Meet the Marketplace No. 003
We started the Prism Boutique Marketplace Collection to keep our community connected and to introduce our customers to local artists from across the country at a time when we feel so far apart.
We’re so excited to introduce you to the next round of independent makers featured in our Marketplace. From handmade ceramics to gorgeous homegoods, the thought and care that goes into each piece crafted by these artists is truly incredible.
Get to know the talented women behind each featured brand of our new Marketplace Collection and show your support any way you can.
Monica Galan of Salamat Ceramics
Handmade in LA and owned by artist Monica Galan, Salamat Ceramics transforms natural materials into simple yet elegant everyday home objects. As many creative endeavors start, Salamat grew out of a hobby after only a short time of taking ceramic classes. “Within about 3 months of taking ceramic classes, I was selling my pieces to friends and family and at 6 months, I started pitching my work to restaurants; small things like table vases etc. I didn’t have much to lose since it was just a hobby,” says Monica.
It didn’t take long for that hobby to turn into a side hustle while bouncing around to jobs in LA and OC. In April of 2019, Monica made Salamat her full time gig. She says, “the constant momentum and positivity allowed me to create something that actually meant something to me and made me happy. I realized Salamat is what I wanted to do full time but at the right time. 5 years later, I’m now a full time ceramicist, working out of my home studio, and have never felt more accomplished.”
For Monica, building a unique, true-to-herself brand has been just as important as the creation of her business. “Deciding what type of a brand Salamat is, is extremely important to me. I want to be proud of the work I’m putting out there, so it’s important not to say yes to everyone and everything,” she says. “ I want to be proud of the work I’m putting out there, so it’s important not to say yes to everyone and everything. I’ve learned that you don’t need to give an answer on the spot and to think and digest everything is much better, no matter your excitement.”
We were so excited to get to work with Monica on choosing exclusive colorways of some of Salamat’s most sought after pieces. “My work is influenced mostly by nature, landscape, and minimalism. I love the rawness and unglazed body of clays. The pieces that Prism hand-selected from the Marketplaces are staples but I worked with Dayna on the colors and I’m so happy with the outcome.”
Unique, playful, and vibrant, Tamar Mogendorff has been making one-of-a-kind textile sculptures inspired by nature for over ten years. Designed and handmade in Brooklyn, NY, Tamar has recently expanded her work into rugs, puffs, and blankets while collaborating with artists all over the world.
Her Shell Pillow has become a mainstay not just in our boutique, but in our homes. They add life, color, and an unexpected element that adds so much wherever they’re used. We’re continually inspired by her artistry and how she continues to keep pushing her stitch work into new and imaginative creations.
Regina Mandell of Forged & Found Pottery
For Forged & Found Pottery’s owner, Regina Mandell, it’s been a real journey finding her passion and turning what was once a high school affinity and time filler into a full-blown business. After starting her own line of womenswear, opening a boutique, then closing it after the financial crisis hit, she turned to ceramics. “It was at this point that I revisited ceramics, something I had dabbled in briefly during those fresh, post-collegiate years. This time around, my night classes in clay sparked a true creative passion and what originated as a hobby and distraction from a long, cold Philadelphia winter became my new form of expression, purpose and eventually, livelihood,” says Regina.
After about a year, she received her first commission set of dishes for a local restaurant, which forced her to learn about production and replication. “Around this time I started getting requests for wholesale orders from small boutiques which encouraged me to start thinking of things from a business perspective.”
“I’ve been selling to Prism since 2016 and was really happy when they wanted to place a new order. 2020 has been such a challenging year in every aspect, but especially in business. Everyone has had to get extremely creative and pivot from their regular programming; for me, this looked like working with what I had,” says Regina.
She continues, “Once COVID hit, I was having a hard time sourcing and stocking the clay and glazes I normally use, which meant having to change my process for working with potential buyers. For the Marketplace, Dayna worked with me to create a unique wishlist from what I had available.”
Now living in Athens, GA, Regina works out of a shared studio in an old converted coal depot just north of downtown. Her work is rustic and minimal with a bohemian flare. From mugs to planters, each piece stays true to her individual aesthetic.
We’re so excited to work with and support these makers who continually inspire us. If you’d like to get to know their work further, check out their websites and give them a follow on Instagram. And make sure you shop our Marketplace Collection.
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