Quick Takes With: Tracie Hervy

On our list of our all-time favorite ceramicists, there’s Tracie Hervy. (Literally: On our 14 Women Ceramicists With Cult Followings post, she’s at the top.)

Based in Manhattan and working out of Long Island City, Tracie creates perfectly proportioned vessels without adornment. Their elegance is in their simplicity. As Tracie says: “I’m an artist, and for the last seven years, I have been primarily occupied with making pots. Quiet pots. Mostly simple cylinders in a variety of sizes, in white, sometimes black, and occasionally blue… More recently, I’ve introduced bolder colors: reds, yellows, and glossy blues. My favorite color is red—I have maybe a dozen pairs of shoes, and half of them are red.”

Today Tracie shares her seasonal uniform, an art-filled Instagram feed to follow, and two additions to the household she’s looking forward to…

What item from your closet do you have on repeat?

In winter and fall: flannel stand collar shirts from Muji.

In summer and late spring: A cotton dress from Makié and a linen dress from Artemesia. They remind me of the house dresses my grandmother used to wear. They are super comfortable, and I live in them in summer.

Favorite design shop to visit (online or in person)?

March SF, Somerset House, Nickey Kehoe in NYC, Design Within Reach, the home section of BHV in Paris, and Horseman Antiques.

What has been your best house upgrade?

We replaced a few freestanding bookcases with the Vitsoe shelving system. It was more economical than built-ins and allows for more flexibility. We are still figuring out how we want to live in the space, and this system makes it easier for us to change our minds.

Your design pet peeve?

Cheaply made furniture.

What Instagram account do you go to for design inspiration?

Kennet Williamsson (@kennetwilliamsson). More than design inspiration, it’s life inspiration. Art and the role it plays in his domestic life is wonderful to see. It brings to mind the film Summer Hours. Juliette Binoche is one of the stars (she plays a supporting role). This film had a huge impact on how I think about art and its role in our everyday life. Too much to go into here, but it’s a film I highly recommend.

What’s a film or TV show whose aesthetic has stuck with you?

Tár, season one of The Legacy, and Call My Agent.

What is the last thing you purchased for your house?

A rug. This spring, we lost two cats, Tudi (18) and Abigail (19). In the center of their room was a large rug made from recycled bottles. It was a practical choice: stain-resistant, easy to clean, and visually it worked. After the kitties left, we decided to make some changes to their room, one being the replacement of the rug. We wanted something more people-friendly: nice to the touch and more plush. We decided on a flat weave wool rug from Revival. (And we are planning to adopt two new kittens in the fall.)

Thanks, Tracie! Follow her work at tracie-hervy-ceramics.com and @tracie_hervy on Instagram.