Bryan Charry and URSA.CLAY

Photo of Bryan (left) and a ceramic piece titled Mottled Jade Copalero (right). All photos below by Bryan/URSA.CLAY unless otherwise noted.

Bryan’s ceramics immediately caught my eye. They have character and purpose, and once you meet Bryan, you understand why. He is passionate about his work, has a keen eye for design, and an astute approach to running an art business. Seldom have I received such detailed answers to my interview questions, and that speaks volumes about Bryan’s many talents and his business success. If you need a blueprint for what works, you need to read this interview:

Bryan, can you describe for your readers what your business does?

I create one-of-a-kind experimental ceramic stoneware artwork that combines the functionality of pottery and aesthetic of sculpture. I am currently an individual artist and educator that travels to local vendor markets to share and offer my work to locals in the neighboring communities. I teach private wheel lessons that range from beginner basics all the way up to advanced throwing and trimming techniques.

So, where did the idea come from?

Doing ceramic work was a combination of it being a bucket list item and a little bit of destiny. I had always been interested in some day experiencing the pottery creation process, telling myself, “One day I’d love to try it out, it looks so awesome and fun!”. Only issue was it was always on the back burner. It wasn’t until a gap year at Chaffey College as a graphic design student, where I decided to take my first Intro to Ceramics in 2018. Here, I was privileged to have guidance from Nicole Seisler as my first ceramic professor and Stanton Hunter as the head of the ceramics department. Eight years later, I’m still doing it and now have a business, how time flies.

As for my business name/maker’s mark, it morphed into what it is today through multiple years of synchronicities while on my spiritual path. The Bear totem has followed me throughout my life. At sweat lodges, in visions, in dreams, through others, and mainly in the sky. Any time a significant event occurred in my life, I would look up, and shining bright in the night would be the star Arcturus (Ancient Greek for Guardian of the Bear), and Ursa Major/Minor (Latin for Great/Little Bear).

In order to integrate that energy into my work and business, I came up with URSA.CLAY (bear.clay) as the name I would use for my ceramic art. To honor Bear’s guidance through the symbology of the paw, my art lives by the quote, “Walk gently upon the Earth, for our Ancestors are at rest below”. This is what my maker’s mark of the bear paw on my pieces represents, in essence, my legacy.

What motivated you to start a business?

This one carries a lot, so I’ll split it into multiple sections.

My motivation to launch this business was my pursuit of happiness. To have my fair share of trying to see if I could make a living doing something I have come to love. From childhood all the way into adulthood I’ve felt the world carries a sense of heaviness that stems from people not doing what they love, with whom they love, myself included.

To this day it’s an ongoing journey for me personally, but over the years, working with clay, I have found that as long as I don’t forget to breathe, and I listen, there is a Mystery in the mundane that calls to be found. Launching URSA.CLAY as my official business, gives me the opportunity to use my gift of creation and share it with others. Then, possibly in return, my work could help others question the mundane, reflect on life, and possibly find healing or closure through art and community.

Is there a specific cultural interest behind the business?

My ultimate goal is to become a resource for indigenous communities, and a cultured influence to my generation and those to come. To honor knowledge received through artistic expression, while simultaneously preserving and protecting said knowledge and culture. As a young bilingual Colombian male, who was born in the United States, I carry a privilege that the universe reminds me of consistently when I visit communities in other countries. It is due to this privilege that I may have the ability to reach people through my business that others can’t, given their circumstances.

Currently, I am a student of the Maya Spirituality, as such, it is my responsibility to work in, with, and for the indigenous community. As my business grows, I plan on pursuing a path that allows me to do this through my work and through community collaboration. Along the way, I also plan to learn more and connect to my roots in Colombia.

Is there a specific geographic interest behind the business?

Geographically, we are surrounded by indigenous communities. You can view an informative digital map in the following page link (native-land.ca). The land I’m currently living on is Gabrielino-Tongva land, you can visit their page in the following page (gabrielinotribe.org) to read about their history and current events. The Maya community I am currently working with is from the Maya Kakchiquel lineage located on Lake Atitlan in Sololá, Guatemala. With time my goal is to partner with and integrate the influences of these communities and their history as well as others into my art with permission and understanding.

When it comes to a broader scale regarding partnerships, my interest is to collaborate with members from these and other lands and use my business as a platform to support those communities. One example is visiting Oaxaca, Mexico to further develop my understanding of the use of barro negro (black clay) and specific burnishing techniques developed by Doña Rosa from San Bartolo Coyotepec. Another example is to partner with local weavers to learn different skills used to create woven style art and textiles, and apply those skills and that knowledge to my work while honoring those roots.

Is there a specific social interest behind the business?

In essence, this has been a materialization of my spiritual journey and my mission to do my part to reconnect myself and others to help indigenous peoples and our local communities. Personally, I feel my circumstances in my life have cultivated a longing to help those I am able to. In order to navigate things, it’s a balance between respecting boundaries, exploring different cultures/beliefs/perspectives and then applying that knowledge with permission and understanding into my work as an artist and business owner.

I am interested in bridging the disparity between the “old” and “new” cultures using my art and the power of presence. Ironically and paradoxically, in order to make my own unique style as an artist, I have to value and make relevant what might possibly be worthless and/or irrelevant in other cultures, countries, or societies. An example of this can be seen in an ongoing series I launched called “Trash 2 Treasure”. This approach consists of me taking a fellow artists ceramic piece out of the trash bin, performing some ceramic CPR, breathing life back into it and making it my own. As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

Can you describe your typical work day?

My work day consists of a combination of record-keeping/tax prep, creating new pieces, and social media management. As I’m doing everything myself, any “downtime” I shift focus and prioritize the next task at hand. If I’m record-keeping, I’m logging any expenses, write-offs, mileage, etc., in an attempt to keep things organized and fluid in preparation for tax season.

If I create, I’m going to one of my local ceramic studios to throw, trim, or glaze my works in progress. And if I’m not creating physically, I’ll try to create digitally, gather different snippets of videos I’ve taken, edit and modify them to post on my Instagram account.

Do you work from home, a separate office, or are you mostly on-the-road?

My work location varies. I have a wheel I can throw with at home, and space to hand build if I need to expedite a project. I have drying racks, clay, and the tools necessary to do any final touch ups before letting things dry, and transporting them to my local ceramic studio to fire. It’s not a full setup but I do plan to have my own complete space in the near future.

There are two local ceramic studios I frequent as a community member. The first is at the Ceramic & Art Studio in Norco, and the second is in Redlands at the Redlands Pottery Project. These spaces have been very supportive community spaces for me to expand my work, to learn and grow, and is where all my work is currently fired and glazed.

If I do a vendor market/event, then for the day I will travel on-the-road to that event and setup and vend the length of the day there.

Since I create my own work, what I source is tools and supplies like clay and glazes from local suppliers or online shops. Laguna Clay & Glaze Company and Aardvark Clay and Supplies are the larger local suppliers. Online I order from small tool makers when possible over purchasing through Amazon.

What is your best-selling product?

Although I can sell it online, and have my own website, my main focus is to sell my items in person by word of mouth, through family and friends, as well as at vendor markets. The reason being shipping costs are pretty expensive and can easily be equal or greater than the cost of the product I sell (~$20-45).

Prices can fluctuate also depending on design, but as a new business, my goal has been to have something for everyone. I can make a $20 cup, simple with no carving, minimal trimming/shape manipulation that is deemed more affordable compared to an +$80 cup of the same size, but has carvings, attachments, complex painting/glaze combinations, etc.

To maintain variety in pricing, I’ll make a batch of things I am comfortable selling for less, and then rotate and make of batch of items I plan to sell for more. Regardless of price, this category/size is still the most popular.

Based on customer insight, I would say there is a definite effort being made to buy something unique that is intentionally made by the hands of a local artisan. Something that can be held and hugged with the palms and easily carried around. The work I sell offers just that, intentionality and attention to detail. Something to break the mundane, to slow down, and enjoy the moment.

What sets you apart from other businesses?

My vision is for my work to not just be another physical product, but instead to be something that carries a sense of dimension and intentional breadth of spirit about it. I seek to influence your attention away from your day to day regiment and towards a free-spirited spark of curiosity.

I seek to fracture the mundane. To help disconnect yourself from the online world and be grounded in the present moment. When someone holds one of my pieces, I want it to be Earthy, to be gritty, and carry a sense of belonging in your hands. I aim for my work to activate a tactile experience. I want you to feel the raw grit of the stoneware, the smoothness of the glaze, and all the differences in its shape. Grab a cup you like, fill it with the drink you like, and take a moment to yourself. That’s vision for my pottery babies, to hold space, and help you remember to take a breath.

How is social media important to your business?

Social media acts as the lens that allows others to see creation process of the pieces I sell. It allows me to have a separate avenue of communication with existing and potential customers as well as becoming a resource of information for fellow members of the ceramic community. While I’m focusing solely on Instagram, with time I plan to expand to other platforms as I solidify both my content creation process as well as my ceramic making process.

Which platforms do you use most - Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc?

I mainly use Instagram, Facebook I use for group forums and chats but simply mirror all my IG content onto Facebook. I have a LinkedIn that is not updated, as it has not really been a useful resource for me as a professional/employee. I do plan to slowly launch longer format content and how-to tutorials on YouTube.

What are your thoughts on technology today?

I believe technology is an incredible tool that has allowed the world to produce material and access information in ways that no one could have expected. However, I do believe there is a very real danger when it comes to the application/weaponization of newer technology such as AI and automation, and the power dynamic that comes along with it.

There is a saying I have always believed to be truer now than ever before, which is, “Nothing in this world is free”. And in my opinion, it’s a condition of accessibility. Yes, the digital world is at your fingertips, but what must we sacrifice to participate and be a viable presence in this digital world?

I believe data is an unspoken currency, and because corporations control the platforms being used, unfortunately, our biometrics, our digital footprint, our likeness, even our unique creations, can all be stolen without permission through obscure terms and conditions, data breaches, hacking, or AI training/bot scraping.

It’s a double-edged sword that can make or break our businesses, but I would say a necessary aspect of running a business. I would say that as a business owner and artist, it is incredibly important to also learn about copyright and trademark law and how we can implement contractual protections, NDAs, and watermarks whenever possible to protect our creative assets.

Mac or PC, or do you mostly use your phone?

Though I have tried multiple times to use Apple products, the incompatibilities and headaches I’ve run into trying to create consistent content have driven me away from iThings and towards my custom-made PC I built myself. I also use an android phone and an older Nikon DSLR camera for content creation.

I use Adobe Creative Suite for editing all my digital material. All my content is mine. That’s a statement that although seems redundant, now a days, actually has value. I take my own pictures, capture my own videos, a-roll and b-roll. I have designed all my business’ branding myself, my website, logo, stationary, merch, marketing print material, banners, flyers, business cards, etc. This is a foundational part of being an artist, and is super important to me. Having the ability to say this is my original content/product, but also the humility to give credit to artists when inspiration strikes. It’s the right thing to do.

When it comes to record keeping and bookkeeping I use a combination of hard copies, external, local, and cloud storage. If I lose or corrupt a digital copy of a business file, it’s likely printed in a binder and vice versa. I use mainly Google Suite to handle the financial side of things for tax prep due to low cost, accessibility, and protection against document deletion with version history and real-time saving, but am currently looking for alternatives due to data collection and AI scraping.

Regarding all the work that the business requires, do you hire contractors or does your family participate?

I currently do everything myself, but for my first couple events, I have had my parents come by during a vendor event to help me setup and breakdown. I mainly pay for services needed, including website, domain, print on demand, and studio services.

Do you manage your own website & social media, or outsource?

On my website, I update available stock, descriptions, and pictures. Everything else is handled on the back end by the respective service providers. It contains a majority of sold items to act more so as a portfolio of past work. It’s still a work in progress but I do plan to strengthen the e-commerce side of things and offer a full catalogue of items with set shipping dimensions that will help reduce shipping costs and increase packing speed on my side.

Bookkeeping I do myself but submit for review to my tax prepper when time comes. I update records on a weekly basis, or best-case scenario, in-the-moment if it’s something I can update using my phone.

When it comes to my computer, I built my current PC myself, and I also maintain it myself. Whenever they’re needed, any updates, upgrades or repairs I diagnose and perform myself. I built it with the intention of it being a workstation for my graphic design studies, so I was already good to go when I launched my business.

For finding new customers, doing outreach, and marketing, how do you manage this?

Being a very new business with so much competition on social media, I mainly have been focusing on the “power of presence” and trying what I can to network, socialize, and do outreach at local vendor markets. This is where I met you, Michael, and many others who have been amazingly supportive and very open to conversations about my work. This has actually opened so many doors and so many opportunities with others around the Inland Empire region. As I grow, I do plan on doing SEO, pushing more into online selling and jumping deeper into the shipping side of things.

Do you have a sign-in book at your booth?

I currently don’t use any analytics myself and am not pushing to collect customer information due to the delicate nature of collecting and protecting private customer information. I will at some point, but for now, my priority is to dial in my creative process, and once I’m ready to expand and understand best practices to collect customer information, I will at that time.

For now, grassroots communication/referrals and business cards is the main approach I’m taking alongside Instagram interactions and outreach.

Practically speaking, how do you balance work, growth, and personal time?

It’s been an ongoing balancing act, but maintaining a calendar similar to the standard academic scheduling pattern has helped me keep things organized when it comes to event scheduling. As time has passed though, my schedule has shifted into blocks to accommodate studio hours of operation since I rely so heavily on my local community ceramic studios.

For example, Mon/Tue, I have dedicated to tidy up accounting and record-keeping as well as any “ceramic homework” I can get ahead on or catch up on at home. On W/Th/F, I prioritize studio drop-offs, as well as starting new pieces, trimming and glazing. Then Sat/Sun, I dedicate to vendor market events, and picking up any ceramic homework from the studio as they’re closed M/Tue.

How do you balance work vs. family, vacations, leisure-time, etc.?

For the majority of my life, I have been pretty kept to myself, naturally having a pretty small social battery, so understanding what recharges that battery sooner than later has been a very important part of being a business owner. This is partially what has drawn me to do ceramics as a business, I have always found it to be very therapeutic to throw on the pottery wheel.

I enjoy the small things in life, standing outside enjoying the sunset, laying on the ground taking a breather, capturing some macrophotography of insects, listening to music while I throw a piece. Doing things that remind me to breathe.

These things combined have made leisure-time not too hard to satisfy on a personal level, but I will say it has been critical for me to learn to draw the line between business pottery work, and leisure pottery work. I can understand why people talk so much about burnout. It’s very easy to lose sight of that and I hope I continue to be able to work in ways that maintain harmony between the two.

Time management wise, I will say, that sleep has been particularly important for me to make sure I don’t skip out on. This has been the hardest trait for me to work on as I am one heck of a night owl. I don’t specifically use an app to help manage my time, other than google calendar to keep track of events and deadlines.

Above: Chaffey College Student Exhibition, Calendario Maya - Cholq'ij (Mayan Calendar) at the Wignall Museum last year in 2025. Artist Portrait (left) by Cindy Dillingham, 2025.

Regarding the environment, social issues, and being a partner to the community, do you have any specific things your business focuses on?

I believe we live in a world that has stepped away from its origin, a heartfelt, united people. Through my ceramic business, my goal is to bring this into the light, but in ways that bring the community together to search for ways to reconnect, rebuild, or recreate a world that leans more towards positive, intentional construction through natural regeneration. Ultimately, it starts with ourselves.

To me, this means pursuing the reduction of single-use items and wasteful consumerism. It means looking at ways to reconnect to the land, learn its abundant medicine, and cultivate it responsibly instead of stripping/harming it. It means uplifting your neighbor, learning what others have to offer, and healing our cyclical/generational trauma.

It takes more energy to build something than to destroy it. As individuals, we cannot do this alone. It takes a village, it takes community, it takes support and perseverance through conflict to move forward and remain united. For me, this will start with identifying the indigenous peoples native to my local communities and seeking partnerships and collaborations as an individual and as a business.

I personally walk a path that seeks to bring to the forefront conversation about Native Lands and our indigenous peoples that paved the way for our current abundance. I seek to bring awareness to the decrease of lineage representation, discrimination, economic/resource exploitation and cultural appropriation, among many other things relating to the indigenous peoples of our lands. To do this, my goal is to reach out and build relationships/networks to help me accomplish this in my own way.

How do these things figure into your operations?

This is something I am still navigating, but the approach I intend to take is by communicating my mission, vision and values not only through open conversation, but also through the artistic approach of my work. It’s important as an artist that my work speaks for itself and resonates enough with my audience that it brings value to those it attracts.

Again, I am at the beginning of this business journey, but I plan to offer specific batches of work and projects where I will donate portion or entire proceeds to organizations/communities that I collaborate with. I believe as long as this is communicated and the customer is educated as to the purpose of any increased cost, things will flow in a positive and constructive light. Communication is key, transparency/honesty is a must.

What do you see as the outlook for the future of your business?

In my opinion, I see a great need in the future for handmade/homemade crafts, products, and food. I’m already seeing it. There is a very prominent push towards supporting small business. Specifically, in the art sector, I have seen the community be willing to listen to differing perspectives, seeking additional information in conversations in pursuit of understanding something new.

On the ceramic side of things, an overwhelming majority have purchased my work and stated they prefer to purchase something unique made by a local artist vs supporting cheap labor/products mass produced for pennies on the dollar in another country through economic exploitation.

How do you plan to grow your business or organization?

It will definitely be a multi-step process, but in essence, dial in the artistic approach to make a solid catalogue of work, and then partner and collaborate with fellow artists and organizations in the community to further develop those relationships and grow my business.

In 5-10 years, I would ideally have my own fully equipped space/studio that I could offer to other artists as a community space. Possibly something more private and small scale to start with and then grow it into something bigger.

Success for me would be for me to own my own space, and have enough financially stability and community support in the business to not only support myself and my family, but to also have the ability to offer annual community outreach scholarships to local and partnered indigenous community members.

The ceramic industry from my vantage point of an upcoming artist and ceramicist has been amazingly positive and supportive. There is an overwhelming majority that do it for the love the process and continue to do it because of a level of therapeutic influence on their lives, something I also very much attest to.

Do you have a final thought for the readers?

Maltyox, maltyox, maltyox (Maya K’iche’ for “heartfelt appreciation and thanks” 3x) for reading and for any future support/partnerships/collaborations I may receive as a result of sharing my story and everything you see here.

What would you say to someone just starting out?

Start small, celebrate tiny wins, build confidence in yourself, and research things you seek to understand. Two quotes I’ll share are, “Measure twice, cut once” (from my engineering studies), and, “Walk gently upon the Earth, for our Ancestors are at rest below” (from my ceramic business).

How can people find your business online?

Several ways:

• Email: ursa.clay1737@gmail.com

• Website: ursaclay.com

• Facebook: /Ursa-Clay

• Instagram Link: /ursa.clay