Tour the Pottery Studio That Sculptor Sequoyah Johnson Calls Her 'Inner Child's Playground'

Sequoyah Johnson, owner of The Coy Collection, lets her imagination run wild as she crafts ceramic pieces that emphasize finding joy in everyday rituals.

By: Beth Braden

Show: HGTV Handmade

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Photo By: Arnelle Lozada

Positive Pottery

Sequoyah Johnson is the owner of The Coy Collection, a ceramic brand specializing in "everyday rituals and joy." Sequoyah, a former art teacher, began working with pottery in 2009, but she didn't launch The Coy Collection as a business until 2018. As the world shut down in 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic, Sequoyah found her business booming as people sought to connect with the items in their homes.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Whenever You're Ready

Sequoyah's approach to self-healing and happiness via her pottery leaves plenty of room to embrace the lows of life as well as the highs. "I don’t want my work to just be like, ‘oh be happy,'" she explains. Her creations, while endlessly cheerful, aren't meant to pressure their owners into fake happiness. Instead, she says, it's about “knowing the smiley is there when you’re ready."

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Here's To Never Growing Up

Sequoyah describes The Coy Collection as her "inner child's playground" where she is free to experiment and express herself. As a child, she was not allowed to do her nails or wear her hair in certain ways, so The Coy Collection is the product of completely free self-expression.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

The Perfect Medium

Her self-expression started with earrings before advancing to sculpture. Drawing and painting never appealed to Sequoyah, but pottery did. “There’s just something really otherworldly about [being able to] transfer energy from your body into another medium," she says.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Let's Get Physical

Sequoyah immerses herself in the process as she throws some clay on the wheel and closes her eyes as the energy from her body and from the motion of the wheel combine. “Pottery is pretty physical," she says.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

From Dust to Art

Sequoyah — who makes her own glazes for her pieces — loves the process of starting with dust and working it into a finished product. It takes many days to finish a piece, as each item has to dry for about two weeks before it can go into the kiln. Items that go into the kiln before they're completely dried out may shatter during the baking process.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Time to Make the (Clay) Donuts

Her days are flexible — dare we say pliable? — and the flow depends on what special projects or collections she has in progress. Sometimes she works until late evening experimenting, producing and creating.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Putting the Fun in Funfetti

Sequoyah's confetti cups were part of a collection she designed for her birthday. "When I was in high school, I used to bake funfetti cakes for my friends and have a big celebration in the cafeteria at lunch. I drew from this time in my life, and I sprinkled glaze chips on to create that effect as if I were baking," she explains.

All the Small Things

One of her smallest items are magnets and Croc charms — which are small decorations for the famous lightweight clog shoe. Sequoyah loves tiny things.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Could You Please Pass the Ranch Dressing?

Sequoyah, a self-described saucier, loves ranch dressing and other sauces, which led her to make several clay replicas of condiment bottles. Her favorite creation is a giant bottle of pumpkin spice-flavored ranch dressing. She has also turned her love of sauces into replica earrings and vases.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

The Signature Smiley

Sequoyah's classic smiley mug comes from her time as an art teacher when she realized that her students simply loved stickers. The happy faces next to the handles on her mugs represent a "good job" sticker.

Watch the Video: Tour a Joyful Ceramic Artist's Studio

Don't Forget to Smile

It's easy to understand why the smiley face mugs are her best seller. That cheery face transfers happy energy as users drink from the mug, Sequoyah says.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

For a time, green boots were Sequoyah's go-to accent shoe, and her love for her boots was transformed into adorable boot mugs that mimic her favorite footwear.

Getting Down to Business

While her work during the pandemic allowed her to spread joy, she learned that there are lots of things you simply can't prepare for when running a business. While many creators didn't survive the economic slump, The Coy Collection has continued to thrive, which is something that Sequoyah is very excited about.

We'll Leave the (Candle) Light On For You

Sequoyah, who recently relocated from Houston to Los Angeles, made these candle holders as a going-away present to her friends when she left. She designed the scent within the candles — it's a fresh and floral fragrance she calls the literal scent of joy.

Sculpting in the Sun

You can follow Sequoyah's Los Angeles adventures and see all her upcoming collections by following her on Instagram or visiting the online shop at her website.