Working Two Jobs And Chasing The Dream | Eliana E. Rodriguez | Episode 939

Eliana E. Rodriguez | Episode 939

Eliana E. Rodriguez is a Latina artist of color who creates pottery, prints and illustrations. Eliana has served as a Studio Assistant at the Penland School of Craft, and is a Speedball Demo Artist. Eliana has a clay and printmaking studio in Asheville, NC where she continues to make work.

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Tell me what your work week looks like.

So essentially I work mostly morning to afternoon, so midafternoon is usually the times when I try to schedule my studio times and for me studio times can look like I am working in the studio or I am answering emails or creating content for social media. So I usually try to stick to doing that in the afternoons right now.

Do you have a mentor or a group that help to hash things out? That helps you head towards the dream that you have?

I don’t have an in-person group in Asheville right now but I do connect with a lot of potters through social media and talking to them and getting advice and supporting each other really helps me in that way.

Do you have a marketing strategy for getting your work out there?

I don’t think that’s the best question for me. (laughter)

I would say my marketing strategy right now is just kind of do it all. I’m doing the Instagram thing, website, I just launched a Patreon, I am working on in-person pop ups. So just trying to diversify my reach and do it all if I can.

Where are you putting your pieces right now to make them available for the public?

Right now I am mostly working through my online shops. So I have a shop update and part of my studio space I have a wall space that can be reached by the public so I sometimes put some work on display there. So people can grab it, Venmo me, and be on their way.

You created your own link tree for your bio. Where did you come up with that idea?

I came up with that idea a little bit through my work. From my work I have done some website updating so when it came to creating on my own I wanted to have that link tree without having to pay for it and I wanted to be able to customize it to what my brand colors are. So through Squarespace I created my own site that has buttons and links and that way I can keep it all in one place for myself.

Who is your clay crush?

My clay crush is actually someone you have had on your podcast, Courtney Hassmann. I love their work. I am trying to get my hands on one of their pieces, but I am obsessed a little bit.