When Wren Macdonald graduated from Colorado State University in 2021 with a B.F.A. in Art, concentration in Pottery, she didn’t expect her path to take her immediately to New York City. But shortly after finishing her degree, she made the leap—an experience that would quickly shape the early years of her career.

Macdonald began as a studio technician in New York, gaining hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations of a professional ceramics studio. Today, she manages a studio in Manhattan at Greenwich House Pottery Chelsea, while also teaching ceramics at community studios across the city. In addition, she serves as a Visiting Instructor at Pratt Institute, where she teaches foundations courses.

Her work spans making, teaching, and managing—roles that reflect both her technical training and her investment in ceramics as a community-centered practice.

That sense of direction, she says, began to take shape during her time at CSU, where she discovered a deep connection to the medium and found strong mentorship within the Department of Art & Art History.

“Once I fell in love with ceramics, I felt so supported and challenged,” Macdonald says, crediting faculty members like Del Harrow and Sanam Emami with helping guide her path.

Macdonald emphasizes that her experience was shaped not only by the program, but by her own level of commitment. She approached her undergraduate years with intention, putting significant time and energy into developing her practice and engaging fully with the opportunities around her.

“I put a lot of work into my undergraduate experience,” she says. “Del really guided me in a direction that felt right and it eventually leading me to teach and pursue ceramics as a career.”

That combination of mentorship, rigor, and personal investment left her feeling well prepared to step into the professional world.

“I was surprised at how well-prepared I felt to dive into my career after school,” she says.

Looking back, Macdonald sees her time at CSU as a period of both growth and momentum, one that continues to inform how she approaches her work today.

For current students and recent graduates, she offers advice grounded in both her undergraduate experience and the transition into life after graduation.

“While you are in school, you get out of it what you put in. Don’t be passive about your education or the connections you make,” she says. “And practice gratitude along the way.”

After graduation, she encourages students to embrace uncertainty and take risks. “Take a scary jump to push yourself and see what you’re capable of,” she says. “If you’re given an opportunity to challenge yourself, take it.”

She also notes that the uncertainty many graduates feel is not only normal, but necessary.

“Feeling lost and confused right after graduation is part of the process of figuring out your life,” she says.

Macdonald is now preparing for her next chapter: this fall, she will begin pursuing her MFA in Ceramics at the University of Montana. As she looks ahead, she is both excited for what’s next and mindful of the present moment.

“I’m thrilled and honored to have been accepted,” she says. “Otherwise, I’m just trying to enjoy New York City while I’m still here.”