Liza Mitchem shapes metaphors into gleaming, meaningful and functional works of art.

“My work is reflective of the duality of my personality — there is a light and dark side, and so much joy in embracing both,” she says. “Many of my pieces contain expressions of dragons and scales, partially because I love playing with the way light reflects off endless iridescent colors of dragons, but more than that, I resonate with the idea of a protective armor creating a sense of safety while concealing something more delicate on the inside.”

Her creativity sparked in 2019 after she suffered a significant injury while training for a marathon and taught herself watercolor painting.

“I wasn’t allowed to work out for a few months and needed a way to relieve stress,” she says. “I loved painting and the therapeutic nature of creating something but finally discovered my passion for art when I took my first ceramics class at Water Street Studio in June 2023. I fell in love with ceramics immediately and spent as much time as I could in the studio — and still do today.”

Some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of Mitchem’s work are her commissioned pet portrait mugs. She seeks to honor the likeness of each pet she paints with attention to detail and incorporation of individual character.

“I find it important to honor someone’s pet in a way that feels most true to the pet’s personality and remains faithful to my own design,” she says. “Every single pet portrait mug comes with its own unique set of challenges — whether it be the fur and eye colors, discovering how to best create the textures of a living creature, or painting an expression that’s accurate to the pet’s personality. In the end, I feel very grateful for the opportunity to create these portraits.”

Aside from her pet portrait ceramics, her love for fantasy novels led Mitchem down another path in the growing labyrinth of her artistic ability — one that has proven vital to her creative journey.

“As cheesy as it sounds, my first set of dragon fantasy mugs really discovered my artistic voice for me,” she says. “I wandered between styles and ideas for a while until one day, on a whim, I decided to create some dragon mugs after reading way too many fantasy novels. After the final products came out of the kiln, I thought, ‘Yes. This is it.’ Since then, I’ve really run with the mystical wonder in my art.”

Within her community and support system, Water Street Studios has been essential. From her first ceramics classes to now, Mitchem warms to the welcoming, free atmosphere Water Street creates for artists and instructors alike.

“I started taking ceramics classes at Water Street Studio around the same time that I started some very intense PTSD therapy,” she says. “The therapy was incredibly challenging, but during this time I always looked forward to going into the studio. I knew I would smile or laugh at least once during my studio time — even on my hardest days. I valued being surrounded by such incredible people who let me be my genuine self while also bringing so much of their own joy into the space. Art is something that everyone needs and deserves to find their own peace in life.”