Free Workshop Replay How to Handbuild A Goblet Cup with Mike Cerv click here to get your replay https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/14af70bc70 In this episode, Janna dives deep into her pottery journey and the significance of mindfulness in creating art. She discusses the importance of making a good pinch pot, shares her high school beginnings with art inspired by her artist mother, and her transition from music to pottery. Janna talks about the influence of the Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts ...
May 20, 2025•31 min
In this episode, Nic Torres interviews Sarah Gromek, a talented potter and high school ceramics and art teacher who crafts pottery that looks like leather. Sarah shares her journey of gaining confidence in her work, her initial reluctance towards pottery, and how she embraced pottery through teaching. She also delves into her process for creating leather-themed mugs and discusses the importance of constant learning and exploration in developing her unique style. Additionally, Sarah highlights th...
May 13, 2025•22 min
In this episode, Charlie Teft shares valuable insights into evolving as a potter, emphasizing the importance of finding one's unique voice and theme in pottery. Charlie discusses techniques like centering without wrist strain for longevity. Charlie recounts his journey from discovering clay in school to developing innovative pottery styles, including intricate animal paintings inspired by personal experiences. He also delves into the business side of pottery, balancing teaching and creating, the...
May 06, 2025•28 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' Nic Torres interviews Carol Horst, a ceramic artist known for her unique stacking sculptures. Carol shares her perspective on unconventional practices in ceramics, the importance of trusting artistic instincts, and the value of being part of a creative community. She discusses her journey into sculpture, overcoming traditional pottery constraints, and evolving through technique development. Carol also touches on how her identity as a twin influences her...
Mar 12, 2025•26 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres revisits an enlightening interview with Sarah Pike, a renowned potter specializing in slab-built pottery with intricate textures. Sarah shares her journey from her early days in pottery to establishing herself as a full-time artist. Listeners will learn the importance of scheduling consistent studio time, embracing failures, and taking small steps daily to ignite creativity. Sarah also delves into the role of social media in her growth, ...
Feb 27, 2025•33 min
In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, host Nic Torres interviews Kelly Witmer, a talented artist known for her unique combination of clay and glass in her pottery. Kelly shares her journey of overcoming rejection, the evolution of her work, and the experimentation that helped her find her distinctive pottery voice. The conversation covers everything from Kelly's early struggles in art school to her experience in combining glass and clay, the impact of various inspirations like human anatomy a...
Feb 26, 2025•19 min
In this episode, Nic Torres interviews Sage Morgan, a talented potter known for her sgraffito designs inspired by small creatures and plants. The discussion covers Sage's journey into pottery, starting at age 15, the importance of patience in pottery, and how assistance roles have shaped her skills. Sage explains her unique approach to pottery, incorporating 2D designs into 3D forms using porcelain, inspired by Japanese and Korean pottery. She also shares valuable advice on overcoming anxiety, t...
Jan 29, 2025•30 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' engages in a conversation with artist and potter Justin Kiene. Justin discusses the importance of creating art that one loves and how this passion shapes more intriguing and unique pieces. Justin shares his journey into pottery, starting from his dabbling in high school to rediscovering pottery through a local studio in Oakland. He also recounts his influential residency experiences in Puerto Rico and Denmark, which helped him rethink his artistic pract...
Jan 15, 2025•34 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews Jessica Sanford, a seasoned potter with 25 years of experience. Jessica shares her unique perspectives on commonly held beliefs in the pottery world, especially regarding beginners and the emphasis on production. She recounts her journey into pottery, from high school classes to becoming an inadvertent teacher, and discusses how teaching has elevated her own pottery skills. Jessica also delves into her current focus on functio...
Dec 06, 2024•37 min
In this episode, Nic Torres shares a personal anecdote about being kept awake by loud rain and a dripping sound, leading to random thoughts and ponderings about water and the scientific method. He then ties this to pottery, explaining how the scientific method can be applied to pottery by creating and testing hypotheses to find what works best. He emphasizes that treating pottery as a series of experiments can make the process more enjoyable, help discover one’s unique voice, and lead to continu...
Nov 29, 2024•8 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews Anna Shipulina, a mother, immigrant, and artist. Anna shares her experience of how embracing freedom in her pottery practice has helped her grow as an artist. She discusses the importance of doing what you love to avoid burnout and the significance of intuitive building. Anna also talks about how her role as a mother and immigrant has influenced her art, the transition from wheel throwing to hand building, and her inspiration ...
Nov 22, 2024•24 min
In this episode you will the importance of revisiting old skills to find new inspiration and address weaknesses in your pottery practice. He shares his personal experience with gymnastics-related exercises to illustrate how returning to basics can reveal areas for improvement and generate fresh ideas. Nick encourages potters to explore previous techniques they may have abandoned, such as sculpting or adding different textures, to reinvigorate their creativity and create more personalized, unique...
Nov 20, 2024•6 min
In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, host Nic Torres interviews Jessie Marinacci Valone about the transformative power of slowing down in pottery. Jessie shares her journey from graphic design to pottery, the importance of experimenting in the studio, and the benefits of surrounding yourself with other artists. She discusses her experiences at the Penland School of Craft, creating mood boards for inspiration, and the significance of the physical and intellectual aspects of pottery. Jessie al...
Nov 15, 2024•23 min
In this episode, Nic Torres interviews Maria Loram, an expert in adding textures to pottery. Maria shares her journey of rediscovering art through ceramics, her inspiration from Japanese ceramics and the cosmos, and her transformative experience at the Cub Creek Residency. The episode delves into her passion for spherical and textured vases, the process of using natural materials, and the importance of consistency and experimentation in pottery. Maria also discusses her upcoming course on adding...
Nov 01, 2024•28 min
In this episode, Nic Torres discusses the significance of spending sufficient time experimenting with different pottery techniques before moving on to new projects. He emphasizes that continuous experimentation helps build confidence, improve skills, and achieve mastery in pottery. Nic also addresses the common tendency to quickly switch between ideas and projects, urging potters to persevere with their experiments to bring their unique visions to life. Get your 53 themes by clicking this link s...
Oct 31, 2024•5 min
In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery Catie North shares her transition from watercolor to pottery, revealing how underglaze techniques can mimic watercolor effects. The conversation covers the intersection of pottery with anime and video game inspirations, and the challenges of creating vibrant, neon-colored glazes. Listeners will learn practical advice on mastering underglaze, the benefits of slip casting, and strategies for promoting pottery on social media. Emphasis is placed on the import...
Oct 24, 2024•37 min•Ep. 441
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres interviews artist Meaghan Gates, who shares her journey of becoming an artist and her insights on what it means to embrace failure in the world of pottery. Meaghan discusses her widespread experiences from her early exposure to pottery as a child to her academic and professional growth. She highlights the significant influence of professors, the necessity of stepping out of comfort zones, and how her international travels have shaped her...
Oct 15, 2024•34 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery', Nic Torres explores how to find and cultivate your unique pottery identity, regardless of your experience level. He highlights the importance of identifying personal likes and dislikes, both in and out of pottery, by advocating for self-reflection exercises like listing interests and nostalgia from childhood. He provides practical advice, such as taking mindful walks and drawing inspiration from personal history, to help integrate individual interests i...
Oct 08, 2024•12 min
In this episode of Shaping Your Pottery, Whitney Gill shares her journey into the world of ceramics, influenced by her artistic family and a defining moment at the Haystack Mountain School of Craft. She discusses embracing simplicity in pottery design and the importance of documenting one's creative process. Whitney emphasizes the role community and craft schools like the Maine Crafts Association play in her development as an artist. She reflects on her evolution during COVID-19, experimenting w...
Oct 04, 2024•24 min
In this episode you will learn the power of trusting the process with your pottery. Sometimes your pottery won't look how you pictured it until you have seen the final result Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes For more episodes click here www.shapingyourpottery.com
Oct 02, 2024•8 min
In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' Nic Torres welcomes Hailey Fair, a potter who shares her journey from traditional apprenticeships to establishing a unique brand focused on nerdy pottery inspired by books, video games, and movies. Hailey discusses the importance of breaking away from conventional methods, finding joy in creating, and how social media has played a significant role in identifying her customer base and growing her business. She also offers practical advice for aspiring po...
Sep 27, 2024•29 min
In this episode I am giving you the 3 ways that I like to apply black wash to my pottery if you would like to see the techniques in action subscribe to my youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/@shapingyourpottery/videos Connect, Learn, and Find Your Pottery Voice by joining the The Clay Games Community here https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/the-clay-games-community...
Sep 26, 2024•13 min
In this episode, Nic Torres discusses the three hardest obstacles potters face when trying to find their unique pottery voice: overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome, finding time to practice pottery, and dealing with a lack of resources and skills. Nic offers practical tips for overcoming each challenge, such as maintaining consistent practice to build confidence, creating habits that integrate pottery into daily routines, and utilizing available resources creatively. He also emphasizes th...
Sep 24, 2024•14 min
In this episode of Shaping Pottery, Ana Leal shares her journey to becoming a successful potter, starting from accidental encounters with clay to becoming a featured artist in prominent galleries. Her advice for aspiring potters includes pursuing what you are passionate about, the importance of self-promotion, engaging with potential galleries, and continuously learning through videos, workshops, and conferences. Ana also discusses the various techniques she uses in her work, combining functiona...
Sep 20, 2024•40 min
You don't need to get fancy to find your own artistic style so in this episode I am giving you 5 boring pottery techniques to help transform your pottery to dive deeper on the techniques subscribe and watch the episode on my youtube channel here https://www.youtube.com/@shapingyourpottery/podcasts Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes Listen to more episodes here https://www.shapingyourpottery.com/...
Sep 19, 2024•9 min
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/
Sep 17, 2024•7 min
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 grow, and her unique method of creating sculptures through a ritualistic process. She also touches o...
Sep 13, 2024•26 min
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 encourages finding a balance and ensuring personal enjoyment in the process. He also highlights the i...
Sep 10, 2024•7 min
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 oneself to others. He provides practical advice on minimizing kiln mistakes and discovering one’s unique ...
Aug 30, 2024•29 min
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 on what brings individual fulfillment in art. He also addresses the pressures of social media and the...
Aug 28, 2024•18 min
