Back Into Clay and Building a Business | Jessica Butala | Episode 454

Jessica Butala | Episode 454

Jessica Butala is an Industrial Designer working in product development. Jessica also has an uncontrollable passion for Ceramics. Jessica has worked with clay since high school and recently built a home studio to experiment with clay more often. Jessica draws inspiration from nature and enjoys adding a folkloric element to her work.

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From your point of view what is the single most important thing a person has to do to start a clay business?

I would say just be curious about what you can make and find a market for it. And understand that there are limitations to materials and sourcing like where are you going to make it. Is it going to be at home? Is it going to be in a studio? Then how to work around those challenges.

What do you enjoy the most about what you are doing? Do you like the business or do you like the making?

Definitely the making. The business is a fun challenge, there are a lot of thing that I thought I knew that I am learning and getting better at and it feels pretty good. Just knowing if I have 15 mugs due on that date I can hit that goal.

Do you do a lot of commission work?

I haven’t gotten a lot of offers. I have gotten a couple of people, so I would say not really. I definitely do some side work for non-profits like animal rescue. Like maybe I will make a couple of freebies and give it to them so they can raise money for the cause. I consider that commission work even though I am not getting paid.

Do you have a quota that you try and put into your making schedule?

Not really. Only if I try to plan for a particular market. I set goals and lists for myself but I also allow myself freedom to say maybe I can change it as I go. Whatever comes off the wheel is what goes.

What part of working with clay do you like the least? Is there any part in the process that makes you cringe?

I get a little bit nervous about the potential dust hazard working with ceramics so I think that is one of the reasons that I am so tidy. I even sponge the floor after every session because I do not want any dust build up.

What is the thing you struggle with most as far as the business part of clay?

It is probably something I could easily fix if I put my mind to it a little more and it’s tracking of materials, purchases, whatever I buy for the studio. I could probably track that a little better.

What is your favorite date for you and your husband to go out on?

One of the things we really enjoy is just kind of being out together. Whenever we go out we like to sit at the bar, not just for drinking but because at any given time there are usually always 2 seats at the bar. We will kind of sit down, share an appetizer, and we will pull out the sketchbooks and just drawing or talking or planning or just talking about creative stuff and dreaming a little bit. I like that a lot.