This past year and a half since Win was born has been a time for a lot of reflection on my career, my art and how it all balances with family life. Not to mention the reality of needing to make a living. The truth I've come to is that it's time to shake things up and let go some things that aren't working so well anymore. Namely, trying to make a living selling my pottery at art fairs. Too many shows are yielding too little return on investment and it's just not adding up. I've heard many artists over the past few years comment that they're having to do more and more shows to make the same amount of money. I can't justify spending more time and money when often I come home with little in return but a lot of nice comments and tubs still full of lovely pots. I'd rather spend my weekends enjoying my boys!
So, after a lot of agonizing, I've decided to take an indefinite hiatus from producing my current line of pottery to explore some new directions. While this is sad, it has also opened up exciting new opportunities. My biggest news is that I will be starting a new job at
Northern Clay Center this month as Web and Communications Associate. I'm really excited about the opportunity to be part of the team at such an amazing arts organization. Another new opportunity my hiatus has opened up is the chance to recharge my background in graphic design. I'm taking Continuing Education classes at
mcad in digital illustration and art licensing and I LOVE it! I'm having a lot of fun taking my designs off of clay and onto paper and pixels. I'm currently obsessed with paper cutting and scanning every cool texture I can find.
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typography project from my digital illustration class
(scanned papercut and ink drawings, digitally altered and colored). |
I am keeping my studio and will be continuing to show and sell work at building events and through my etsy shop - probably a combination of clay, papercuts and prints. Keep following me here and on
facebook to see what I'm up to.
What's left of my current inventory (quite a bit!) will be available this week at First Thursday in conjunction with our annual
Spring Studio Cleanout Sale (my studiomates will also have sale items). All my tiles and selected pottery will be on sale. Everything will be available while supplies last (for those of you who've been coming to my shows for years and planning to buy that special piece from me at the next show...the time has come). And, thanks for all your support over the last 10 years...I wouldn't have been able to make this business work as long as it did without my family, friends and loyal customers behind me.
