on the dilemmas of running a studio and a creative practice

on the dilemmas of running a studio and a creative practice

making a living making pots with people instead of making pots to live is an interesting, sometimes FOMO-esque experience.

i, like most other artists, possess a desire to be seen and recognized for our work + what we do. however, to be an ever productive machine in the potter sense, in the capitalist sense, i am not… i would love to do production, but for other people. if i have to be at the wheel all day every day making enough work to sustain myself, i feel like i might get a little bored. there’s only so much you can sell a mug for.

but usually i say something like that when i know it’s what i’m really tempted by. 

i do want to explore that side of being a working artist more… but i recognize where my own physical / mental limitations are and that it would absolutely wear on me to HAVE to make work. i hate doing shit i don’t wanna do.

in classes, i still get the necessary clay time even if it’s not something i’m going to sell, just making for the joy and sacrifice of a solid demo for my students. ultimately i have more time + mental space to experiment and explore this weirdo medium that can do so much bc i teach it. and because i teach, i expose myself consistently to the beginner’s mindset — one that doesn’t know the limits yet, and therefore isn’t constrained. an unknown unknowns type of thing.

at ten years in, i’ve experienced a few points of being stuck with what i know vs what i know isn’t possible (in terms of form or drying time or whatever). to be immersed in the mud every day with fresh eyes and minds that yearn to learn.. it’s a constant refresh for my brain that can get fairly rigid in its thinking. 

i fell in love with clay because i got to create functional objects and have a lovely time with friends while sharing stories, resources and community. this journey has mostly been about discovering + creating a culture that speaks to that desire. if making pots and having a nice time with people is the end goal then i suppose i will continue trusting the process!! 👁️👅👁️ however hard it may be sometimes!!!

 

 

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