#314 - Making It Work When Sales Slow Down

Ryan & Becca dig into a listener’s question about what to do when your big, higher-priced pieces stop selling—and you don’t want to pivot into teaching. We talk honestly about adapting to shifts in the buying market while staying true to your creative voice, making smaller or different work without feeling like you’re selling out, and share real strategies for makers who want to keep making and selling what they love, even when the market changes.

Maker of the Moment

• Ashley Gaylord - @ashley.g.pottery
• Brad & Jess - @elmstonestudio

Listeners Questions
On this episode:

• I've made a flan dish with grogged cone 6 clay plus glazed it at cone 6 and have done tests cooking vegetable quiche and have had no cracks. I would love to know more about cookware as I have just made a small frying pan, but I don’t think I can glaze that with the expansion rates of the clay and glaze? I’m in the UK and my pottery supplier really can’t help. Have you both had any experience with making your own cookware? As I’m finding it very exciting to have dishes and pans that I can use in my own home. Many thanks Melanie @handthrownpottery
  • Resource: https://ceramicmaterialsworkshop.com/podcastepisode/episode-86-how-do-you-make-ceramic-bakeware/
• The past year I've seen a sharp, and I mean SHARP drop off in sales of my big pieces (I used to sell at least 3-5 big, sculptural vases per market and now it's zero) I've had to pivot to making more small, cheaper things. Might be a good topic for the podcast, how we adapt to changes in the buying market. The first thing people always suggest is alternate income streams (ie teaching etc), but I'd love to hear more of what people like me are doing, who have no interest in teaching, to be able to keep making and selling their work. @revisioniststudio

Sponsors
L&L Kilns - The durable kiln that potters trust to fire evenly & consistently. Find your L&L kiln at hotkilns.com
Speedball Ceramics - Try the new Speedball Boss Base tool to open your wheel thrown work consistently and with ease, now available in pink and purple to match their plastic bats. Look out for their new centering ribs debuting soon. Browse their wide selection of products at speedballart.com

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