Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres Nic Torres

This episode features a deep dive into the artistic journey of Allyson George, a potter who initially dreamed of becoming an animator. Allyson shares the lightbulb moment when she realized pottery was her true calling. She discusses her creative process, challenges in finding her unique voice, and the importance of a supportive community. Her work is notably characterized by animated, cartoon-styled pottery that incorporates elements of humor and physics defiance. Allyson credits her growth to a strong support system, including her mom, boyfriend, teachers, and peer artists. We also explore her educational journey from high school to earning a BFA in ceramics at West Virginia University, highlighting how various mentors and experiences shaped her art. Allyson emphasizes taking risks, revisiting ideas, and the joy of creation as crucial to discovering one's voice in pottery. The episode also teases an upcoming workshop and explores Allyson's innovative approach to integrating animation with functional pottery, making her work distinct and memorable. You can learn more about Allyson by checking out her instagram https://www.instagram.com/clay_by_allyson/
Join me and Guest Artist Mike Cerv On May 31st to learn how to handbuild a goblet cup! There are only 8 more spots available click below to register and save your spot  https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w
00:00 Discovering a Passion Beyond Animation: Allyson's Journey into Pottery
00:09 The Creative Process and Overcoming Challenges
00:39 The Power of Support: Family, Friends, and Mentors
02:28 From High School to College: The Evolution of a Potter
08:16 Embracing the Quirky: The Birth of Cartoon Styled Pottery
18:32 Finding a Voice in Pottery: Functionality Meets Creativity
23:23 The Impact of Community and Conversations on Artistic Growth
25:30 Advice for Aspiring Potters: Discovering Your Unique Voice
26:47 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find More About Allyson

In this episode, Nic Torres emphasizes the necessity of sticking with one pottery technique long enough to fully develop skills and exhaust all creative ideas before moving on. He addresses the common issue of boredom and suggests maintaining excitement by altering themes within the same technique, using personal anecdotes like his shift from creating ninja sculptures to astronaut figures, all while preserving his unique style. Guests like Eva Funderburk reinforce the value of revisiting and refining a technique to discover new possibilities. 
 On May 31st I am doing an workshop with Guest Artist Mike Cerv and Mike is talking about How to Handbuild a Goblet Cup! There are only a limited number of spots availabe click this link to attend the workshop https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w
Join The Shaping Your Pottery Newsletter By Clicking This Link shapingyourpottery.com/newsletter
 

This clip from my interview with Adrienne Eliades, Adrienne talks the journey of finding one's unique voice in pottery, emphasizing the importance of reflecting on techniques, avoiding direct imitation, and gradually developing a personal style. It touches on the role of mimicking others' work as a learning tool and highlights the significance of not monetizing copied designs. 
On May 31st I am doing a workshop with Guest Artist Mike Cerv and Mike is going to be teaching How to Handbuild a Goblet Cup! There are only 9 more spots available to save your spot  click this link to register https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w
Take this Free Quiz to see how close you are to finding your pottery voice click here to take the quiz shapingyourpottery.com/quiz 
 

In this comprehensive conversation, Adrienne Eliades shares insights from her 20-plus years in pottery, emphasizing the importance of viewing the artistic process as a journey rather than aiming for a fixed destination. Through reflections on personal growth, embracing failure, and the significance of community, Adrian reveals how facing challenges and persevering through self-doubt led to discovering their unique voice in the craft. Adrienne discusses the role of visual research, embracing experimentation, and being open to unexpected interpretations of her work. The dialogue also touches on the value of developing a personal brand and the transformative impact of residencies abroad on Adrienne's technique and approach to pottery. Moreover, Adrienne offers advice on finding one's voice, the importance of perseverance, and the power of sharing one's story and process authentically. You can learn more about Adrienne by checking out her instagram https://www.instagram.com/bugaboo_eyes/
Join The Shaping Your Pottery Newsletter By Clicking This Link shapingyourpottery.com/newsletter
I have some exciting news. On May 31st I am doing an workshop with Guest Artist Mike Cerv and Mike is talking about How to Make Slab Built Goblet Cups! To register click this link to register https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w
00:00 Unlocking Creativity in Pottery: A Journey of Discovery
00:21 Embracing the Pottery Journey: Insights and Inspirations
01:20 The Art of Visual Communication Through Ceramics
04:03 Finding Community and Identity in the Clay World
08:27 The Transformative Power of Residencies and New Techniques
13:28 Crafting a Unique Pottery Style: Techniques and Influences
27:39 The Business of Pottery: Building a Brand and Finding Your Voice
38:56 Final Thoughts: Belief, Persistence, and Finding Your Voice

 
The episode includes valuable advice from an interview with Bethany Crow on starting in sculpture. Bethany emphasizes starting with an idea, utilizing tools like the pottery wheel creatively to make non-functional pieces, pivoting to new processes if necessary, and looking at other artists for inspiration. The episode encapsulates these insights into three main tips for budding sculptors and highlights the importance of experimenting with available tools and drawing inspiration from the work of others.
I have some exciting news. On May 31st I am doing an workshop with Guest Artist Mike Cerv and Mike is talking about How to Make Slab Built Goblet Cups! To register and get bird price before prices go up click this link to register https://shapingyourpottery.ck.page/products/how-to-make-a-slab-built-goblet-cup-w

The Importance of Play in Pottery
This episode discusses the significance of allowing oneself the freedom to play and experiment with clay in pottery. Nic Torres, emphasizes how crucial it is for potters to give themselves permission to fail and try new techniques beyond their routine practices. He points out that sticking to the same methods can lead to boredom, which may eventually cause one to lose interest in pottery. Torres advises incorporating one or two experiments into every kiln firing as a strategy to prevent this. He assures that through playing and experimenting, potters can find and grow their unique voice in the craft. Additionally, he offers listeners access to 53 pottery themes to help them define their style and keep their work exciting. The goal is for potters to continually enjoy and flourish in their pottery-making journey by embracing creativity and innovation.
Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes
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