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Looking For A Strong Ceramics Community (Which Cities/states) Opinions?


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Hi there, I am fairly new to this community and i was hoping for some general help.

 

Abit about me...

I've been a ceramics student for a long time now. By that I mean I've been taking classes whenever I can and my mom had a passion for it; but was unsuccessful in starting her own studio pottery business. I've always loved watching and trying things out for myself. I've been exposed to ceramics since the age of 4.

 

My mom had one of those typical paint your own ceramics shops, but she taught classes for kids pretty frequently. By the time i was 8 years old i was teaching kids my age how to slip cast, clean greenware edges, pinch pot and how to make coil pots. (Not to mention i frequently helped set up the kiln and helped clear glaze all the costumer product.)

 

I'd say im a pretty strong in the hand building department but not so much in the throwing department since I didn't have access to a wheel until i was highschool/college.

 

I am 20 now, but I live on my own so I have to work full-time and havent had much of a chance to take very many classes in college. I live in not so cheap South California, so im considering moving out of state.

 

My mom moved to northern cali to pursue her dream in graphic design/web design and left me with everything i need to start my own studio.(I know im super lucky and i am very grateful for it)

 

The problem is i dont have the space and we only have electric kilns, so id need to pull in special electrical outlets which is a bit of an investment. Im not so keen on spending the money to do that kind of thing in a renting situation.

 

I'd really love to pursue ceramics as a full-time job (as i have a passion for it), but id really like to work as an assistant for a local studio first so i can consider myself experienced in a regular production pottery studio.

 

I've tried reaching out to my college ceramics teachers and a proffesional ceramics teacher (outside workshops), but i didnt get much feedback or a sense of direction.

 

I've been doing some research to see which states have a strong ceramics programs (degrees) for traditional work. I really love abstract sculpture, but i really feel drawn to organic vessels with woodfire glazes.

 

I was hoping someone could give me some advice for which states have a really strong community in that area. Im up for a challenge and I very much want to become a proffesional in this feild.

 

I really appreciate any advice and thank you for reading my crazy long post.

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You're in a pretty good situation, I think. 

 

As to where you should move, I'll just say that while it is certainly possible to find areas with a much lower cost of living, I think you have to remember that cost is only a part of the decision.

 

I made a fairly profound mistake in that regard when I was young.  I was attempting to make sophisticated high-fire stoneware and porcelain and the markets for the kind of things I was making were not local.  It's true that I had a low cost of living, in an off-the-grid studio in the wilds of western TN, but the markets that appreciated my work were far away, and the cost of travel to get there was more than the cost of living closer to those more enthusiastic markets.

 

Anyway, something to think about.

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The state of North Carolina is strong into crafts.

Seagrove, NC is a community of about 120 potters.

 

Several craft schools in the Tennessee, and North Carolina areas have

apprenticeships. JC Campbell, Arrowmont, Penland, and maybe Appalachian

Crafts in Smithville? Asheville NC is real craft oriented ... they have the

Southern Highland Craft Guild plus Highwater Clay!!!!

Gatlinburg, TN is real touristy but does have the Arrowmont school of crafts,too.

 

Welcome to the east!

 

Alabama

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Since starting to make pottery, I've become much more aware of how many other potters are out in the community -- some more visible than others, but out there just the same. There are concentrations of potters -- Seagrove, Asheville are two that come to mind quickly -- but there are potters everywhere. And, you don't need to be in a concentrated area to learn and make good pottery. A few years ago I vacationed in Asheville and stayed in an apartment above a potter's studio. He was in the process of shifting from pottery to opening a restaurant as he could not make a living on pottery -- he was good, but his work was like many others and the competition was keen. So, there are advantages and disadvantages to moving to an area saturated with potters.

 

You have two routes -- pursing a degree in ceramics at a university or college or learning through the school of hard knocks. There are lots of good programs out there . . . Alfred, Utah State, Montana, Ohio, U Florida and others -- mostly determined by who is on the faculty at the time. Some studios and craft schools offer residencies and/or internships as assistants to potters who lead workshops. You might try checking those out to build your resume and start your networking -- because it comes down to making those connections. Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, Clay Times often have classifieds of production potteries looking for apprentices. Find some of the local clay blogs (e.g., NC Clay Club) and ask to post a notice asking for apprentice opportunities. Many will do a bachelor's at one school, a master's at another, then a series of residencies before finding a place to call home. Some production/professional potters are more open to taking in assistants and apprentices; others are not.

 

And, Tony Clennell has lots of advice on his blog site: http://smokieclennell.blogspot.com/2015/09/pick-your-teacher.htmlMostly irreverent but down to earth. He has walked the walk and has earned the right to talk the talk.

 

Good luck on your journey.

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Wanna move to southern Alberta ;)? We have ACAD in Calgary, Medalta in Medicine Hat, and Red Deer College has a surprisingly good 2 year program that can transfer to a few places. If you like the east coast, Nova Scotia has a thriving pottery community as well, and NSCAD has a stellar masters program. Sheridan in Ontario is a good place to get a solid pottery education. There are others, but they're a bit more High A art than plain technical pots.

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Huntsville, ala would be a decent choice. Or Madison!

There's Redstone Arsenal aka NASA

There is the Lowes Mill art center which is art oriented.

You're in the middle of Trinity Clay, Florence Alabama, Highwater clays, Asheville,NC., and Standard clay, Nashville, TN., and Davens Clày, Atl.,

You wouldn't be far from Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, or Gatlinburg.

You would be in the region of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, Asheville, NC,

which hosts Clay Day the 1st Saturday in June.

Anyway, think about it..see ya,

Alabamà

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Just a note on being an assistant. I was an assistant potter this year in Vancouver, and while I was lucky enough to work for someon who let me do everything from wedging to glazing, most of the apprentices spend their time wedging pounds and pounds of clay. It is possible to find something else but just be aware that it might not be what you expect

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I first was introduced to ceramics through a friend. I was instantly hooked beyond belief, but for me at the time college was not a practical option. I was thirty, married, incredibly broke, with one family car that my husband took to work every day, and a two year old that I stayed home with. Not the freedom I had when I was twenty, for sure! I visited her studio so often that she offered me a job a couple days a week. Yes, most of what I did was mix glaze, make slip, clean the studio, and scrape kiln shelves. But I did get to work with clay too, and I soaked up information like a sponge. I was able to learn from her mistakes and successes and when I wasn't there I was devouring any information I could find online or in books and watching YouTube videos for beginners. My love for ceramics survived the encounters with stinky slip and exploding teapots, and when I decided to set up my own studio last year I definitely did not start at Day Zero.

 

One thing: take some business and marketing courses. That's the part that gets a lot of artists.

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