Process- Why buy from a maker?

If you’re drinking out of a boring mug, you’re doing it wrong.

-Me

Hi, I’m Bre and I am a maker. You like rambling? Well this page has you covered.

“When buying from an artist, you’re buying more than an object. You are buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentations. You are buying days, weeks and months of frustration and moments of pure joy.

You aren’t just buying a thing, you’re buying a piece of heart, part of a soul, a moment of someone’s life. Most of all, you’re buying the artist more time to do something they are passionate about.”

-unkown

Let’s talk process…

Why would you buy a $30 mug from me when you can just buy one at Marshalls for $5? Well let. me. tell. you. There is a huge process involved in being a potter. It is expensive, time consuming, and sometimes frustrating. Guess what? It’s all worth it! You can purchase a one-of-a-kind, made with love, piece of art.

To start, you must prep the clay. Cut the clay into the size you’d like from a block of clay. Mold into a ball and firmly place on the center of the wheel. Center the clay, pull your walls, cut the pot off of the wheel. Next, let the pot dry for a few hours. Once leather hard, flip the pot over and trim the bottom of the pot and sign. Make a the handle by rolling clay and pulling your handle with water. Let the shape dry a bit and then attach the handle by cross hatching. Smooth the cup and the handle. Let mug dry completely to bone dry. Add piece to the kiln. Once the kiln is full, fire the bisque load to cone 04. After kiln has fired 8-12 hours, let pieces cool for 12+ hours. Once cooled, wipe all pieces with a damp sponge to remove dust. Glaze pieces with 3-5 coats of glaze. Wipe bottom of piece off so it doesn’t stick to the kiln shelf. Fire full glaze load at cone 5 or 6 for 5-12 hours. Let cool 12+ hours, open the kiln and enjoy!

Phew what a mouthful. Now can anyone do that? The answer is… No way Jose!

Why are mugs so cheap at Marshalls and TJMaxx? Because they are made in China and made with molds that make mass amounts of silly, people pleasing mugs. Don’t do it! I know it’s tempting! It’s so cute though! Instead, buy something special from a local artist who puts so much care into each piece and support them in their small business.

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