© Photo - @WTFPots on Instagram
Prolapses, penises, and pimple-popping: welcome to the world of WTFPots.
Essex-born Sarah (now based in SW London) has a gift for moulding clay into all things strange and unusual, and proves to us that art can be simultaneously both disturbing and oddly delightful.
How did you get started in pottery?
When I was on Furlough last year during the first lockdown I bought a bag of air-dry clay to try it out as a fun hobby and maybe find a creative outlet. I made an anal prolapse pot and posted it in a Facebook art group for a laugh, to shock people and be entertained by their reactions. I was surprised that people actually really liked them and genuinely wanted to know how much they were and where to buy them! I quickly created an Insta page, an Etsy Shop and WTFpots was born.
How would you describe your art in three words?
Not For Everyone.
Your artwork is incredibly unique - where do you find inspiration for it?
I’m a big fan of anything unusual and controversial and over the years I’ve watched many weird TV documentaries and visits to bizarre galleries (Bodyworlds, London Zoology, etc). I’m in a few FB art groups specifically for crazy art and I get a lot of inspo from other people’s posts.
What made you start making pots with these designs?
I thought of the most shockingly grim thing that I could make that had never been done before. I loved people’s horrified reactions so much that I wanted to carry on with the theme. I tried a few wholesome designs to boost sales but found it a bit boring to make and it wasn’t half as much fun to post them on social media.
A lot of your posts and art seem to lead to you fighting with social media censorship Ts+Cs. What are some of the reasons why your posts have been censored? How do you stay motivated when this happens?
Urgh, yeah this is really annoying. I’m wary where I post my art now – I post to specific weird-art-loving Facebook groups and Instagram so I don’t offend/get reported but the algorithms still target some of the rude pots and I’m then thrown into FB jail. The post was removed on Insta of a cartoony looking penis in a tuxedo! I’ve seen way, waaaaay worse images on Insta including provocative, almost naked bodies and illustrated pornography yet MY light-hearted post was removed and my account restricted.
It really does bother me as you ARE allowed nude art on these platforms but the dumb bots cant differentiate what's real or not at times and contesting it only for another robot to stick by its decision is utter madness.
I once had an enraged woman share my birth pot with the Feminists Of Nottingham FB group who went crazy at me for “cashing in on other women’s traumas” because I hadn’t experienced birth myself. That was so ridiculous that it was funny and it makes for good stories.
To be honest it’s pretty hard to stay motivated when robots put me at risk of account deletion but it does force me to try different weird designs rather than the safe shock factor option of genitals.
Are there any specific artists that you are particularly inspired by?
I follow a few Insta accounts that I’m inspired by: @crookedsmile.claywork, @thats.vile, @i_felt_kitsch and @dirtspindle are 4 artists that aren’t afraid to express their weird and wonderful minds through their art.
What are some of your favourite pots that you’ve made?
Ooooh I have so many faves, it’s really hard to pick but I’m particularly fond of the baby birth pot because of the controversy it causes. I love the dick pic selfie one as it makes people laugh, lots of people can relate to that and it’s fully customizable. I also just love the random foot ones as so many people find them so gross. The anal prolapse will always hold a special place in my heart for being my first idea.
What would you say you hope to achieve with your art?
I love spreading a little joy, confusion and intrigue with my art. Some are great conversation starters and talking points whilst others make people laugh. Evoking reactions and being original – the opposite of a LIVE LOVE LAUGH sign.
Anything else you would like to tell the readers of INJECTION?
Stay true to yourself and don’t make art JUST because you think it will sell. I could sell way more pots if they had cats and pandas on though I wouldn’t be enjoying it at all and the most exciting part of what I do is thinking up new random, crazy ideas and looking forward to reading the responses from people
And where can people find you?
I’m on Insta and Etsy as WTFpots though trying to get into TikTok content as everyone is telling me that it’s the way forward for exposure. No idea how I’m meant to make engaging videos of static pots though I’m working on it.
© Photos - @WTFPots on Instagram.