About four years ago, Beth Eaton, a potter and ceramist, went through an underwear phase that possessed her to buy lots of new undies in many different colors and patterns. Surprisingly, she found herself artistically inspired by their cuteness and, consequently, ceramic panties were born.
"I wanted to make something that hung on the wall and was fun for girls and women, " says Eaton during a phone interview, while -- speaking of born -- her 4-month-old son, Charlie, gurgles in the background. "And since men like women's underwear, too, I knew there wouldn't be a lot of objection."
Clothing, fabric and fashion have always inspired the 29-year-old Eaton, who holds a degree in fine arts from UWM. She writes in her artist's statement, "It is possible to combine your dinnerware or a coffee cup with your outfit and call that an artistic creation."
The hand-painted panty patterns, inspired by the real-life underwear of Eaton and her girlfriends, range from stars to racing stripes to classic flowers, but her all-time favorite pair have the words "$poiled Brat" painted across the front. "I also go through fashion magazines and I look for fun patterns," she says. "I'm looking for something that makes me excited. You know how sometimes you buy a new shirt and wish you could hang it on wall because you like looking at it so much?"
Today, Eaton lives in Bay View with her family and works at Lincoln Art Pottery (636 W. Lincoln Ave.) where 25 artists sell their work on consignment. While on the job, she divides her time between assisting walk-in customers, making pottery and taking care of Charlie. "Motherhood has definitely slowed things down, but we're working it out. When he takes his naps, I work like crazy, and when he wakes up, I play with him and tell him about pottery," she says, and then adds softly, "He's going to be a little potter."
{INSERT_RELATED}As for the future, Eaton is considering making ceramic boxer shorts. "I just haven't found a pattern yet," she says. However, ceramic bras are not in her plans. "The straps are so thin. Undies work better because they're one solid piece," she says.
Ceramic panties are $25 and available at Luckystar and Three Graces. They make fun birthday or shower gifts, and are the perfect accent for any gal's (or guy's) powder room.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
