What I'd do differently if I started my pottery business now

Here are a few things that I have learned along the way, and how I might approach being a potter / ceramicist / creative in 2024.
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[@dorisparker811]

I so appreciate your perspective on the business of pottery. It aligns with what I have seen in most artistic business pursuits, and is why I have spent 14 years being a hobby potter. I wasn't willing to sacrifice the peace and joy of my passion. But recently I have been CAREFULLY considering making a business of it. I'm watching multiple artists doing it and learning from them. Including you. Thank you! 😊

[@MaeCeramics]

You’re welcome! I think if you respect the joy of it first, then it can be very fulfilling. Just make sure to take care with it!

[@kristenfalkirk]

Thank you for all of this. Started out a printmaker (textiles) and then rediscovered clay in 2018, this time, hand building. Turns out - throwing isn't for everyone. Wanted to do something different, loved repetition and knew I wanted to work in clay in some capacity as my day job... and then found ceramic tiles. If you're new to clay - try everything!

[@Alaskaventureswithbrodie]

So appreciated. I feel like that’s the hardest when you start doing something you enjoy then your like oh business.then you start to lose the love. Thank you for this reminder as I start my pottery journey ❤

[@CMSSanders]

Hello to a fellow potter. I appreciate your point of view and all the wisdom you are willing to share. Your upbeat attitude is refreshing and encouraging. Your latest video on starting a business was of particular interest to me. I think our nature is to feel that we SHOULD be making money. When, in reality as you so aptly observed : It is perfectly acceptable to have a hobby. Some people golf, or sew,. Why not pottery. I ran a successful Ceramic business in the 80"s when that was a saturated market as well. It was indeed laborious and brutally competative. I began teaching myself pottery 3 years ago. similar to "ceramics, but very different. I really related to the advice to find your own style and not rush to market prematurely . Pottery is a lesson in patience for sure. You helped me to feel satisfied with my descision to remain a "hobbyist" untill I have perfected and honed my craft and developed my own style. Thanks so much. Christine Sanders USA

[@mandark10110]

i took textiles and ceramics in art college. I was suprised how much i loved textiles, especially the dyeing, shibori, but ceramics was/is my first love for crafting. unfortunately for me I wasnt able to make enough to support my family, looking forward to retirement filled with ceramics .

[@MaeCeramics]

It’s incredibly difficult to get it to a point where it can find a family. I am not there - I’m just incredibly lucky and privileged to live in a double income home.

[@JoyHanford]

Bravo!!!!! Agree. I see this so often. Just enjoy and when you want to make this a career, business plan and practice!

[@medinaye]

thankyou so much for this video! and thanku for also sharing the somewhat the "bitter" side of being a full time potter, still in my dream bcs most of the obstacle is from financial issues, currently still practicing as a hobby, but who knows someday it'll become full time^^ anyway, best of luck to you!

[@rebeccadawn1924]

This was really helpful! And while I have no intention of starting a pottery business I think your advice can easily be applied to other businesses as well (textiles in my case). 😊

[@pauladeleon8673]

Super valuable insight from a fellow artist. I appreciate your wisdom. Thank you:)

[@thewoodsphotography]

Great tips!

[@violetlight8138]

I'm starting a pottery business as a part time thing. I tried to make it as a painter but couldn't sell anything. I ended up giving everything away to friends and family. I've sold a handful of stuff, but that was it. My other job was supporting my art habit. Then I asked a store owner what kind of artwork sells and her answer was useful art. So I was like pottery is useful art. Then I had my first show last year and did rather well. I inherited a kiln and have went from a community studio that was costing me more money to make the pottery than sell the pottery and so I rented a studio from a friend for several months and realized I really needed to have no overhead to sell pottery. So I decided to build a shed on my land and now I have no rent overhead and can actually make a profit selling pottery. I was kinda glad to move out of the community studio. I reallllĺy like being alone. We'll see how that pans out in the future but I'm pretty much happy being a hermit. I live a very isolated life and have social anxiety and can do social settings for a short time and then I'm done. For now it's a real relief and I'm glad to have my own studio.

[@michellegreenlees3781]

thanks for the video, very useful! i have been doing pottery for more than 15 years now - i started off making functional wares and became a sculptor and have been making art ceramics now. i don’t find doing both at the same time a conflict, and you can do both well if worked hard enough - it just means its monumental effort. some of my ceramics sculptor friends they have a functional ware sub brand as their bread and butter to keep their art going and it works! ✨ side note can you tell us a bit more how you find your style? :)

[@melissabeek5254]

Thank you so much, very helpful!! Have a wonderful weekend :)

[@dpwhammond]

Great video, thanks!

[@kimbolay]

Very helpful and reassuring for me ❤ my husband suggests I monetize my pieces but my head and heart are in the hobby land. I shall continue on with this hobby and enjoy it 😊

[@jackierespass9774]

Congratulations on your decade anniversary

[@sandiebrown9521]

I want to continue pottery as a hobby but I don’t know what to do with it all!!

[@sandykerr60s]

So helpful but I might need to sign up for your mentoring help. As a relatively new potter I cringe at the quality of my products and worry that I shouldn't be selling yet. I have a distinct style and my Maori patterned functional ware is niche and my market finds me online and they love it and everything sells out instantly - so I wonder if it's just me worrying about quality when actually I feel uncomfortable selling. I don't like selling anything. Maybe I should not ever have pottery as a business. I think I should keep pottery as a hobby...but I already started it as a business... (sorry - that's me talking to myself on your KZbin Channel). 😅

[@PerrinPottery]

Thank you for sharing! I just started my You Tube channel and am trying to figure out how to fund my hobby. I appreciate your advice to not stress about monetizing it. 😊

[@MaeCeramics]

Honestly please don’t feel the need to make it into your job! Think of your job as a means to fund your hobby - downtime is so important and as soon as it’s a side hustle it gains so much pressure. 🤍

[@mariavazquezgonzalez3340]

How much do you make? That is the question

[@rewghob]

Pottery is NOT a great thing to pick up as a casual hobby because it is very expensive. Even a basic, functional wheel will cost you over £1000 and the kilns are about £2000 upwards. Then you need either your own home studio or to pay for access to a studio. If you don't own a kiln, you have to think finding a studio to fire your work. Sadly, a lot of the arts are for wealthier people and a bit of a luxury to invest in before you can turn it into a career. The best course to join if you want to learn is a longer college course as a lot of the indie courses get really expensive and are v limited.

[@Hooyahfish]

I’ve spent about $1,000 in supplies and am almost ready to sell my first pieces. It’s not that expensive. One of the cheapest businesses to start.

[@PaulByrne-ev2zm]

Well said. However, I do see real difference between duplication and replication. Duplication is much more copy paste to me whereas replication is taking an established idea and refining it. As I have been told many times, there is nothing original in ceramics :). Not sure I believe that but would suggest the “new” is just more creativity, and as you say, your voice

[@yvonnefs4265]

I've been told so many times that "everything has been invented already" by people who copy other potter's work. That is just an excuse not to work on your creativity and find your own style. It's the easy way.

[@dorisparker811]

How did you decide on Mae Ceramics? Your name is Lilly, right?

[@MaeCeramics]

My name is Lilly! My last name is Maetzig, so it comes from that 😌

[@farmlife4533]

My plan is to have another job that will be my source of income and also make a little bit of money from my pottery

[@denislamadeleine1181]

I feel like I've been snapped back to reality. Thank you...I think.

[@Hooyahfish]

If turning your passion into a business makes you hate your passion, imagine working 30 years in a job you hated to begin with.

[@MaeCeramics]

@@Hooyahfish you’re in control of your life and have agency over the choices you make. I understand I’m in a very privileged position but I make the life I want to live ✌️