LinksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10155204359568457 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BeiBd3alUzx/Resources Mentioned:Hoopla Librivox Libby Free trial of Audible Plus (Using this affiliate link will earn us a small amount of money at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this site!)What do you listen to while you are working with clay? How does it affect your work?TranscriptThis is episode 29 of the Mudtalk Podcast and it is a fun one. The topic  is, “what do you listen to while you work with clay?” There were so many responses that I won’t be able to read them all! But if you are in need of some new audio content there will be plenty of ideas in this episode. I thought this would be a great topic because I’m always looking for interesting things to listen to while my hands are busy with clay. Unfortunately it has taken me forever to get this episode recorded so most of the following responses were from a very long time ago.Thank you for listening to THIS podcast. I hope you are currently working with clay as you listen.A short disclaimer: I will include a few clips of some of the great suggestions. I don’t own the copyright to any of these works of audio but they are presented here for educational purposes only.Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s hear what other potters and ceramic artists listen to as they work with clay.SilenceA few people including Pubali909, and Ingridj1957,  enjoy the peace and quiet and listen to the sound of the process or complete silence.AudiobooksA few people including Nicolaashley1101, Moequintana1, Anna C-N all mentioned audiobooks.Rawstudios Audiobooks; the best combination ; the intense meditative effect from the throwing makes the books even more vivid .Dtaylorsatm Audible books, Perry Mason and Agatha Christie mysteriesAngela M Audiobooks and pottery. Complete bliss I also enjoy audiobooks. You have probably heard of audible.com, Amazon’s audiobook site. You pay a monthly subscription fee and get to choose a certain number of audiobooks every month. There are also some other similar sites. But did you know there are resources out there that offer FREE audiobooks? One great free resource I’ve found is called Hoopla. I get free access from my local library. I can can borrow digital items such as ebooks, audiobooks, movies, and music. I think they raised the number to 10 per month during the pandemic! The selection isn’t massive but there is enough to keep me listening.I have also started using an app called Libby which connects to the Indiana Digital Library. I get access through my local library. They have a much bigger selection but only have a limited number of each item so you may have to get on the waitlist for certain items, just like a physical library.One more free resource is Librivox. It offers free audio versions of public domain books. Lots of old classics available.If you are interested I’ll put a link to some of these audiobook resources in the show notes.PodcastsPodcasts seem to be a popular choice for a few reasons. Most of them are free. There is always new content. And now you can find a podcast about almost anything you can think of. Just think about the podcast you are listening to right now… One guy with a laptop and microphone reading his favorite replies to social media posts about pottery. What a time to be alive!Pen and ink pottery Podcasts!! #2dopequeens #codeswitch #sooomanywhiteguys #savageloveCanmore pottery Strictly podcasts. Is it a pottery podcast??!!!Scetinozkan Podcasts how stuff works and some Turkish podcasts about philosophy, [and] technology . Learning something helps the creative process for me.Dundeepottery Podcasts...CBC, Annemarie at The Current, Out in the Open with Piya Chattopadhyay, Planet Money, This American Life, Someone Knows Something, Serial, S-Town, trying Sawbones today... and of course Red Clay Rambler. So much to learn so little time!!Jeffszarzi Podca

Links to Original DiscussionWhat is your favorite pot?Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10155026095458457Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbbncu9DvYv/If you had to pick just one pot that you love more than the rest... Why is it your favorite? What do you like about it? What does it look like? Feel like? Tell us all about it!TranscriptThis is episode 28 of the MudTalk Podcast. Thank you for tuning in. And a big thank you for subscribing so you know when a new episode drops. Especially because my posting schedule seems to be completely random. And the biggest thank you for sharing the podcast with anyone else who may be interested.If this is your first episode, or first episode in a while, the MudTalk Podcast is just a collection of thoughts about a certain topic. Designed to be short and sweet without a lot of fluff. Something to get you thinking or hear some new perspectives.This episode is all about your favorite pot. Why is it your favorite? What do you like about it? What does it look like? There weren’t a lot of responses to the original post which I thought was a little odd. I mean, most potters I know love to talk about pots.So I reposted more recently to get some new thoughts. And still didn’t get a LOT of discussion.But that’s okay. We will work with what we have. But if you would like to share something, feel free to reach out through email or social media.I intentionally left the question a little bit vague. Some people responded with their favorite pot that they have made. Some responded with a style of pot. Some shared one specific pot that they have purchased or use. All good options. I love that the concept of ‘a pot’ can bring up so many different things. We won’t talk about our favorite recreational or medicinal plant. But maybe this question didn’t have the same engagement because the algorithms got confused and thought the content was questionable.Anyway, let’s hear about some favorite pots!Sarahannebkr Deep Bowls, with a rolled rim, and you can still see the last pull, with a ringed footTrippelgrow Agate ware coffee cup unglazed outside and opaque white inside. Fits my hands just so and I slowly awake studying the rings and curvesJenny2ren A generous deep bowl, thinking of filling it with salad or mixing a cake in it!Jessica ewton ceramics A shallow blue bowl with lots of cut outs. I spent a long time on it and it paid off!! You can see it on my page :)Havanow As wide as it is tall. Like a Gywan 😍Thepeddlerman A tall, abnormally large mug in a glaze that wasn't exactly mixed entirely (my bad) but the color gradient, from a nice bright red, to a brown almost black is beautifulMarianwilliamspotteryA huge bulbous thrown vessel with an added neck or throat and pulled handles- glazed in a beautiful runny (probably barium) blue on top and satin white on bottom- it’s big, showing makers hand marks in the handles and neck.Landrum_pottery My fav I've made is a 10 lb. Infant piggy sculpture. I almost didn't keep it but after a year of it sitting on the greenware shelf I finally decided to try to fix the damaged ear... I layer glazed it also which turned out great. I feel like he's a high psychedelic pig. :)Betty JBrown clay, larger at the bottom than the top that has a narrow, tapering neck. No glaze. Just natural.James ShockThe handle makes this teapot, and seemed to take longer to make! Mudslide glaze over dark brown clay. The lid knob is a miniature of the actual teapot. An afterthought, but worth the effort.Naomi Zacharias UnrauA B-mix thrown 1 pound bowl, rim cut, black slip carved, dots sliptrailed. A play-surprise.So those are the comments that were shared. But as I’m thinking about this, maybe there are a lot of people out there having the same problem that I have: it is hard to pick a favorite!If I HAD to pick one… okay I can’t. How about I give you three of my favorites?First off, I have to put something by Dick Lehman on

Links to Original DiscussionFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154977725348457Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BalgWSUjVrb/Share your opinion on... sharing. What should be shared? How much should be shared? Who should it be shared with?TranscriptHello, and welcome back! We are dusting off this old podcast and tossing out a few new episodes for the new year.Thank you for downloading, listening, subscribing and especially sharing because that is what this episode is all about. More specifically, sharing pottery information. Be sure to listen to the end of this episode to hear why Expert Clay could be a great place for you to share some of your knowledge and experience.Also, a big thanks to… I think it was Jodie Rae of Mudslinging Pottery who showed up at my Michiana Pottery Tour stop and said “don’t you have a podcast? I really liked it.” This kind of interaction inspires me to keep going. So here is a new episode, #27.Let me start by saying that the pottery community is one of the most generous, kind, and caring communities in existence. At least from my somewhat limited experience. You can find examples all over the place of potters sharing their techniques, tips, time, advice, recipes, and just about anything else. I hope you have experienced some part of this as well. So as you may expect, most of the responses were in favor of sharing on some level. But is that it? Should we just automatically share everything we discover or create with everyone else… for free?Let’s hear from other potters and see how they feel about sharing. We’ll start with comments from potters that love to share.pollywog221I really appreciate when experienced potters are willing to share their knowledge and wisdom. It enables me to become [a] better potter. And I think sharing would enhance the pottery community overall. I want to thank all the people that have helped me over the years @adjustsailsdirtworks. @kyleguymonpotteryearthartamI use commercial glazes and clays, but I am always eager to share knowledge and techniques. Teaching others is where it's at, definitely.jclaypotterystudioIt's all been done before ...what makes your work unique is YOU. I'm all in for sharing. I wonder sometimes when artists are secretive if they believe it's the only good idea they'll ever have. I think we also have a responsibility to take info shared and make it our own-so not to try to only copy but to breathe our own life into the glaze recipe, the form, the concept, etc...but also see great value in trying to copy at times so you can master and incorporate into your own work.sallyannesadlerNone of us would be here today without the hard work, experimentation and SHARING from those who came before us.Elizabeth esther401I am a teacher and am used to sharing. If you share a recipe or technique, it is next to impossible to replicate it 100% since we all tend to put our own spin on things.sueramics_sunshinecoastSharing is caring it helps to keep our beloved craft alive and thriving with like minded souls.droobs5707Sharing your knowledge helps everyone. There is room enough for everyone to do whatever lights their fire. Even if you share everything you know the next potter will do something completely different. Pottery is love.Camilla connellinfo can be shared. But not the experience which has to be lived.angieizardceramicsTaking information and applying it to your own work is a far cry from copying someone else. Sharing is part of how to grow and adapt as potters. Excellent topic.thattmumShare everything. Share always. Sharing is the only way to mak e the world a better place. Nothing that is beautiful is owned by any one person, Including glaze recipesdannymeisingerI share. So much of what we know comes from thousands of years of trial and much error. We stand on the shoulders of all potters who come before us. We are the shoulders of the future.shoshe58There is very little in the world of art that hasn’t been share

Who is your market and how did you find them?LinksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154915774163457Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZdZ4HIlnPy/TranscriptWelcome to episode 26 of the mudtalk podcast. In this episode we’re talking about your market, or, the people who buy your work.Who buys your pots? How did you find them? Why do they buy your pots? How do you find more of the people that will buy your pots? These are the questions that any potter should start asking when they get serious about selling their work. Thanks to @stonecropstudio for suggesting this question a very long time ago.This episode will be interesting because there were only a handful of responses. Literally 5 responses. Now it’s hard to judge what that means for certain. Maybe the social media algorithms didn’t put this question in front of very many people. Maybe a lot of us clay people have never thought specifically about our markets. Maybe we don’t know who our market or ideal customers are. Maybe, as Little Blackberry Creek Pots says later, we just want to create, instead of thinking about things like this. Maybe we can get by if we just put our work out there without precisely defining our market.I’ll be completely honest with you. I have no idea who my market is. I just put my pots on instagram and facebook, list some of them on Etsy, set up my booth at events (remember those?), and hope for the best. Okay, maybe I’m not quite that lost. I have some ideas. For example, the map mugs would probably be perfect for someone who likes to travel. Or who enjoys history or geography. But I know I could target certain people more specifically. So at  the end of the episode I’ll talk about a few ways that I may be able to find my market..First, let’s hear what other potters have said about who is your market and how did you find them?Ibtispottery @potterymakinginfo Markets is where I sell my pottery and people who have seen me at markets would contact me to buy more.This is an interesting point from Ibtispottery. The word market has a few different meanings. Market could mean the group of people that are looking for products like you are making. Market can also be a physical location or event. Usually these markets are already set up for you. I’m thinking of a farmer’s market or art fair. But the question is, are these predefined markets actually YOUR market? Technically, these are the people in front of your pots but are they the people that will be most interested in and most likely to buy your pots? Probably not all of them. We will explore this idea later.Spectorstudiosporcelain A very smart friend told me that a market for your work is something you create. Working on that.This friend seems very wise. You could probably argue about the words “create” vs. “find” when talking about your market but I think the idea is the same. It takes work and usually some kind of plan to figure out who your market is. And speaking of creating and finding a market, it was interesting to be part of the Michiana Pottery Tour this year. The previous 8 years it was an in-person event in the region around the Michigan / Indiana border. It was a self directed tour with 6-8 stops where potters would open their studios and often invite other guest artists to display their work. This year, being the pandemic year, we offered all our work for sale online and promoted to a nationwide audience. We could change the idea of our market because we were shipping pots instead of expecting people to drive and see us in person. There was still a large concentration of website visitors that were from our region but we also had visitors from just about every state in the US. In fact, we had over 400 visitors from the combination of California and NY together. So we definitely expanded our market to a wider geographic audience. On the other hand, are there people that are willing to drive and see us but don’t like to buy things online?

LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BY5fkp1Fnjg/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154884355993457/?type=3&theaterTranscriptEpisode 25, business tips and advice. Hello all you fantastic listeners! It has been way too long. The MudTalk Podcast has gone on quite a hiatus here over the past few months. You would think with all the social distancing and quarentining I would just be cranking out the podcast episodes. But alas, I decided to focus completely on my top priority for the year, finish my pottery studio. I’ve also been spending time with my family so we can all stay sane. But now that the studio is taking shape I hope to spend a lot more time making pots and online content. In fact, the Michiana Pottery Tour will be online this year - that’s right, you can buy pots from all the amazing artists no matter where you live! - so I’ll be making pots for that and promoting it big time. The Tour is at the end of September so go to michianapotterytour.com to find out more.I’ve also become fascinated with the idea of branding which is perfect for this episode. I’ve been listening to and reading books, articles and even taking some courses. At the end of this episode I’ll share 5 things that could help a potter or ceramic artist improve their brand. And yes, if you are trying to sell your work, you should have a “brand” even if it is more of a personal brand instead of a big corporate brand.Thank you for taking the time to subscribe, download, and support this podcast. Today the topic is business tips and advice so let’s hear some business tips and advice from other potters.Littlecharliewheeler Knowing that everyone has different tastes, and that piece that disappointed you as it came out of the kiln, might be someone else's favourite.throwingmudetc@littlecharliewheeler that is so true! Usually the ones I don't like are the first to go.littlefernpottery@littlecharliewheeler I hated the cup to one of my matcha sets. HATED the glaze. 5hrs after I posted it, it was gone lol. You're so right.leagueindustriesgroupNetworkpipthepotterUse the shows to network.libbeckA lesson I learned: Don't accept custom orders. It's never satisfying to make something as directed by a customer. It will always feel better to make your own piece. And, it's hard to match their vision.954lla@libbeck Thank you! I've been struggling w/ turning down "requests" but know I never enjoy the process as much as going w/ my own vision.earthartam@libbeck Disagree. The first custom order I got was a disaster, I agree, no satisfying that guy. But I'm glad I didn't give up on them. I like the challenge of meeting someone's vision. After that first one I've never had another person that didn't see what I do and trust me to get it done. It's not a huge part of my business, but I do enjoy it. Tip: get paid up front for truly unique work.claystationdhakaTreat your customer the way you would like to be treated as a customer!thattmumHave a 20 second instagram story-style video to show anyone your work/process and be able to explain why x ( for example a teapot , costs $100.00 in time and money to makesharfam61Have you sold online? How do you package pieces and avoid breakage and cost of shipping?@sharfam61 i wrap them with thick bubble wrap and then fill the box with packing peanuts making sure the piece can not move at all and there is enough space on the edges to account for squish. Never had a piece break in shipping!earthartamTreat it like a job, not a hobby. Show up everyday and put in your time.bspottery@sharfam61 I sell online retail and wholesale, customer pays for shipping, I get my supplies from Uline....rdceramicsTalk to every customer that comes into your space at shows and stand up. Don't sit in the back & expect them to come to youAnotherseattleartist Don't give up and don't half (heart) anything you make. People can tell.ibtispotteryI agree with rdceramics, smile at ppl who come to your space encourage

Links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BYVX1xXFdwn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154849215758457/?type=3&theater Transcript Thank you for joining us here on the MudTalk podcast. This is episode number 24 and today we are talking about how sharing on social media affects your work. As always, we would love to hear what YOU are thinking. Go to https://expertclay.com/mtp/ to get in touch and share some of your own ideas. Also, this past Monday I posted a new MudTalk Monday question on the Expert Clay and Pottery Making Info social accounts. The question was “What clay related content, opportunities or ideas would you like to see more of online?” As you probably know, during the recording of this episode the world is a little uncertain right now. Many places are closing down and most of us have been encouraged to avoid crowds and stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Even NCECA was cancelled which was disappointing to a large number of people in the ceramics community even though it was the right thing to do. So what can we do to help each other, learn from each other, and grow our community when we can’t meet face to face? So there is something for you to think about. But let’s get back to our topic for today: how does sharing on social media impact your work? During our current time this may take on a new meaning. When we can’t go out it may be even more important to share with others online. Has your own view changed on this at all over the past few months? Are you doing anything different? Will you do anything different in the future? Let’s see some of the original answers to the question “How does posting on social media affect your work?” Sheric2015 I’ve learned so much from you tube videos. I love seeing other people’s work in videos. Hollycoley Studio life can feel isolating. I think social media takes the edge off, encourages people supporting each other, and gets my work seen by hundreds of people. Celestial.surf.studio Social media is a wonderful tool in my opinion. It’s helped me grow outside of reaching only friends and family. It’s provided countless business opportunities, ideas, and provides feedback on how well a design is doing. I love uploading progress videos and photos to keep my audience engaged and interested in my work. It also helps the impact of shop updates, making them more exciting and easier to anticipate. I try to post at least once a day and keep something on “my story” but sometimes it’s hard keeping up being a maker and normal human. Over all I feel like it’s mostly positive. Swoshpots Positive – found teachers, friends, inspiration, knowledge. Negative – addiction of likes and followers, constantly checking, takes time from real life. Taniarustageceramics It makes me take more photos of the process and not just the end product. Casapangea it is incredibly helpful. and i can try so many techniques and get so much inspired by them. i love ❤️ Conniesceramic For me as a starter at the wheel it is very exciting watching the videos and of course I am also inspired of the other potters work, because in the beginning I thought it would be boring making only round things ?but now I know that sooo much is possible ?. I also like to show my work and I am pleased and makes me happy that my stuff [is] like[d] [by] people all over the world ? ❤️ Jnpottery I find inspiration and new techniques to try, to improve my throwing and glazing. Jodipottery_at_sandycreek My new mantra: “every minute down the rabbit hole of social media is time better spent creating in my own studio”. I’ve had to impose strict time constraints for my online ‘research’ or I get sucked in every time! ? Lithopsstudio I feel that social media provides great exposure when used right but there are definitely it’s down sides. It tends to cause unnecessary anxiety s

Resources Original Discussion on Instagram Article: Organizing a Pottery Studio Transcript Thanks for tuning in! This is episode 23 of the MudTalk Podcast and we’re talking about setting up your pottery studio or clay workspace. In this episode there are a lot of great tips for arranging the place where you work with clay. This episode comes at a perfect time for me because I’m putting the finishing touches on my new pottery studio at my home. I already have a plan for the basic layout. I needed to have that much before I had it built. But soon I’ll be moving all the equipment and tools and everything else in and setting up. So it was great to read through some of the comments and hear some of the tips. It also seems there were other people that really benefited from the discussion. Just listen to some of the first few answers to the question: How do you arrange your workspace? syrihee.ceramics I don’t? Hahahaha Anisha maria crasto This is exactly what’s on my mind. I am in the process of setting up a pottery studio and have been planning what goes where. Crawford paint and clay I’m also setting up and it’s a bit tricky when the space is small. Ash glazed ceramics Hi there I am currently challenged by the same question, how do I get involved and learn? estrovan I’ll be converting my single car garage into a studio at the end of the year – love these ideas :-) So it sounds like I’m not the only one that loved all the responses. Let’s hear the rest of the responses and see what we can learn about arranging a clay workspace. Spector studios porcelain In our studio my wife Sarah and I have finally learned to put everything on wheels. 5 Gal buckets of glaze fit quite nicely on heavy duty house plant caddys, our really big glaze batches go in garbage cans and you can buy heavy duty caster sets for those. Our pug mill is on a cart, all the ware racks are on wheels as well. Harbor freight sells pretty decent casters for building carts with? Kate bussey 3 We too have everything on casters. Makes for a bigger work space when needed. Also fold away tables to pop out when needed too. Cp carlson pottery Everything rolls, even my kilns are on casters. This allows me to push them close to the wall when I’m not firing. Extra pop up tables come in handy for glazing. I tried to get a good flow on my space create, clean, glaze fire but that doesn’t work so well in my small space, so flexibility is key for me. Jeff szarzi Wheels and casters as well. Roll, roll, roll your studio. Jclay pottery studio Super fortunate that I moved from a 400sq ft to 1700 sq ft 2 yrs ago & it’s Sooooo much easier BUT more room=more mess that gets left longer -HAD to always clean and organized in smaller space. Must haves: Tons of shelving : a glaze table(s) that fits all often used buckets -height so when glazing doesn’t kill our back (IKEA Formica skinny table desk height is awesome). Bakers racks w/ covers on wheels : glaze cart(I have only one but great investment) : various heights work tables (mine are wooden horses for legs,thicker pine board on top-Masonite board or pressed board to top it-doesn’t create dust-can be flipped & so cheap I can get a new one if needed (had for 2 yrs and still good shape) Problem: 8 huge trash cans of scraps-any recommended pug mills are welcome!!! Art by gretamichelle Shelving unit and storage boxes help. My wheels face toward the wall to allow for ease of getting up and my tools are at hand and stored in pouches that I made using a length of floor vinyl that I stapled to a board and then to the wall. Made by powley If your studio isn’t cramped, then I suggest setting it up so it flows in a circle with the clay process. Starting with your throwing area with shelving, glazing area, kiln area. It is helpful to have shelves beside the kiln for pots ready for bisque and separate shelves for glazed pots. This saves lots of steps when gathering up pieces f

Links and Resources Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXNKfO3F7xz/ Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154777128508457/?type=3&theater Most Recent MudTalk Monday Discussion Troy Bungart Pottery Tools Sarah Pike bisque clay stamps Transcript Welcome back! This is *only* the 22nd episode of the MudTalk podcast. I say “only” because I had hoped to have a lot more episodes of this podcast finished during 2019. If you signed up for the free course Your Best Pottery Year at the beginning of the year, you would have heard that one of my goals for the year was 20 new episodes. But… that was one of my extra goals, it wasn’t exactly at the top of my list. So I won’t feel bad because I have already accomplished some of my primary goals. In fact, I think going through the Best Pottery Year course really helped me focus on what was important and plan for success throughout the year. So at the beginning of 2020 I’ll be offering something even better, the Clay Success Club. It will include the Best Pottery Year Course plus a bunch of other stuff. Check out expertclay.com if you may be interested in something like this. Anyway, in this episode we are talking about pottery tools. And what potter doesn’t like to talk about tools?! The question was, what is your must have pottery tool? There were some great answers and some that made me consider adding a few new tools to my toolbox. So let’s start with the most basic of all pottery tools, the hands. Hands bv_xi Hands tthomas_art @bv_xi I was going to say hands too! Lol littlefishceramics ? mum and dad gave them to me. Marc robert isaacs My hands soulfirejewelry My hands! Earthen bones My hands! One of them broke, and I was helpless! Don’t take them for granted! Ribs bianca_colangelo Metal rib. Break ur nees Wooden rib. It cleans the wheel head, cleans up the edges of a pot thedoglovingartteacher Metal rib. I can score, cut, clean, shape… Yo panama Metal rib! It’s an all purpose tool. I use it to shape, clean, trim can’t work without it. glynnislessing Brass rib Leigh art tx Wooden and metal ribs l.y.s.t.o.n Metal rib by far olisny The “metal rib of death” as I heard someone call it. killionpottery Red rubber rib by mud tools. I use it for shaping & smoothing. Got it @ #brackersclay (Brackers Goodearth Clay) pinkmoonceramics Metal rib by far! It’s so satisfying cleaning up a pot at the end with it cedarhillchick MUD tools ribs & finishing sponge. Nicola hart studios Rubber kidney, my fav ❤️ shedceramics Yep…a little red rubber kidney. I use that every day. nbypotter Mudtools Red rubber kidney Al G Custom made by me from Stainless steel Sponges artofawen Yellow and white mud tools sponges. siramikpottery My sponge! bateendje A sponge ☺️ Carving spectorstudiosporcelain Exacto knife for sure mallymoonhandmade I second the exacto knife! @spectorstudiosporcelain and sponges! Oh the many many sponges! ? maruollitasguevara Carving tools rdceramics A rubber chamois I got for free from @didemmert_pottery. It says wiziwigtools.com on it Trimming marianwilliamspottery My giffin grip! 2frogsstudio My Do-All Trim Tool by #mudtools. It really does all and saves me so much time not switching from trim tool to trim tool looking for the perfect angle. And it stays sharp for a long time! danaswheel One perfect, sharp, trimming tool…hands down? penncerameg Turning tools that I’ve made and a wooden rib made from a bamboo spoon swoshpots My trimming tools from @hsinchuenlin – they are priceless to me. And his YouTube videos. dmorris_138 Half moon trimmer karoartceramics Scalpel! Other mycelium_sophira Well , my kiln . I just need clay and kiln. dowidat.ceramics It’s weird but a needle tool. Very useful in the building process cause I can cut straight lines, pierce clay for design and slip and score with it. corkelialee Needle tool ? itsart.bitch tooth pick! ryanreichcerami

We’re back! After a long break, we have a new episode of the MudTalk podcast! Thanks for listening. Links and Resources Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWpLXYtFaZG/ Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154734498508457/?type=3&theater Transcript This is episode 21. Thank you so much for listening. In this episode, we are going to talk about what you can teach to someone else. This was actually a really interesting topic because there were a lot of different responses. There were so many that I didn’t even include them all. It was really interesting to me to see what people are confident enough to teach someone else. This is especially interesting to me as I set up expertclay.com which will allow other people to teach or share their knowledge. For example, I put together an online course about setting and achieving goals as a potter. I hope to find others who want to share what they know, whether it’s a simple tip for working with clay or a detailed course exploring a topic on a deeper level. At the end of this episode I’ll talk more about how you can make that happen if you are interested. But first, let’s get to the responses. I separated the responses into two categories. There were plenty of people who could teach others how to have a proper mindset. We’ll hear those at the end. But we’ll start with the people that could teach techniques for working with clay. Clay Techniques mappotter Lids kathrynburnsclay How to recycle clay. sandyvanderwyk Find your tool. pinkmoonceramics Underglaze painting and sgraffito tips ? terraforms Pinching textures. fancyfrogpottery To centre clay on the wheel.? butalaclay Base wall thickness for great foot rings carolyn_sawyer Always valve grind lids…glazed or unglazed. chuck_dm3 Go into how to find textures and tools (sticks/rocks/bark/leaves/etc) cabreraceramics Make their own glazes clay_with_mi Pulling walls artbygretamichelle Finish is everything. It makes the pot. dowidat.ceramics Carving technique I love making clay look like something else suzie.hawkes How to slipcast wildfirepotterypenn How to fire obvara raku ? pathwaypottery Mugs laurieandwilliam Pulling handles. and hillbippieclayco Attaching handles ? The rest of the comments were less about techniques and skills for working with clay and more about how to have a proper attitude or mindset to work with clay. Mindset vivita5 Love every pot you make txochi7 I’m a complete newbie, so could only impart enthusiasm ??? claybylaura Embrace the failures, learn and move on! ryanpaulder Breath dtaylorsatm Don’t get in a hurry. artroxinabox Love what you are doing & do it with your heart not only your hands ? sandywithaq If you don’t like something out of the kiln, give it a couple days. If you still don’t like it, it doesn’t mean nobody else will. wisp.ceramics Don’t get frustrated, it’s just dirt. leslie_mbizz Don’t try to work if you’re tired forgottenfern If you don’t love it smoosh it- it’s the only way you will grow. bettys_pots Make something creative with every scrap of clay. Don’t make extra work for yourself by putting little bits in the reclaim bin. earthartam The joys of handbuilding shesonthepath Study wabi sabi pamelabarclaysatx Make multiples. Each one you make will be just a little bit better than the last. kleesestamps Put your personality into your pots – make what you like and they will come. bentwingley Make 500 more and you’ll be in good shape nichibeipotters Everything matters. From wedging till it comes out of the kiln. Never settle, always strive to get better. Susie Lawrence M indfulness with clay, connecting with your soul through clay play creating connection with Mother Earth. Lib

Resources Facebook Discussion Instagram Discussion Make 2019 Your Best Pottery Year (free course) Transcript: Form vs. Function Happy New Year! Welcome to episode 20, the first episode of 2019! In this episode we will hear some great thoughts about form and function. But first, a couple updates. It took me a little longer than I had intended to get the first episode of the year finished. I have been working hard on some of my other goals that I’ve set for 2019. In fact, as I went through the process of setting some new goals this year I created a free course on Expert Clay to help you set, plan for, and achieve your own goals. The course was created to cover the first four weeks of 2019 to get your year off to a great start. But don’t worry if you missed it, all the course material is available and you can still work through it at your own pace. It will help you decide what you really want, how to set SMART goals, and then create a plan to accomplish your goals. If you are struggling to get things accomplished or make the growth that you really want, this course may be for you. Just go to expertclay.com and you’ll see some information about the course right at the top of the page. Some more good news: At the end of 2018 we had a giveaway. Robin won the free tshirt from potteryshirts.com this time but we’ll have to do more giveaways in the future. Thanks to everyone who participated! And thanks again to all of you who are listening to the podcast and spreading the word! Now, let’s hear some answers to the question: Is form or function more important in your work. First, let’s start with the potters who start with form or feel that form is most important to them. Form williambakerpottery Form is always first for me artbygretamichelle Form. I’m aware of function but focus on the form. she_dreams_in_underglaze Form is the most important element to me, but I would find it hard to justify (to myself) making something that did not also function. Would I sacrifice a small degree of functionality in order to create a form that is more pleasing to me? Yes, without doubt – but I could never make something totally disfunctional…. for some reason the idea appalls me… sak_sakshi Form is of more importance to me .. as creating the form u like gives u immense peace ! zeldalune Form There were also some that feel function is more important to them. Function Zained shahid Function pathwaypottery I lean toward function. I like things to be useful but I am trying to explore more with form. Getting out of my comfort zone A bit! lucyfagella For me.. Ideas about form flow from the way a pot functions. wildfirepotterypenn Function comes first. However, if the form is not pleasing to the eyes, hands, & whatever else it encounters, then function is useless… ?????? ladytokioblue For me function is more important because I only have basic knowledge of form. So in trying to make things that can be used I don’t think of form… Usually because I suck as designs. ?? harrychoepotter For me it must be functional with a dash of design. Enough to make it look fab!!!! But overall I think function out wieghs form. Making somethimg useful and being a useful person is key to my life. Some claim that form and function are of equal importance don’t feel strongly enough about one or the other to choose just one. Both earthartam Equal. Sculpture is my first love, but I find people want something they can hold in their hand, use in their daily lives. So I do my best to combine the two. leslie_mbizz It was never form vs function, it’s “form follows function”. If the form does not allow for the function intended, then it does not function and is only form. As artists we look for new forms to function in the ways unexpected olisny In graphic design we have hammered into us that for function cannot exist without proper form. If your form sucks, you will ruin the function. claybylaura For me form and function hold equ

Resources MudTalk Instagram link Mudtalk Facebook link T-shirt Giveaway! Free Course: Make 2019 Your Best Pottery Year Transcript This is episode 19! Since it’s the last episode of 2018, it’s kind of an important episode. First of all, this is your last reminder to win a pottery shirt! Listen for more details at the end of the episode. It’s also important because it’s a small milestone. I can look back and see that I put together 19 episodes in 2018. That doesn’t seem like much over the course of an entire year, but considering I didn’t even know how to make a podcast until February, I’d say that we have done okay. Thanks again for listening. I definitely wouldn’t be motivated to keep going if all of you weren’t showing support. You may not find the topic of this episode as helpful or informative as some other episodes. I really enjoyed reading all the responses though because I feel like I got to know the community a lot better. It was really interesting to see what other skills and passions you have. And sometimes it’s fun to imagine how things could be different. There were a lot more comments than some other MudTalk Mondays. Perhaps because it was an easier question to answer? There were a lot of similar answers so I tried to group some of them together. So let’s hear some of these responses to: What would you be doing if clay did not exist? Painting Dtaylorsatm Painting Shari.sutherland.art Still painting…. just wouldn’t be as exciting. Stonecropstudio More painting, for my soul! And maybe woodcuts for a tactile fix? ArtbyGretaMichelle Painting in oils. Caseydepasquale Making paintings that are thick and juicy and full of #texture! Metal / Jewelry Mudbird_ceramics Making jewellery/silversmithing or painting:) PathwayPottery Metal sculpture Conor.jensen Keep doing metal sculpture probably DoubleMusePottery I’d be making jewelry and glass etching. So many things to create. Pitchpinepottery Still making! I’ve always wanted to try metal smithing and make jewelry. Food Poteria_oficina_ceramica I would be making food! Bdeterling @ioceramicarustica I agree! Specifically baking since it’s similar to making clay and firing kilns ? Connie J Cakes probably Wood Reidthepotter Woodworking KathrynBurnsClay Turning wood on the lathe. Ebboren Carving wood, which would probably include some trips to the ER!? LittleCharlieWheeler Leather or wood. Have to be tactile. Measa C S carve wood :D Textiles Marisol_blamey quizás bordaría alfombras! pero…. no es lo mismo! (Maybe I would embroider rugs! but it’s not the same) Debra_lee2 Quilting! Sandywithaq Back to the knitting needles! GardenGateDesign Hooking more rugs now I split my time between the two and making beeswax candles . . . Monstriss Knitting Dawn I Crotchet Marg F textiles Glass Maxschreifels Blow glass like a man lol Jean_faith_vanderheyden Soap stone carving and or stain glass making. Anni_s_t Blowing glass.. Madeleinevinkceramics Definitly glass blowing! Photography Yopanama I would be doing photography Mike W Photography. Clay_lady I’d have more time to practice piano and work on photography. Other Desoet_ceramics Nice question ? anyway i would be sculpting. Doesn’t matter from what material ☺ Syrihee.ceramics Architecture probably :/ and painting Bluee_pottery Rock climbing Sudima Drawing Olisny Printmaking! I had a fund saving up for an etching press I instead used to buy my kiln and wheel. ? Nancybloklandpottery The garden would be the next best thing Jojo.hare I’d still be making candles ? KaraMorrisPottery Writing books ? Suits._p architecture AmyThomasCeramics Midwifery ? KaroArtCeramics I’d be an illustrator, that’s my plan for when my body fails me Susan H D Mosaics Another_day_wiser I was a music performance major in college until I switched to ceramics, so probably that ? Multiple Things Paulinepotspottery Still creating – maybe get back into macrame or painting or baking – just need to

Resources MudTalk Monday on Instagram MudTalk Monday on Facebook Make the Most of Your Time in the Pottery Studio Giveaway Details Transcript Welcome, this is episode 18 of the MudTalk Podcast. This is the one about time management. How do you balance your time? This is a great topic for a few reasons. First of all, as potters and ceramic artists, I think maybe it’s a little tougher for some of us than for other people with a more common 9 – 5 job. We have a lot more flexibility and freedom with our schedules. It’s also tough because we have to do so many different things. Sure, we get to play with clay… but what about the shows, the photography, the listing, the marketing, the ordering, the finances, and everything else? And some of us are trying to balance clay with another job! Another reason that I think it’s hard is because time in the studio seems to go so fast. I look down at the clay and all of a sudden a couple hours have passed! The best thing that makes this a great topic for this episode is that some people have really figured out what works for them and you get to hear some great ideas and helpful tips. But before that, just a reminder, this episode is “sponsored” by potteryshirts.com because we have a giveaway happening. That’s right, you could win a free T-shirt from potteryshirts.com as a thank you for listening. Make sure you listen to the end of the episode to hear details about how you can enter. But now, let us hear some thoughts from other clay people about time management. We’ll start with the comments from people that seem to be struggling and then we’ll hear from some of you that have started to figure out what works. Struggling to Balance Time First off, we have NewSpinOnTradition For those that are making their living from clay, how do (you) divide your day between the making of work, marketing and taking photos, social media, applying for opportunities, etc. Is it a free for all, or do you try and follow an actual regimented schedule. I’m a very slow worker, so making the work seems to eat 95% of my time. I know I’m not paying enough attention to the other aspects. And trying to squeeze in time for friends and family barely happens. ?? Next up, responding to How do you balance your time? Olisny I don’t. ? I’m struggling…I have two kids under 6 and stay at home with them. And my studio is at home! Balancing making art, household management, business management, kid education is something I’m getting closer to figuring out. It’s hard seeing people produce so much when I’m slow; I have to remind myself I’m following a lot of people online who are students without kids. ? OctopusCeramics I don’t ?? GlynnisLessing So easy to go into the studio and not come out all day. Still struggling with balance! PathwayPottery I don’t balance very well! Feast or famine! QueerlyClay I’m supposed to balance my time? This response got me thinking. I guess nobody is forcing us to balance our time. So you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I suppose some people want, or need to, work on something for 4 days straight and then sleep for two days straight and then wake up and do something else. Some people probably don’t have a lot of close friends or family or are very introverted so they don’t worry about spending time with others. So there is no single right way to do this. But many people feel that it’s healthy or ideal to find a balance in their lives. You have to decide what is right for you. The next response covers a lot of topics along with time management. Other HarryChoePotter My goal in life is to be a potter and studio owner full time. How do you live off pottery? Not possible for me. I work full time and run a studio part time. Not enough time in the day or night. How do we stay happy? It’s tough trying to market your business and create art. In Korea, pottery seems like it’s a dead art. Schools don’t offer pottery

Resources Link to instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BUHDrs4FOPu/?taken-by=potterymakinginfo Link to FB: https://www.facebook.com/potterymakinginfo/photos/a.10151503193013457/10154547366953457/?type=3&theater PotteryShirts.com Hack the Entrepreneur Podcast https://hacktheentrepreneur.com/podcasts/ “You have to be chasing something.” http://www.stearthpottery.com/discursive-loop/archives/678 Giveaway! More info and links: https://expertclay.com/giveaway/ Entry 1: Survey Entry 2: Leave a Comment or Message Transcript Welcome to episode 17! I have probably never met you before, but I’m glad you are listening. Thanks for your support. As a thank you to all of you who are downloading, listening and sharing I’m going to offer a small giveaway for the holiday season / end of 2018. I’ll share the details about that at the end of the episode so make sure you listen to the whole thing. In this episode we’re going to see some of the top reasons for success. The question was “What one thing that you do has been the biggest contributor to your success?” I love this question because it really gives us some insight into what is working for somebody. I also like the phrasing because it is asking for something that you make a conscious decision about, not just something good that has happened to you or something someone else has done for you. I’ve grouped related responses together to find some common ideas or themes. The first few responses are all related because they are about the way you work. So here are some things that you do that really contribute to your success. The Way You Work Jeffszarzi Incorporate my drawings on my pottery. Piperpottery Finding my style Ebboren Keep my hands on the wheel when I start centering! I think using a certain technique can really affect your work. Especially if you master it or combine certain techniques into your own style. Sometimes just remembering how you find success on a small level, such as centering, can set you up for larger successes. The next group of responses were about Work Ethic / Dedication Angelagrahampottery Repetition and sticking with my gut, if I think it will work, it might not at first. But stick with it! Pritpalbharaj Practice. Mcginnispottery Practice Ladytokioblue A LOT OF PRACTICE!! and more patience ? Damarisoakleypottery Practice, practice, practice:) Dallas_wooten_ceramics Just keep working! Earthartam Because I love what I do doesn’t mean it’s a hobby. It’s a full time job with regular hours. Be dedicated to it! Drurygirl5 Being selfish with my time -(trying to remember that I can say ‘no’) Benjamin W Dedication These kind of responses seemed to be the most popular. And for good reason. Most people that find success have to work at it. Working hard can help you overcome other faults or setbacks. Confidence / Belief Sweetpixels_thesudsypotter Accepting that I’m not perfect and learning not to compare my work to others in a negative light. I make art and art is subjective someone somewhere is going to love what I create. 954lla Believing in my design! #L2Apottery Maridmartini Being more confident Claybylaura relax and listen to/trust my own (creative) inner voice. It seems like a lot of us don’t have enough confidence in ourselves at times. I know I’ve struggled with fear of failure or rejection before. I just have to remind myself that if I don’t take chances, sure, I won’t fail, but I also don’t give myself a chance to succeed. Even if I take a chance 100 times and fail 99, that 1 time I succeed is still more success than I would have had without taking a chance at all. Mindset / Taking Care of Yourself Jerichostudiopottery Afternoon catnap. gonemoondancing Pray I put these two responses together because you need to take care of yourself. You are going to be more successful when you feel good and have the right mindset. Getting enough rest is important, whether it’s getting enough sleep at night or rec

Resources MudTalk Monday – Instagram, Facebook Handle With Care Workshop Notes 6 Ways To Develop Self Discipline Books (affiliate links) Mastering Cone 6 Glazes (out of print) Complete Guide to Mid-Range Glazes Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes Mastering the Potter’s Wheel The Ceramic Spectrum High Performance Habits Start With Why Steal Like an Artist Seth Godin Amazon Page Transcript Hello and welcome to episode 16 of the MudTalk podcast! Thanks for listening. In this episode we’re going to hear about which skill you would like to increase the most. The original question was “If you could increase one skill or attribute overnight, what would it be?” Of course, you aren’t going to magically change yourself overnight. But what would you like to get better at? There were a lot of great answers. Even some that I wouldn’t have thought about. But there were many things mentioned that I would like to improve myself. As you can imagine, many of the responses were clay-related. So we’ll start with the clay related answers, including wedging, centering, throwing, trimming, glazing, and decorating. Then we’ll hear some more general, what I’ll call, life-skills. At the end, I’ll share some of my favorite resources that I’ve found for improving some of the skills mentioned. And remember, if you want to share your own thoughts or favorite resources, go to expertclay.com/mtp. As always, thanks for listening, subscribing, sharing and just being awesome in general. Let’s get to the responses and hear which skill you would like to increase the most. We’ll start with the clay related comments. Wedging Kathleenevil5 Clay related: wedging! ? Marian H W Spiral wedging Centering Kathy K Centering! Cyndi L A I’m with Kathy K, centering. Jenmf CENTERING!!! Jim49_ Better centering Darkfruitbat I would love to be able to center more than ten pounds of clay, but I’m weak! Lunetca Clay related, centering. Life related, work ethic. Throwing Merskata Throwing! Woolandclay Throwing! Sandyvanderwyk Throwing! Artofawen Throwing on the wheel. I love it, have taught it but never gotten past a certain level of expertise. And I second the life energy! Dtaylorsatm Wheelthrowing. So jealous of those plates and huge jars thrown on the wheel. Unbelievable skill. I’m just happy if i can center and create a small bowl. Oh, well…got to start somewhere. Czpotterys Even pulls EsterLipscomb_pottery Throwing speed! I have a space quota to meet each month and I wish I was as fast as some of the other potters I work with. There is a reason my family always called me the poky puppy. Lakinkceramics Throwing on the wheel! And fully developing my ideas before making a piece. I’m working on both of them this summer! Stonecropstudio Increase my range of throwing to include new forms! Blackbirdfarms2017 Shaping Kristacford Pulling walls and handles! Throwing Bigger Samyam1667 I would love to work on throwing large forms Mudandsticks Throwing tall cylinders @mudandsticks! Gingerbarrheafey Throwing LARGE pots. 10+#’s Handsinmudpottery tall forms Teresa.gagne22 Bigger pots. Mike W Throwing bigger pots. (bottle forms). :) Bridget_kiara Throwing taller vessels! (Taller than 7 inches) Miragrl22 @bkiara88 That is my height max also!!! What is that about???? GiselleNo5ceramics @bkiara88 @miragrl22ME TOO! ? We should start a club. 7 Below. Handles Octopusceramics Making handles Mcginnispottery Making handles _avonlea__ Handles haha Claye.by.jaye Handles handles handles ? Trimming Mgwalsho TRIMMING Ebboren Trimming! Glazing Studio2ceramics Mixing glazes Thats_my_art_teacher Mixing glazes! Alybee_ceramics Glaze consistency at cone 6 Barroceramicstudio Mixing my own glazes. Karamorrispottery Knowledge of glaze chemistry Iloveceramics2015 All of the above especially glazing? Pamelabarclaysatx Creating new glazes. Zephyrinmontana Glazing! Ugh. My Nemesis! Figuring out colors drives me crazy!? Decorating Bluelotuspottery Decorating Ladytokioblue I

Resources Great info: 13 Things to Consider While Pricing Your Pots Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BTQ-5Malakj/?taken-by=potterymakinginfo YouTube video: https://youtu.be/Uu_qFDanGPY Potters network discussions about pricing: https://www.facebook.com/groups/219780908063139/search/?query=pricing Pottery shirts(!): https://potteryshirts.com Transcript And we’re back! After a break that was much too long you are now listening to episode 15 of the MudTalk Podcast. And boy, let me tell you, this is quite an episode! In my opinion it has been packed with some of the most helpful thoughts I have read yet. But that may be because pricing my work is something that I’m still trying to figure out. So get excited if you are in the same boat. But first, a couple news items. I just want to give a huge thank you to everyone who has listened and shared or done anything to support the MudTalk Podcast in any way. Just before recording this episode, I took a quick look at the stats. In July there were over 1800 downloads and then in august we had over 2500 downloads. We’re at  over 8000 total downloads since episode 1 was published in February. That blows me away. Thank you so much just for giving this thing a chance and especially to all of you who have shared your thoughts. I know the last few episodes have had some long breaks in between. But I hope to get back into a more regular schedule. I’ve had some big things going on this summer. One upcoming event I’ll be participating in is the Michiana Pottery Tour on September 29th and 30th, 2018. If you are located in or near southern Michigan or Northern Indiana, it is a great event full of talented potters and ceramic artists. Get a map and find out more at michianapotterytour.com. I’m itching to get into the responses so I’ll save the next announcement for the end of the episode. Stay tuned for that. So, pricing our work… The elephant in the pottery studio so to speak. It can be a little uncomfortable, maybe even stressful. There are so many variables and everyone has a unique situation so there doesn’t seem to be a one formula fits all solution. Hopefully some of these comments will give you some ideas to make pricing your work a little easier. Instead of sorting the responses like I usually do, I’m just going to read them in approximate order of when they were made. But at the end I’ll share a list of 11 things that you can consider as you price your work. So let’s get to some of the responses to the question: How do you price your work? Billy H Number (of) hours plus material and add a little extra because its handcrafted Kate P There was a very good thread on Potters Network recently about pricing which would be worth looking up. Lots of sensible formulas and ideas. I’ll put a link in the show notes to the Potters Network group on Facebook and some of the pricing discussions. Kimberly W I’d love to hear everyones formulas on how to price their items. I love making pottery so much I have trouble putting a price on it. Plus I look at other peoples sites and sometimes have to take a second look (be)cause the pricing isn’t anything like mine. When i started selling my stuff, The advice I got was: Charge enough first off so your not always changing your prices and make sure to charge enough because its a competitive field and we need the pricing scale to stay constant. Its a place to start, but a clearer formula would be nice. _avonlea__ The going market price (for example a lot of mugs go for $30-$40) along with personal thoughts about the piece, time, and material. Then add 10%-20% that way if it shows in a gallery setting it’s the same price as outside the gallery. Clients then know that’s the price regardless of gallery Dallasbradbury shared a youtube video from Make Something. In the video you are encouraged to come up with a day rate, at minimum $500 per day. Then figure out your prices based on your day rate plus cost of materials. There will be a link to the vi

Resources Start with Why by Simon Sinek – mentioned in the podcast (affiliate link) Leave a message: share your thoughts about the podcast! Expert Clay Blog Transcript And we’re back. Finally. If you’ve been following along you may have noticed that there has been a long wait for this episode. I thought over the summer I would have more time… but then I got really busy for a while. Mostly doing awesome things. I’ll probably post some of the awesome things on my instagram @artbyfuzzy. You can check it out there so I don’t have to bore you with the details here. Anyway, thanks for your patience! This is episode 14 of the MudTalk Podcast and it’s a great one. The topic is: Advice You Would Give Yourself As A Beginner. There were an enormous amount of responses so I trimmed out quite a few that were similar to others. Sorry if your comment didn’t make the cut. As always, you can check the show notes at expertclay.com. One thing to note before we get started is that the advice offered here was aimed at someone else so some of it may not fit your business, personality, style or situation. There was a variety of advice. We’ll start with some very general advice and then hear some encouraging words. There was also advice to keep learning and stay focused. At the end we will hear some really practical advice and then a couple of responses that were MY favorite. General Advice So let’s start with some general advice, mostly short and sweet. Pradnyagulwani Let go… Tara_bane Let it go and it will flow Veralucile_ Slow down Terraforms There’s no accounting for taste. Jay.decker You don’t know if you’ve gone far enough, until you’ve gone too far. Nicolaashley1101 Practice, practice and practice S.hellybelly Cut your nails. Stewartcampbell61 Listen to everyone, ask questions, then do it your way. Crazikaren Go for the money Sheri_mccullah Start younger with the Arts. Sarahbethpottery The ‘perfect pot’ is overrated Encouragement / Positive Attitude There were plenty of responses full of encouragement and reminders to have a positive attitude. Fibromyalgia_fitness If I knew Im going to get all I want, I would never stress and had lots of fun. Stress has made me sick but fun could make me more healthy to enjoy my blessings. Clay_lady Enjoy the journey of crafting pottery and people you meet along the way. Yuvikabader Be patient. As the old Indian saying goes, do the work and don’t worry about the outcome. Love these conversations. And this virtual clay community you have created :) thanks! Highleycrafted Have more confidence in yourself and go for it. Anni_s_t Have fun and try bolder stuff Dtaylorsatm Believe in yourself now! Don’t listen to the naysayers! Recognize your limits, but excel in the possibilities. Musingaboutmud You think it’s fun now? Just you wait… ???it only gets better. Judykepes Don’t let your negative inner voice rule your thinking- you will look back at your stuff 20 years later and say” wow, that sh**s pretty cool, wonder why I thought it all sucked” Angeltilpottery Be patient! Airingout_clay Don’t stop. Do what you love. Redboatstudio “Patience is a virtue make yourself rich” Very true working with clay :) Melliferapottery You will get there, so enjoy the ride! smileygirlartis t It seems like progress is slow now, but be diligent, be patient, and you’ll improve faster than you thought you could! Don’t be afraid to experiment, don’t be afraid to cut something in half, don’t be afraid to try new glazes. You got this! Dsummrs Stop being so critical of yourself and make stuff every day! East2westpottery You WILL make a better version of the last thing you made. Keep making. Earthartam Yes, go for it! It all turns out great! Oh wait…that’s what my younger self told herself. Ceramic_amateur Don’t get emotionally invested in a piece until it is fully complete and set in place Hillb

Resources Clay companies mentioned: Standard Ceramic Laguna Clay Sheffield Pottery New Mexico Clay Amaco Aardvark Clay Highwater Clays Valentine Clays Plainsman Clays Continental Clay Keane Ceramics Potclays Transcript Welcome to episode 13. Now we are getting down to the nuts and bolts. Or should I say the alumina and silica? Because this episode is all about clay. What clay do you use and why do you use it? There was a lot of discussion on this topic which is unsurprising. If you have a bunch of people that are passionate about clay, one of the best topics to talk about is probably clay! Hopefully this episode will give you some things to think about if you want to try a new clay or just need a change. And remember, if there is something you want to remember or explore, you can find the show notes for this episode, and every episode, at expertclay.com. Just click on “podcast” in the menu and find the right episode. One cool thing about the show notes is that all the names are actually links to the social media account of the person that left the comment so you can get in touch with somebody if you have questions or want to start a secret bmix fanclub or something. So let’s get to the discussion. Most of the comments are grouped by the manufacturer of the clays mentioned. I saved a few of my favorite responses for the end. I’ll also share 5 things to consider when choosing a clay. Standard Ceramics EricaBodinePottery Standard Ceramics 112 Speckled Brown. I love how I can push this clay body to limits other clays won’t tolerate. Need a piece finished in a short time? This clay will make you happy. I love the results the manganese gives. I had someone ask me once if I put glitter in my clay. ?✨? Elanpottery Standard 182 I love the white canvas it provides while still being sturdy for functional ware and easy to throw with. Rdceramics Standard 182 no grog. It’s very nice to throw with, good for carving and is a great canvas for my glaze selection Whimandvigor Love Standard’s 153. It’s an absolute workhorse: works for throwing and handbuilding, fires beautifully, reclaims well. Stiff.clay.studio I flip flop between Standard 181 and Loafers Glory. Both take glaze like a dream and are delightful to throw with. I’ve even accidentally mixed them together in a slop bucket and the reclaim was fabulous too! SharonMerchantivy My favorite is Standard 378 because of the richness the color and the speckles add to my glazes after firing. Unfortunately, I don’t have a local supplier now that I’ve moved to MS and am about to start the search for a different clay. Laguna Mudandyarn I’m a HUGE fan of Laguna Clay’s speckled stoneware! I just love letting a good chunk of the natural clay show on pots so you can feel the texture and see the beauty of it! HomemadeTastesBetterOnHandmade Was using primarily Laguna BMix/Wood, but since our studio has become a Laguna Clay distributor, it’s been hard to resist trying other clays. Currently using Laguna/Miller 850 in production, and testing out darker clays, too. Also trying BMix/grog for some wood ash firings. Claybylaura I use a low fire white Laguna Clay right now. I like playing with Amaco underglaze and Glaze combinations on the textured surface of my pieces with a ‘bright’ color palette. These all seem to play nice together. ( I switched from a different low fire clay about a year ago when I started having problems with glaze popping off a finished piece — even long after flring). Cedarhillchick Cone 10 B-Mix. It is good for hand building, looks great fired in a gas kiln or wood fired kiln. Also like Ann’s wood & soda clay from NM Clay. Laurieandwilliam ^6 B mix, red clay, Speckled Buff. All laguna, beautiful throwing properties. Those 3 cover pretty much any mood I’m in! Gnome_island_studios My all time favorite sculpture clay was Coconut Crackle from #leslieceramics but they discontinued it. Sad. So n

In this episode we will discover who has had the greatest influence in our work. Resources Sign up to be a featured maker! Jim Rohn quotes Transcript Thank you for listening. This is episode number 12. In this episode, many of you shared who has had the biggest influence on your work. This is an interesting question to me because most of us are influenced by so many different people. There were a few responses about the influence of nature and family. A couple people noted the influence of teachers or instructors. Most of the responses mentioned other potters as a dominant influence. We’ll hear those comments and at the end I’ll share a few of my favorite responses and try to pick just one person as the biggest influence for my own work. Before we get started, I just want to apologize again for any mispronunciations that I have surely made and will make. If I mess up your name, let me know. Now, let’s get to the responses. Nature Mimiho_cat,  Dowidat.ceramics, and Tselut_official all said that nature is their biggest influence. Teerraku The universe Family Jeikobu_jeikobu My mom. Teachers / Professors Studio2ceramics Our college ceramics professor has had so much influence on our work. His compassion and generosity is something we want to always express in clay. ❤ Octopusceramics Definitely my art teachers, mainly the one I have now at the studio I go to! Now that I’m on Instagram too, there are so many potters that inspire me every day Other Potters A majority of the responses mentioned other ceramic artists and potters. Claybylaura It’s hard to pick just one. I’ve had some incredible teachers and influencers along the way. Most recently, @amysanderspottery opened my eyes and taught me incredible hand building techniques that I use in my current creations. She is a warm, funny and very giving instructor in addition to being a fantastic clay role model! Judykepes As a kid it was Durer, as a young adult I worked for Richard Shaw and studied with Ron Nagle both of whom influenced my world view not just my art. Huge debt of gratitude to them. Jude_prevost_ceramics I have had many teachers who influenced me and watched a wide variety of ceramic artists for inspiration… My husband brings me textures and tools he creates at work that have a big influence on what I decide to create… But I took a workshop a few years ago from #judyweeden and as a handbuilder her tips and info were priceless. She taught me about timing, about leather, soft leather and how to join pieces at any stage… That by far was the biggest influence on how I treat the clay and how I work with each piece Mudsmoke Deborah Shapiro is a legend. Claritatrucco To me @tortus Jpiercepottery Without a doubt @jenallenceramics is the person that has influenced me the most! Gnome_island_studios I’m learning a lot from my fellow sculptors @redbrickceramics This weekend @tom_michelson gave me a lot to ponder. @joethrows helped me save a piece recently. In the past @medicatedlimbs and @artknok taught me a bunch, as did @ryanmccullen Sallyannesadler Soji Hamada. Marianne de Trey. Bernard Leach. Peter Lane. John Takehara. And Lucie Rie. Woodywood250 Susie bowman! Skunke1 Jean-nicolas gerrard Laura S It’s hard to pick just one. I’ve had some incredible teachers and influencers along the way. Most recently, @amysanderspottery opened my eyes and taught me incredible hand building techniques that I use in my current creations. She is a warm, funny and very giving instructor in addition to being a fantastic clay role model! Anna R I think Lucie Rie and Diana Fayt. The first for shape the second for decoration. Maggie T ron meyers Other Tracymurphyceramicartist Myself. I’m the only one I do this for. Anyguelmann As a child and teen, my mom, the artistic polymath. As an adult, working at @etsy and watching incredible Etsy sellers make a living off of their creativity and talent. Pathwaypottery To be honest I’ve lear

Resources bclayjamaica.wordpress.com Online Groups of Potters and Ceramic Artists Pottery Making Info’s extensive list Facebook: pottery heads, Ceramics Worldwide, Potters Network, Clay buddies, Clay Prints (There are many more groups on Facebook which can be found using the search box.) Ceramic Arts Daily/Network Message Board Transcript Welcome. After a small delay, we are back with episode 11. It’s about meeting other potters. Thanks for giving us a listen. Pottery can be an isolated activity. But I’ve found it’s a lot more fun with friends! Being around other potters can also spark new ideas, challenge you, and just give you someone that you can talk to. This particular MudTalk Monday discussion didn’t produce as many comments so it may be a little shorter. I’m also not going to sort the comments into categories like other episodes. At the end I will share my favorite responses and a few ideas to help you meet other potters and ceramic artists for those of you that want to meet more members of the awesome clay community. Let’s get started. Rootandrocks I am focused in ceramics in a school that supports me but does not have a ceramics department. Whenever I meet another ceramicist it is exciting to find out about their inspirations, techniques. I love to compare notes and generally geek out about clay. The few people that work in clay at my school band together to share our love for it. Flowerpottery I find the ceramics community in general to be so generous with information and technique. It’s rare that you meet someone who is not willing to share info. Far too many generous people to name. It’s one of the things that makes our community so great. Bluelotuspottery I have not met many in person but I have meet many many online. clay buddies has been a godsend to me. And I look forward to meeting some of them in person in the future. I am also getting to know many on instagram. Flowergurl4eva I met Hollis Engley, and Mitch Lyons. Both were encouraging, and not afraid to share. Hollis invited my hubby and I into his studio, and showed us part of his creative process. Mitch said come up and visit sometime. They were both genuine. Cal_pot I got drunk with Wayne Higby #goals Honnoria At the airport in Las Vegas I thought I saw Brian Hopkins and asked if it was him. We had a very nice conversation. When we arrived in Buffalo he helped me with my VERY LARGE box. 50# of stuff in that box. It was great having a friendly helpful face there in the middle of the night. Judy F All the clay artists I have met enjoy exchanging techniques and glazing info. We love to pick each other’s brains and solve problems. Marsmelk Our Baltimore Clayworks teacher Sam Wallace took six of his long-term students on a visit to his native Jamaica in 2015. Visited potters Isaiah The Flower Pot Man and David Pinto. Great trip! More here: bclayjamaica.wordpress.com Ideas to meet other potters We’re going to do something a little different here at the end. I’ll share some of my favorite responses AS the ideas to meet other potters. Piperpottery Instagram and #etsymudteam– I realize these are in-person meetings, but I don’t have a huge local pottery community so the virtual communities I’m a part of have really helped me out in terms of slogging thru the less inspiring times in life. The contacts I’ve made on Instagram are also helping me grow as a potter. Idea 1: Meet Potters and Ceramic Artists Online This is probably the easiest thing to do. Technology can bring us together like never before. You can often find groups of potters on many social media platforms. You can also find potters through hashtags or looking at who other potters are following. I’ll share some links in the show notes if you want to find potters online. Milagrosrviale Once I went as tourist to Jerusalem, and I visited a potter there, he worked with Terra sigillata. I wanted to know everything and he shared all his techni

Resources Expert Clay Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr Share your thoughts with us! Transcript Episode 10! We made it to the double digits! When I started this podcast I wasn’t even sure I would do a second episode, much less put together 10 so I feel like this is a small accomplishment. Thanks so much for subscribing, downloading and listening. And thanks to those of you who have sent in a message! In this episode we are going to hear about what you are most proud of as a potter or ceramic artist. There were a nice variety of answers, some that I hadn’t even considered. First we’ll hear from those that are proud of their progress and learning, then from those who take pride in their finished work. We will also hear a few responses about starting a business or making the “leap” and then the rest of the things that people are proud of. At the end I’ll share a couple of my favorite responses and tell a little bit about what I take pride in. Let’s start with the folks who are proud of their progress and learning. Progress and Learning Mgwalsho  I’m most proud of my learning. I am a brand new Potter and I’m proud of how fast I have learned. I also am proud of my creative glaze techniques and how fast I can produce a quality piece of art. Artbygretamichelle How far I’ve come and how much I’ve learnt in such a short time. I started in 2012, moving from painting to clay. Now I work with porcelain and soda fire in the kiln I converted myself. Pineapple.pottery Being self taught comes with a LOT of mistakes and a steep learning curve, and I’m just at the beginning but am proud I have just kept looking forward! Claybylaura I’m pleased that the learning never stops. As a potter, there is always something new — a technique, glaze combination or shape to try. Leka_visualartist I am proud (to) keep learning after 21 years of study Winesellersgirl I learned how to make a plate!! Muddyduckpottery Taking risks, learning from failures and mistakes, being able to dust off and try again. Ceramicsbyjames People are starting to become impressed with my work before they realize my age. Bluelizardman21 I just started lessons (almost age 65) and my first pot was a rush! Loving learning this physical art form! Sunshine0902 Tried throwing on the wheel for first time last year and since then i am in love with it. Bought wheel , clay and tools and i have to say this is my calling i feel natural making pots and i am proud of my ability to create something beautiful from mud ? Lynn F T How far I’ve come… Kerry D My progress from throwing to glazing! Still so much to learn and loving it! ? I love the enthusiasm and energy of people that are learning something new. Now let’s hear about those who are most proud of their finished work. Finished Work Potterybyyvonne I’m not sure it is one piece of pottery. I make my own line of work, but I also work with customers to create their perfect piece. I get great satisfaction out of creating that perfect mug, lotion bottle, bowl, or dog dish that make people smile each day they use it. Thordargreybeard Of making things that will last, that may one day be items displayed in my children’s homes. Haiybai making my biggest project yet :)).. took me 3 entire weeks just to make the slabs ?? Matkipottery I love how happy a good piece makes me feel! But I’m most proud of the pieces that others have loved…. There were a few responses about starting or continuing a pottery business. I referenced “making the leap” earlier which, to me, means quitting your “normal” job to pursue a creative career like working with clay. Business or “Making the Leap” _avonlea__ Leaving my retail job and getting a new job as tech at portland community college for the ceramic department. As well as becoming an apprentice. Octopusceramics I’m proud that I’m setting up my own pottery business at such a young age, and that I’ve been a