The Pin Tool Podcast | Pottery | Ceramics | Small Business

S2E9A: Live Mug Throw Chat

S2E9: Manually Fire Your Pots - Firing Your Pottery

Many people leave it up to luck, fate, or "Kiln gods" when firing out work.  But once you get to know your kiln, you can use it to add a whole new layer of interest to your work by how you choose to fire it. Even when electric firing, using different firing schedules, holds, cooling techniques, and much more can make your pots more exciting to create and enjoy. So be brave, put some shelf cones in your kilns, and try a few things.  I talk slowly in the podcast to explain things clearly, but I might have done a lousy job. 
Slow Cooling By the Ceramic Arts Networkhttps://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Super-Cool-Slow-Cooling-in-an-Electric-Kiln
Kiln firing for beginners:https://creekroadpottery.com/guide-for-manual-kiln-fire/
A Potter's Book by Bernard Leach
https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/9780571109739/used/
My Pottery Firings Journal by Al Wayman
https://www.amazon.com/My-Pottery-Firings-Alford-Wayman/dp/B0CDZ2D6ZQ/?
 

S2E8: Spending Time With Meaning - Creating Your Pottery

Many times we may feel anxiety about how we are spending our time. Either we feel we were not as productive as we would like to be or even when we are able to complete all the daily goals we gain anxiety by adding more things. In this episode I discuss some ideas from the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. by Oliver Burkeman. Thanks for listening! Journals I was able to publish. I hope a few of you find them useful. My Pottery Projects. 
My Pottery Journal.

S2E7: You Are Not Defined By Only Your Work - Creating Your Pottery

We fill many roles in our lives and community.  Putting all effort into just one role may bankrupt the other vital roles that make us who we are.  This, in turn, can have a negative effect on our work and our ability to create good work.  In order to keep receiving golden eggs from the goose, you need to take care of the goose so it is able to produce the eggs.  This means taking time to cultivate the other areas and roles of your life that allow you to keep creating work. While setting goals for your business, do not forget to set personal goals and remember to take care of yourself first to be able to create and produce good work at matters. Books Mentioned:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. by Stephen Covey.
The Book I am reading for my Jewish Book Club:MASHIACH: Who? What? Why? How? Where? When? by  by Chaim Kramer & Avraham Sutton 
The Gilgamesh Project: Tablet IX See an image of drawings and research on my Instagram here.
 

S2E6: Taking Ownership- Creating Your Pottery

Many times we might like to leave it up to others to take ownership because it's easier and lets us off the hook. However, what others do and say for us may not be what's best for us or our work and life story.  In this episode, I discuss the topic of taking ownership or our attitudes, goals, actions, and our lives. I need to work on all of these things myself.  How would taking ownership improve your life and work?  Let me know! Books Mentioned:Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink & Leif BabinThe Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams. By Seth Godin
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. by Stephen R. Covey (Author), Jim Collins (Foreword), Sean Covey (Contributor) 
SEE YOU AT THE TOP: 25th Anniversary Edition by Zig ZiglarVideo:Zig Ziglar: Prime the Pump

S2E5: Appeasing The Kiln Gods- Firing Your Pottery

In this episode, I talk about kiln deities and their role in firing out work and the influences they have over the process.  Thanks so much to The Potscast - all about Pottery Being Brave for the wonderful interview on her podcast. We had a nice chat about my background and ideas about pottery and firing.  You can find the episode here: The Potscast with… Al WaymanAlso, here in the link to my new Facebook Business Page

S2E4: Is It Time To Quit? - Creating Your Pottery

Overall, it was a fair and foul month, but like some say, “Done is better than perfect, and perfect is never perfect but only better “. Many times, you just need to keep showing up for yourself and others. Losing a whole buying community will take a while to walk off, but I had already started diversifying last year and so only lost about 1/3 of my revenue.I’m a big community guy, and my peeps were so much fun. I do hope to rebuild in some way on a platform that is more supportive, maybe. May I never get so big I quit caring about the little folks.Seth Godin's Book: The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
Stop by the page and say hello!www.creekroadpottery.com

S2E3: Collecting and Sprouting Seeds of Ideas - Creating Your Pottery

In this episode, we talk about idea generation; collecting, and the germination of creative seeds using the book "The Creative Act: A Way Of Being." by Rick Rubin  Many times we might stall when we run out of ideas creatively.  That's why it's important to collect many seeds and store them to plant later.  Seeds will not grow if you never water them or if you're too overbearing.  How do you collect creative seeds? Email me and let me know at creekroadpottery@gmail.comAl Wayman 
owner / artist
Creek Road Pottery LLCwww.creekroadpottery.com

S2E2: Adapting Artificial Intelligence To Your Art- Creating Your Pottery

In this episode, we talk about a few ways you could use Artificial Intelligence as a creation tool.  With the rise of ChatGPT in search and the controversy and questions around AI-generated art, is it even possible to use it as a tool in creating our work?  Feel free to let me know by commenting! Books MentionedThe Creative Act: A Way of Being. By Rick RubinBook of the Farm. By Henry StephensSurface Decoration for Ceramics. By Claire IrelandAl Wayman is the artist and owner of Creek Road Pottery LLC in Laceyville, PAwww.creekroadpottery.comCreating work that matters for people who care.
 

S2E1: Ways to Avoid Existential Vacuum & Depression - Making Your Pottery

In this episode, I go over a few steps you can take to manage seasonal depression maybe and avoid an existential vacuum. We discuss Victor Frankel's ideas about Existential Vacuum in his book Man's Search For Meaning.  I also cover the idea of the Hero's Journey with ideas from Joseph Campbell's  Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Life is far to short not to plan a journey.  Also, the business philosopher Seth Godin, in his blog, suggests we should not get distracted by the event and miss the importance of the journey.  What do you have planned for the New Year? Have you mapped out a journey, or are you waiting?  Be sure not to wait too long.