If you’ve spent time around the Wolf Ceramics studio, chances are you’ve felt the energy and care that Joey Rose brings to everything she does. Joey Rose and Sarah go way back (like since kindergarten!), and when the pandemic upended her career in production sewing, she stepped in to help Wolf Ceramics at a pivotal moment. In 2022, Joey Rose moved to Hood River to help establish our new studio home, and ever since, she’s been a driving force in making Wolf Ceramics thrive.
Beyond her work here, Joey Rose is also a talented textile and leather artist, with her own studio tucked into the loft above ours.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background as a textile artist and how you first got into sewing and design?
"My mom taught me to sew when I was very young. I remember making doll clothes out of napkins, and she’d say, 'You can do better than that!' and got me my first sewing machine. I feel like I’ve always had that love for fashion. Early on, it was often about affordability—I was self-taught and self-motivated. It wasn’t until I was almost 30 that I decided to go to art school, which really deepened my appreciation for the craft. That’s when I started to see myself as a textile artist and thought, 'I’m that.' I gravitate toward materials and the world of adornment—it’s where my creativity feels most at home."
"My mom taught me to sew when I was very young. I remember making doll clothes out of napkins, and she’d say, 'You can do better than that!' and got me my first sewing machine. I feel like I’ve always had that love for fashion. Early on, it was often about affordability—I was self-taught and self-motivated. It wasn’t until I was almost 30 that I decided to go to art school, which really deepened my appreciation for the craft. That’s when I started to see myself as a textile artist and thought, 'I’m that.' I gravitate toward materials and the world of adornment—it’s where my creativity feels most at home."
You and Sarah go way back—how did you two first meet, and what’s it been like reconnecting through Wolf Ceramics?
"We met in kindergarten and went to the same school from a very young age. She lived just two blocks from me, and both of us grew up in artistic households—her mom is an artist. It just felt like we were destined to be in creative worlds together."
"We met in kindergarten and went to the same school from a very young age. She lived just two blocks from me, and both of us grew up in artistic households—her mom is an artist. It just felt like we were destined to be in creative worlds together."
You’ve been with Wolf Ceramics since before its Hood River chapter. What drew you to the business, and what’s kept you committed?
"Right before COVID, I was working in production leather goods—bags and accessories—in Portland. I started helping out at Wolf in the shipping department, and my background in production made that a natural fit. When COVID hit, I lost my previous job, and Sarah had a very small team and was determined to keep things going. Our company is small enough that we can pivot quickly, and over time, my role expanded as the business grew. I ended up moving into the glaze side of the studio, which opened a whole new world for me."
"Right before COVID, I was working in production leather goods—bags and accessories—in Portland. I started helping out at Wolf in the shipping department, and my background in production made that a natural fit. When COVID hit, I lost my previous job, and Sarah had a very small team and was determined to keep things going. Our company is small enough that we can pivot quickly, and over time, my role expanded as the business grew. I ended up moving into the glaze side of the studio, which opened a whole new world for me."
What has surprised you most about working in ceramics, given your background in textiles?
"I’ve always loved production on a large scale, so that skillset translates in some ways. But ceramics has such a different rhythm—and I don’t think I could approach it at any other scale. It’s a multi-step with lots of waiting in between: fire, glaze, fire again. I’m naturally impatient, but because there’s always something to do—loading and unloading kilns, watching surfaces transform—it actually works really well for me. Everyone here is so passionate about ceramics, and I feel like I get to be an artist in constant learning.”
"I’ve always loved production on a large scale, so that skillset translates in some ways. But ceramics has such a different rhythm—and I don’t think I could approach it at any other scale. It’s a multi-step with lots of waiting in between: fire, glaze, fire again. I’m naturally impatient, but because there’s always something to do—loading and unloading kilns, watching surfaces transform—it actually works really well for me. Everyone here is so passionate about ceramics, and I feel like I get to be an artist in constant learning.”
You’ve played such a key role in helping Wolf Ceramics grow and thrive—what part of the work are you most proud of?
"The community and collaboration. I feel incredibly lucky to work in a field where collaboration is everything. Sarah runs a very people-forward business, and there’s something so rewarding about seeing everyone put in the work, making beautiful, functional objects together. It’s just so fun! We get to make things all day. I feel a deep appreciation for the team and our shared process."
"The community and collaboration. I feel incredibly lucky to work in a field where collaboration is everything. Sarah runs a very people-forward business, and there’s something so rewarding about seeing everyone put in the work, making beautiful, functional objects together. It’s just so fun! We get to make things all day. I feel a deep appreciation for the team and our shared process."
If you weren’t working in ceramics or textiles, what do you imagine you’d be doing instead?
"Honestly, when I first started at Wolf I was pondering whether to pursue craft or pivot and study Chinese medicine and naturopathy. I have always had an interest in holistic living and herbal medicine, which is rooted in years of struggle with chronic illness and, more recently, a breast cancer diagnosis, which came just days after my 35th birthday. Natural and traditional modalities of healing have played a big role in navigating that journey, as well as informing so much of my art practice and overall experience of the world, I would love to delve deeper into that field of study."
"Honestly, when I first started at Wolf I was pondering whether to pursue craft or pivot and study Chinese medicine and naturopathy. I have always had an interest in holistic living and herbal medicine, which is rooted in years of struggle with chronic illness and, more recently, a breast cancer diagnosis, which came just days after my 35th birthday. Natural and traditional modalities of healing have played a big role in navigating that journey, as well as informing so much of my art practice and overall experience of the world, I would love to delve deeper into that field of study."
You’ve got your own studio right upstairs! Can you share a bit about your sewing and leatherwork practice and what you’re making right now?
"Yes! It's a bit of a mess right now, filled with leather and all kinds of fibers. Lately, my focus has shifted toward apparel, which I’d actually avoided for a long time. I started reading about microplastics and how so much of what we wear is toxic, and it made me want to rethink my own wardrobe. I’ve been working on basics made entirely from natural fibers—no elastic, no synthetics—things like cozy wool and cotton loungewear that I actually want to live in. When you do find high-quality natural fabrics, they’re usually so expensive, so I’ve been sourcing my own fabrics and threads carefully. For me, it always comes back to materiality. That’s what I’m most drawn to, in both my sewing practice and my artwork overall."
What’s your favorite Wolf Ceramics piece to make—or to use at home?"The Madrona glaze style is one I love deeply. It’s challenging and has caused a lot of grief over the years, but I’ve finally gotten it to a place where it can be made successfully and consistently. Some designs we’ve had to discontinue because the failure rate was just too high, but this one I really fought to keep in the line and worked hard to figure out how to make it work.”
We’re endlessly grateful for Joey Rose’s creativity, commitment, and heart! Wolf Ceramics wouldn’t be what it is today without her. When she’s not in the clay studio, you’ll find her upstairs at her sewing machines and workbench, creating beautiful bags, jewelry, and wearable art. You can explore her textile work HERE and see why we’re so lucky to have her in our community.
