Joe Skoby is a Southern Californian ceramic artist whose work is inspired by the nature of his native state. His ceramics, created in his own lush, backyard garden studio, recall his intimate dance with the ocean as a lifelong surfer—a pure form of self-expression that disappears after each wave. Textured with hand carved patterns or smooth to the surface, Skoby’s ceramics abandon their functional purpose as vase and become a sculptural element end in itself. His work finds inspiration in the traditional Japanese ceramics craft, combined with the freedom of  diving into the contemporary. Joe, his partner, Cristina, and their three young kids live an amazing adobe house that is bursting at the seams with character & love, steps from the ocean in picturesque La Jolla, California.

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourselves.

Joe: I’m from Orange County originally. I moved down to San Diego about 20 years ago to finish college. Ceramics was love at first sight as a freshman in high school. However the dream of pursuing an art career seemed too unrealistic for a variety of reasons, so I studied Spanish literature and history. After finishing school ceramics found it’s way back into my life via Sean’s, (the owner of El Pescador Fish Market) high school ceramics teacher, who clued me into an open studio on the UCSD campus. With ample time now that my studies were finished, I was able to rekindle the love with clay. My “college” job at the fish market kept its appeal with the flexibility to surf when the conditions were good and throw clay after I had my fill and then work nights. After a while, a surplus of non functional ceramics were beginning to fill up my little house. I half jokingly asked Sean if I could put my pieces up on the fish counter to sell. Surprisingly, he enthusiastically said to go for it. Beyond my expectations, people bought the work. Cristiana (see our meeting below) immediately recognized the work as beautiful and that I ought to be doing this more seriously. I would shrug it off and explain that it is just something I love, but nothing more. She wouldn’t accept this, and against my will, went on to create a website, bought me an iPhone and showed me how to use an Instagram account. Fast forward to now, almost 20 years after my first shift at El Pescador, I still work at the fish market, but Sean has allowed me to manage 3 days a week and the rest is dedicated to working with clay. Cristiana manages all of the business aspects of the ceramics and I create the work. It’s a little surreal when I think about it all. 

What brought you to La Jolla and how long have you been living here?

I came down to San Diego to finish school at San Diego State and had a high school friend who had just graduated from there that strongly recommended that I live in La Jolla and commute to state. Against all odds, I’ve managed to stay living in La Jolla for almost 20 years now. 

How did you two first meet?

Cristiana: I am from northern Italy, just outside of Venice. The town is called Conegliano and it is where prosecco is made. After growing up, I went to Milan to fulfill my dream of working in high fashion. After years of realizing that dream working for D&G in the PR office, I had understood that fashion life was not what it appeared to be. So I courageously walked away from my “dream job” and a perceived life of security. I decided to take a year to travel the world and see what came of it. Before leaving, one of my colleagues strongly encouraged me to go to Southern California, specifically San Diego and even more specifically a little beach, Windansea, in the heart of La Jolla. California was not on my destination list but I thought to go for it and ended up starting my journey there. 

Toward the end of my 3 month stay, a friend dragged me into El Pescador, a locally beloved little hole in the wall fish market. There I met Joe, who was working there. It turns out that place I had been renting shared a backyard fence with Joe and his brother, who also worked at El Pescador. Soon after, sensing a profound connection, I pushed back my next destination stop on my world travel plan and came back to La Jolla. Less than a year later we were married.

What are your favorite parts of your home?

Joe: I actually bought a little piece of land in southern Baja about 20 years ago and I designed a dream house (still yet to be built) for the lot size that was to be built out of adobe, for the low cost, thermal properties and the aesthetic. I realized after my first night staying in the La Jolla house that they were exactly the same. It was one of those destiny moments when you feel something bigger is telling you that you are right where you ought to be. I love the floor to ceiling windows, the exposed beam ceiling, the fireplace, and the courtyard that draws your eye out to it. The place feels like it has a soul and that is hard to find these days. 

What are your favorite parts about San Diego and the area in which you live?

I walk down to surf one of my favorite waves and the other two waves I surf are less than 5 minutes away. It doesn’t get any better than that for me. 

Joe, tell us more about your art. How did you get started? How did you first develop your style? 

I started in high school as a freshman at 14 years old. I was encouraged by all of the older seniors to take ceramics as my elective. It was an immediate connection. The draw to it was very similar to the draw to surfing. Hours and hours would fly by as I tuned into the channel of throwing on the wheel. My good friend Nick and I would go to a local studio after school just so we could keep working. 

As far as style, I was always drawn to the Japanese ceramics that I saw in books. Something about the subtle lines and colors and textures spoke to me. 

Working with clay on the wheel is similar to surfing in that it is something that you never master. It is really difficult to even get to a point where you can successfully make pieces.  So I spent about a decade trying to perfect the craft of throwing. Often times, pieces will collapse as you are trying to push the boundaries of shapes. Once a piece partially collapsed and I decided to not let go of it. I added texture and fired it. It ended up growing on me to being one of my favorite pieces. It was something that I couldn’t unsee. From that was born my pieces today where they are altered after being thrown. I feel my style is a very slow evolution. I enjoy seeing the way the work has refined over the years. 

Where do you draw inspiration from? 

I would say nature mostly. I love desert landscape and off course the ocean. The inherent design that is in every little part of nature is mind blowing. I strive to create pieces that don’t speak loudly of my hand, rather that they feel as if they came from the earth. My favorite pieces tend to come out of the kiln looking like they are thousands of years old and have undergone extreme elements. Like the way a rock has been shaped by countless hours of wind. 

What have been the biggest challenges being an artist and running your own business over the years?

I am lucky that I have Cristiana to help manage all of the pricing, shipping, website, and all other business aspects. My struggle is if I let it become a job in my head and build up a pressure to perform in order to make money. It seems that as long as I can keep it a dance and maintain the pure joy of getting lost making things, it is all good. It can be tricky though once it becomes a way to make a living. That is why I am thankful to still be at El Pescador after all of these years. It kind of acts like a pressure relief valve in my head. 

On the other hand, what have been the greatest rewards?

It really means so much to me when people purchase my work for their home. It still blows my mind that I can do something I love so much and that people find beauty in what I am making. It is all very humbling and too goo to be true when I sit down and think about it.