Expert Clay Categories
Creative Life is the name of one of the categories here at Expert Clay. The content on this site is broken into three categories because there is more to a potter than making pottery. Making pots is obviously part of every potter’s life. Many also try to make a living by setting up a business to sell pottery that they create.
But it is important to do these things in a way that brings you happiness and fulfillment. That is where Creative Life comes in.
Creative Life
This kind of content is more about living a creative lifestyle that allows you to be your best self. Here at Expert Clay you can think of it as anything that doesn’t relate directly to making pots or selling pots. The kind of ideas that help you make and sell pots in a satisfying way. If making and selling pottery is “what” you do, living a creative life is “how” you do it. (“Why” you do it is one of the questions you need to answer as you build a brand.)
Content that you may expect to find in the Studio Life category could include growing as a creative individual, efficiency, setting and achieving goals, and finding happiness and positivity. For some examples, you can read a series of articles about being more efficient in the pottery studio, listen to a podcast about balancing your time, or even take a course to help you set and achieve goals for the next year.
Live YOUR Best Creative Life
The tricky part about the Creative Life category is that it seems to be a little more subjective than making and selling pots. Someone can show you a certain technique to make a handle or surface on your pot and you can often use the technique as presented. (Of course you will combine it with other techniques, subject matter, and design choices to make the finished pot uniquely your own.) You could also learn a new way to market or present your pots to increase your sales by doing something very similar to what someone else has done. But an ideal lifestyle can vary widely from person to person.
Some potters are good at, and enjoy the business side of making and selling pots and prefer to focus more of their attention there. Some potters would like nothing more than to experiment and find creative ways to express themselves all day every day. Some potters prefer more repetition and would love to sit and crank out a hundred pots every day. Some potters enjoy teaching, some want to spend extra time with their families, some want to create a large following, some would prefer to be hermits.
Depending on how you picture your best self, you may have to pick certain content in the Creative Life category that fits your lifestyle. Or you may only need to adapt the ideas that are presented so they will benefit you as much as possible.
Even though not every idea will be perfect for you, find some ways to improve your creative life here.
Share Your Own Creative Life
The best part about living the best life for YOU is that you can share what you have found helpful, inspiring, or valuable. If something works well for you, it may work well for others too.
We would love to hear something that you have discovered that helps you find balance, improve, or just enjoy living the life of a potter or ceramic artist. Find out how you can contribute to Expert Clay.
Creative Life Email List
If you want to hear about new Creative Life resources when they become available fill out the form below. You’ll even get a free studio efficiency checklist.
Thanks for reading!
