When potter Troy Drake announces he's dropping new creations on his Etsy shop, he sells out in minutes. Yeah, he's got a big fan club.
In 2018, Troy decided he wanted to celebrate the holiday season and those he loved by making ornaments for friends and family. After quickly selling out, he realized he was onto something. And so Troy Made It—his brand, which includes a YouTube channel and social media accounts along with a sought-after Etsy shop, was born.
But Troy's not "kiln it" to wrack up money for himself. 100% of the proceeds from Troy's pottery are donated to nonprofits on a mission to make the world a better place.
As we know, we're better together, and so Troy's got a great team around him, including his parents, Suzanne and Scott, his sister Shelby, his friend Holly, and his four-legged dog apprentices Abby and Casper who contribute dog hair texture to all the pottery and who distract Troy by eating everything they find on the pottery room floor.
Lucky for us, we got to catch up with Troy recently. We know it's important to lean on our strengths and ask others for help when we need it, so Troy's mom, Suzanne, helped him answer these questions.
As a kid, were you always crafty—drawing with crayons or wanting to do art projects?
Troy has always been artistic and loves to draw. He still draws everyday.
How does it feel to get to make special pottery pieces for people all over the country?
Troy is very happy making pottery and especially loves sending pieces to families who have a child with Down syndrome.
Finish the sentence: the best part of being a potter is…
glazing the pots!
When you’re not making art, what do you love to do?
Troy loves to swim, play video games, go metal detecting with his Dad, and spend time at the beach.
If you could invite anyone to join you in your studio to create pottery with, who would you invite?
Troy would invite his two best friends, Kevin and KC.
Do you have a celebrity crush or favorite Hollywood star?
Hermione Granger from Harry Potter
What was your most memorable adventure?
Seeing elephants while in Africa!
What’s your message to other artists who want to follow in your footsteps?
Work hard and find a good teacher to help you.