by: Emma Nicole Florence
After I graduated from Southwestern University in December 2016, with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics, all I could think of was building or creating my own, personal workspace and studio for myself! I looked into:
- Renting a space
- Being a part of a Co-Op space and sharing machinery and equipment
- Renting a garage
- Renting a house or even owning a house
All fantastic and well worthy ideas. My only issue was money to make those things happen…
I graduated from College and moved into an 800 square-foot apartment in Austin, on my own. Soon after I ordered my very first Ceramics Wheel! As an artist, you can understand my pure joy and excitement over this piece of equipment. You’re probably thinking how in the world a recent College graduate could have afforded a Potter’s Wheel? LUCKILY, it was a graduation gift.
TIP: If you are serious about becoming an artist- of any medium- ask for help from your family and friends, ask for new equipment, tools and materials for Christmas, Birthdays, Holidays, Anniversaries (instead of a trip, jewelry, new car, clothes, etc.)! Your family and friends would be happy to give you gifts that will aid in your success.
In my small one bed, one bath, 800 square foot apartment, I created my very first Studio space. My living room was HUGE, so I split the space in half. Half lounging space with a TV, futon and coffee table while the other half was filed with an old table from Goodwill, and some cheap shelving and containers that I found at Walmart and Michaels on sale, along with my Ceramics Wheel. I made this space work for 13 months. I made an entire 18 piece dinner set Commission Project, and made and sold work at 2 Art Shows that I participated in, in Austin. I wouldn’t suggest the lifestyle I was living at the time, but I was determined and made it work (somehow)…
HERE’S HOW I DID IT!
- I used my resources and fired my work at Armadillo in Austin
- I worked 3 jobs to pay my rent, other bills, and to be able to afford any and all
Ceramic Supplies I might have needed
- I cooked all my meals at home to save money, I budgeted
I moved into a rental house with one roommate in Georgetown when my lease was up at my apartment! In the short time frame of Graduating College, living on my own in an apartment and then moving into a rental house- I had acquired TWO KILNS!! HOW!?
USE YOUR RESOURCES and REACH OUT TO YOUR PEOPLE!
I reached out to my Art Professors from College and asked if they knew of anyone that was selling or giving away Ceramic Kilns. I was in LUCK! One of my Professors had recently purchased a new kiln and was selling his old Paragon. I responded as quick as I could and asked a friend with a truck to help me pick it up! It was old, dusty, and manual…it was far from new, but that’s all I needed to get myself started because I knew that one day I would be able to save for a sparkly new, automatic kiln!
PATIENCE is KEY.
The second kiln I found at Austin Creative Reuse Center. A very cool spot to purchase recycled materials for ANYTHING!!! (My dad is a tennis player, and I happened to find a random 5 gallon bucket full of tennis balls for less than 5 bucks! That was his Christmas present that year! LOL.) This was a very small kiln, half the size of my other one, but it came with kiln furniture, shelves and stilts, all for only $200. It was an AMAZING find.
These 2 kilns sat in my garage at the rental house for about a year. I couldn’t use them yet because I wasn't allowed to get 220 Plugs installed in a rental house. So I continued to make the 45 minute drive to Armadillo in Austin, where I was firing my work.
TIP: Keep in mind that when you purchase or acquire a kiln, you will need:
- Proper ventilation (either in a shed away from your living structure or in a garage
with a ventilation system)
- The correct pronged outlet for your kiln (you’ll need to know AMPS and VOLTS of
your kiln)
- Heavy duty heat resistant gloves
- Fire extinguisher for safety
After about a year of living in the rental house, I moved into a house that was owned by a roommate! I was able to take up half of the two-car garage, where I acquired another old Goodwill table for cheap and folding tables that friends and family no longer needed. Because, LET’S BE HONEST- Art and Artists take up and NEED a lot of space!! I was able to install TWO 220-Volt Plugs for my Kilns!
TIP: I had my plugs installed on the outside of my house where there was space on the side of the house on a concrete porch. If your Kilns are going to be outside, make sure you purchase or look into getting a Shed of some type to protect your kilns from weather.
- Hire an electrician
- Save about $3,000 to get plugs installed (to pay for materials and labor)
To continue to pay bills, mortgage, buy groceries, pay for vet bills, make my car payment, etc…I still worked 2 jobs and (now that I had the proper space) I taught drawing, painting and ceramic art lessons to kids in my home studio on the weekends. I worked 7 days a week. I kept making and selling my own work in person, on Etsy and in Shows around the area that I could afford to participate in, and I took on more Commission Projects.
IT WAS HARD, BUT I KEPT PUSHING.
Due to job change, I needed to move back to Dallas. I moved in with my mom and step-dad, who had an extra room for me to take over. Once again, I proceeded to take over half of their two-car garage. They were able to put in two 220-Volt plugs for me in the garage! (That was my Christmas present that year!) Most amazing present EVER.
It’s May 2020 and I am currently settled in Richardson, TX, with my family, with my 2 cats, with my studio and I am still pushing on. Making work, selling work, and entering and participating in shows. My life as a Ceramic Artist is an ongoing work in progress. It has been full of tears, exhaustion, anger, joy, happiness, laughter, and a shit ton of very hard work. I have HUGE goals for myself, and they won’t stop here.
STAY TUNED…for my next Blog on “Glazing Materials, Tips and Tricks”
***LINKS! LINKS! LINKS!***
Bailey ST Pottery Wheel
https://www.baileypottery.com/m-600-025.html
10 Drawer Rolling Cart from Michaels
Armadillo in Austin
https://www.armadilloclay.com/#/
Austin Creative Reuse Center
https://www.austincreativereuse.org/
Shed from Home Depot
Metal Rolling Cart from Home Depot
