The Pin Tool Podcast | Pottery | Ceramics | Small Business

S2E12: Thoughts On Design & Creating Prototypes - Creating Your Pottery

In my opinion, bad art might be forms and elements that communicate poorly. In this episode, I talk about taking the work from a design in your sketchbook to creating a clay prototype of your form. I discuss what bad art might be and a few topics concerning the many elements that might be included in a form you create. I then go into some of the philosophy about these design concepts. The podcast mentioned where Dennis Allen talks about his throwing stick.Clay At Our Core: A Pottery Podcast - Episode 59: Dennis Allen plays music, does woodworking, plays with clay.Potters, who create production work and create elements on their forms to make the production of forms be more efficient:Florian Gadsby Simon LeachBill van GilderAmy PalatnickBooks Mentioned:
A Potter's Book. by Bernard Leach
Basic Visual Concepts and Principles: For Artists, Architects and Designers. by Charles Wallschlaeger & Cynthia Snyder
Functional Pottery: Form and Aesthetic in Pots of Purpose. By Robin Hopper     Making Marks    The Ceramic Spectrum
Surface Decoration for Ceramics: A Creative Guide for the Contemporary Maker. By Claire Ireland 
 
 

S2E11: Thoughts On Design & Idea Generation - Creating Your Pottery

How do you generate ideas while creating art? In this episode, you help me kiln sit as I fire an updraft and chat about design. I discuss some ways ideas for work might happen and the sources we might draw from to generate elements in our art. A list of good books mentioned are in the show notes. “Furthermore, we have not even to risk the adventure alone; for the heroes of all time have gone before us; the labyrinth is thoroughly known; we have only to follow the thread of the hero-path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god; where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves; where we had thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence; and where we had thought to be alone, we shall be with all the world.”― Joseph Campbell, The Hero With a Thousand FacesBooks by Joseph Campbell:The Power of MythThe Hero with a Thousand Faces
Historical Atlas of World Mythology Stephen Press Field:The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative BattlesSeth Godin:The Practice: Shipping Creative WorkCarl Jung:Man and His Symbols.
 
 
 

S2E10: Thoughts On Design & Function: Creating Your Pottery

In today's world, we do not need to wait to be picked due to social media and the internet. We can pick ourselves. Many of the standards that were once used by gatekeepers to define what a good pot was may no longer be relevant. Or are they? Design, function, and elements on a form, when used intentionally, can add interest and help communicate what you might be trying to say to the world. Can we use fate, luck, chance, or happy little mistakes as a good way to make art? Or is it an excuse for poor skills or failed craftsmanship? What tools of design can we use with intent when we create work?Books Mentioned:My Pottery Project Journal.
A Potter's Book. by Bernard Leach
Basic Visual Concepts and Principles: For Artists, Architects and Designers. by Charles Wallschlaeger & Cynthia Snyder
Functional Pottery: Form and Aesthetic in Pots of Purpose. By Robin HopperWarren Mackenzie: An American Potter. by David LewisThe Potter's Directory of Shape and Form. by Neal FrenchFeel free to like and subscribe!  Email me at creekroadpottery@gmail.com I would like to hear from you!  Happy Potting!Al Wayman
Artist/Ownerwww.creekroadpottery.com
 

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