Top Ten Pitfalls of the Pregnant Potter - Part 1

I've come across other articles and blog entries about parenting and pottery, how to balance family and work, the challenges of finding studio time with young kids, etc. But, I don't know if I've actually seen anyone address the reality of pregnancy while making pottery. It seems like maybe it's time. So, here is a partial list of the unexpected challenges pregnancy brings to the studio.

1. Not being able to reach the bottom level of the kiln anymore because your stomach is in the way and having to go begging artists down the hall for help.

2. Sticking your stomach into the side of a large bowl or platter while throwing it. I guess this could be a benefit if you go for the "mark of the artist" in your work. In my case, it just ruins the peice.

3. Crushing the rim of a freshly thrown pot with your newly burgeoning bosom. Again, could be a new decorative technique.

4. Can't get your elbow to your hipbone to brace yourself when trying to center a large lump of clay. I know it's back there somewhere!

5. Can't lift a box of clay. My doctor recommended not lifting more than 25#. You've got to be kidding me! Again, the embarrassing need to go soliciting help.

And, I'm just in my fourth month...it only gets better! I'll post the rest of the list later on in my pregnancy. Of course, by then maybe I'll be in that "serene" segment of my pregnancy with a "peaceful sense of wellbeing" and "radiant glow" (never happened with my first kid!) and won't feel like complaining anymore. Or, maybe I'll come up with the other 5 points in the middle of July when I'm standing outside in the heat and humidity doing art fairs in my 7th month. If you have personal experience, please feel free to add your comments if you feel I've missed anything important!

Yummy!

I've finally gotten around to making a new set of test tiles for the studio. I've been meaning to do this forever and it's going to be so nice to have a set that I can hang on the wall instead of digging through boxes looking for mismatched bits and pieces. These are the underglazes that I use for painting the colors on my illustrations. I've tried a lot of different products, but these are my favorites. They are Amaco Velvet underglazes fired to Cone 5. Some of the colors aren't as vibrant at this temperature, but I've found a nice color palette that fires bright and consistent. I apply them to bone dry greenware (I use Laguna Bmix5 clay), then bisque fire and cover with a clear glaze before firing to cone 5. The nice thing about the velvets is that they can be fired without a cover glaze, so I sometimes use them that way for detail on the bottom of pieces. I usually use them at the consistency they come out of the container, but occasionally thin them with water to get a little more of a watercolor look (they are translucent when thin, opaque when thick.) These just came out of the last firing and when I laid them all out they look so tempting, like an amazing box of candy. Next task is to make tiles for all of my glazes.

Inspiration to Play!

I just finished watching Kristen Kieffer's new DVD: Surface Decoration: Suede to Leatherhard and loved it! Trying to balance being a mom with being a working artist means that every second I have in the studio is crucial and I don't often get the chance to attend workshops or classes. This dvd is like sitting in on a demo session with Kristen and seeing lots of great tips and techniques. Most of the techniques are things that I am familiar with, but it's always great to be reminded of them and to see how another artist uses them in their work. There were also a few great tricks that I hadn't seen before. Just the section on how she makes and uses stamps in her work was worth the price of the dvd! I have always loved Kristen's work and it was great to get a glimpse into how she works. The way her forms and surfaces work so seamlessly together is very inspiring to me. And, I love the richness of her decorative patterning, so elegant and fluid. I often get stuck spinning so fast on my "hamster wheel" (my husband's description of my work pace) trying to get enough work made that I don't allow myself time to play and have fun with my work, and this video is a good reminder to do that!

First Thursday and Art Attack this weekend!

My studio in the Northrup King Building will be open all weekend for Art Attack, Northrup King Building's huge yearly event - over 200 artists, one location, four floors. Start your holiday shopping early with unique handmade gifts from local artists. Or, find something amazing for yourself!

First Thursday open studios • 5-9pm tonight

Art Attack Hours:

Friday, November 6th • 5-10pm

Saturday, November 7th • 12-8pm

Sunday, November 8th • noon-5pm

I hope you'll stop by! I have lots of new ornaments and some fun new seasonal plates and vases.

1500 Jackson St NE; Studio 394

Minneapolis, MN 55413

www.northrupkingbuilding.com for directions and event details

612.598.2248

First Thursday & Ornament Super Sale-October 1!

Since I'm currently up to my neck in new 2009 ornaments in various states of production, I decided it's time to do a one-night-only super sale on some of my discontinued styles of globe ornaments before I start putting the new ornaments out in November. I generally don't mark these down since they're really time-consuming to make and decorate. The clearance globes will be priced at $18-$20 depending on style (normally $36-$38). This is a great reason to stop by my studio this Thursday night (October 1) from 5-9pm for First Thursday in the Northrup King Building. Enjoy a night out with great art throughout the building (also free parking and refreshments...what more could you ask for?)

Remembering why I do this...

Sometimes the universe gives us what we need. After my last post I was really feeling sorry for myself and was seriously questioning what I'm doing. Then I unloaded my last kiln which along with a bunch of regular orders and the first of the holiday ornaments held a couple of very special pieces. When I took these out it was a huge reminder of why I do this and what's really important in life. One was a set of "lovebird" mugs one of my good friends commissioned for her nine-year anniversary. We designed them so the birds are facing each other when the mugs are displayed and we picked a flower design and colors that she loves. The other is an urn that will hold the ashes of an infant. I was honored to make such an important piece for her family. This jar came out exactly how I wanted it to--sweet and quiet but with a sense of happiness and joy, celebrating that little soul.  These two examples embody why I make the work I do. To make special, unique handmade items that connect with the people who use them.  To honor personal connections and celebrate our daily lives and relationships. 

Creative Crossroads or "Art"life Crisis?

While I usually find myself keeping my blog to more positive and newsy entries, I feel like I need to write about what I’ve been struggling with the last few weeks. So, I’ll get up on my soapbox. Whenever I complete a big production cycle and take time to regroup and get organized for the next phase of deadlines and events I always go through a period of reflection that can be positive (what worked, what sold, what I’m excited about working on) but often (due mainly to my nature) becomes negative (what didn’t work, what the heck am I doing? I need to go back to a “normal” job, etc.). I’ve been having a hard time getting myself through the sea of angst after this summer’s art fairs and I think I’m having some kind of “art”life-crisis. I’m not 100% sure why. My shows were actually pretty good, I won a couple of awards, I got lots of good feedback and had decent sales in light of the economy. But, I feel like I’m at some kind of crossroads and can’t figure out clearly which direction to go. I’ve come from a tradition of making functional work, but my current work has moved into such a decorative and time-intensive process that the model of making lots and lots of functional pieces (mugs, cereal bowls, etc) is becoming unrealistic with the amount of work that goes into each piece. As I’ve developed my illustration and decoration process, it’s become a meticulous series of steps to get the results I want. I don’t feel like I can compromise on this—it’s what makes my work special. Unfortunately (at least in this region) as long as your work is functional, no matter what kind of time has gone into the piece there is a definite ceiling on what you can sell a pot for. If it’s a mug, it should be $25. My mugs should be $100 based on time. I sell them for $36. When I raised the price to $40 this summer they stopped selling. I moved the price back. I hate to make creative decisions based on sales, but the reality is, this is my job. I need to contribute to my family’s bottom-line. I need to pay the bills. I need to save money so my kid can go to college some day and I won’t be bankrupt at retirement age. Just because I love my job and get to make beautiful things doesn’t mean I don’t deserve financial stability. My reality is this: I can only sell my pieces for as much as the market allows. I can only make so many pieces in a given amount of time. They actually are made by hand, from start to finish. If this doesn’t add up right, something has to change. So…then I start over-thinking the options. One possibility is to develop a “wholesale” or production line that is less time-intensive than my one-of-a-kind stuff.  Still, how to make enough of it and market it is opening another can of worms. Another option is to focus on moving my work farther from functional and closer to “art.”  People will spend more on a piece of art than than they will on a mug. I know other potters who have made this transition and found some success. This is a hard leap for me to make though. I’ve always made dishes and I love that connection to daily use. I really don’t know what the answer is, but I know I haven’t found the magic key yet to both making what I love and making a good living. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this!