Ceramics artist Randi Lile isn’t dreaming of becoming a world traveling artist. She is living the dream, creating intriguing, highly original pieces that have found receptive buyers. Randi’s pieces are vivid and striking. They grab hold and take you to a subterranean world partially under the sea and partially into her subconscious.
One of Randi’s first creations was an enormous and sharp-toothed sea monster, designed to help her overcome her fear of “creatures” and the mysterious unknown that lies beneath the sea.
Now she loves the sea. On a visit to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, she jumped right into the water uninhibited and free from fear. Similar to diving into the ocean, there is always the element of the unknown working with clay. Randi embraces this uncertainty and risk of never knowing what new creatures will be born from the clay or what will happen to pieces once fired in the kiln. Her works include a series of life-sized busts that morphed into guitars, inspired by a break-up with a musician.
Her large, colorful fish sculptures are influenced by real species, some of which she finds when traveling to destinations such as Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, Tanzania and Estonia. But there is another project near to her heart. She teaches art at Hillsdale to elementary school kids for whom English is often a second language. They spend a lot of time being corrected, and her class is a sort of refuge where there is no “wrong,” since art is a universal language.
Randi has managed to strike that rare balance in life. “I work really hard for a while, then I travel and play,” she says. “I’m living exactly the life I want.” Is anything missing? Randi smiles and says, “I just need a little love, guys,” sharp-toothed friends notwithstanding.

Randi’s work can be seen at Red Kiln Pottery 393 E 1700 S