The Mud Peddlers: Ceramic Art Behind the Scenes

Lindsey and Donte continue their exploration of a question from listener @harta.vs. This episode's “eureka” moments focus on the emotional. There’s talk of who defines value, what defines success, and exactly how many tears Lindsey shed over her grad school application. What’s one of your biggest emotional eureka moments? Tell us in the comments, or tag us on social media! Referenced artists/organ...

It’s big breakthroughs this week as Lindsey and Donte answer a listener question from @harta.vs in way more detail than anyone wanted! It’s “eureka” moments, or situations where a lightbulb went off and changed everything. This week it’s technical breakthroughs – what ours have been, and how we think you can find your own. What’s one of your biggest technical eureka moments? Referenced artists: Su...

Lindsey and Donte catch up after Lindsey’s sudden and semi-mysterious disappearance. There’s talk of sand and washing machines, debates over lowering prices, and discussions of all the adult things that occupied Donte while Lindsey was away. Also Donte is starting a new in-person class at Industrial Minerals Co. (IMCO). If you’re in the Sacramento area, keep an eye out for when sign-ups open up! h...

In this special vlog-style podcast, Lindsey and Donte document their time at NCECA 2023. From sleep-deprived flights to amped-up live podcasting sessions, join them at they share each day's experience during the nation's largest ceramics convention. Did you go to NCECA? What was your favorite part? If you were to go, what would you be most interested in seeing? Referenced Artists/Institutions: Tim...

Lindsey and Donte finish their 2-part miniseries about how and why to develop a body of work – or, how to create a series of pieces in your own style.  In Part 2, they discuss how to choose what to make your series about, different aspects of that series to focus on, and overall how to make work that’s “yours”. There’s talk of what makes conceptual art conceptual, how Lindsey and Donte’s different...

Lindsey and Donte begin their 2-part miniseries about how and why to develop a body of work – or, how to create a series of pieces in your own style, in less art school terminology.  In Part 1, they share their tips and techniques for getting consistent shapes. They talk tools, efficiency, and experimentation…as well as some risque anime tropes… Do you struggle with making consistent shapes? If yo...

Lindsey and Donte share how they’ve shaped and balanced their social lives with their time in the studio. They describe the wildly different ways they structure their friendships, how they navigate time with family, how their non-ceramics work schedules have changed as their businesses have grown, their biggest challenges as they’ve shaped their social lives as working artists…And Donte reveals th...

65. SacAnime Winter Review: “We wanna buy our nerd sh*t!” Lindsey and Donte share their experience at the recent SacAnime Convention (Jan 6-8th 2023). There’s talk of what worked well, things they did differently this con compared to conventions past, how much inventory they brought vs. how much money they made, and generally how they fared at a convention that has an attendance of over 20,000 peo...

Lindsey and Donte have a chat about glaze chemistry. Or, rather, Lindsey interviews Donte about a medley of glaze chemistry topics as he descends deeper into the knowledge pool provided by Rose and Matt Katz in their renowned Ceramic Materials Workshop.  Donte shares some of the experiments he’s exploring regarding cones, melting points, and adjusting glaze recipes to give both Lindsey and the lis...

Lindsey and Donte reflect upon this past year, and share their exciting prospects for the year to come. There’s talk of goals met and goals abandoned, glaze chemistry and slip casting, and some new projects (both at home and out of state) that they’re looking forward to in 2023. What’s one big success you’ve had this past year? What are you most looking forward to, or want to work on the most, thi...

Lindsey and Donte debate the pros and cons of selling online and selling in person – and which they prefer. There’s talk of everything from personality types and performance, to location and love notes.  How do you prefer to sell your work? If you’ve never sold your work before but are interested in doing so, what’s your biggest barrier to getting started? Tell us in the comments, or tag us on soc...

Lindsey and Donte talk all things handles: the different ways you can make them, the pros and cons of each making method, style vs. function, tips for improving your handles if you’re a beginner, and how the way they make handles has changed with time and projects. They recommend a few different artists to look at for reference, and even suggest a bit of handle “homework” if you’re up for it…  How...

Lindsey and Donte again touch upon the topic of preparing for the holidays. In a more musing sequel to their 2020 episode on holiday prep, these two mud peddlers discuss their holiday shop update plans, where they focus their numbers on inventory when there’s multiple demands on their product, and changing perspectives on money-making and efficiency.  Is this your first time selling your work duri...

Lindsey and Donte sit down with Aaron Navarro of Dirty Panda Ceramics for a very nerdy discussion of everything from pricing, glaze techniques, and inventory management, to B movies, Warhammer, and Nick Cage. Find Aaron’s work on Instagram (@dirtypanda_ceramics) and meet him in person this January at Sacramento’s SacAnime Con. What was your favorite part of this conversation?  Tell us in the comme...

From sponges in beginner packets to touch-screen kilns, Lindsey and Donte discuss tools – and their experiences with what’s a necessity, what’s a luxury, and what’s totally superfluous. They consider what you gain or lose by using certain tools, how perceptions of what’s a “necessary” tool have changed over time, and when it’s better to experiment with lots of tools vs. when it’s better to invest...

Lindsey and Donte discuss what they do when the kiln gods do NOT bless their firings, and they end up with pieces that don’t meet their regular quality standards. They share what makes a “second” for them, the pros and cons of selling seconds, the different ways you could go about it if you’re considering selling your seconds, and how we navigate the abject horror of our audiences on hammer-happy...

Lindsey and Donte discuss the answer to a question that always creeps up on people just getting into ceramics: What exactly is the difference between an oxidation and a reduction firing? They share that answer both in layman’s terms, and with a single pinkie toe in the chemistry behind it all. They also discuss other elements around the oxidation vs reduction battle, like how do you get a reductio...

Welcome to The Night Peddlers! In what may soon become a regular Patrons-only side show, The Night Peddlers is the top hat and brandy swilling side of The Mud Peddlers.   Imagine Donte and Lindsey sitting by the fireside, talking to each other about their studio adventures, personal lives, and other behind the "behind-the-scenes" stories that wouldn't normally show up on The Mud Peddlers.   With a...

Lindsey and Donte revisit what was once a mainstay in their creative worlds in the time before the ‘rona: selling at anime conventions! As Lindsey gets ready for her first in-person event since 2020 (SacAnime Summer on Labor Day weekend) she and Donte discuss some of the most-often-asked questions about preparing for an in-person selling event, and share some tips for folks who might be thinking a...

Lindsey and Donte check in on the progress of their 2022 goals. They share what they have accomplished (and what they learned from doing so) and what they’ve had to kick down the road a bit (and how they’re adapting their plans for the rest of the year).  There’s talk of parenting as a potter, what mental blocks have kept some goals perpetually on the to-do list, and how these two artists have rea...

Lindsey and Donte share how they navigate making videos of their work for social media. From TikTok and Instagram Reels to Youtube, they discuss how they manage their video content,, the biggest challenges they face in creating videos, and some ways to make your own video content-creation a bit easier if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the ever-changing demands of the algorithm gods. How comfortable...

Lindsey and Donte dip their toes into the “big-brain” topic of ways to interpret art. Art can be moving and captivating. But it can also be intimidating. And confusing. And even straight up boring. Many of us can say we have a favorite genre of music, but not everyone feels sure enough to say what kind of art they like. Especially if it’s the kind of art that’s in galleries and museums. So, this...

Lindsey and Donte talk about how they take photos. There’s talk of light, color, angles, backgrounds, editing tools, and the ever-important vibe of photographs -- and how it relates to their branding. They also share some tips that helped them as they started taking pictures of their work...there's even a little homework assignment for you to try out if you’re doing the same. What do you struggle...

Lindsey and Donte start out with a conversation about more pricing details, and how to balance skill, time, and rarity in pricing in your ceramic art… Which evolves into a lively debate about what makes something valuable. There’s discussion of social constructs, the lifecycle of fads, when properly valuing work becomes price gouging. And – of course – swirly mugs. How do you navigate the ambiguit...

Lindsey and Donte answer a listener question about stamina in the studio – mental, physical, and creative stamina.  Alongside some practical tips about how to get the most out of your time on the wheel, Donte and Lindsey discuss their sometimes differing philosophies about when to push through emotional blocks, whether to focus on production consistency or a unique artistic calling, and how to avo...