Susan McKinney, artist and founder of STUDIO SUSAN, joins us for Friday Five to tell us about the places and people that inspire her.

Nearly a decade ago Susan McKinney took a three-month sabbatical from her full-time industrial design job to explore her interest in ceramics. She participated in artist residencies in Denmark and Greece, and soon realized that she was ready for her next pivot. ?It was amazing to see the progress and evolution in such a short period of time,? McKinney says. ?It became clear that it was time to take everything that I?d learned, venture out, and create something of my own.?
Susan McKinney
McKinney now runs STUDIO SUSAN in Sausalito, California, where she makes a range of pieces, from wall hangings to vessels, for collectors and commercial clients. Yet even as a successful maker with a thriving business, she is often reminded of those who told her that a career in art was an unrealistic dream. Those early days serve as motivation, as do the words of encouragement she still receives from family and friends. Meaningful expressions of support are the fuel that keeps her going through every ebb and flow. The designer, a self-described sentimentalist, has a home full of treasures. One of her most prized possessions is an articulating wooden doll made by her grandfather decades ago. A farmer in rural Missouri, his life was filled with chores, yet whenever he had a spare moment he would carve or whittle. McKinney did not realize it at the time...