Feeling The Calm of Cloud Dancer: A Soft White with Staying Power

Pantone’s Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, has been described as a warm, elegant white—quiet, calm, and timeless. While some see it as a new direction, for us at J Schatz Studio, white has long been part of the conversation.

For over twenty years, we’ve been working with white in our ceramics—not as a trend, but as a foundation. From matte and satin finishes to glossy glazes and softly textured surfaces, white has always allowed form, shadow, and craftsmanship to take center stage. It’s a color that doesn’t compete for attention; it invites you to slow down and look closer.

That doesn’t mean we work only in white. Color has always played an essential role in our studio practice—deep blacks, earthy neutrals, rich hues, and layered glazes, including our signature colors and finishes, all have a place in our collections. Still, most of our products are made in white, which remains a constant because of its versatility. It can feel architectural or organic, modern or timeless, bold or understated depending on how it’s used and where it lives. For those drawn to this palette, we’ve gathered a curated selection of pieces in our Cloud Dancer Color Collection.

One of the things we love most about white ceramics is how seamlessly they move between indoors and outdoors. White reflects light beautifully, shifts with the time of day, and holds its own against natural surroundings. If you follow trends, you may notice this indoor–outdoor fluidity gaining momentum—but we’ve been exploring it for years. Our current homepage video features our work outdoors in products created for birds, where white ceramics interact with sky, greenery, and shadow in a way that feels both grounded and expansive.

Cloud Dancer speaks to a broader cultural moment—a desire for calm, balance, and intentional living. Handmade ceramics naturally align with that mindset. Each piece carries the marks of the hand, subtle variations, and a sense of presence that mass-produced objects simply can’t replicate. White amplifies those qualities rather than masking them.

So while Pantone’s announcement may put a spotlight on soft whites this year, for us it’s more of a gentle nod. White isn’t a trend we’re chasing—it’s part of our language. And whether displayed indoors, outdoors, or somewhere in between, it continues to offer space for beauty, function, and a little bit of wonder.

View the WXYZ Morning News segment featuring Peter on Cloud Dancer and our Open House