Search results (tags) for: "ceramics"

The Generations of Men on Etsy

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:37:00 -0000

During our Virtual Labs office hours, Etsian abitabite tipped the Storque that a post about humbleglory, Rith, and donaldrith would make an interesting story about three generations of men on Etsy — ripe for our Dude's Perspective series. Turns out this family has even more relatives on Etsy than we'd thought:

My name is Gary Rith, my shop is Rith.etsy.com and I have been a full-time potter for eleven years. I live outside of Ithaca, NY with my studio, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 wife. My father Donald Rith aka donaldrith is a watercolorist who lives an hour away and my nephew is Ben Rith-Najarian aka humbleglory, who is an alchemist (etc). Ben's mother aka riversedge, Ben's sister aka leslierrn, and Ben's other aunt aka janetexcat are all also Etsy artists.

[Ben aka humbleglory with aunt Jane janetexcat at art fair in Chicago]

I was the first to join Etsy. I had read about Etsy winter of 2006-07 and got started, and then talked to my father and sister and then they got involved, and Ben too.

I make pottery on the wheel and sculpture. I would not say there are any direct influences between us, but our family has been making art for generations, so it seems to be hereditary.

donaldrith, the grandfather in the group, spoke a bit about tuning into Etsy after his retirement. He made me think about all the Etsians out there who must have retiring fathers who, now free of their day jobs, turn their attentions to something more creative:

I took up painting watercolors upon retirement from teaching at the State University of New York College at Brockport twelve years ago. At that time my daughter Janet Rith-Najarian who also sells various home made crafts such as hats and other wearing apparel for small dogs including Pugs in particular, sent me a set of watercolor paints and said "get going!"

I was further encouraged to engage with Etsy by my son Gary Rith, a potter and ceramics expert, who also sells his ceramics creations through Etsy and is very successful at it. But that is not the only family involvement. My granddaughter Leslie Rith-Najarian has her own unique creations she sells on Etsy and plans to continue to do so even while attending Harvard University as a first year student this fall.

Thus, as this Father's Day approaches, I feel very fortunate indeed to have, along with myself, such talented children and grandchildren involved in such entrepreneurial experiences through Etsy.

The Riths are a great example, then, not just of men on Etsy but of many family members engaged in making things by hand. As humbleglory put it, "I was raised with the idea that a handmade/created gift was better than a store bought gift."

[Donald and grandson Ben]

And while they claim that their artwork doesn't directly influence each other, I wonder if the generations — both older and younger — set examples to each other, nudge each other, encourage each other to share their respective work with the world. Maybe the entrepreneurial spirit, enthusiasm, and drive is passed on.

[Gary with cousin Christina from Germany who is "not yet on Etsy"]

And each has his own way of doing business. After speaking with Gary, I realized he is an example of a talented artist using Etsy on his own terms. He was already an established potter and sees Etsy as just another venue for his sales. I asked him about his thoughts on the Etsy community, and I found his point-of-view to be one not often voiced on Etsy, above the clamour of the intensive users aka the "Etsy addicts":

The three of us guys tend to be solitary. It seems that many people, perhaps women more than men, enjoy socializing on Etsy. I am a member of the EtsyMudTeam and Beagles Team, but don't have the time to [be involved]. It is exhausting trying to keep up with all of it, and I don't know how Etsy or groups could better draw men in. Etsy to me is a minor offshoot of my blog http://grpottersblog.blogspot.com where I daily describe my work and ideas. I sell hundreds of items directly through my blog each year. I think the difference is that the blog is mine to control and be at the center of, whereas Etsy and the teams and groups are in somebody else's control. If I could blog directly on my Etsy page every day, I would do that instead, but as it is I have to use blogger.

[Ben's mother aka riversedge, Ben's sister aka leslierrn, at the Minnesota "Pug A Dazzle" Pug Rescue fund raiser, with items from their joint Etsy shop PortlyPug]

Gary does not want to "socialize" on Etsy and speaks about the spread-too-thin feeling many of us get when tackling all of our online activities layered on top of our real-life lives — like so many blankets on top of the bed. How is one supposed to make one's bed in the morning when there's so many blankets, nevermind get in it and feel confortable at bedtime? We've all experienced the moment when, after finally catching up on email and checking in on Etsy and writing a blog post and checking the other websites we use — when all that is done, we find that the day is almost over.

I hear this lament from different types of people. I'm not sure if it's related to gender or even if it's a "generation thing." I think certain artist/business people prefer to carve out their own space while some prefer to work collaboratively within a pre-existing space — when it comes to the creative process and/or the social networking that supports and facilitates a business community. Perhaps too much social networking could become detrimental, according to humbleglory:

I spent some time in the community parts of Etsy at first, and it really helped sales and exposure. But it can become quite stressful at times.

The Rith's ways of doing business on Etsy show that there are many different modes of using the site. From this, I would put forth that Etsy should develop other tools to help support this sort of user — more ways to adapt Etsy to one's outside blog or website, an extended profile page for portfolio work, ways for families to help get relatives started, and perhaps opt-in blogs for each shop.

Speaking with the Riths brought up some interesting points. Do you think the "socializing" is more of a female way of doing business? How do you use Etsy — are you a networked-artist or a solitary-artist? Post in the comments below!

Father's Day Showcase | Gift Guide for Him | Father's Day Gift Guide | A Dude's Perspective

Etsy World Tour: Hungary, Where Traditional and Contemporary Crafts Meet

Thu, 08 May 2008 22:07:00 -0000

In this edition of Etsy World Tour, vadjutka highlights a few of Hungary's diverse crafting traditions, both traditional and contemporary. Enjoy!

Gömör Pottery
Once upon a time, a few hundred years ago, peasants of a county called Gömör (which is now part of Slovakia) started to make a special kind of ceramic that could be used for cooking. Soon this area became the center for supplying households with nicely painted bowls and pans. Meanwhile, potters of Gömör county lived in small villages and did their everyday work: ploughing, feeding animals, etc. Making beautiful pottery was only a small slice of rural life. By the beginning of the 20th century, potters of Gömör found themselves competing with porcelain and saucepans made of iron. Unfortunately, mass production eventually won out over handmade ceramics and Gömör Pottery is now part of folk art history.

Zsolnay Porcelain
The world famous Zsolnay Porcelain was founded in 1853 to make both stoneware and porcelain. After a few years of difficulties, Zsolnay became world-known and reached its peak in the 1910s. Its signature look is called eosin: a unique greenish, iridescent metallic luster glaze that reminds me of the color of some flies. Jardinieres, wall plates, lamps, and jewelry were made using this glaze, all reflecting the spirit of Art Nouveau. After WWII, Zsolnay started to mass-produce some designs, but they did not stop making exclusive models with eosin technology adapted to porcelain. Currently, Zsolnay Porcelain is not just following trends, but leading them: they teamed up with the famous Hungarian fashion designer, Katti Zoob, who designs haute couture as well as pret-a-porter clothes. Here is a nice example:

(photo by drgnmastr)

Matyo Embroidery
I think every Hungarian woman (including me) has tried doing embroidery at least once in her life: embroidered clothes, tablecloths, etc. are quite common in Hungary. Many patterns are available, but the most famous is the colorful Matyo embroidery. Though it is very well-known — most Hungarians can only recall Matyo if asked about embroidery — it is made only in three small villages. Mezökövesd is the center of Matyo embroidery, where the ethnic group called Matyo lived. Although most of the embroiderers were originally peasants, the industrialization process at the turn of the 19th century resulted in a flourishing folk art scene, especially with embroidery. Below is a picture of the most famous pattern of Matyo Embroidery: a rose with red, green, blue and yellow.

(photo by hattyu)

Painted Eggs
Painting eggs for Easter is common throughout Eastern Europe: almost every nation and ethnic group has its own tradition of egg painting. Though most of Europe uses mostly one color for egg painting, Hungarians use the batik technique to paint the eggs multiple colors. Nowadays, men visit women on Easter Monday, and spray them with perfume: this represents attraction. In return for their efforts, men get a nicely painted egg. The original tradition was to spray the egg with clean water as a symbol of rebirth. A beautiful example:

(photo by hattyu)

Crafting Today
Almost twenty years after the political upheaval in Central-Eastern Europe, craft society (as well as civil society) has started to re-blossom in Hungary. Since the summer of 2006, Hungary has instituted an ongoing craft fair called WAMP (short for Sunday Art Market). It takes place every month, on a sunny (or rainy) Sunday in the heart of Budapest, Hungary's capital. Originating as a small market with around thirty artists, WAMP now has more than 300 registered artists and crafters. Lots of them are professional artists with university degrees, but there are plenty of crafters like me, coming from outside: geography teachers, sociologists or engineers.

Products are as varied as crafters themselves: from bags made of LPs, to earring made of LEGO toys, one can find everything. Since retro became very fashionable - once again - in these years, Matyo patterns have found their ways into mainstream fashion: one can find blouses, bags and wristlets decorated with specially designed Matyo patterns.

A cool wristlet:

(photo by vadjutka)

A retro outfit with traditional influences:

(photo by vadjtka)

A huge thanks to vadjutka for sharing her thoughts on both the traditions of crafting in Hungary, as well as her insight into today's crafting scene. We'd love to hear more about crafting traditions around the world; send your thoughts to the Storque's pitch box and make sure to include the words "Etsy World Tour"!

My Top 10 Ceramic Figurines

Tue, 06 May 2008 20:41:00 -0000

All this talk about Mother's Day has me reflecting on the tchotchke-collecting gene. I got it from my mom and she from her parents (both her mother and father had vastly different tastes). While pining away for my grandparents' house and all the long-gone the curios therein, I studied up on the art and science of collecting ceramic figurines. Here's my personal Top 10 List...

Old Standby:
therunnybunny has some classics that give you such a strong sense of nostalgia, it's almost hypnotizing (and this owl couple is only $15):

Vintage clowns are always there, peeking out at you around every corner of every vintage shop. They're old friends:

ModishVintage $14.75

Sensuality:
You wouldn't think you would find your sensuality-totem in a camel, and yet here we are...

DagaDesign $54.00

Abstraction:
I didn't even know what this one is supposed to be at first, because it is elemental.

nightlydeity $5

Slightly Primitive Precariousness:
Delicately, quietly...

Runningrabbitpottery $35

Functionality:
I need a fat lil piggybank. Yes, I do.

KelasBabyBoutique

At first I thought I'd put this mouse under the above category, but then realized its awkwardness is due to its function: ring-holder/extravagant mutant tail holder:

OliveVintage $8 (I'm buying this.)

Solice for your Desperation:

creativelo $14

Fear:
See also the bear at the top.

fruitflypie $14

Give me links to your favorite ceramic figurines in the comments below! Email to your tchotchke-addicted friends!

Etsy Finds: Moms Love Plants!

Tue, 06 May 2008 14:15:00 -0000

One of the traits I hope to inherit from my mother, since I missed out on the "cooking" gene, is her green thumb. I've tried my hand at growing vegetables, in which I mostly utilized a plant-and-pray technique; somehow I had some luck with the tomatoes. But my mom, Flo, sure does know how to keep the foliage happy. Some of the plants at my parent's house are older than I am!

Even with so many great things on Etsy, I still have a hard time shopping for Mommy. But practicality is always something I look for. Something like a beautiful hand thrown planter is a perfect Mother's Day; it's simple, useful and elegant. So here's to all you mommies who like to get your paws dirty!

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Plants Subcategory on Etsy | Outdoor Subcategory on Etsy | EtsyPHAT Team

Etsy Finds: An Etsy Table

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Today's Find was suggested by Fernfiddlehead in this Etsy forum thread. Let's set an all-Etsy table, with plates and silverware and tablecloths — even the table itself. The Housewares category is one of my favorites. So, here we go:

English rose floral fabric covered chair

Before we serve any food, we're going to need somewhere to sit. And if you haven't seen Bombus's amazing decoupaged furniture and other housewares yet, I suggest you hustle along that link immediately. $520.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Glasses made from recycled beer bottles

Impress your dinner guests with your eco-cred, via these tumblers made from recycled beer bottles. By bottlebottoms, $40.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Hand-Painted Palm Tree Salt and Pepper Shakers

My favorite thing about these hand-painted salt & pepper shakers is actually the way they've been photographed here — don't they look like two palm trees completing a deserted island oasis tableau? Your table can always look like your dream vacation. By WayTooCute, $10.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Turquoise and green tablecloth

Brighten up your dining room with a tablecloth made from bandanas. By BandanaAnna, $35.

View item | View Shop Add to Etsy Favorites

Happy little dishes

I sort of want all the housewares in my apartment to look like this. All smiling at me and making silly faces, maybe singing to me when I pick them up, like being inside a life-sized children's movie or something. This plate is a good start. By HipHazel, $15.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Beaded Spreader - Be My Valentine

I have just made up an imaginary award called Things On Etsy I Have Absolutely Never Seen Before Nor Could Even Imagine Until I Saw Them and this beaded spreader wins. Kudos goes to dreaminofbeadin for managing to win this award with an item that is beautiful and functional, instead of crazy. Only $12!

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Mr. Casual...placemat

Whole shop completely amazing, go now. Really. Go. petekguven, $49.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Carrot and Broken Fork Placemat and Napkin Set 4 pieces

You're going to need napkins for your table, right? Here are some of the cutest I've seen lately. Hand screen-printed by wonderthunder, $32.

View item View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

Perfect for your 70's romance

I'm not exactly sure what my 70's romance even is, but I am definitely smitten with these vintage casserole dishes. From PorchlightVintage, $24.

View item | View Shop | Add to Etsy Favorites

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Etsy World Tour: Fes, Where Craft is a Way of Life

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:22:00 -0000

This piece from ciaralovesyou is the first in a series of articles we're going to publish about handmade traditions around the world: The Etsy World Tour. It will be our featured series after next month's upcycling series.

When I pledged to Buy Handmade, I assumed that I'd be making my purchases at Etsy and the occasional local craft fair. But then I visited Fes in Morocco, where DIY is a way of life.

Over half of the population of Fes works in handicrafts (that’s 473,000 artisans!)* in mediums varying from fabric and leather to copper, clay and thread. Walking through the narrow, walled streets of the medina, which at times are just wide enough for one donkey to pass another, I passed shop after tiny shop, each displaying a different variation of local, handmade goods.

My first stop was a local textile studio, which produces thousands of woven shawls, tablecloths, curtains and more, all produced on looms driven by foot pedals and strung by hand. Like most of the people who work as crafters in Fes, the studio is a family-run business that's become successful the old fashioned way: producing gorgeous products with long hours of hard work.

Next it was on to the tannery. Leather making is one of the biggest industries in Fes, and it's all still done by hand. The leather is treated in lye, and then hand-dyed in all the colors of the rainbow. From where I stood, this looked like physically exhausting (and incredibly stinky) work. But the end results are fantastic: brightly colored shoes, bags, and belts.

Next stop: a gallery of handmade copper, silver and bronze plates. These dishes were so intricately designed that I thought they must have been machine-pressed. But the store owner showed us how they're produced: by making small dents in the metal with a hammer and chisel — some so small that they looked like needles. This particular shop is well-known throughout the world, as evidenced by the awards and plaques on the wall showing visitors like Ronald Reagan and a letter from Hillary Clinton testifying to the quality of the platter she took home. I was dying to take home one of my own, but due to the amount of time and painstaking labor it takes to produce one plate — often up to three weeks — these platters ($200 - $1,000) were WAY out of my price range.

Some of my favorite meals in Morocco were served in tagines, cone-shaped ceramic baking dishes that expertly combine the sweet and savory flavors of the country's cuisine. I stopped by the city's largest pottery factory just in time to see this man throwing a tagine.

Tagines are just one of the factory's specialties, which range from dishes and bowls to mugs, vases, coasters and tiles for walls and fountains. After they're thrown on a pottery wheel, the pieces are fired in this underground oven.

Then they're glazed in traditional Moroccan colors and designs, fired once more, and voila!

Seeing an entire community support itself with craft was an inspiration — it can be done! The town of Fes is proof of the value of unique handmade work, and validates the DIY philosophy.

Further Resources:
Etsy Sellers in Morocco
Video of the Fes tannery
*according to the Moroccan Tourist Bureau: http://www.visitmorocco.org

A big thanks to ciaralovesyou for submitting this piece to the Storque. We want to hear about handmade traditions from all over the world: submit your ideas so you too can be part of our Etsy World Tour Series!

Etsy Finds: Romantic Ceramics

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:14:00 -0000

Ok, I try not to get overly mushy in public, but I did find this engagement box set to be particularly heart warming and sweet. If I were a girl, and to receive this, I don't see how I could possibly refuse.

In case you aren't planning on popping any questions in the near future, palomasnest has tons of other delightful ceramic bowls with various quotes and sayings impressed on them. Read up!

Note: Please don't mention this article to any of my dude friends lest you ruin my street cred. Thanks!

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Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Ceramics in Black and White

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:50:00 -0000

Look around your home. Surely, there are many things that most likely won't stand the test of time: your computer, washer and dryer, probably the shoes you're wearing! A lot of things in life are pretty ephemeral, so it seems.

However, there are a token few items that will stand the test of time. These items are the handmade heirlooms of the future: items to be treasured in your personal collection and passed down to the next generation. This selection of ceramics may prove to be the perfect complement to your collection, be it for decoration, day to day use or as a valued addition to your china cabinet (for special occasions only!).

Start your handmade heirloom collection today!

Etsy Finds: Salt and Pepper Has Never Been Lovelier

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 10:56:00 -0000

It was love from the first mouse-click. I am enamored with every piece of ceramic in mollyhatch's shop. She is a fresh new Etsy seller, who is making ceramic housewares created by incorporating hand-building, slipcast, and inlay techniques. Her porcelain designs are infused with a grace that is simple, yet sumptuous.

This elegant pair of salt-and-pepper shakers would make a memorable present for for a variety of occasions, including a wedding, anniversary, or housewarming gift.

Etsy Finds: A Gift for Your Favorite Knitter

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:15:00 -0000

Since sweater weather has rolled into town, I have extracted my hand-knit mitten, sock, and scarf collection from my closet. In turn, I have found myself perusing Etsy for the perfect holiday gifts for the knitters to whom I am indebted for my woolen warmth this winter.

I constantly find myself returning to alyssaettinger's shop to fawn over her elegant, knitware porcelain tumblers. These would be perfect for sipping drinks from while knitting, or even for storing knitting needles and supplies. I am fascinated by this translation of the soft, fibrous knitting medium into sturdy, smooth ceramic form, and I am willing to bet that your knitter friends will be too.

Check out my other knit-inspired picks below.

Etsy Success Stories: Circa Ceramics

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:53:00 -0000

You've seen those big sellers on Etsy who seem to be making sales left and right. You have to wonder how they've made it to where they are: can they actually be FOR REAL? What's their recipe for success? And just how do they do it?

I've made it my mission to shine the Storque spotlight and bring these sellers to you. I'll be asking them all those questions you're just dying to know about their success on Etsy. They have been generous enough to share their secrets with us and we want to spread their personal success stories to everyone so they can learn from their business practice.

This week's Etsy success story spotlights Andy and Nancy, the driven team that makes up Circa Ceramics. Andy and Nancy are based out of Chicago and have been making and selling ceramics long before Etsy came to life. They have created a distinct style and recognizable brand for themselves, which we think has more than a little to do with their overall success. This duo has been selling on Etsy just barely a year, and are quickly approaching 500 sales! Andy and Nancy travel all over the country to show off and sell their ceramics while spreading the Etsy love.

Ok, on to to the questions we've all wondered but never got the chance to ask...

How did you first hear about Etsy, and what made you decide to open a shop on the site?
Andy I do a lot of google searches looking for odds and ends and I think it was around October of 2005 when I first came across Etsy shop names in some the results. We lurked through the first half of 2006 and then created the [tab] which was our first item we felt had a good chance of fitting in on Etsy.

Nancy Same thing, except I'm usually hanging over Andy's shoulder or sitting next to him and looking up stuff. We'd been on the "show circuit" for about five years then, and a lot of the artists we'd encountered were also selling work on Ebay - and no matter how they presented it to us, I could NOT picture selling our wares on there, especially with all the bargain finds I'd known Ebay to be full of (not good for ceramics/pottery!).

What do you think is your key to success on Etsy?
Andy Definitely listing frequently and adding new pieces. It also helps to have items at different price points. Having the ability to customize pieces creates a great interaction with the buyer and reinforces the benefits of the Etsy Experience.

Nancy Ditto what Andy said, and really decent images with clearly stated info. We try to present every angle of our pieces, because you have to convey as much info as possible to the buyer. We rarely get convos from buyers asking questions about the work unless it's about customization.

How do you promote your shop?
Andy When we are at fairs I am the one that deals with the money, so while Nancy is packaging a sale I try to inform the buyer about our work on Etsy.

Nancy We provide cards with contact and buying info, and links to our Flickr, our Etsy shop, and our regular website. We have a mailing list which we've been slowly converting to an email list using Constant Contact, and in there I plug our Etsy and upcoming events. October is one of the months we do a huge mailing/emailing with info on where to find us in preparation for the holiday season - super important! We also purchased space on Trunkt (which links only to our Etsy) and most recently on Poppytalk's blog, her online 'marketplace' where we'll be linking directly to our Etsy also.

How do you handle such a large volume of sales in your shop? What systems have you created to manage the orders?
Andy We have always approached pottery from the production standpoint, so in the past we were producing for shows that were one to four weeks away and we would always have items that would carry over. Now these items are listed on Etsy and we have been showing up at shows with less inventory. Our shop sales are spread out over time so we can always stop posting or leave our shop in edit mode if we are having a particularly stressful time with orders.

Nancy What he said. We try to stay organized by printing out special requests and labeling them so we know which ones are rushed and which ones can wait our standard 3-6 weeks that we ask them to wait.

Are your orders mostly from repeat buyers or new buyers? What do you do to gain repeat buyers?
Andy We have really great repeat buyers, but the majority of our sales are to new buyers. Try to have a really impressive product that is shipped in a timely manner. When the package arrives, you will hopefully exceed the customer's expectations, and they will want to start a collection of your work.

Nancy I have to say that we have an equal amount (repeat vs. new). We also get a lot of referrals and recommendations, which is a huge compliment! The new buyers are coming from having picked up a card at a show (where they've seen the work in person) or from blog readers, who are not shy in telling you they saw you and had to check you out!

Repeat buyers come from being impressed with what they received. We'll get emails or convos from buyers after they've used a piece, and they sound so pleased! Some of them leave hilarious feedback, so you know you made them happy.

How do you stay motivated? Does it come naturally?
Andy I have a mental list of all the shapes that I would like to see, and it is just a matter of attending to all those little things that pop up before I can work on a project.

Nancy Another blogger asked us this same question, and I'm not ashamed to use the same reply here: fear. Sure, it's natural. I want us to have pieces that work and that are attractive. I don't ever want to be passe. And there is this need to always experiment: we come out with our newest ideas that way. - Our [tab] came to be in that way. The need to be current...not necessarily trendy, but current.

Take a peek inside the lives and studio of Circa Ceramics above.

What is your favorite current Etsy Feature?
Andy I like tagging our convos with pertinent information.

Nancy I am a Jared fan. Seriously. I love the Treasury, I love the Tag Fractal (not currently in use, but I love it anyway).

What features do you use most on Etsy?
Nancy Hmmmm. I'm going to have say convos. I help organize Street Team info that way, we help potential buyers and other Etsy members that way. And I love checking the Treasury - I go there everyday!

Andy Same for me.

What goals do you have for your Etsy shop one year from now?
Andy I would like our Etsy shop to replace at least one show a month, if not two. We do about twenty to twenty five shows a year, so if we can get that down to about ten to twelve good shows, that would be great. (In reality, now that Etsy has more people showing up at more shows, we will probably end up going to over thirty events next year).

Nancy I concur. Also, I have this fantasy that it will be always stocked with at least twenty of each of the cup, bowl, and plate sizes, and like forty of each of the magnets and tabs. Our customers thrive when they're given a lot of choices. We've noticed no change from art fairs to here (online). Oh, and I'd like to hit 1500 sales by January.

Anything else you want to add?
Nancy Never underestimate the power of your online appearance!

To learn more about Circa Ceramics and steal a quick viewing of the studio where they create their line, catch up on some quality Storque reading in their studio feature article. Like what you see? Check out what Circa Ceramics call their top Etsy picks in the related items below:

Etsy Mud Team's September Teapot Challenge: Pour Me Some Tea

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:14:00 -0000

September 23-30, vote for your favorite teapot from Etsy Mud Team members at votigo.com. Contest details and links will be posted on the EMT blog on September 23rd, http://etsymudteam.blogspot.com. The winning potter will take home a fabulous teapot donated by PhenixPottery. Voters will be entered in a drawing to win magnet sets created by various Etsy Mud Team members.

The participating Etsy shops are almapottery, antb, dbabcock, seaurchin, EarthElements, intothefire, ginpins, averly, JudyBFreeman, khphillips, PhenixPottery, trpottery, montezumamudd, dgordan, vesselsandwares, lurearts, chARiTyelise, nkpdesigns, jeffmartin, JDWolfePottery, CeramicaBotanica, and MAKUstudio. Many of the teapots can be previewed on Flickr at the Etsy Mud Team’s group page, http://www.flickr.com/groups/etsymudteam/.

The Etsy Mud Team is a multinational group of potters are ceramic artists working together to bring more attention to the amazing ceramics on Etsy. The EMT members help each other with firing problems, mentor each other, share techniques and glaze recipes, and challenge each other to work outside their comfort zones.

If you are a potter or ceramic artist selling work on Etsy and would like to become a member of this fun-loving group, please contact montezumamudd and drop in on the Etsy Mud Team thread in the Etsy Teams forum.

The poster features teapots made by:

ginpins, CeramicaBotanica, seaurchin, dgordan, PhenixPottery, trpottery, antb, khphillips, EarthElements, JudyBFreeman, vesselsandwares, averly

The teapots on the poster are not necessarily the teapots the artists will choose for the contest.

Team Spotlights: Etsy MUD

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:00:00 -0000

The Etsy Mud Team is a Global Team on Etsy. Global teams face some challenges due to their membership across the globe, but Etsy Teams have been fantastic at creating innovative solutions to bridge the distances between them. They share tips, techniques, stories and create valuable networks among themselves within the community. The Etsy Mud Team has a gorgeous Flickr photo pool where members regularly post their work, and the team maintains a great blog, where they feature pottery, ceramics and other artists from their team, as well as news and highlights for the team. The goal of the Etsy Mud Team is quite straight-forward: to more effectively promote their art on Etsy by offering unique hand-made pottery; pottery made the old fashioned way - one at a time and with care.

The following interview is with Phyllis of montezumamudd, on behalf of the Etsy Mud Team.

What do you find most challenging about being on/running a global Etsy team?

The Mud Team has members from the US, United Kingdom, Scotland and Australia. At first, I worried that it would be quite a challenge trying to organize team discussions given the difference in time zones, but once we discovered the forum, my worry disappeared. We all grab our morning coffee, log-on to Etsy and check out the thread. Sometimes we get quite involved in our discussions, and before we realize it, an hour or so has passed. It’s great – sharing a cup of coffee and good conversation with your friends. For those members who couldn’t join the chat in progress, they can read through the posts and stay current with the team news. Challenges? What challenges?

What's most rewarding about the team for you?

When I initially started the Mud Team, I posted a note in the forums and then wondered if I would get a response – seriously, who would be interested in a potter's street team? I was stunned - not only by the number of people who wanted to join, but by how quickly we connected and came together as a team. By the end of the first week, we were sharing names, ages and children’s ages, as well as glaze recipes and throwing techniques. We work well together and have accomplished a great deal in a very short period of time. We have been a team for a little over a month and have recently opened our team shop on Etsy – Etsy Mud Team. We had our first sale within the first hour of opening our doors! That’s quite rewarding!

What are the team's general goals, and what do you consider success for the team?

My reason for starting the Etsy Mud Team was to bring more exposure to pottery and ceramics. I am passionate about ceramics and really wanted to share my enthusiasm with the greater Etsy community – basically with anyone who would listen. I felt that by working together as a team, we could more effectively promote our art on Etsy, and hopefully increase our sales. What I really, really wanted was an all pottery Front Page – selfish, I know. I thought it would take months just to get noticed, but surprisingly within a few weeks the Mud Team made their Front Page debut – an all pottery Front Page! Now that is success!

We have been a team for a little more than a month and are beginning to see the results of our efforts. Pottery and ceramics are being featured in more treasuries and front pages than ever before, and sales among our team members have increased, as well as the number of hearts our shops have received. Next step – Etsy featured seller. If one of our team members were to be selected as the featured seller – that would be amazing. I can hear the buzz in the thread already!!

Our goal is to maintain this level of exposure on Etsy and elsewhere and to continue to improve our sales. After all, we would all like to be able to make a living from our art – someday.

How do you all delegate work amongst the team?

We don’t really delegate work. When a task arises, someone usually jumps in and volunteers; although we do have a designated blog master, graphics designer, mailings person and shop keeper. No arm twisting here – they all volunteered!

In what ways does your team communicate? Do you communicate daily, weekly, etc.?

With team members spanning the globe, with schedules that are quite varied due to children, work, etc., chat rooms are very difficult. Finding a time that will work for a majority of members is impossible. We would be lost without the forum - it is our main source of communication and team discussion. We keep a thread going at all times – we start a new one weekly because we are actively chatting on a daily basis and the thread soon becomes an ocean of posts. We share ideas, techniques, and glaze recipes; we share secrets for repairing cracks and making pots plump; we offer support to beginning potters and new Etsy sellers. And of course we share life stories and chat about nothing at all! We’re a bunch of women (and 4 guys), what do you expect!

How do you balance running a successful Etsy shop and leading up a large team?

The team pretty much runs itself – I’m nothing more than a cheerleader encouraging (nagging is probably a better word) members to snag a treasury whenever possible. We don’t have any set rules – we’re a fairly relaxed, but active, team. We would rather spend our time creating pots, than sitting in front of our computers. Truth be told, Etsy really does all the work – I simply list items for my shop and the Mud Team shop, sit back, relax and wait for sales! Doesn’t get much simpler.

Any other thoughts on teams and Etsy?

It would be really nice if the financial information of a shop could be password protected and stored separately from all other information. This would allow for a multi-member shop, such as Etsy Mud Team shop, to be run by all members without risking the financial information of the “shop owner”. All members could list their own items, but all other functions would be under the control of the shop owner.

The ability to more easily donate to charities would be awesome. I would like to see a “charity” option offered when listing an item. I would like to be able to choose a charity and the percentage of the sales price to be donated when listing my item. I would like to have all the proper deductions made and money sent at check-out. Buyers would also be more confident about donations if we could have a company such as MissionFish working with Etsy. Strong buyer confidence = sales!!

MontezumaMudd lives in Mancos, Colorado, and likes her coffee mug to fit my hand perfectly, as though it were a part of her.

See more photos at the Storque's flickr stream

Open Studio Tour: Circa Ceramics

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:03:00 -0000

Walking into the Circa Ceramics studio in north-side Chicago, I was overwhelmed with the urge to create. Lauren and I were in for a real treat on this studio tour. Although Andy and Nancy apologized profusely for the alleged messiness of their space, through my eyes it was exactly as a workspace should be: buzzing with energy, well-equipped, and clearly well-used. Their studio is brimming with drawings, clay, kilns, and ceramic pieces in all stages. I prefer to equate mess as evidence of a healthy, humming studio practice.

Circa Ceramics is a collaborative studio team composed of the warm and wonderful Nancy Pizarro and Andy Witt. This dynamic duo creates a delicious world of candy-colored ceramic dishware, magnets, tiles, tabs, and cylinders adorned with their signature decals. Their fun and functional decorated wares can be found in their Etsy shop and at craft fairs.

One of the most fascinating elements of visiting a studio is witnessing other makers’ creative processes and the behind-the-scenes secrets. Andy and Nancy were incredibly generous and open about sharing their process. They walked us through all the steps of how they make one of their mugs, from the production of a mug to surface decoration to firing.

Andy's focus in the team is to produce the pieces (mugs, bowls, cylinders) using a pottery wheel that he converted from an awkward kickwheel to smooth motorized wheel. The clay, either porcelain or earthenware, is pressed into one of their handmade molds and formed on the whirling wheel with the aid of a wooden template, which carves away a consistent interior. This process is repeated for every single piece of dishware that Circa Ceramics creates.

Nancy's focus in the pair is on the surface design of the pieces. She applies the glazes and decals to the wares. As an ardent fan of all things Gocco, I was particularly intrigued by their decaling process. The decals are created either by printing with overglaze through a Print Gocco screen, or by printing from a laser printer (which contains iron oxide in the toner), onto decal paper. Once the decal is ready, Nancy "floats" the paper backing off, leaving only the image adhered to the gelatin surface of the decal. The decal is then applied to the mug (or bowl or cylinder).

I left the Circa Ceramic studio longing to revel in a ceramics studio, getting messy and making stuff in this intensely hands-on, process-oriented medium. I am thoroughly motivated by this prolific pair, who are living proof of the possibility of making a living making things. Viva Circa Ceramics!

For more information on the wares and process of Circa Ceramics, visit:

http://circaceramics.etsy.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/circaceramics/

http://circaceramics.blogspot.com/