Who Are You?

There are many, many potters making pots in the world. As I’ve explored the business side of clay and listened to other clay artists' experiences through interviews and podcasts, there are numerous similarities in our transition from passion for this medium to making it into a profession.

Once we’ve made an abundance of pottery pieces and gifted them to family and friends, someone inevitably asks us to make them something special and offers to pay for it. ‘Light bulb moment.’ From there, the business journey often begins for many of us and the question, “Who Are You?” becomes important on several levels.

Finding your own personal voice in clay -- your style -- is a guide for creating a specific body of work to sell. Defining who you are through your art is part of the path of this journey. Type of clay, style, shape, form, technique, glaze and color choice all influence the final outcome of clay art. All these creative choices help make each potter’s work unique to them. It can be a fluid development as skills improve, new choices are explored and creative decisions change. As an artist, it’s a good question to keep asking. "Who are you?"

I seem to be making lots of neck warmers these days. They are useful, fun and fast to knit. I made the mug in this photo in 1981. The yarn bowl was made in 2015. I love seeing the history of my clay journey in the pieces I've created along the way. I'm glad I signed and dated each one. It helps me identify the past year's pots that have lead me to the present.

On the flip side, when art becomes a business, artists also start to ask “Who Are You?” about our customers. Why are people drawn to our creations enough to pay money for them? There are analytics to determine the specific demographics to this question. But I think with purchasing art, there is also a binding emotion that plays into a purchase.  A buyer connects to us on a personal level. And since many clay creations are functional, there is a useful application for the purchase.

Many of my friends have also become my customers. They know me and they know what I make. There is a connection there. Taking my creations into the world through craft fairs, private home shows, galleries and the internet has opened up another avenue for sales. In this case, I don’t necessarily know the purchaser.  I rely on my clay creations to communicate who I am to make the connection resulting in a sale. And sometimes, I'm lucky to have my customers become my new friends!

Strength In Numbers

I’ve been thinking of the value of numbers this week and this quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. above sums up the power a group of people can wield for a positive outcome. 

Although the business of clay -- and really any craft for that matter -- boils down to one person creating and communicating through an artistic medium; it really ‘takes a village’ to move that art form into the world. Teachers, students, fellow artists, patrons, shop owners and other artistic promoters all share a hand in the life circle of any artistic endeavor. 

I'm working on a new tumbler shape to sell during a yarn pop-up sale in a few months. It took me several attempts to get to the size, shape and design I desired. After these are fired, I'll continue to tweak with glaze application to achieve a final product. 

Numbers are important to me in the studio, especially if I am developing a new shape. It may take me several attempts to achieve the form I imagine in my head. Risk, failure and ultimately success are all part of the process. Once I achieve a desired outcome, the repetition in making multiples helps refine the process and the artistry. 

I've been working on another project in the studio this week. I'm preparing wind chime pieces for a class I'll teach through The Muse in Frederick, Md. in May. Pieces will be bisque-fired, painted with acrylic colors and assembled with beads and buttons. It will be a fun project!

I’m learning that numbers matter in the business side of clay art as well -- and not just the hard numbers of sales and supplies. Making connections to other artists and art organizations has become an integral part of my journey. Discussions, idea exchange and goal setting with other potters through groups like The Potters Mastermind are helpful in gaining new insight into how other clay artists approach their business. 

This weekend, I joined a trade association called CRAFT (Craft Retailers & Artists For Tomorrow). This group extends my number of art connections, opportunities and education on an even broader scale. It is another great organization of people dedicated to promoting the business of art. I'm looking forward to exploring more new connections I make with this group.

Finally, I'm thankful for the number of customers who purchase and support my art endeavor. Hearing from the many people that are using and enjoying ClayByLaura creations is my ultimate reward. 

Taking Care of Business

I’ve spent lots of time this past week with clean hands. In other words, I haven’t been creating clay pieces in the studio. I have been diligently working on the business aspect of my endeavor though. It’s a necessary and important component of any successful outcome.

Since business is not a natural skill for me, I’ve been learning how to improve as I go. Overall, I want the business of my clay art to be professional. It takes forethought and planning to achieve the numerous details of any business – and producing my clay art should abide by similar standards. I’ve been listening to podcasts (Tales of A Red Clay Rambler and The Potters Cast) of other potters to gain new insights and joined a clay Mastermind group to confer with like-minded artists and learn new ideas. This has been very helpful.

I've set up a lightbox in my kiln room to help standardize some of the product photos I take. I based this design on the suggestions of another successful potter who blogs about this sort of thing. 

For me, running a professional clay art business means producing a consistent and well-made product. But that’s just the beginning. It also entails preparation of marketing and promotional materials to describe and accompany each piece including logo hangtags and recipe cards. It’s important to accurately photograph and document the art for use in marketing so I've been working to improve these skills. Pricing and inventory documentation are another important aspect of business management. I’m learning to use social media to help promote ClayByLaura through the internet. I continue to seek and develop new sales opportunities through galleries and private sales. I'll continue to tweak all of these components to improve the business side of my clay art. 

Here's another product shot of the yarn bowls. This time I used natural light and a wood table as the backdrop. 

It can be overwhelming, but as I've broken down the tasks into smaller achievable goals, I've been able to tackle the professional side of ClayByLaura bit by bit and achieved a sense of satisfaction as each piece falls into place. It's a building process -- much like the assembly of a hand built piece of clay. Each element helps make the final product stronger.  Today, I'm heading back to the clay!