as do underglazes and low-fire glazes, which may be used when doing more design work. &emsp;&emsp;She lets customers know that while she strives for similar results when they ask for pieces that match those they see posted online, the unpredictability may cause variation. The turn-around time for creating people's orders is six to eight weeks. &emsp;&emsp;Meehan enjoys making functional art, adding, "I love that it will serve a purpose in someone's life." BOX: For more information: Email: westhillstudionh@gmail.com Instagram: @westhillstudio