Today we’d like to introduce you to Chance & Diane Sullivan.
Hi Chance & Diane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Chance: Started off homeless and depressed then I found love (Diane) and mud (Sharon Smith). 12 years later and I still cherish both deeply.
Diane: Born and raised in Austin, I have always had a love for the wacky and weird and have been creative since I can remember. I really started getting my hands dirty in 2012 when I took my first ceramics college course, and I fell in love with the process.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Chance: I would be lying if I said it has been smooth sailing, it’s definitely been one wild roller coaster. That being said, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I believe it has all worked out the way it was supposed to.
(Before I say this, I have to say I love Diane so much and she has always, I repeat always been there for me and she has helped me in so many ways, she forever has my heart.)
My biggest struggle that I’m always working on has to be myself. My mind was in a funk for so many years I was a {sad-sack} depressed, drinking and mourning (I feel like someone I loved died every year).
Trying to balance a 9-5 was really becoming a struggle. But It seemed like maybe things were getting better. I was sober for Two years and I was creating more ceramic art.
Then boom! The world was turned upside down. I lost more family and my job of seven years as I’m sure a lot of the world did and I was already lost mentally myself.
This was what they call kicking a man while he’s down. my confidence left, my drive left, my hope remained.
Now we are here today 20 fricken 22 Thick as Nails still not drinking and I feel so great.
I have accomplished so much and worked so hard to never give up
Just this year, we had our first market @eastatxmarket, bought a domain name mudwizards.com and super excited to now have some of our products @royalbluegrocery off east 6th
In these last three months, I’ve really learned how to switch the radio station in my head too much better songs these days. Learning to love myself again.
Just trying to stay positive and relaxed.
Thoughts become things.
Or be-leave it to achieve it! (@anomalyisreal)
It’s your life fricken live it!
Diane: Aw, Chance answered that so beautifully 🙂 ! I’m so blessed to have him as my partner in love and life!
Life is hella good these days and I’m feeling super optimistic for the future, but there were definitely some rough times for sure! I had an alcohol problem and suffered from depression in my early twenties, and kind of fell off of making art altogether. Thankfully I’ve been sober off the sauce since 2019 and this year, I have been focusing fully on my health and happiness and making more art than ever!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Chance: I dip & dab in a lot of things. For the past 20 years, most everything I do is spontaneous and free flowing deeply rooted in an internal buzz at the given moment. I keep it raw and I’m proud of that.
My hopes are high and my dreams will never die.
Diane: I’d like to think I’m a jack of many trades! But if we are going to get specific here, my main focus and passion right now is working with clay. It’s so exciting to take an idea and make it into something tangible, and the entire process from starting with a ball of mud to a finished fired piece is really magical. Mostly I’m just trying to have fun.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
“Life is a daring adventure or nothing” – fortune cookie
we are always looking for people to join the mud family whether you wanna learn about the mud or just need someone to talk to we are here to listen and teach you any skills we learned along our journey.
Contact Info:
- Email: mudwizards@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.mudwizards.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mudwizards/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MUDWIZARDS
Image Credits
Chance and Diane
