Style Foundations: Teya Kepila
Teya Kepila is a Brooklyn-based ceramic artist and ceremony host, the maker behind The Turmeric Times - a practice built around functional ceramics, community, and the small rituals that make up a more intentional life. Her work moves slowly and deliberately, shaped as much by journaling and travel as it is by clay.
"My foundation is the openness to feel inspired by all of life's offerings."
This is what Style Foundations means when it talks about a reset - not a big gesture, but the first layer that goes on before anything else does, quietly setting the tone for everything that follows. We asked Teya what that actually looks like in her life
What's the foundation of your craft?
"The foundation of my craft is the openness to feel inspired by all of life's offerings, which means protecting and supporting time to feel. This often looks like travel and space to process. Time in other cultures around the world brings a lens of diversity and perspective that feels like intentional time to observe."
What's the part that nobody sees?
The part of my process no one sees involves long moments of journaling and reflection. It's not an instantaneous process but rather one of deep thought and a special moment to s All ideas for me start with chicken scratch notes or a collection of photos from the most random sights I collect along the way of life. This includes the blotchy nature of a flower petal, the way water moves in a sidewalk puddle, and even the extreme feelings we share as humans that silently unite us.
How do you set the tone for your day? What are your rituals?
"My rituals are slow and sacred. Often unseen by the world. I love to remain flexible with how I spend my recharge time. My rituals are made to fit in the life that moves, which shifts as I travel and navigate the world and work. I routinely wake up and prepare my morning coffee with my journal by the window. It's important I make room for thoughts to move through me in the morning as a way to declutter the mind but also practice the flow of dreaming. This feels like an intimate permission to explore at unlimited lengths what I feel and think of, many of which is a recap of the day prior, and sometimes I leave my corner with a new sense of clarity on an idea. The repetition creates room for me to show up, which instills a sense of trust for my mind to have that time. It won't always be at the same time every day, but sitting alone for a few moments, ideally before the sun comes up, is one of the deepest rituals I have.
Another ritual I have is quick and simple but majorly important to me. Right before I fall asleep, as my body is tucked in and cozy, I whisper 'thank you.' A directed gratitude to all energy out there and within me that exists in that moment, because I feel so blessed to exist and that day was a gift. Rituals could be a product you use, but mainly it's the way you feel when you do something that gives you a moment to reconnect."
What's the first layer you put on?
"The first layer I put on is always fresh underwear, because it shapes how the rest of your clothes fit on your body. The base of your day begins with a good foundational piece."
What does it set up for the rest of your day?
"The first layer sets up a sense of ease for the rest of the day, making many decisions easy without thought. Because I'm incredibly active throughout the day with my ceramic work, the comfort of movement is an important factor to consider when getting dressed, which goes back to foundational decisions as a primer."
That's the thing about a foundation — it's rarely the part anyone else sees. It's the layer underneath the studio apron, the one that has to hold up through a full day at the wheel, a journal by the window, or a quiet moment of gratitude before sleep. For Teya, that layer is her Thirdlove.
Shop Teya's Foundation - the 24/7® Classic T-Shirt Bra in Pinot.
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