Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie La Pratt.
Hi Debbie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Debbie La Pratt has spent more than 20 years capturing the city’s soul in clay as “Detroit’s History Keeper.” Known as an architectural expressionist, she blends her skills as a potter with her passion for Detroit’s history, creating one-of-a-kind works that honor the city’s architecture, culture, and legacy.
She started her creative career as a seamstress and discovered a passion for pottery after taking classes. She was given clay one day and someone said, “you can make anything with this.” So, she did. This led to participation in craft shows. Ironically, she didn’t even know what a craft show was. A friend said, “you sell your stuff on a table” and that was it. Craft shows evolved into art shows, helping her grow as an artist and a business owner.
Her first “product” was personalized Dickens Christmas villages. She wanted to relate to her customers and make them feel special. For example, if a family’s little nine-year-old boy named “Jimmy” loved bicycles, she’d create a “Jimmy’s Bike Shop” with nine as the address in the Christmas village. Making villages helped her learn to be a master mold maker. She took a figurine of a couple on a bench and learned how to make molds from there. After deciding she had made enough villages, Debbie moved on to making lighthouses.
In 2007, her neighbor, who worked at a local mall, said she should do a holiday pop up at the mall. Debbie quickly learned what a pop up was and started “Artisan Market.” It was a space to support local artists. Artists rented out space on the walls and all artists had to work 21 hours a month to support the shop. They didn’t have a cash register or a credit card reader. They had a manual card reader and kept all their cash in a cash bag that they hid in the microwave. Eventually, they upgraded to a safe. She ran Artisan Market for 12 years at various malls in Metro Detroit.
Eventually, Debbie asked herself, “what do I want to be known for?” She decided she wanted to be known for Detroit City architecture. She’s made personalized pieces for dozens and dozens of people who have had special moments in and around the city of Detroit. Two examples of special commissions include a piece for the city of Detroit and for Ford. While, participating in Palmer Park Art Fair, Debbie met Pam McClain, who bought several pieces and became a lifelong collector. Pam commissioned Debbie to make a special cityscape. It was presented to Kevyn Orr, who helped Detroit get out of bankruptcy. In 2024, Ford Motor Company commissioned her to create a special piece for the V8, 500-horsepower Dark Horse Mustang. Debbie faithfully reproduced, mounted, and framed a Dark Horse Logo that was presented to exemplary employees.
She has taken college classes exclusively in pottery and is overall educated in the art field. She has also attended Build Institute for creating a business plan. Her main reason for starting her own business was for independence and to use her creativity. She was never interested in Corporate America. She stated, “I don’t do art for the money, I do it because I’m passionate about history and ‘all things Detroit.’” She also loves to advocate for others in the Art Community. She is an active member of the Detroit Fine Arts Breakfast Club and stays busy with up-to 35 shows a year and has traveled all over the United States with her art. Debbie has several pieces in the permanent collection of the Detroit Historical Museum.
When visiting the city of Detroit, Debbie recommends every visitor to “look up, look down, look all around because you never know what you’ll see.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has been a smooth road overall, but the marketing and business aspect has been a challenge. It’s hard to be a business person AND a creative person.
It’s a struggle to balance being authentic and creating pieces that are true to Debbie while also capturing an audience and reaching new customers.
Being an authentic artist and being a successful business person has been and will continue to be a big obstacle.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Debbie La Pratt has spent more than 20 years capturing the city’s soul in clay as “Detroit’s History Keeper.” Known as an architectural expressionist, she blends her skills as a potter with her passion for Detroit’s history, creating one-of-a-kind works that honor the city’s architecture, culture, and legacy.
Debbie wants to be known for Detroit City architecture. She’s made personalized pieces for dozens and dozens of people who have had special moments in and around the city of Detroit. Two examples of special commissions include a piece for the city of Detroit and for Ford. While, participating in Palmer Park Art Fair, Debbie met Pam McClain, who bought several pieces and became a lifelong collector. Pam commissioned Debbie to make a special cityscape. It was presented to Kevyn Orr, who helped Detroit get out of bankruptcy. In 2024, Ford Motor Company commissioned her to create a special piece for the V8, 500-horsepower Dark Horse Mustang. Debbie faithfully reproduced, mounted, and framed a Dark Horse Logo that was presented to exemplary employees.
When visiting the city of Detroit, Debbie recommends every visitor to “look up, look down, look all around because you never know what you’ll see.”
What sets Debbie apart is that she sees every piece of Detroit and captures the big, the small, and everything in-between.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Debbie’s love for Detroit and her passion for sharing and educating about Detroit are essential to her success. She loves to share Detroit. People don’t go to the neighborhoods and buildings that Debbie goes to. She captures and preserves the history of the city she loves and she shares that with others. She takes molds of architecture and buildings that are no longer with us. She then shares those with younger generations and others who did not have a chance to experience them.
Her eye for special things that other’s don’t see and her curiosity have certainly aided in her success.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbielapratt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebbieLaPrattArt/
