Make to sell [and repeat]

More clay bashing today! I’m realising just how labour-intensive refining clay is… sourcing, digging, transporting, removing organic matter, breaking into small pieces, crushing, soaking, sieving, drying, kneading and then hopefully – finally making something! This is why potters buy it by the bag! I’m beginning to really worry about how I’m going to make the final pottery from this project profitable. Typically, I keep a record of hours worked and costing of the materials used to price my pottery accordingly. Whilst I’ve no idea yet of what form my final pottery will take, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be able to price it based on an hourly rate! This project is definitely about the journey! This sits better with how I feel at the moment about being a potter and the whole ‘make to sell make to sell make to sell [repeat to end]’ rut that I have been stuck in. Lately I’ve been feeling like a machine churning out pottery to fulfill the demands of galleries and commissions. This new way of working is reminding me of what I love about clay and being a potter. Clay is a product of the Earth, it has a prominent place in history, has been crucial in the development of society, it involves problem solving, experimentation, research, Sociology, Chemistry, Geology, Archaeology, Palaeontology, Cartography, History and then of course the creative bit at the end turning all that research, learning and experimentation into something solid and beautiful – hopefully, if I ever manage to refine enough clay to use!