Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Shana Salaff | Episode 1094
Shana Salaff is a potter, painter, writer, and teacher who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she teaches at Front Range Community College. Originally from Toronto, Shana has also lived, worked, and studied in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Fullerton, California. Shana has participated in residencies in Fort Colllins, Bali, and Maine.
SPONSORS
You can help support the show!
GRPotteryForms.com
Number 1 brand in America for a reason. Skutt.com
For all your ceramic needs go to Georgies.com
When you write an article does the process start from you or does the magazine throw out calls for articles?
Definitely it comes from me. I don’t think I have been asked…oh, I was asked once to do a review. But in general I am the one throwing ideas at the editor.
Do you do your vast majority of research before you present it to the magazine or does that come after the idea has been excepted?
Yeah, I want to be paid for my research so it’s usually an idea that I present and then I put the time in for the article.
How do you go about writing a proposal for an article? Is there a format that one should follow?
I don’t think I followed a regular format. I think there are on the website, the Ceramic Arts Network website or the individual websites of Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated, I think there may be a contribute button or something you can click on to submit. That’s not how it worked for me though.
When you write up an idea how may paragraphs are you writing for the abstract?
What’s happened with me is that I developed a relationship with Jessica Knapp and most of the time we communicated by email. I think we had a phone conversation early on. She had liked my work and asked for my website and then she chose two pieces that she asked me if I would write about. I think the fact that I had my grad school thesis on there and she could tell that I could write helped.
In general, how long do you need to write an entire article?
Once I sit down and do it, it doesn’t take that long. I tend to procrastinate that part a little bit. It really depends on the article. When I am making the item that I am illustrating the steps and the how to, I usually make the item first and then while I am making it I can let my mind kind of percolate and I start writing after I feel I’ve got the item well enough along and photographed.
After it has been written is there any need for you to be promoting the article? After it has hit the press?
I probably should. (Laughter) I don’t. I am usually too busy. I probably should, now that there is Instagram…I think I have probably done some Instagram posts on an article, the more recent ones.
What has been a favorite response to one of your articles? Do you have one?
I do. This year in fact, I received an email from a woman, her name is Kristy J. Smith, and she’s writing her memoire. And she said, I found your work and your piece in the article you wrote for Pottery Making Illustrated. And it was about this vase that I called a Mocking Jay vase because I was listening to that is the studio, the Hunger Games sequel book. And in the article I talked about creating space for flow to happen. So learning ways and tricks to tamp down the part of your mind that gets anxious and inhibits creativity. And she and I had a conversation that was just so wonderful. Her book came out and she has a picture of my vase in there and talks about how it effected her. So that was a pretty amazing moment for me.
Book
Breath by James Nestor
Contact
Instagram: @shanasalaffartist