Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres

Not everyone should like your pottery and that's okay in this episode you going to learn why people should dislike your pottery Join The Shaping Your Pottery Newsletter By Clicking This Link shapingyourpottery.com/newsletter Listen To Other Episodes here https://www.shapingyourpottery.com/

In this episode, Celeste Dowlan shares her journey into the world of pottery, emphasizing the importance of play and creativity. She discusses how her childhood experiences with mud shaped her artistic practice and the realization that pottery should be fun and experimental. Celeste describes the impact of her high school pottery class on her life, how a ceramics internship in New York helped her...

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, Nic Torres discusses the important decision potters face between creating pottery as an art form or focusing on selling their creations. He emphasizes the need to determine one's primary goal, as it significantly impacts the style and approach to pottery making. Whether choosing to pursue pottery purely for artistic enjoyment or aiming to sell pieces, Nic e...

In this episode of Shape Your Pottery, Adam shares his journey through numerous failures and eventual successes in the pottery world. He discusses his worst experience of losing an entire kiln worth of work, how he started his pottery career from high school, and rediscovered it later in life. Adam emphasizes the importance of making pottery for oneself, embracing failures, and not comparing onese...

In this episode, Nic Torres reacts to a YouTube video titled 'How I Solve the Happy Artist's Curse,' discussing the intricacies of the creative process in art and pottery. He emphasizes the importance of finding joy in specific aspects of the creative process, even if not every part is enjoyable. By sharing personal experiences and stories from other artists, Nic highlights the value of focusing o...

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, Nic Torres discusses how to know when you're heading in the right direction with your pottery. He shares his personal experiences, from learning to sculpt to creating fan art mugs, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the process and feeling excited about the end results. Nic highlights two key indicators: having fun while creating and repeatedly admiring...

In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews Nicole Curcio a passionate potter and painter. Nicole challenges the notion of comparing one's work to others, emphasizing the importance of individual growth and mental well-being. She shares her journey from falling in love with pottery in high school to the steps she is taking to establish a community pottery studio in Portug...

If you have been thinking about making fan art but aren't sure if it is actually your own voice or not never fear because in this episode I will be talking about just that Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery I am doing something a little different and reacting to Mae Ceramics about the Importance of Play For Creatives Check out Mae's youtube channel by clicking here https://www.youtube.com/@MaeCeramics Sign up to the upcoming Mastering Carved Pottery with Molly Walter virtual workshop by clicking here 

In this episode, host Nic Torres interviews Natalie Miller from Fledgling Studios, discussing pottery techniques and common misconceptions in the pottery world. Natalie shares her journey of discovering a passion for pottery, transitioning from a hairstylist to a full-time potter, and offers valuable advice on teaching, sketching, and adding humor to pottery. She emphasizes the importance of learn...

There is a right and wrong way when comparing art in this episode that is exactly what you will be learning to do Join The Shaping Your Pottery Newsletter By Clicking This Link shapingyourpottery.com/newsletter

In this episode, the host welcomes a pottery artist Hitomi Aihara who transitioned from a marine biology career to becoming a full-time ceramicist. The discussion explores the importance of pursuing joy in pottery, the artist's journey starting with a COVID-era pottery kit, and the role of social media in growing their art practice. The conversation dives into how marine biology knowledge influenc...

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, host Nic Torres discusses how to overcome artistic stagnation by experimenting with new techniques and ideas. He shares his personal journey of evolving his pottery from traditional wheel techniques to incorporating sculptures. Nic emphasizes the importance of making art that brings joy to oneself first and offers practical advice on integrating new methods...

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, Christina Bendo, a woodfire potter, delves into her journey and expertise in the world of pottery. Christina discusses the commonly held belief in the pottery community that potters must endure extensive and laborious methods to achieve success, which she passionately disagrees with, advocating for more sustainable practices. She shares her own experiences,...

In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' Nic Torres shares his strategies for regaining inspiration in pottery and art. He debunks the myth that inspiration is a prerequisite for creating art and provides practical methods to stimulate creativity. Nick discusses the benefits of engaging in activities you love, disconnecting from technology, taking walks, and avoiding forced inspiration. He illus...

In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews Shawna Pincus a potter who shares her journey from initially pursuing photography to falling in love with pottery. Shawna discusses how being a mother has influenced her growth as an artist and provides insights into balancing motherhood with her full-time pottery career. She also talks about her unique methods for combining whe...

In this episode, Nic Torres explores the benefits of scaling your pottery up or down to enhance your skills. He shares insights from his own experience, where making tiny sculptures revealed gaps in his technique for larger pieces. Nic explains that beginners should start with smaller projects to learn the basics before attempting larger ones. He emphasizes the importance of scaling in both hand-b...

In this episode, Nic Torres addresses the common issue of losing the spark for pottery or art over time. He explores why we initially fall in love with pottery, the challenges we face, and how repetitive tasks can lead to boredom and loss of joy. Nic shares personal experiences and insights from an interview with pottery teacher 'Supporters Farts Sparks,' emphasizing the importance of finding what...

In this episode of 'Shape Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews Tzipporah Schvarcz, a passionate potter who shares her thoughts on the importance of creative freedom in ceramics. They discuss the negative impact of rigid rules on artistic expression and the value of exploring different techniques, even if one feels inexperienced. Tzipporah recounts her journey into ceramics, emphasizing the jo...

In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres,' Nic shares three practical methods to simplify your art-making process. He emphasizes the importance of breaking down complex projects into smaller, manageable steps, limiting the materials and tools used to foster creativity, and the value of questioning whether you're genuinely passionate about the art you're making. Through these approa...

In this episode of Shaping Pottery, Nic interviews Molly Walter, a passionate potter and artist who transitioned from various art forms like painting, drawing, and sculpture into the world of ceramics. Molly shares her philosophy on abandoning the 'one right way' of pottery, encouraging experimentation and personal growth. She discusses her journey to becoming a full-time potter, the challenges an...

In this episode, Nic Torres offers practical advice for individuals looking to get back into pottery after taking a long break. He discusses common challenges such as busy schedules and life commitments, providing three key tips to rebuild the habit of making pottery: engaging in art as often as possible, dedicating just five minutes a day to making art, and surrounding oneself with like-minded ar...

Should You Simplify Your Art? Insights and Practical Advice  In this episode, Nic Torres reflects on a conversation with artist Laura Williams about the complexities of art creation and whether simplifying art can be beneficial. Laura shared an anecdote about receiving advice to simplify her work to enjoy the process more and to make her pieces easier to sell. The episode explores the importa...

In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, Mike Griffin shares his journey and insights in the pottery world. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, experimenting with new techniques, and seeking inspiration from fellow potters. From his initial discovery of pottery at Alfred University to his innovative approach to hand-building and his recognition in Ceramics Monthly, Mike's story is...

In this episode, Nic Torres explores the critical differences between play and practice in pottery. Drawing from his high school sports experience, Nic emphasizes the importance of both experimentation (play) and focused skill improvement (practice) in developing one's pottery craft. He discusses how blending play into pottery helps to break the monotony and sparks creativity, while consistent pra...