Clay, Courage, and the Cosmos
Jacqueline Toscano, founder of clay studio Pogona Creations, has always loved animals. When she was a young girl she dreamed of being an animal scientist, obsessed with watching nature documentaries. After graduating from University of California, Santa Cruz with a degree in Biology, she was ready to take the next step towards her goal, but was held back by a diagnosed disability. “I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. It was my dream and it had been taken away, so I was really struggling to give meaning to my life”, reflected Toscano. Heartbroken, she turned to clay as a form of therapy and discovered she had a knack for it. Encouraged by a friend, she began selling her work at a local craft fair.
Pogona Creations refers to the scientific name for bearded dragons (pogona vitticeps), a species Toscano owns two of, symbolizing her past aspirations. “I thought I knew joy through my passion in science, but it wasn’t until I found art that I really knew joy at all because it opened so many worlds,” shared Toscano. Initially her pieces were simple, but as she devoted more time to the practice she developed a distinct abstract style and color palette. Many of her creations are inspired by scientific concepts or textbooks. A favorite piece, a sculpture of a wormhole, embodies the theoretical physics concept of a universe "shortcut". Toscano's work often mirrors the abstract surrealism of artists like Salvador Dali, visible in pieces like her High Tide earrings (above) and Pearl Hands pin (below) .
Growing up in a Mexican immigrant household, Toscano learned to be resourceful. "My parents taught me to be creative with limited resources and work with what I have. So that’s how I spend my time, inventing new things with what's at hand," she shared. Toscano continually refines her craft, aiming to elevate clay from a children's plaything to a respected artistic medium.
Toscano’s art exudes a whimsical, fanciful vibe, but it is her resilience and optimism that truly impress. “Change is a good thing,” she affirmed, “I want to encourage others to not give up on your dream, even though it might be a little different, there’s still happiness out there”.
You can find Pogona Creations for sale on the website and follow Jacky on Instagram. If you happen to be in the Bay Area, she’ll be at West Coast Craft in SF on July 15th!