نویسنده: AliBina

The Blue Checkmark: Is It Worth It? | Heather Elyse Head

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Heather Elyse Head | Episode 1111

Heather Elyse Head, a Northeast Georgia potter, blends traditional folk pottery with vibrant glazes and whimsical female faces. Mentored by esteemed regional potters, Heather’s playful creations bring a modern twist to the craft. Her favorite part? Seeing her work makes people smile.

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From your perspective what is the blue checkmark?

It’s a way to show people that I am who I say I am. I think it instills a bit of confidence in my followers.

So it’s a verification of who you actually are. It verifies that you are not a fake account.

Right.

You said you had increased sales as a result. Do you think that is because you had more credibility?

I think that’s possible. It is also possible that I just put in extra effort on Instagram because I had the new blue checkmark. So it’s hard to know for sure if it was from my extra effort or if it was from the checkmark.

Do you feel like you have gained more followers since you started to do this?

I do feel like I have gained more followers but I don’t think it has helped my engagement on the individual posts. I think my engagement hasn’t changed at all.

Are you referring to other people making comments?

Right, like the likes and comments those definitely haven’t gone up from the blue checkmark. I used to actually get more interaction on a post. So something changed within the algorithm across the board.

It seems like it puts some limits on your account like you cannot change your user name as easily. Do you see that as a drawback?

I really don’t. I think when you change things too much it makes people feel a little uncertain about your business. You want to have consistency. And it does make it harder to change the profile picture. They have to do the reverification process every time.

When you are not in the studio what do you like to do for fun?

I always say it’s a good thing that I really enjoy making pottery because that ends up being my business and my main hobby. So when I am not making pottery I am thinking about what I can do to make pottery. When I am ordering things and I get all these packages, it’s pottery supplies of course. (laughter) I listen to a lot of music and I read a lot of books but I am also usually thinking about pottery.

Book

From Mud to Jug by John A. Burrison

Contact

mudandrust.com

Instagram: @mud_and_rust

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14/04/2025
Pumpkin-A-Day 2023

I have been doing this for awhile. During the month of October I create a pumpkin each day. The “theme” changes each year. This year I created a Turtle-Pumpkin every day. I mainly used alcohol markers. November I do #turkeyaday, and in February I do #heartaday. Consider joining the fun. Low pressure & lots of creativity!

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14/04/2025
Clay With Large Class Sizes

Class sizes have been an issue this year. I know that others have it worse, but a large class size is a large class size. Students do better in smaller classes…FACT! We have four 2nd grade classes all at 25 students each. We have four 4th grade classes now(as of a week ago), but my special area team voted to keep the old schedule to avoid having a split planning time(I did not vote to keep the old schedule), and have the three 4th grade classes at 31, 31, and 29 come to specials. It is a struggle to restructure lessons and manage supplies when classes are large. Just 5 to 10 more students than “normal” can really through the balance of a class off. I have managed to do the coil pot lesson with 2nd grade, but there is more of a “rush” on my end of things in prepping for before class & firing. I also feel like my flying through clay!!! How do you all handle large class sizes? What are your biggest classes?(I’m coming at this from an elementary perspective.)

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14/04/2025
Giving The Secrets Away | Sarah Gromek

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Sarah Gromek | Episode 1112

Sarah Gromek is a high school jewelry & metalworking teacher. Sarah started ceramics eight years ago and now has her own small business. Sarah’s studio is in her dining room and she sells her work online and through galleries.

SPONSORS

You can help support the show!

Number 1 brand in America for a reason. Skutt.com

For all your ceramic needs go to Georgies.com

Do you hold any secrets back from what you post on Instagram or teaching classes?

I don’t. I have a lot of friends who think I should but I have said this multiple times, I am a teacher first before that and so art has been a savior to me and as I have tried to pick up information and learn more things I only learned through community studios and I never felt like there was enough information for me. So I feel like I could have grown faster if more people were willing to give the information.

So you don’t feel threatened that your work could be imitated?

I am sure there will be. I have had people be afraid for me. But I am not the first to do it either. There are people before me who have done much, much crazier leather looking work than I have.

Why are you open to sharing your secrets? Why as a teacher does that feel like something you should be doing?

That’s a really good question. I don’t have a direct answer other than that’s just the core of me as a person. Ever since I was young I always wanted to help and to support and so I think that had a lot to do with the fact that growing up I was dyslexic so my art teachers were my savior because I wasn’t good in other classes. So I want to provide that for others.

It is tempting when you start out to copy. How should people, from your perspective, use your instructions or your revelations?

Put your spin on it. Everyone is different , right and we all have different experiences. I actually did have a kid who reached out to me on Instagram and said, Hey I want to do stuff like this are you oaky with me using these tools and doing this? And I said, Go for it! Try and see what you end up with. And he is using the same roller and applicator pen as I am and he’s doing stitching and he through in a whole different aspect to it with same stamping and some more of a western vibe and he made it his own, even through in essence it was something I was doing.

Have you gone back and encouraged him by commenting on his work?

Yes. I gave him some feedback. I commented on a couple of his pieces. He’s a college student and I do it for a lot of people and for those people that take my hand building class.

You are a busy person, how are you finding time to actually make your work?

I don’t. (laughter) I should do it much more than I am. But I just do it on weekends, after school, and I am really fortunate in the fact that my studio is at my dining table at my house. So any free movement I get I can just sit down at my table and get something done.

Book

The Shepherd King Series by Rachel Gillig

Contact

sarahcatherineclay.com

Instagram: @sarahcatherineclay

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14/04/2025
Art With Mr. E: #turkeyaday23

I started creating a Turkey-A-Day back in 2016 (I think..possibly earlier?). Each year I change up how I create the turkeys. I’ve done a paper doll turkey with a different outfit each day, class picture turkeys from different decades, art turkeys, media turkeys…..a little bit of everything! This year I created a cityscape and placed a turkey in the city each day. It got kind of crazy, but it was also a whole lot of fun.

Here is the last day of #turkeyaday23!

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14/04/2025
Knowing When To Pivot | Anita & Neil Lawrence

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Anita & Neil Lawrence | Episode 1113

Anita & Neil Lawrence met in art school back in the late 80’s and have been carving out a living together ever since. When Anita and Neil first graduated from art school they did various jobs on Vancouver Island in British Colombia to make ends meet. Eventually they bought a production studio, opened a restaurant, and lately a gallery studio.

Anita Lawrenc

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For all your ceramic needs go to Georgies.com

Neil Lawrence

What are the biggest signs that it’s time to change directions?

Neil: Well, when you start to get a feeling that this just isn’t working. There’s only one way to fix that, you got to make some change. We felt if we kept going this way we are either going to burn out or grow broke and you got to be happy so we made a decision to pivot and change to something different.

Anita Lawrence

What was the bigger motivating factor, was it the finances or the burning out?

Anita: I think probably the finances because when you take on such a huge enterprise and you have a family and you have a home it really comes down to dollars and sense. You have to be very pragmatic about it. Business should never be emotional, it has to be based on facts and figures. Is it working financially, great.

Neil Lawrence

Was that loss of passion part of the role?

Neil: I think as far as the wholesale the passion was definitely dwindling for me because I was missing the creative aspect of it and it was just becoming a job. Yes, I was definitely searching for something more and get the creativity back.

Anita Lawrence

Does that mean you were looking for emerging opportunities?

Neil: I always loved drawing. That was my first love. I was fascinated by the clay so when I started playing with the sgraffito technique where I saw the merging of the love of drawing and creating with clay. That was just a great moment whenI realized that.

Neil Lawrence

Anita: And it was received so well bye customers. There was this immediate satisfaction of taking a piece out of the kiln and having someone just praise you for it. That is the aha moment of, Okay, I’m on to something here.

Anita Lawrence

Do you think those opportunities were always there or did they become evident only when you were ready?

Neil: I think it was a little bit of both. We could have seen the opportunity to create a restaurant and move if we really wanted to. Our current landlord, this building was being revamped and when we saw the beautiful renovation of the budding we were thinking, we’ve got to get there. So that opened the opportunity to move our studio and create this cafe in this amazing space.

Neil Lawrence

Anita: I think, Paul, those emerging opportunities happen when you are willing and you are open and you are receptive and you are listening. You are watching what is happening in your business, in your community, and in your relationships. When you listen to that and you are paying attention, I think that is when you see opportunities.

Anita Lawrence

How do you manage pivoting from one to the other without doing a hard stop and hard start?

Antia: Transitions happen sort of gradually I guess, because they took time to build out. The restaurant took time to build out in terms of the interior space. You just make plans and you start to move in that direction. We pray a lot so that was included in our process. Are we doing the right thing? And doors open and that makes me incredibly grateful.

Neil Lawrence

Anita Lawrence

Book

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

The Ceramic Spectrum by Robin Hopper

Contact

islandclayworks.com

Instagram: @islandclayworks

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14/04/2025
Art With Mr. E: Op Art Fun!

Op Art is so much fun to study with your students (I’d say 2nd on up!). There are so many interesting works to look through, and so much inspiration to be had. Think about things you are trying to cover (standards/skills/elements/principles), and focus your lesson in that direction. It really is so versatile.

If you need to bounce ideas off of someone, leave me a comment here or find me on my other social media. I’d be happy to help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCbQhIOOVqk

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14/04/2025
Art With Mr. E: Op Art/Line Design

OLDY BUT A GOODY

If you want another op art style project with shading….try this one out. I did switch to using pencil this year instead of sharpie to draw it because I had so many students with anxiety. Was not worth stressing them out! All you need is pencil, paper, colored pencils, and patience!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYLuBCHUASM

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14/04/2025
Clay As A Hobby In San Francisco | GiAnna Orangio

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GiAnna Orangio | Episode 1114

GiAnna Orangio is a hobby potter based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Her brand, Evil Eye Pottery is a collection of vases that she creates on the pottery wheel in her home studio. GiAnna shares her ceramic journey and creations on social media (links below).

SPONSORS

You can help support the show!

Number 1 brand in America for a reason. Skutt.com

For all your ceramic needs go to Georgies.com

How has the community studio helped you grow as an artist or as a potter?

I think one the best things you can do is observe others. The other day I watched my instructor assemble his teapot and it took like an hour, every little piece, but now I know how to do that and I didn’t know before. I think just observing other potters is wonderful.

You mentioned one of the things that drew you to ceramics was the demonstrations on Instagram. Is that still a source for inspiration for you?

Absolutely. I love following other potters. It’s so cool to see what people create. Whether it’s really beautiful, precise pieces that they produce in large quantities or one really stellar piece that would serve as work of art. I do it every day.

How much time are you able to devote to being in the studio a week?

On weekends I will spend both Saturday and Sunday for hours and hours in my home studio. In class right now I do maybe four hours a week on Wednesdays three or fours hours. It just depends on the week.

How has working with clay impacted your relationships?

I mean it’s a fun conversation starter that’s for sure. I think for a long time I didn’t really have a hobby that really defined me. I think my work defined me. In so many ways people associated me with my job. So now when I am meeting new people I don’t just talk about my job when I am introduced to someone I talk about my favorite hobby. That’s what I am truly passionate about.

What has you excited in the studio right now? What can you not wait to make?

You know, I have avoided making a big moon jar for a really long time. I think I am very scared of them for some reason. Probably because I have attempted a few in the past and they have flopped. But I am going to a big demo by Moon Do Bang and I am excited to go to the demo and watch him do some of the biggest moon jars I will probably ever see and it is going to be very cool to learn from someone who is kind of known for that.

Book

Fly Girl by Ann Hood

Contact

evileyepottery.shop

Instagram: @evil_eye_pottery_

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14/04/2025
Gummy Bear Tints Lesson

My All School Art Show is sweets themed, and here is one of the lessons I’m doing with my students.

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14/04/2025