Press & Noteworthy

You Can’t Reinvent the Wheel but you can REUSE IT!: Interview for Escape The Waste

Several years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Alex Eaves, Reuse Expert and fellow entrepreneur at Compassionfest, a Vegan event in Hamden, CT. He very kindly allowed me to recharge my iphone in his Reuse Box Truck which he had parked at the event doing educational tours. I was instantly curious because the Box truck was built from entirely reused materials and Alex created it as a means to transport himself all over the country to talk about the need for reframing our thinking about consumption, what we consider “garbage” and what it really means to be an environmentalist.

Over the next few years, Alex and I kept in touch and always request to be vending neighbors at the veg fests in CT, RI and Mass. As our friendship grew and I learned more about his life and pursuit to educate people I found myself asking “what would Alex do?” on nearly a daily basis and it has led me to make more conscious choices about my consumption and the footprint I will leave behind. I was eager to create something that he would actually want to use and that led to the idea to make mugs from 100% recycled clay and glaze and ever since, Alex has been bringing his custom mug around to coffee shops (he’s obsessed with coffee and coffee shops!) When he asked me to be a part of an interview series for his new blog I was honored so I hope you go check out all that Alex has to offer and enjoy the Interview here

Alex is truly an inspirational speaker and educator, you can also check out his Box Truck documentary on Amazon Prime. He loves speaking at Elementary, High School and Colleges so reach out to him if you want him to make a trip to your area!

Marketing Your Business on a Shoestring Budget Virtual Workshop

I was really honored to be asked to co-host a Marketing workshop with my talented friend Sandy Alexander in February of 2024. The workshop is part of a free series of talks offered at our local library, the Stonington Free Library in picturesque Stonington Borough, CT. Sandy put together a fantastic presentation and I assisted with anecdotes and my perspective on how I’ve applied many of the Marketing strategies to my own business over the years. This fun/informative workshop is now available on the Library’s YouTube Channel. Sandy and I both offer business support in different forms for small business owners. Visit my Business Mentoring for Makers page here and visit Sandy’s website here for all the ways in which she can help you build your website and market your business!

Plant Based Chat with Kathy Hester

I met vegan cook book author Kathy Hester at the New England Vegfest many years ago. I had a few of her cook books and I was a bit star struck when she came up to my exhibitor space and wanted to purchase some pottery. Since then I’ve loved seeing her use one of my mugs in her marketing and social media posts. Kathy is a gem and a true food innovator who never ceases to amaze me with her seemingly endless creative energy and passion for connecting with people who love plant based food. I was honored when she asked to have me on her YouTube channel for a Plant Based Chat! Go watch the interview here!

Online Interview with Go Solo

Check out my recent interview with Go Solo!

I’m in an ad for my favorite Kiln Company!

Twenty two years ago when I purchased my first kiln, it was an L&L. Since then, I sold that first kiln, and purchased a second new kiln and a third used, both, L&L kilns. This year I purchased two more L&L kilns when I was awarded a grant through the WBDC (scroll down for details) I have always loved L&L kilns, not only because my local distributor is well versed in maintaining and repairing them but also because of their patented ceramic element holders which truly keep the kiln interior looking like new, even 17yrs old. I was honored to be asked to appear in an ad for the kiln company and I was even more surprised to see it appear on the back cover of a national trade magazine ‘Pottery Making Illustrated’.

Canvas Rebel Interview

I was honored to be asked to participate in an interview for Canvas Rebel, a site that highlights stories from entrepreneurs, creatives and artists. Check out the interview here.

Women’s Business Development Council Grant

2022 was fraught with continuous kiln problems from the largest of my two electric kilns. The costs of trying to troubleshoot the issues to no avail led me to seek out ways to help fund the purchase of a new kiln. When I realized I met the qualifications to apply for a small business grant from the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) I decided to dive into the grant writing process and spent the next two weeks polishing my application. I was overwhelmed with a wave of emotion when I got the call to tell me I had been awarded an Equity Match Grant. After a long year of spending money trying to fix a kiln without success and worrying about how to fund such a big equipment investment, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I also decided to replace my largest kiln with two smaller kilns which will allow me more flexibility. The kilns were ordered the kilns in late October 2022 and had a 8-10 week wait time….stay tuned!

The Shipwright’s Daughter Collection

View the video below to see the story behind this collaborative collection of tableware for a local Mystic restaurant.

The Women’s Business Development Council Podcast Interview

The Women’s Business Development Council is a CT based non profit dedicated to providing tools and resources to help women thrive in business. In the early stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic I was so grateful for the assistance and guidance of several professionals at the WBDC. They launched a podcast in 2021 through which their Founder, Fran Pastore invites business women to discuss a variety of topics. I was honored to be one of several female business owners asked to participate in a recent episode discussing the importance of shopping small on Small Business Saturday and every day. I hope you’ll consider subscribing to the podcast and giving the episode a listen here!

Artists Supporting Artists: Hiring The Professionals

For years I’ve been creating most of my own promotional and marketing materials from my rudimentary photoshop skills and using a variety of drag and drop programs online. I’m also confident in just setting up my iphone and filming basic videos but after surviving 2020 I felt like it was time to step up the game and hire the professionals! Brian and Leighann are a talented dynamic duo behind Kuenn Productions (pronounced Kin!) and boy oh boy did I feel a kinship with these two creatives! Brian is the energy behind the videography end of things and Leighann takes the reigns where it comes to photography and watching them work was such an honor! Making the decision to budget for professional branding videos and photogrphs for my business while supporting a local family owned small business was an absolute worthy investment! Be sure to check out the Handmade For the Home video on my retail shop page and My Pottery Making Process video on my homepage! Be sure to check out Kuenn Productions for yourself, I promise you they are amazing!

NBC CT News Story: WBDC 2020 Virtual Marketplace Launch

What fun to be asked to be interviewed for a TV news story ! The Women’s Business Development Council launched their virtual marketplace to promote small business shopping in 2020 and NBC CT picked up the story highlighting a few small businesses like mine. It was a pleasure to meet Caitlin Burchill and her camera guy Dave. I had a ball showing them around my shop and demonstrating a wheel thrown pot. Check out the video below!

Yellow Farmhouse: Neighborhood Foodies YouTube Interview

I was so honored to be asked to chat about my work and how it relates to food as part of the Yellow Farmhouse Neighborhood Foodies show on YouTube. The Yellow Farmhouse is the non profit educational arm of Stone Acres Farm here in Stonington, CT. They do amazing work leading professional development tours for teachers and educators, kids classes, family workshops and now they have a ton of virtual and online offerings! This has to be one of my favorite interviews because it covers my two passions for pottery and FOOD! Please subscribe to their channel and enjoy all their offerings and be sure to check out the interview below!

Yoga Is Vegan Podcast Interview

I personally love listening to podcasts and I’m always happy to find one that closely aligns with my personal ethics. Yoga Is Vegan does just that. Created by Holly Skodis, this podcast highlights so many wonderful yogis and yoginis who live a vegan lifestyle. I was honored to be interviewed and have an opportunity to chat with Holly about my own journey to yoga and veganism.

The conversation includes my introduction to Firefly Cacao, how I make Plant Based Milk, how my yoga practice has changed and transformed with my lifestyle and much more!

I hope you’ll give it a listen and please subscribe to Yoga Is Vegan if you enjoy it and leave Holly a review! Here’s the link ! https://yogaisvegan.com/blogs/podcast/lyndsay-meiklem-dean

What an HONOR!

I was so honored to be asked to be one of three jurors for the 62nd Annual Mystic Outdoor Art Festival in August 2019. I have attended the festival several times and admired the more than 200 artists that participate each year in the event. The daunting task of judging work from each of the 250 artists in all categories from oil painting to glass art, ceramics to found object art was bestowed upon myself and two other fabulous women; Susan Fisher, Executive Director of the Mystic Museum of Art and Janine Robertson, accomplished oil painter and muralist from Madision, CT. It was an exhausting but exhilarating day spent with these to wonderful women and I couldn’t have been more pleased to have been a part of it all. The Festival organizers operated like a well oiled machine on judging day and the amazing Amanda Arling from the Whalers Inn was at the top of her game as the scores were tallied and the awards were presented. This was such an unexpected and fun way to volunteer in my local art community, I couldn’t have been more excited to be a part of it all! Big thanks to the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce for the recommendation and to all who made the event a success.

Check out a full list of award recipients here!

GLAZE Handmade Opens: 8/21/18

It was a HUGE transition but I did it! After 16 yrs of running my community art & wellness studio I gave it up to simplify and have more time for my craft. I closed Meiklem Kiln Works/ Centerspace Wellness in July of 2018 and opened GLAZE Handmade in August ! It’s been such a wild ride but I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to practice my craft everyday. I couldn’t have done it without the love and support of my parents and husband and i’m overwhelmed with gratitude at the outpouring of support from the community.

If you’re in Southeastern CT I hope you’ll visit the shop! It’s always stocked with current work and I also take custom orders. GLAZE is located at 530 Stonington Rd, Stonington, CT. Please follow on FB & Instagram @GlazeHandmade for regular shop updates.

GLAZE CELEBRATES ONE YEAR! CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

I'm so honored and excited (*add squeal of excitement here!) to have been interviewed for an awesome podcast, The Potters Cast. The Potters Cast is a podcast that features interviews with potters from all over the world. I met the entrepreneur who started the podcast for potters a few years back through Instagram and I instantly fell in love with the show. It's a great podcast and I'd love it if you wanted to give my episode a listen, and please send me a comment through social media if you do!  Listen Here!

Make sure to give Paul Blais a shout out on Instagram too! @pdblais his feed is full of awesome pottery photos from potters all over the globe! 

 I'm published!

Check out my article "Eat Your Veggies" in the Winter issue of CT Food & Farm Magazine, an online publication. This was a joy to research and write and I loved working with photographers Amma Rhea and Lisa Nichols!  Click here to read the article pages 154-175 and be sure to continue on to pages 176-187 to view a list of just a few CT vegan eateries!