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Melissa Weiss | Episode 183
Melissa with her mud harvest
Melissa Weiss is a self-taught studio potter in Asheville, NC. All the pots Melissa makes are made from the clay she digs from her land in Arkansas and is minimally processed. Melissa makes functional pottery and fires it in a gas reduction kiln with reduction cooling. Melissa also runs an 8000 sq ft warehouse which houses over 20 artists.
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Do you believe in casting a vision for a business and working towards that vision?
Yes, I work good like that. Having a plan and acting on it.
What does your goal setting process look like?
I try to keep them realistic. I don’t make goals like I need this to be happening and I need this to be happening, because I think that can just be a bummer. My goals are to go to the studio every day and make work. I try to do experiments and make new forms and test some new glazes when it slows down a little bit in the winter.
What is the key to having a successful communal pottery studio?
Being nice to people and then you will have a nice group of people that you can work with every day. Be direct. When people move into the studio I am very honest and make sure it is the right fit.
How do you price your work?
It’s hard. People were telling me I needed to raise my prices and I realized I could never make a living selling pots if they weren’t priced right. I try to think of people that have similar work and I try to take into account that I dig my clay and it is a lot of work.
If you could have a super power what would your super power be?
I would want to fly.
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Instagram: @melissaweisspottery