Considering Residencies

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And freezing in Montana

When it's -20ºC (-4ºF) outside and that's not even the coldest it's been, it's difficult to start any conversation without commenting on the weather. It's cold. When I complain to my husband—because I had to dig the car out from under the snow again, because I went outside without gloves for a second and can't move my fingers, because the road is a sheet of ice—his reply is: you live in Montana now, you realize?

I kind of live in Montana. I'm here for two months, the two coldest months, doing a residency at Red Lodge. I work in a large and comfortably warm studio with four other short-term residents, and would be sharing a house with them if I hadn't bailed last minute for an airbnb. It's our third week together. So far, so good.

This is my third two-month residency, and apart from the first one, there were other residents with me. It's a delicate thing, sharing your work space, especially for introverts and the attention-challenged—which I am, both. But when the group is good, the atmosphere in a shared studio is incredibly conducive to focus and productivity. This group is good. I don’t have any experience being in a group that doesn’t work, but I’ve heard stories and it sucks. Buyer beware, I guess.

The view from Joe's studio

Why do a short-term residency? For me, to have more space and access to wood firing. I know some people do it to refine a body of work for their portfolio, or they have a commitment coming up—a show, a market—and need to make work specifically for that. It’s also good for your résumé, if that’s important to you. The place’s vibe and its reputation matter. Research, check the list of past residents, talk to them.

Here’s what catches me by surprise, every time: I actually love interacting with the other residents. Human connection is not something I normally crave—if anything, I need to get away from it to recharge. But how absolutely awesome to learn about other people’s work and their process, talk about clay every day for weeks and weeks, and get thoughtful feedback when you hit a snag.

Still not tired of making chunky bowls

Right now, in Red Lodge, the pace is picking up and the kilns are being fired. We follow each others’ projects, share knowledge, and commiserate about the cold—we may have nightmares about exploding greenware, but the icy turn on the county road is the real struggle that unites us. Play hard, drive slow.

 

Meet my fellow residents:
From Starworks, Elena and Victor (I wrote about Starworks here)
From Red Lodge, Jessika, Joe, Olivia, and Coral.

I'm in Star, North Carolina, and this is how it's going.

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I'm halfway through my 2-month artist residency at STARworks in North Carolina. The building is an old sock factory, and very, very big—other than the clay studio with several private spaces and gas and wood kilns, it houses a glass blowing hot shop, a metals shop, a clay factory, a ceramics supply shop with two beagles (Nina Simone & Molly Malone), a beautiful gallery, a café, and multiple art installations and event spaces. There is so much art. You crack open big doors, look behind curtains, wander into dark rooms, and keep finding art. It's a special place.

The director of the ceramics department is Takuro Shibata, whose superpower is to give residents carte blanche while being fully present. The interns and staff are delightful. The vibes are good.

We fired the noborigama a couple of weeks ago, under the auspices of the Aurora Borealis—see post by Ryan. It was an easy firing and the results were good, if a little different from my usual. I used glazes, for one, and a few local clays (for which the area is famous and because of which STARworks exists), and that's what art residencies are for. Experiment. Take a detour. Fight a battle.

Firings and residencies continue to show me that it matters to have hard working, sensible, talented people in the studio and around the kiln. The setting makes a difference, and the people make the setting. It's good here in Star, NC.

Also, we saw a comet.

A special project

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I'm building a worldwide directory of wood kilns

Flash & Ash is a directory of wood kilns, meant to strengthen the woodfiring community by providing resources to ceramic artists, kiln owners, and educational institutions.

The project took a long pause during the pandemic, when anxiety (about everything) and lack of motivation (for anything) took hold. It's coming into motion again, though—as am I, and hopefully you, too.

Please take a look at the project and sign up for updates.

NCECA 2019

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My talk at NCECA is up on YouTube
Click Below to watch

 

Is Etsy the right online platform for your business? Hear about its amazing potential and unique challenges for ceramic sellers, from the perspective of a former Etsy employee (and current potter) who spent seven years helping independent makers start and run creative businesses of all sizes.

Thanks Mandi for the loveliest intro of all time!

My interview for The Potters Cast

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Listening to myself talk is awful, but being interviewed was great

I gave an interview to the Potters Cast, and even though my voice is horrible (why haven't people told me I sound like that?), you should definitely give it a listen. I had a great time chatting with Paul Blais about Etsy—its potential (and challenges) for clay businesses.

Let me know what you think!

To begin, the first

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Yasushi Mizuno, Japanese potter

This is my first post sharing pieces I own and love, so I'll start with these two pots by Yasushi Mizuno, the first ones I bought with the intention of starting a collection. I got them in December of 2016 at Sara Japanese Pottery, a New York City gallery specialized in Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, and glass.

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I was drawn primarily to the motifs—dogs and tiny furniture? yes, please—the unevenness of the forms, and the humor. Art can always afford to take itself less seriously, and Yasushi Mizuno does that with elegance and skill. 

 

The dog head on the bud vase is the clear point of interest, but it's the uneven tab at the top that makes the piece. Then there's the finger mark on the glaze, and I'm a glaze-finger-mark enthusiast, so that, too, works for me. 

Yasushi Mizuno bud vase - Sara Japanese Pottery
Katakuchi spouted bowl by Yasushi Mizuno

The katakuchi is my favorite of the two, though. The curve from the bowl to the spout flows beautifully, but there’s an awkwardness to the proportions that makes the piece even more likable. The texture of the slip on the outside is a dream.

Katakuchi spouted bowl by Yasushi Mizuno
Yasushi Mizuno katakuchi

Let’s talk about the chair. That little chair is an act of kindness from the artist. The pot was already perfect; he didn't have to give us anything else, but he did. He gave us a tiny chair. Ugh, I love it.

japanese spouted bowl katakuchi
 

Looking at these awesome pots for the hundreth time, I don’t think I could have chosen a better place to start my collection. If these little guys don’t make your heart sing, your heart is dead.  

 

Yasushi Mizuno (Kyoto, 1973)
Purchased at Sara Japanese Pottery, New York, December 2016

 
 
 

Selling Online: How to find the right platform for your business on the web

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I will be talking about the pros and cons of different online sales platforms for clay artists, providing resources to help you decide which online model would work best for you.

This event will be held in Seattle at Rat City Studios, and will be limited to 25 attendees. Please RSVP here.

Saturday, February 24, 2018
11:00 AM  1:00 PM
Rat City Studios
2410 Southwest 106th St
Seattle Washington

Additional Information

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In this presentation, Any Guelmann, Washington Clay Arts member and former Senior Maker Specialist at Etsy, will talk about strategies to help you select an online platform to sell your work. 

Any worked at Etsy for many years during her time in NYC. Now living here in the PNW, she is sharing her knowledge and providing resources to help you decide which online model would work best for your business.

An exclusive free presentation for WCA members only.