Galveston Couple Shapes a Creative Life Through Clay, Community, and Love
Kristen and Erica Williams craft connection through THrō Ceramics in Galveston.
Like freshly formed clay patiently firing in a kiln, most good things take time. Such is the case for Galveston lovebirds Erica and Kristen Williams. The creative couple have blended their love for art-making, family, and each other to make THrō Ceramics, their joint business, a success. The duo have separate roles at THrō, inviting customers and art appreciators alike to lean into their daily rituals and let their one-of-a-kind ceramic cups runneth over.
“We’re both from East Texas. Erica is from a tiny town called Hemphill, and I am originally from Waskom,” Kristen explains. “We both grew up coming to Galveston with our moms, separately, ever since we were kids. We always loved it, but never had any intention of moving here.”
“Oh, we wanted out of Texas!” Erica quickly interjects.
“We traveled all over trying to figure out where we wanted to live, but nothing ever stuck. We couldn’t land on a place that felt right,” Kristen says. “We had no idea we would end up three and a half hours from where we were both originally from.”
The pair met in Beaumont, Texas, in 2019 when Kristen was working at a holistic wellness center and married to her now ex-husband. “I hadn’t come out as an adult,” Kristen recalls. “Erica has been in ceramics since college, but she also did personal training on the side.”
“My best friend who owned the center was looking for a personal trainer,” adds Erica, “and I thought, ‘Why not?’ I walked into the office one day, and Kristen was in there, floating around the room, waving palo santo around the office.”
The chemistry between the two was undeniable. “As time went on, it became very clear that there were actual feelings, but neither of us acted upon them,” says Kristen. Eventually, she embraced her sexuality and parted ways with her husband. “I moved to Sulphur, Louisiana, to temporarily live at my best friend’s house when COVID started,” she explains. “Erica was also moving to Sulphur to stay with one of her friends. She had bought a $500 Airstream a few years before, renovated it to live in, and parked it in front of her ceramic studio. One day she said she was moving back to get back to work and asked if I wanted to come with her. I said yes, and here we are, five years later.”
The couple wed in October 2023 and are proud to call Galveston home. “I don’t think anyone understands Galveston until they live here,” Kristen says. “We come from extremely small towns. Erica and I had never gone on a double date with a same-sex couple until we moved here. Here, we’re normal, and there are other artists and creative entrepreneurs also doing exactly what we’re trying to do.”
Today, Erica works full-time as a ceramic artist at THrō, while Kristen handles the admin and marketing side of the operation, in addition to her social media management work with various other clients.
“I started ceramics in college at Stephen F. Austin State University, but I was originally going for graphic design,” Erica recalls. The artist fell fast for ceramics, a random elective she chose to fill her course load, and told her mom, a professor at the same college, that she was changing her major. “I haven’t stopped since, and I’ve been doing this for more than 13 years now.”
While Erica gets her hands dirty with clay, Kristen is hard at work helping the art shine for their audience. “Erica produces insane numbers of pieces, and some creations weren’t getting as much attention as she wanted them to on social media,” says Kristen. “We had a come-to-Jesus talk and decided that, since we worked really well together, we should make it official. Erica does all things ceramic and I take care of glazing, the website, social media, emails, and more.”
Having spent much of her career working predominantly with neutral colors and clean lines, Erica’s work has undergone an artful evolution over the past two years. Margarita tumblers, coffee mugs, and serving trays are just a few offerings that the duo sell and are reflective of the new creative direction. “I’ve been studying mid-century architecture and my work is very colorful now. It’s very different for me, but I love it,” says Erica. “Our home has subtle pops of color now, and I love it. I feel like my work definitely reflects this season of our life.”
Often creating commissioned pieces for customers, including a sushi plate set currently in the works, the duo also partner with different businesses throughout Texas to sell Erica’s functional creations. Additionally, fans can purchase various subscription boxes. “Subscriptions are a little more affordable, and you get pieces of a set every month,” Kristen notes. “We are also launching our serveware, which will allow people to buy individual pieces, on July 28.”
“It took years before we were both in the same headspace to work together with the same vision. now, we’re working toward the same goal in this community that really leans into
its artists.” — Kristen Williams, co-founder of THrō Ceramics
As LGBTQ business owners, the couple have created a space for both of them to lean into their creative side, whether through purchasing items or teaching courses that the pair lead in tandem. “We love everyone,” Kristen says. “We see everyone from across the social and political spectrums who want to buy from us.”
“For me, it was always about creating a safe world to live in,” adds Erica. “I also wanted to create a safe space for everyone else.”The future is bright for the couple, who continue to build from a foundation of love that guides their journey in Galveston. “It took years before we were both in the same headspace to work together with the same vision,” Kristen states. “Now, we’re working toward the same goal in this community that really leans into its artists.” Erica closes by saying, “I don’t think that we’ll ever leave. We’re rooted here.”
Keep up with THrō Ceramics on Instagram @throceramics.
