Technically Savvy

In this day and age, broadcasting my creative activities is incredibly easy and utterly daunting. Early on in my clay making days, craft shows, craft shops and home/studio sales were the chosen avenues for marketing artistic efforts and making a potential sale.  Promotional materials were put together by a graphic designer and taken to an off-site printer for completion. It all seems so antiquated now! I am constantly remarking “what a world” when I tap my smart phone to take and edit a photograph and then tap another application to send it ‘out to the universe’ for consumption. My initial reaction to new technology is fear – I’m afraid I will mess something up. But once I try something new and get the hang of it, look out!

I’ve used current technology to create and manage my website. I post studio updates on Facebook. I’m tweeting on Twitter and now I’ve joined Instagram. (I'm still figuring out the whole #hashtag# thing!) Just as I practice with clay in my studio, I’m learning the best way to embrace technology and learn is to jump in, make and recover from mistakes, continue to improve skills and use the new techniques to your advantage. What a world indeed!

Here's an example of how the new and old marketing technologies collide. I used my cell phone to take photos. I used my computer and the internet to create a design. I've ordered a printed postcard on-line to distribute for an upcoming sale in Arlington, Va. in June. 

Every Pot Tells A Story

 My first profession out of college was writing. I still connect that craft form with my current communication outlet, clay. I believe art is a kind of storytelling. I also think 3-dimensional creations made from clay share just as much of a story as a 2-dimensional painting or photograph.

Along with a tactile communication, the visual pleasure a pot conveys is the opening paragraph of a story. For some that may be enough – the abridged/cliff notes version.

Other ‘readers’ may want more details.  How was this piece made? What are the chosen materials used to complete the final product? Direct conversations with potential buyers often lead to this explanation.

The truly curious, will want the full story. They may investigate why a particular piece was made. What was the motivation or inspiration? How might this relate to the person’s own life experience? For the artist, some of this storytelling can be relayed in the form of an artist statement.

I like to share the story of my creations, even if I am not available to speak with an interested customer. I tag each of my pieces with a descriptive explanation about its creation. I think it can answer some questions and invites people to become part of the story as well. 

Moving Forward and Looking Back

I spend part of every day in some sort of clay activity. I may be in the studio creating, at the computer researching and promoting my craft or exploring and cultivating sales opportunities. Lots of what I accomplished in the studio this past week will come to fruition this week.

On Thursday, April 30 I will deliver a variety of my serving and gift items for sale through a fantastic local food shop called potomac grocer. It is located in Potomac, Maryland where I lived for many years. In addition to selling high quality meat, fish, chicken and produce, this friendly neighborhood market prepares ready-made meals, sandwiches, soups and snacks and desserts. 

Need a quick gift? Be sure and stop by potomac grocer for a delicious treat and lasting ClayByLaura piece!

Beginning Friday, May 1, I’ll participate in a Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Pop Up Shop event at The Knot House in Frederick, Maryland. If you're a fiber fan, be sure and stop by to see the abundance of hand-dyed yarns that will be sold and the variety of new yarn bowls I created for this once yearly event. 

The clay process, like many things in life, requires lots of moving forward while simultaneously building on past effort. It's nice when it all comes together with positive results!

Learning to Adapt

There are several reasons I write a weekly blog. It helps me keep an accounting of my studio practices and progress. It provides a historic record of my creative actions. It helps me think about why I look to clay as my artistic outlet. And it helps me communicate those ideas to my followers with an interest in me, my art and the clay process.

I've noticed the idea of change is a recurring theme throughout these writings. I’m most comfortable thinking I know what lies ahead and keeping a daily routine. For me, unforeseen disruptions are really a constant in life, but often cause the most anguish. Learning to adapt in life and art continues to prove rewarding even though it can be scary.

I attended an art fair this weekend with a friend. Years and years ago, it would be packed wall to wall with artists and attendees selling and buying. This time around, it felt sparse. I wonder if this is a fluke, or an example of the impact on-line retail has affected art transactions. Finding the right sales outlet is an ongoing process for me and I’m learning to make adjustments to this process constantly. 

The good thing about attending an art fair is purchasing an item you like right then and there, AND the opportunity to meet the artist! Annie Simcoe makes the paper she uses in her unique stitched art form. 

I'm happy with the progression of the new bird feeders! I'll add the finishing touches this week and post the results.

I made several of these sugar/creamers in the studio this week. I've added a spoon to the set.

I'm working on a new design for dessert plates.

Cass Molander of Cedar Rapids, Iowa is the WINNER of the watering can giveaway!

So Far So Good

I'm pleased with the test results of the new clay I'm using. The clay is working with the hand built shapes I create. The glazes seem to be a successful match as well. Testing is an ongoing exercise when creating with clay. Different materials have their strengths and limitations. There is always room to test the overall design and improve functionality. Here of some of the 'test results' from the past week in the studio.

The green combination on the far right is new. I like the results and will begin to use it on other pieces!

Here's the end result of the split bowl with half the texture on the outside and half on the inside. I think this test gets an A+.

The new bird feeder designs got their first layer of color for their first firing in the kiln. 

*Want a chance to receive this watering can for FREE?!? To enter this 'give away' opportunity, please repost this blog on your Facebook page with a comment about ClayByLaura, click 'like' on the ClayByLaura Facebook page, sign up to receive updates on the ClayByLaura website (if you haven't already). And, invite your friends and family to do likewise! Each action counts as in entry in the final drawing. Make sure to send me an email at ClayByLaura@gmail.com with an accounting of your activity. The winner will be randomly drawn and announced next week! 

"Changed For Good"

The lyric quoted in the blog title above is from one of the songs in the musical Wicked that I saw this weekend. It sums up what happened in the studio this week perfectly! I’ve made this flower-shaped bird feeder in the past. I like how it looks, but the functionality was lacking. This week, I decided to revisit the shape and figure out how I could improve its design. 

I always make a template when I begin a project.  I can easily adjust the design this way. Once I am happy with what I've made, I know I can recreate it again.  

I bought some new texture tools on a trip to AC Moore. I found these in the painter's tools section. I like the different grooves they create in the clay.

I shortened the height of the piece. The new rectangle is approximately 11 inches wide by 7 inches high. The original piece was about 12 inches tall. 

I use a cardboard tube to roll up the rectangle into the appropriate shape.

The tube helps hold the round shape of the piece when it's stood on end.

Once I've attached the bottom, I flip the piece to secure it properly. I use a sponge to compress the joint and make sure there are no gaps on the outside or inside of the pot. 

Here you can see where I made improvements to the functionality of the bird feeder. I kept the same flower shape for the top of the feeder. I made the center of the flower removable so bird seed can easily be added to the feeder. I will still use buttons and fishing line as I did in the original design to suspend the flower once it has been glazed and fired.  I changed the design of the feeding perch.  I decided to use wire bent to look like flower leaves instead of the clay ones I created in the original design. I'll add these at the same time as the buttons and fishing line.  I'm happy with these improvements and I think this bird feeder has been 'changed for the better!" 

Recipe for Success

I’ve made my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe so often, I know it by heart. It was given to me by a former neighbor many years ago. In turn, I’ve shared it with others as well. I don’t know the exact science behind the success of this particular recipe, but I do know that it produces a reliable, delicious treat each time I make it.

For me, working in clay is a little bit like baking.  I know the desired outcome so I’ve practiced techniques and combinations of ingredients to achieve a reliable product. Again, there is absolute science behind the success; I’ve learned by adjusting some of the components of my creations from time to time, I can achieve the most dependable combination of clay and glazes to complement my creations. 

In addition to using a new clay, I've been tweaking the design of these bowls. Half of  the texture design is on the inside of the bowl and half on the outside!

This week I’ve been trying a different brand of clay to test the results with the variety of glazes I use. As with my baking, I may return to the blueprint I’ve used in the past or learn something new from this process that will make every firing favorable. There are always new combinations to explore!

Try my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for yourself! Please share your favorite recipes with me as well. I love experimenting in the kitchen almost as much as I do in the studio!

Let It Go

In addition to being a good life skill, the process of letting go applies to a variety of developmental stages in clay. I’ve learned that each time I stop looking back at a mistake; a poorly executed skill; a broken pot; or a plan gone awry and move ahead, the outcome is usually positive.

As a beginning potter, I wanted to keep everything I made because it showed that I had finished the process. As my skills grew, I became more critical of the final piece and began to treasure only those that matched my intentions and let go of ones that did not. 

The clay process can be cruel with unforeseen mishaps lurking at every stage of the creation. I’ve learned to make peace with this reality by thinking that ‘every pot has a life.’ Some are short-lived and never even make it to the kiln; some don’t make it through the firing process; some make it and may even exceed your expectations and then some get broken down the way. This mantra frees me from wallowing in the past so I can let go and move forward.

After this favorite platter broke, i decided to glue it back together and keep it. I still like how it looks -- cracks, chips and all!

At this stage in my studio, letting go means learning to trust my creative instincts and translate them into the clay. By loosening up, trusting my skills and letting go of the past, I’ve been able to create in the moment and find my own voice through clay.

I like the undulating form of this bowl. I think it accurately portrays how I've loosened up in the studio!