The Mud Peddlers: Ceramic Art Behind the Scenes

Lindsey and Donte talk about how to describe the skills you have in ceramics in language that goes on a resume. From keywords and imposter syndrome, to business English and code-switching, these mud peddlers have a lot to debate when it comes to describing what they do all day. Have you ever put your ceramics skills on a resume?  Do you find it difficult to write in “business speech”? Drop your th...

Lindsey and Donte are havin’ a week. So while they wait for the coffee to kick in, they chat about what’s been occupying their minds recently, from the wildly unpleasant to the gloriously sublime. And like every geek these days, they’re spending some time talking about Baldur’s Gate. Join them at the 25:10 mark to skip the life updates and get to the classic clay content, where there’s talk of wor...

Lindsey and Donte go over the questions they ask themselves before agreeing to sell at an in-person event. It’s great to live in an area with lots of event options, but it can be hard to decide which one will be worth your valuable time and effort. While being a vendor is always a learning process, these questions are here to help you narrow down your options (and hopefully avoid some painful bump...

Lindsey and Donte chat about how they handle goals with multiple timelines. There’s talk of monetary investments vs time investments, risk tolerance, saving mental energy, and working with what makes your brain tingle.  What’s the main way you get your sh*t done when you’re juggling multiple goals? Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us a message @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon ___...

In this blast from the past, Lindsey and Donte chat with Becca and Ryan from Wheel Talk Podcast in the NCECA 2023 Podcast Room. Have you ever been to an NCECA? Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us a message @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning professional ceramic artist who makes mugs and creature sculptures inspired by hist...

Lindsey and Donte chat about a few of the different kinds of paperwork they’ve dealt with as professional artists. From the different tax forms to contracts and what counts as a business expense, these Mud Peddlers give an overview of some of the most confusing parts of being a working artist. What was the most confusing part of getting your business started? What’s the most intimidating part of s...

Lindsey and Donte chat about Donte’s big life news, and what his experiences and learning moments have been at his new teaching gig. There’s talk of age factors in teaching, politics in the classroom, and why it’s important to teach the “why” along with the “how”. Do you have a burning question about teaching you’d like us to discuss? Drop your suggestions in the comments, or send us a message @ea...

Shinos and celadons and tenmokus oh my! Lindsey interviews Donte about some of the most famous glazes you’re likely to hear about in the ceramics world. There’s talk of when and where they come from, what makes them unique, and why they’re different from the bottled glazes of the same name you can buy today. Is there a historical topic within ceramics you’d like us to talk about in the future? Dro...

Lindsey interviews Donte in this low-key chat about his solo adventures at ClayCon West. There’s talk of crowd sizes and artist talks, expectations and infrastructure… And why there might be a new Hogwarts-style sorting ceremony to be had. Do you like going to big festive events? Or do you gravitate towards those that are more small and low-key? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnation...

Lindsey and Donte chat about their experiences at their first event of 2024! There’s talk of navigating price changes, successful and failed plans for inventory management, creating an efficient booth setup, avoiding wifi struggles, and what to do when there are just some things that are out of your control.  Oh, and what these mud peddlers think of the new 18+ “Degenerate Alley”. Is there an even...

Lindsey and Donte look forward into 2024. There’s talk of taking care of our bodies, the fun to be had while procrasti-planning, and why Donte just can’t stop experimenting with glazes. What are you most looking forward to in 2024? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning professional ceramic artist...

Lindsey and Donte look back at 2023. They touch base with the goals they set, share the unexpected changes that came up along the way, and dig through some of their biggest lessons learned from this past year. What was your biggest takeaway from this past year (ceramics or otherwise)? _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning professional ceramic artist who makes mugs and creatur...

Lindsey and Donte chat with Birdie Tam! Join them as they discuss Birdie’s world of ceramic art and illustration, style development, going full time as an artist, balancing social media with making, hustle culture, what it’s like being an artist in Sweden…and more!  What’s one question you’d want to ask Birdie if you were interviewing her? (And hey, why not pop over to her social media (@birdietam...

Lindsey and Donte discuss some technical and social myths around the pottery and wider ceramic world. Welcome to Part 2! Which of our social and technical myths was most interesting to you? Got one you think should be on the list? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon! Referenced Artists and others: For Flux Sake episode on silicosis: https://www.brickyard...

You may have heard me say I’ve been wanting to integrate more creative writing into my art practice. While this episode has nothing to do with ceramics, it is born from a love of writing and love of horror stoked by podcast The Magnus Archives. My eternal thanks to the incredible artists behind The Magus Archives not only for making an incredible show, but for being a light for artists in a world...

Lindsey and Donte discuss some technical and social myths around the pottery and wider ceramic world. From thoughts on porcelain to setting goals for followers, they discuss some of the myths they’ve faced, the ways they’ve formed, and the ways they’ve navigated them. Have you ever had a moment where you realized a lesson you’d been taught wasn’t really the whole picture?  Tell us in the comments...

81. Financial Deep Dive: “How do you do what you do?” Lindsey and Donte go deep into the details of how they manage the financial part of their lives as working artists. From yearly income and where that income comes from to healthcare and retirement planning, these two mud peddlers invite you to see how they’re surviving and thriving* in this late-stage capitalist nightmare. Turns out the answer...

Lindsey checks in with Donte about his teaching adventures. Ever wondered what kind of challenges might meet a first-time in-person instructor? From balancing time between students to updating his curriculum, Donte shares his. What’s a time you had to adapt to suddenly-changing circumstances in your art? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon! _____ About Y...

79. SacAnime Summer 2023 Review Lindsey and Donte discuss their experiences at SacAnime. They walk through their expenses and profits, how they dealt with the tricky business of getting reception in a giant building made of concrete, and both new and old strategies they put to work to navigate their *very* busy weekend. Curious about the nuts and bolts of selling at an anime convention? This episo...

Lindsey and Donte wrestle with the question of when you should push yourself beyond your comfort level in your work. There’s talk of the techniques Lindsey and Donte have used over the years to push their own work, how to balance creative itch-scratching with your income goals, and methods to push yourself should you choose to do so. When is a time you took on a new creative challenge? Tell us in...

Lindsey and Donte sit down with Evie of @mudmonsterclayworks to chat about everything from pricing philosophy, to navigating big life changes that affect studio time...to the best way to bribe your studio manager to make sure your piece gets into the next firing. If you were on the call today, what question would you ask Evie? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindse...

With Donte’s upcoming, first ever in-person classes starting this week, Lindsey and Donte chat about teaching at a ceramics studio. They discuss everything from their approaches to curriculum development and how much they’re getting paid, to the pros and cons of teaching at a ceramics studio and how they’ve decided if teaching is or isn’t for them…at least for now. Do you teach as part of your art...

74. Tips for Starting a Youtube Channel Lindsey picks Donte’s brain about starting a Youtube channel. From whether it’s better to buy a nice camera or a nice mic, to what “success” on Youtube might look like for you, join these mud peddlers for both an in the weeds and 30,000 foot view of this giant among social media and entertainment platforms. Do you have a Youtube channel? What convinced you t...

Lindsey and Donte celebrate The Mud Peddlers’ three-year anniversary/birthday/marker of time being in your ears! Listen as they chat about what three years of this podcast has meant to them, and hear from fellow listeners! A huge thank you to everyone who listens to The Mud Peddlers…we wouldn’t be here three years later without you. An extra big thank you to those who sent in audio for this episod...

Lindsey and Donte check in on their progress towards the goals they set at the beginning of the year. Among conversations around contracts, classes, and children, they find out which goals they’ve met, and which ones have shifted since the dawn of 2023. How is your year shaping up so far? Tag us on social media or tell us in the comments! _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning...