From her days wrangling 500 elementary school students to perfecting glaze techniques at Motawi, Aubree Hooper has traded lesson plans for glaze lines, and loud cafeterias for quiet, art-filled focus. A former music teacher turned Bulb Glazer, Aubree opens up about the journey from burnout to beauty, why she’ll never forget the Ovation tile, and how she managed to read more than 70 books in six months... all on the clock.
Who are you and what’s your role at Motawi? I’m Aubree Hooper, and I’m a Bulb Glazer.
How long have you been here? I just hit my two years; I started in 2023, just after the school year ended.
What does a typical day look like for you? I grab a [kanban] card based on priority, wax the tiles, and then spend the day painting by number, basically. Every tile [design] has a card that guides what needs to be done. The kanban board helps prioritize which tile to start with.
Do you have favorite tiles to glaze? Definitely. I love the Kolo Rose tile, even though it’s usually lower priority. My all-time favorite tile was Ovation, but I only glazed that design shortly after I was hired. I still think about it!
Aubree teaching kids how to play the ukulele on Halloween 2020.
What were you doing before Motawi? I was an elementary music teacher in Mt. Pleasant, teaching developmental kindergarten through fifth grade. It was a lot—I had well over 500 students my second year of teaching. I loved the kids, but the job took a real toll, especially post-COVID. I was constantly sick and mentally drained.
What’s your background in music? I was a vocal major in college and used to sing alto. But I kind of wrecked my voice by scream-singing Greta Van Fleet songs too enthusiastically. It was great for stress relief—therapeutic at the time, mentally very satisfying—but not great for vocal health!
How did you make the leap from teaching music to glazing tile? My best friend from college, Anissa, works here, also as a Bulb Glazer. I visited her during spring break and told her I needed a change. She showed me around, let me try glazing a tile, and asked if I could do it for eight hours a day. I was like, ‘Yeah, I could!’ I applied, interviewed on my birthday, and got the offer while I was still in the parking lot.
Do you remember your first day? It was overwhelming. Coming from teaching, which I had studied for four and a half years to do, I was used to knowing the ropes. Here, I didn’t even know where the exits were—which I was hyper-aware of because I was trained in active school shooter drills. Every time a drill would happen while I was working as a teacher, I was somehow always with the kindergarteners. There is something so devastating about holding a five-year-old and seeing the fear in their eyes as they’re asking ‘Is this real?!’ And having nothing to say but "I don’t know, but I’m going to do everything in my power to protect you!" And I was only 22, 23 years old myself. I would go home and cry on those days. So the atmosphere [at Motawi] is much safer and calmer, and over time I adjusted and no longer have that anxious teacher mindset.
What part of your work here do you enjoy the most? Seeing the tiles come out of the kiln when we do our quality check. I love watching how far I’ve come since I started—my technique has really evolved. When I was in training, I would take notes about what I had done, and what the outcome looked like. I used to struggle with [colors] bleeding and overfilling glaze, but now I can usually pinpoint and fix issues on my own. There’s a great sense of satisfaction in seeing clean, polished tiles come out of the kiln and knowing I made them look that way.
Any other moments of pride? My first Thanksgiving here, we exchanged gratitude cards. Reading that my coworkers seemed to enjoy me, and appreciated my work made me feel truly seen. I’m a quiet person, so it was nice to know my effort didn’t go unnoticed.
What’s something you’ve gotten better at since you started? The craft itself. It’s a unique process. Not everybody picks it up very quickly. I do think that everyone could do it. With the Glaze-A-Tile classes I teach, they watch us do it—we give a demo—and then people do it their own way. I’m very proud of everybody who tries it, because it’s trickier than it looks.
What are the trickier parts of the job? One time I overfilled a bulb and ended up splattering glaze everywhere—on my arms, face, and even my phone. I still have a paper covered in glaze dots from that day. And glaze sometimes sprays into my mouth or under my glasses! It tastes absolutely disgusting. Yes, we all know not to eat the glaze, even if there’s one bucket labeled “dairy free” (which is technically true, but not a serving suggestion).
What's something that might surprise your coworkers? That I used to teach and speak in front of 500 students daily. I don’t talk much now—I used up all my words teaching! When I was a schoolteacher, I’d tell my students a story about the time I was crying in my car and an old man shuffled up with his walker, thinking it was his car. We made eye contact—me with tears streaming down my face—and he just slowly turned around and hobbled away. The kids loved it. They’d beg me to retell the “old man story” whenever they came into class. I felt like a stand-up comic! When I work the Glaze-A-Tile classes, that teacher energy comes right back; I try to entertain the students. Also, I cry at my desk more than people probably realize—sometimes because of personal stuff, sometimes because of an audiobook or podcast I’m listening to. It’s a quiet room, so most people can’t tell, but it’s comforting to be in a space where I can fully be myself, even on the emotional days.
What are some of your hobbies or interests? I like to crochet (I craft with my hands so much I had to wear wrist braces preparing for last year’s winter market!). I hang out with my two cats. And I read—a lot. I’ve already read 71 books this year, mostly audiobooks I listen to while glazing. Listening to audiobooks helps me focus and stay in the zone. If my headphones die, my productivity takes a hit—I end up distracted or stuck in my own thoughts.
Any podcast or books you recommend? Podcasts: Two Hot Takes, The Breakup Breakdown, Normal Gossip. Books: The Starless Sea (beautiful, layered storytelling), Under the Whispering Door (a moving take on death and redemption), and They Both Die at the End (yes, it’s a spoiler in the title, but it’s worth it!).
Lightning Round
Morning person or night owl? Permanently exhausted pigeon.
Coffee, tea, or something stronger? Juice. Sugary, not healthy.
Favorite Motawi tile? Ovation, hands down.
If your job were a tile? Monochromatic outside with colorful chaos inside.
One word to describe Motawi? Awesome.
What are you excited about right now, at work or in life? More Glaze-A-Tile classes at work, and in life, summer plans like camping and a friend’s wedding.
Any dreams for the future? I just want to be happy. That’s the dream. How I get there might change every year, but I’m doing okay right now.
From glaze splatters to storytelling symphonies, Aubree brings a quiet joy and reflective spirit to everything she touches. And if you ever spot her teaching a glaze class, know you’re seeing a little spark of the teacher she once was—still lighting people up, one tile at a time.
