The name Sweetheart Wheel
comes from a term of endearment my mother used , 心肝寶貝 “Xīn gān bǎo bèi” which translates to sweetheart in English. It literally means “my precious kidney and liver” because of how vital those organs are. The name of my brand was chosen to honor both this tender love and my beautiful Taiwanese-American heritage.
Pottery by Tara Spires-Bell
A one woman Ceramic Studio
I discovered ceramics when my mother passed away from cancer in 2014. I wanted to make an urn for her and I soon fell in love with everything about pottery. I like to think that my mother brought me to this creative outlet. I learned the basics from my friends at the Hoffman Center in Manzanita, Oregon and deepened my pottery skills in a work exchange with Ken at Horseshoe Gallery in June Lake, California.
I enjoy creating pottery that highlights the natural color of the clay body alongside vibrant glazes. My current work is inspired by the PNW coastal palette, especially the shades of the ocean, forest, and sky. I have a special fondness for the mushrooms, mosses, and fungi that grow and spore along the forest floor.
I have a passion for making and learning new crafts, the newest being natural dyeing. I love seeing how flowers, indigo, and mushrooms can transform textiles, and I love the magic and gratification of growing dye plants in my own garden. I wish for all my art to inspire a joy and connection to the wonders of our natural world.