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Carla McHattie Will Inspire You To Lead A Creative Life
Head to the B3 Shop or take a spin around the barre3 Instagram and you’ll likely see a familiar face. Carla McHattie has been part of the barre3 community for years—managing and working at almost every studio in Portland, Oregon. Carla is also an accomplished ceramicist, pairing her love of shape and function with the beauty of flowers and the creative expression of styling.
Browsing through her shop, Almond Ave, it’s clear that Carla has immense talent, perspective, and an inspiring story behind it all. We spoke with Carla about everything from how art and movement both help her reach a state of flow to the sense of community barre3 gave her from that very first class. Read on to discover Carla’s creative and vibrant life.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re a talented ceramicist, florist, and stylist. What inspired you to pursue your creative work?
CARLA MCHATTIE: I named my business Almond Ave because it’s the street that I grew up on in St. Paul, Minnesota. My father is a rose gardener and had over 90 rose bushes in our yard. I helped him with his flowers, and in the summer, we were always delivering bouquets wherever we went. I didn’t realize how much I valued that exchange and offer of an arrangement as a way to brighten someone’s day. There’s so much beauty in that intention.
I’m the kind of person who remembers what someone likes and 6 months later I’ll give it to them for Christmas. Giving people thoughtful gifts brings so much incredible energy into the world, and I decided that I wanted that to be a part of my life.
B3 MAGAZINE: What do you see as the common thread that ties each of these interests and aspects of your professional life together?
CARLA: The floral piece came about organically—it’s something that I grew up with, something that’s in my family, but it’s also a way for me to explore composition. I’ve always had a desire to be composing beautiful things. The flowers, the food, and styling, all of those things found their way into the images I was creating of my ceramics. I grow food and flowers in my garden, and they’ve all found their way into my Instagram posts and the content I was creating around my ceramics.
It’s almost like I can’t be doing just one thing at a time. We’re each a whole and complex person, and though I’m trying to allow my work to be as focused as possible, it’s also still a representation of me, which is not just ceramics. My work is all the things that ceramics are used for and the feelings those functions bring about.
While I was building up my presence as a potter online, I realized that I was doing floral and food design to support the ceramics in my images. I love to focus on warm objects that elicit a feeling of home and of coziness, and in creating that feeling, I naturally incorporate a lot of things I have made into the photos. Even in making these images and the compositions that represent my brand, I was using styling and floral design. To use my eye and sensibilities to promote the work of others was natural growth.
B3 MAGAZINE: How did pottery and ceramics come into your life?
CARLA: Growing up, my neighbor, Peter Leach, was a ceramic artist. One day, he literally leaned over our fence and asked my brother if he wanted to learn how to make pottery. Well, my brother said no, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity and told Peter that I wanted to learn. I had taken a class at my high school, got totally hooked, and I wanted to dive in deeper and explore ceramics more.
I worked with Peter during the summer for three years and learned everything that I could. To pay for my apprenticeship, I would do work for him around the studio. When that work ran out, I would help his wife, who’s an amazing flower gardener. There was no grass in their yard, it was all flowers. From that experience, I quickly learned that this work and this lifestyle was what I wanted for myself.
B3 MAGAZINE: You were an athlete growing up and found success in athletics at the college level. Could you dive deeper into your relationship to fitness before discovering barre3?
CARLA: Growing up, I played any sport that I could get my hands on. I was super focused on soccer for most of my young life, but through soccer I discovered that I was one of the fastest players on the field. That got me interested in track and field, which turned out to be a space where I could feel successful with the skills that I had.
Though I wanted to continue to pursue ceramics in college, I decided not to go to art school because I also wanted to compete in athletics. I attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, where I competed in track and field and cross country running. After I graduated, I ran at the Elite level with the Bowerman Athletic Club, which is a Nike team, in pursuit of qualifying for the London Olympics in the 1500 meters.
B3 MAGAZINE: How did barre3 come into the picture?
CARLA: I may be one of the only people barre3 hired off of Craigslist! This was back when barre3 was just getting started, and I had responded to a post and came in for an interview. Part of the process was taking a class, and though I knew nothing about barre3 at the time, it ended up being exactly what I needed. I started working at the front desk and in the Play Lounge with the intention of barre3 being my fun job. I was excited about free classes and that I could work at barre3 alongside my other job as a track and field and cross country coach at Lewis & Clark.
I ended up working at barre3 for eight years. I managed the Pearl studio as well as the studio in Southeast Portland. I’ve worked at all the locations across Portland and I know a lot of the clients really well. Many of them are still my good friends. I watched their children grow up and I know their dogs’ names. I loved that interaction with clients before and after class in the studio.
Now I work with the photo team doing photoshoots for the B3 Shop. It’s such a fun way to stay connected—everyone puts so much time and love into being a barre3 employee. The connections are warm and meaningful, and that community is so important to me.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re not only an artist, but also seem to approach life with a creative perspective—finding beauty in the everyday, ordinary parts of life. Could you try putting into words what brings you joy in creating art?
CARLA: There’s really something about the repetition and the meditative quality of ceramics that slows your brain down. Every step and every movement is important, and if something is a little off, the whole thing can go. It’s this interesting balance between having a certain amount of focus as well as a certain amount of letting go.
For me, it feels similar to experiencing a flow state, where your brain isn’t super stimulated but your mind isn’t completely wandering either. Experiencing that sense of flow creates space in my mind that lets me feel capable, and that feeling, whether it’s through creating something with your hands, baking something delicious, or moving your body—that feeling is so important for happiness and joy.
B3 MAGAZINE: We love that! And you’re right, flow is something that we can each experience when we connect to something that’s meaningful to us. Would you say that you’ve felt that with barre3?
CARLA: I’m always thinking about doing the next thing or starting a new project, but when you’re in a barre3 class, you’re encouraged to focus on the present moment. You’re experiencing these empowering movements, but you’re not in charge of anything. It can be an active rest for your brain. For someone like me who has a hard time resting, to focus my attention on a single posture in the workout can be its own sort of mental vacation. It’s a minute away from all the things that I’m involved in.
Barre3 helps you feel capable and that you’re a part of something because the movements aren’t so hard that they feel impossible, but there’s still that very clear element of challenge that you get with each class. After you complete a workout, you feel your heart pumping and energy moving freely throughout your body. You feel like you did something to the best of your ability, and that leaves you feeling incredibly accomplished. I think it’s so important for everyone to experience that feeling.
B3 MAGAZINE: What do you love most about being a part of the barre3 community?
Carla: Barre3 is a productive outlet—it feels social, but the intentional movement helps me be in my body as opposed to being distracted by all the things outside of it. More than that though, I’ve always loved meeting and getting to know people through those interactions in the studio. The lobby could be a place to hang out before and after class—that’s a big part of what barre3 is and it’s a big benefit of the experience. You have like-minded people coming together and creating a community. That’s always been a big part of what barre3 has meant to me. It’s women supporting women and people advocating for each other, lifting each other up. That’s where you find those connections—in community-supporting spaces like barre3.
You can learn more about Carla and her work by following her on Instagram and checking out her shop, Almond Ave. She also has a showroom at Urbanite PDX in Southeast Portland if you would like to see her pots in-person!
All throughout Women’s History Month and beyond, we’re celebrating and sharing the stories of women in the barre3 community. Head here to meet more inspiring women. And if you’re looking to join barre3, get started by finding your local studio or signing up for a 15-day free trial of barre3 online.
Head to the B3 Shop or take a spin around the barre3 Instagram and you’ll likely see a familiar face. Carla McHattie has been part of the barre3 community for years—managing and working at almost every studio in Portland, Oregon. Carla is also an accomplished ceramicist, pairing her love of shape and function with the beauty of flowers and the creative expression of styling.
Browsing through her shop, Almond Ave, it’s clear that Carla has immense talent, perspective, and an inspiring story behind it all. We spoke with Carla about everything from how art and movement both help her reach a state of flow to the sense of community barre3 gave her from that very first class. Read on to discover Carla’s creative and vibrant life.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re a talented ceramicist, florist, and stylist. What inspired you to pursue your creative work?
CARLA MCHATTIE: I named my business Almond Ave because it’s the street that I grew up on in St. Paul, Minnesota. My father is a rose gardener and had over 90 rose bushes in our yard. I helped him with his flowers, and in the summer, we were always delivering bouquets wherever we went. I didn’t realize how much I valued that exchange and offer of an arrangement as a way to brighten someone’s day. There’s so much beauty in that intention.
I’m the kind of person who remembers what someone likes and 6 months later I’ll give it to them for Christmas. Giving people thoughtful gifts brings so much incredible energy into the world, and I decided that I wanted that to be a part of my life.
B3 MAGAZINE: What do you see as the common thread that ties each of these interests and aspects of your professional life together?
CARLA: The floral piece came about organically—it’s something that I grew up with, something that’s in my family, but it’s also a way for me to explore composition. I’ve always had a desire to be composing beautiful things. The flowers, the food, and styling, all of those things found their way into the images I was creating of my ceramics. I grow food and flowers in my garden, and they’ve all found their way into my Instagram posts and the content I was creating around my ceramics.
It’s almost like I can’t be doing just one thing at a time. We’re each a whole and complex person, and though I’m trying to allow my work to be as focused as possible, it’s also still a representation of me, which is not just ceramics. My work is all the things that ceramics are used for and the feelings those functions bring about.
While I was building up my presence as a potter online, I realized that I was doing floral and food design to support the ceramics in my images. I love to focus on warm objects that elicit a feeling of home and of coziness, and in creating that feeling, I naturally incorporate a lot of things I have made into the photos. Even in making these images and the compositions that represent my brand, I was using styling and floral design. To use my eye and sensibilities to promote the work of others was natural growth.
B3 MAGAZINE: How did pottery and ceramics come into your life?
CARLA: Growing up, my neighbor, Peter Leach, was a ceramic artist. One day, he literally leaned over our fence and asked my brother if he wanted to learn how to make pottery. Well, my brother said no, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity and told Peter that I wanted to learn. I had taken a class at my high school, got totally hooked, and I wanted to dive in deeper and explore ceramics more.
I worked with Peter during the summer for three years and learned everything that I could. To pay for my apprenticeship, I would do work for him around the studio. When that work ran out, I would help his wife, who’s an amazing flower gardener. There was no grass in their yard, it was all flowers. From that experience, I quickly learned that this work and this lifestyle was what I wanted for myself.
B3 MAGAZINE: You were an athlete growing up and found success in athletics at the college level. Could you dive deeper into your relationship to fitness before discovering barre3?
CARLA: Growing up, I played any sport that I could get my hands on. I was super focused on soccer for most of my young life, but through soccer I discovered that I was one of the fastest players on the field. That got me interested in track and field, which turned out to be a space where I could feel successful with the skills that I had.
Though I wanted to continue to pursue ceramics in college, I decided not to go to art school because I also wanted to compete in athletics. I attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland, where I competed in track and field and cross country running. After I graduated, I ran at the Elite level with the Bowerman Athletic Club, which is a Nike team, in pursuit of qualifying for the London Olympics in the 1500 meters.
B3 MAGAZINE: How did barre3 come into the picture?
CARLA: I may be one of the only people barre3 hired off of Craigslist! This was back when barre3 was just getting started, and I had responded to a post and came in for an interview. Part of the process was taking a class, and though I knew nothing about barre3 at the time, it ended up being exactly what I needed. I started working at the front desk and in the Play Lounge with the intention of barre3 being my fun job. I was excited about free classes and that I could work at barre3 alongside my other job as a track and field and cross country coach at Lewis & Clark.
I ended up working at barre3 for eight years. I managed the Pearl studio as well as the studio in Southeast Portland. I’ve worked at all the locations across Portland and I know a lot of the clients really well. Many of them are still my good friends. I watched their children grow up and I know their dogs’ names. I loved that interaction with clients before and after class in the studio.
Now I work with the photo team doing photoshoots for the B3 Shop. It’s such a fun way to stay connected—everyone puts so much time and love into being a barre3 employee. The connections are warm and meaningful, and that community is so important to me.
B3 MAGAZINE: You’re not only an artist, but also seem to approach life with a creative perspective—finding beauty in the everyday, ordinary parts of life. Could you try putting into words what brings you joy in creating art?
CARLA: There’s really something about the repetition and the meditative quality of ceramics that slows your brain down. Every step and every movement is important, and if something is a little off, the whole thing can go. It’s this interesting balance between having a certain amount of focus as well as a certain amount of letting go.
For me, it feels similar to experiencing a flow state, where your brain isn’t super stimulated but your mind isn’t completely wandering either. Experiencing that sense of flow creates space in my mind that lets me feel capable, and that feeling, whether it’s through creating something with your hands, baking something delicious, or moving your body—that feeling is so important for happiness and joy.
B3 MAGAZINE: We love that! And you’re right, flow is something that we can each experience when we connect to something that’s meaningful to us. Would you say that you’ve felt that with barre3?
CARLA: I’m always thinking about doing the next thing or starting a new project, but when you’re in a barre3 class, you’re encouraged to focus on the present moment. You’re experiencing these empowering movements, but you’re not in charge of anything. It can be an active rest for your brain. For someone like me who has a hard time resting, to focus my attention on a single posture in the workout can be its own sort of mental vacation. It’s a minute away from all the things that I’m involved in.
Barre3 helps you feel capable and that you’re a part of something because the movements aren’t so hard that they feel impossible, but there’s still that very clear element of challenge that you get with each class. After you complete a workout, you feel your heart pumping and energy moving freely throughout your body. You feel like you did something to the best of your ability, and that leaves you feeling incredibly accomplished. I think it’s so important for everyone to experience that feeling.
B3 MAGAZINE: What do you love most about being a part of the barre3 community?
Carla: Barre3 is a productive outlet—it feels social, but the intentional movement helps me be in my body as opposed to being distracted by all the things outside of it. More than that though, I’ve always loved meeting and getting to know people through those interactions in the studio. The lobby could be a place to hang out before and after class—that’s a big part of what barre3 is and it’s a big benefit of the experience. You have like-minded people coming together and creating a community. That’s always been a big part of what barre3 has meant to me. It’s women supporting women and people advocating for each other, lifting each other up. That’s where you find those connections—in community-supporting spaces like barre3.
You can learn more about Carla and her work by following her on Instagram and checking out her shop, Almond Ave. She also has a showroom at Urbanite PDX in Southeast Portland if you would like to see her pots in-person!
All throughout Women’s History Month and beyond, we’re celebrating and sharing the stories of women in the barre3 community. Head here to meet more inspiring women. And if you’re looking to join barre3, get started by finding your local studio or signing up for a 15-day free trial of barre3 online.
