Pottery has been a constant in the lives of Chelse and Kelsey Schleusner.
The couple met at a pottery class at Festus High School; their first date was at a pottery studio. Now, they are owners of a pottery studio at 116 E. Main St. in Festus.
The Schleusners held a soft opening for Ember & Earth in April and held a grand opening in May. Since then, the studio has established itself as a place to unwind and connect with friends and family.
“It’s a safe space to come and relax,” Chelse said. “Have a date night or come solo and be able to get lost in art.”
Ember & Earth offers pottery glazing for pre-fired works but will be launching ticketed events in the next two months. Ticketed events will occur outside of regular business hours and will include make-a-mug workshops, hand-building classes and themed nights.
They also hope to offer wheel-throwing classes within the next year.
Appointments aren’t needed at the studio, and customers do not pay an hourly rate; rather, customers pay a supply fee and the price of the item they glaze.
The studio is closed on Sundays and Mondays; it is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Mental health
Opening Ember & Earth was important to the Schleusners as a way to encourage the community to take care of its mental health.
“People talk about mental health or wanting to talk about it, but it is hard to talk about,” Chelse said. “We wanted to create an outlet where people can come and just be. Here, there are no expectations; you just come as you are.”
Mental health is a particularly important issue for Kelsey, who served as a police officer for Festus, De Soto and Hillsboro police departments over the span of 12 years. However, she left law enforcement due to the lack of mental health support.
“There is such a stigma, at least in law enforcement, with mental health,” she said. “For years and years, it was always, ‘You don’t talk about it, you bury it, we’re all fine.’ We’re starting to get to a place where it’s okay to talk about it, but not really. It’s still a big stigma.”
Ember & Earth has offered limited-time promotions for first responders, nurses and teachers, and plans to host more in the future. These promotions are out of appreciation and to act as a “nudge” for those with “hard, taxing, mentally exhausting days” to take a break, Chelse said.
Support from the community
The Schleusners opened the studio on Festus Main Street, wanting a space that could connect with the community and other local businesses.
As Festus natives, the Schleusners have seen the resurgence of Main Street and how local businesses honor the town’s history. Chelse credits the many business owners on Main Street who brought about the revival.
“We’re very thankful for all those strong leaders on Main Street who have paved the way and shown what it can be,” Chelse said.
The Schleusners are also blown away by the support from their customers.
“A wide array of people have been very responsive in a positive way,” Chelse said. “We’re so thankful and so blessed, because the positive reaction is bigger than we could have ever imagined.”
For Chelse, being able to own and operate her own studio is a dream come true.
“Hearing as a kid, ‘You won’t make any money in art,’ and then, here we are! I never would have thought that I would be here,” she said. “But art and owning my own business have always been a dream, so to finally be here, I’m still in awe and just waiting to wake up from the dream.”