Meet Tiffany Corine Bailey of TCBailey Ceramics in University Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Corine Bailey.

Tiffany Corine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story begins in high school where biology and art were my preferred subjects. I took every art class I could although the curriculum was far from diverse. My high school was in the middle of a cornfield in rural Wisconsin. Future Farmers of America and football were paramount, not art or the pursuit of art. My high school didn’t offer ceramics, so my first opportunity to take ceramics was in college, and I had to fib my way into the class. The class was full, so I showed up on the first day and the professor said he had space for one more student. The only requirement was that the student had to be a ceramics major. Well, I lied and said I was a ceramics major although the truth was I was a biology major with an art minor. After I left the ceramics classroom, I hustled to the admissions office and changed my degree to a double major in biology and fine art with an emphasis in ceramics. And so my journey began…

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It’s definitely been a road paved with challenges. After year four of my undergraduate studies, I knew I needed to pick a lane, art or biology, or be in school forever. My original goal was to attain my bachelor’s degree in biology and head to medical school. This was a plan my family with roots in farming and trade could understand. My family perceived art as something you did as a hobby and for fun, not something you chose as a profession. As my mother often described me to others as a “free spirit,” I chose to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in ceramics. I should also state that I was responsible for paying my own way through life so I felt at liberty to make this decision without giving in to the pressure of others.

Choosing a career in art was a scary decision. I had a child and worked full-time while pursuing my undergraduate degree. Biology geared toward healthcare was a smart career choice with a fairly straightforward path. Art had a less predictable path.

After finishing my BFA in ceramics, I knew I wanted to pursue my Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) to strengthen my skills as an artist and to teach at the college level. I also wanted to get into one of the top ceramics schools in order to be more competitive in my field. After completing my undergraduate degree, I was rejected from four of the top graduate ceramics programs in the nation. The next two years, I worked to strengthen my portfolio by apprenticing for a local potter, David Caradori, and serving as a ceramics studio assistant at my alma mater, The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. When I reapplied to graduate school, I was accepted into multiple MFA programs including Arizona State University. ASU was my top choice being ranked sixth in the nation. In 2010, my family and I packed up and moved from Wisconsin to Arizona.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I operate a ceramics studio in Tempe where I make porcelain wall art, sculptures, and functional wares. My work reflects the topography of my childhood home in Southwestern Wisconsin. Inspired by the landscape and agricultural architecture, my work reimagines an idyllic place and time that is both contemporary and iconic. I utilize detailed renderings, subtle textures, and marriage of representational and abstract forms to create a visual vocabulary of place that is both intimate and expansive.

To create my work, I sculpt prototypes from a multitude of materials including clay, wood, insulation foam, and plaster. Occasionally, I will use found objects and also create 3D printed prototypes. From these prototypes, I make plaster molds to use in the slip casting process. Slip casting is a process by which liquid clay is poured into a plaster mold to create a cast of the original form. This process allows me to repeat objects and shapes to construct a larger narrative.

In addition to being an artist, I teach ceramics full-time at Phoenix Community College. I also serve as the Coordinator of Ceramic Studies ensuring the ceramics program runs efficiently and effectively. In addition, I co-direct the Eric Fischl Gallery at Phoenix College.

What were you like growing up?
I was energetic and self-directed, always taking care of business while still finding fun. Growing up in a small village of 300 people, one must create their own adventure and excitement. Thankfully, my community was situated on the Mississippi River and surrounded by forests, streams, ponds, and bluffs. This rural scape was a playground for creativity and sometimes mischief.

Contact Info:

• Website: tiffanycbailey.com
• Email: tiffanycorinebailey@gmail.com
• Instagram: tcbaileyceramics

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