Inside the heart of La Jolla sits a cozy studio full of clay creations, lovingly crafted beneath the hands of Joseph Skoby. From a distance, his pieces form a family—unified by slight similarities that mark Joe’s signature style, yet each one strikingly different from its neighbor once explored more closely.

A collection of handmade vessels line the shelf of his workspace, overlooking him as he shapes at the wheel—churning out a piece on a bright, warm, Sunday right in front of our eyes. A talented surfer with an open soul, we watched him work before sitting down with his beautiful family over a bowl of homemade pasta and wine, soaking in a perfect vision of Italian hospitality from coastal California. Here is a glimpse of that day.

I feel the most relaxed when

I’m in my studio, surfing without a crowd, sitting in front of the fire with my wife or playing outside with my two daughters.

The board in my quiver I couldn't be without 

Hydrodynamica Mini Simmons

I was drawn to ceramics because… 

The feeling it gave me. Much like surfing, I felt lost in the act of throwing clay on the wheel. And again like surfing, it drew me in and became a kind of obsession for me.

Some of my favorite artists are.. 

Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, Toshiko Takaezu, Adam Silverman, Thomas Campbell, Andy Davis...

When I open a bottle of red, I want to eat it with… 

a chunk of Parmeggiano Reggiano and a rustic loaf of Wildwood bread

If I could live anywhere for a few months...

far too many beautiful places and cultures to choose from...Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Italy, the Basque Country, Northern Africa, Chile, parts of Mexico…the list is endless.

#STAYZIO