Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres Nic Torres

 
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.
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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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In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery with Nic Torres,' the journey of a potter is explored through the different stages of skill development, from the initial 'crappy' stage to the discovery of a personal style. Nic discusses how patterns and preferences begin to emerge as one experiments with pottery, using his own transition from raku firings to incorporating nerdy, fantasy elements into his work as an example. He stresses the importance of listening to these patterns to find one's unique voice in pottery, illustrating how it made his pottery journey more enjoyable. Nic encourages listeners to identify and follow the evolving patterns in their work to grow their personal style. Additionally, he mentions a newsletter for listeners interested in delving deeper into pottery techniques.
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This podcast episode features an interview with sculptor Bethany Krull, who shares her journey from pottery to sculpture, emphasizing the importance of finding one's passion and unique voice in art. Bethany discusses the transition from using pottery wheels for functional pottery to utilizing them as a tool for creating sculptural works, reflecting on her inspiration from nature and the complex relationship between humans and animals. She also offers insights into the business side of being a full-time sculptor, including tips for selling work and getting into galleries. The conversation covers the significance of idea generation, process exploration, and perseverance in developing a cohesive body of work. Bethany encourages artists to focus on making strong work by looking outward for inspiration and inward for personal voice, emphasizing the balance between seeking audience engagement and staying true to one's artistic vision. You can learn more about bethany by checking out her Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bethanykrullsculpture/
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
00:00 Kickoff: Upcoming Online Workshop Announcement
00:20 Diving Into Bethany Krull's Sculpture Journey
02:09 Bethany's Transition from Pottery to Sculpture
14:53 Exploring the Significance of Porcelain in Sculptures
18:37 Bethany's Advice on Starting with Sculptures
20:31 The Business Side of Being a Full-Time Sculptor
26:11 Finding Your Unique Voice in Pottery and Sculpture
35:08 Bethany's Final Thoughts and Where to Find Her Work

In this episode of 'Shaping Your Pottery,' host Nic Torres emphasizes that potters don't need to create extravagant pieces to find their unique voice in pottery. He encourages artists to pursue what excites them, even if it's simple pottery, and to ignore outside opinions about how they should modify their work. Nic suggests seeking feedback from a variety of sources, including other potters and loved ones, to determine if you're on the right path but stresses the importance of listening to your own feelings of excitement and satisfaction as the true indicator. The episode concludes with an offer for listeners to access 53 themes to help them find a theme for their pottery, aiming to assist potters in defining their work and becoming known for something specific.
Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes
Join The Shaping Your Pottery Newsletter By Clicking This Link shapingyourpottery.com/newsletter
 

In this episode, Nic Torres shares his experiences after two weeks of replacing social media scrolling with journaling, focusing on pottery and personal growth. He discusses how using a pocket notebook without a structured approach has helped him jot down random thoughts, pottery ideas, feelings, and goals. Nic highlights how this practice has not only fostered creativity but also kept him on track with his goals by allowing him more time to think and generate new ideas. He suggests that journaling could be beneficial for others looking to improve their focus and creativity. Additionally, Nic offers a free 15-question booklet to help listeners discover their unique pottery voice.
go grab it here www.shapingyourpottery.com/questions
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