Wheel Talk

Ryan & Becca answer a listener questions about whether someone new to clay should still take classes at their community studio after coming into some equipment for their home studio. We didn't realize how much you get for your money at a community studio until we listed all of them out. Each maker has a unique personality and needs for their making process. You have to choose what environ...

Ryan & Becca discuss how Ryan balances his full time job while slowly growing his side pottery business. Lots of you may be having to balance out a side hustle while having a day job and it's really hard to find a balance, along with all the other commitments. As you grow your small business, it's typically all on your shoulders how you handle scheduling, finding time to make, and ke...

Ryan & Becca are comparing aspects of three social media platforms (Tik Tok, Facebook, & Instagram) to start this episode. The rest of our discussion came from a question we received on the topic of branding & marketing your business. Your branding extends from your social media, online orders, your work, in-person shows, and much more. Lastly, in celebration of hitting our 1 year anni...

Ryan & Becca are back for another question and answer episode with clay, small business, & personal questions. We haven't done a rapid fire episode like this since Episode #6 - 21 Questions . Enjoy, have some laughs, and get to know us a little more. Listener Questions Send us questions so we can answer anything you've been thinking about on a future episode. Send those through I...

On this episode, Ryan & Becca share an amazing conversation with Tara and Matt Brault, the husband & wife artists behind Pitch Pine Pottery. We discuss their journey from Massachusetts to New Mexico, growing their online pottery business, balancing the business and relationship as a husband & wife team, and the struggles along the way the past few years. We absolutely loved having them...

Ryan & Becca get into a listener's question about considerations when thinking about selling wholesale. Contracts, deposits, pricing, minimum wholesale orders, sales tax on wholesale, and way more are covered on this episode. There's so much that goes into thinking about wholesale, but you can build confidence in your products, understand how long it takes you to make them, and do th...

On this episode, Ryan & Becca chat with Curt Hammerly from Hammerly Ceramics, located in Westminster, Colorado. Curt works full-time in his storefront/studio with multiple employees to support his production cycle. He primarily makes functional wares with expertise in 3D modeling, 3D printing, slip casting, and vast array of eye-catching glazes. We appreciate his insights on running a growing...

Warning: Nerd Alert!! Ryan & Becca chat today about how they diversify their income in their pottery business and a little bit outside of that as well. There are lots of ways to spread your income around within the pottery business, from selling at shows, teaching, galleries, etc. Having multiple streams of income during these past few months has saved many of us small business owners as we we...

Ryan & Becca answer a listener question at length on today's episode. Justin Patterson (@justcooperson) asks about studio essentials when moving from a community studio to a home studio. Some clay studios have limitations on the clays, glazes, tools, or open hours that can make you consider whether a home studio set-up is for you. While community studios eliminate a lot of the complexity...

On this episode, Ryan & Becca chat with Aaron Kleinhelter, a recreational clay artist from Louisville, Kentucky. He's recently moved to Washington state and currently focuses on creating figurative mugs, which he calls "muglyz." They are very odd and unique pieces that people either seem to love or hate, as with most art.  Aaron's background in ceramics is very basic, only...

Ryan runs solo on this episode to speak to his new normal these past few months. Adapting to the current reality of very few in-person shows, online sales increasing, and ramping up the social media marketing has given many small businesses like ours new challenges to face. I've decided to keep moving forward, catching up on some studio projects, and experiment with new forms/clay in the &apo...

Ryan & Becca briefly address the happenings around the United States these past few weeks before jumping into the topic for today. Afterwards, we discuss Ryan's first in-person art show in Cincinnati, OH during the COVID pandemic at the Westside Market on June 6th. The feasibility of outdoor events are still up in the air for the coming months, but protocols are going to be different for...

Ryan & Becca break down some ways they are willing to delegate parts of their process or spend money so they aren't the sole person responsible for every part of the making process. Just because you can do everything from start to finish, doesn't mean we all should or want to (and all power to you if you want to do everything yourself). As artists, we sometimes undervalue our efforts...

On this episode, Becca sits down for a chat with Joshua Heim, owner of JH Pottery Works and Gebharts Floral Barn & Greenhouse in Warren, Indiana. We get a glimpse into Joshua's business lately during quarantine before jumping into answering common glaze & kiln issues, while getting into some glaze chemistry. We hope potters from amateur to expert can learn something new from our conve...

Ryan & Becca talk about some tips and tricks they wish they knew when they started in clay. Some of these seem very minuscule, but they can save you lots of time and money in the long run. Being alone in your own studio can make it tough to know what steps of your studio are inefficient or aware of how other clay artists work in their studios. Let us know your studio tips and tricks we haven&a...

Ryan & Becca discuss how social media positively and negatively affects our creative process. Not letting your worth be tied up into how many likes or the engagement you get when sharing items you make can be tough. You put it out for the world to see, leaving you vulnerable and open to feedback (positive or negative). Figuring out a way to be okay with your creative process and sharing what&a...

Ryan & Becca share lots of good news to start off this episode. Ryan made a large purchase that Becca is ecstatic about! Becca shares a financial business win & some exciting new work that is coming out of the kiln. Ryan also dives deep into his first outdoor show of the year at the Covington Farmer's Market in Northern Kentucky. It was a great learning experience and adjustment to se...

Ryan & Becca share their insights about balancing what you love to make and what will sell. They don't have to be mutually exclusive, but it's up to you to find that balance. We share some experiences of pieces we love selling and others that we've made over time that haven't brought us the most joy. As we progress, we're finding ourselves narrowing in more and more on...

We're 6 weeks into the new normal during the stay home orders due to COVID-19 & sharing how it's going in Washington & Kentucky/Ohio for each of us. Becca is struggling with Washington unemployment & Ryan is shifting his selling methods as shows are cancelled. Enjoy a candid informal conversation about where we are mentally, physically, & financially during this time. We...

Ryan & Becca get into all the details about kiln venting. They share how they've vented (or not vented) their kilns over the years and options you have in your own studio. There are a range of options from cheap do-it-yourself to more professional set-ups. Either way you go, we highly recommend venting your kiln in some way. They also share their process for opening their bisque & gla...

On this quick episode, Ryan & Becca go into mailing lists & why you should have one. Neither of us send out emails frequently, but having a list of your own will give you something to fall back on when you need it. Build your list early on and slowly add to it. Keep your emails fun, informative, & not always trying to sell something. Listener Questions On this episode: - How did you ge...

On this episode, Becca & Ryan chat with their friend in clay Rebecca Prowse from Gravesco Pottery in Indianapolis, Indiana. Rebecca shares all the things about running a  production pottery studio, selling private label, wholesale, how she prices her work, and more. We're so happy to have such a wealth of knowledge available to talk & laugh with us and we hope you enjoy this really fu...

On this episode Ryan & Becca answer a couple listener questions to get us started. They also dive into the difference between handbuilding and wheel throwing while Becca has been focusing a lot more on handbuilding recently. As primarily production potters, they go through some ways Becca has made handbuilding more efficient and why she's been challenging herself again in her making. Ryan...

On this episode Ryan & Becca answer a listener question at length related to building confidence in yourself to commit to something you feel insecure about. We all have to continually get better in our craft, business savvy, mindset, and more as we progress. Some of the best situations to ramp up the speed of your learning and progression is to jump into a task that you don't feel you are...

On this episode Ryan & Becca break down some options for studio equipment on a budget. There are a lot of options for you to save money since this business requires a lot of materials over the years. Get creative with your solutions around the studio and save some bucks. Let us know your favorite cost saving idea that you're proud of. We also answer a couple listener questions. Listener Q...