Author Archive: Paul Blais

Social Media and Its Impact | Emily May | Episode 503

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Emily May | Episode 503

Emily May is most at home while she is in the studio. Emily is an emerging, multidisciplinary artist from Vancouver, British Columbia who communicates her ideas mainly through ceramics but will also include sculpture, painting, film, performance, and collaborative work. Emily’s love for clay came accidentally when she enrolled in art school with the hopes of becoming a painter. In April 2016, Emily received her Fine Arts Diploma from Langara College and she is currently residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia where she transferred to NSCAD University. Emily is hoping to complete her BFA with a major in Ceramics this year (2019).

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YouTube for Potters | Jon Schmidt | Episode 502

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Jon Schmidt | Episode 502

Jon Schmidt is a potter, entrepreneur, adventurer, videographer, photographer, father, and husband. Jon began his pottery adventures in 2010 when he took his first wheel throwing class at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, MN.  Jon graduated with a Business management degree. Jon combined his passion for handmade pottery and entrepreneurship skills to purchase the coffee shop, Mocha Monkey in 2011, at 21 years old.   Since then, Mocha Monkey has grown from 1 store and 18 employees to 3 locations, and over 50 employees.  Mocha Monkey uses and sells all handmade Jon Schmidt pottery.  Jon has spent most of his time honing the pottery business, being a husband and father to his 18 month old son, Ryder and seeking out the next adventure.

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A Wholesale Maker in London | Hannah Bould | Episode 501

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Hannah Bould | Episode 501

Hannah Bould is a potter who lives and works in North London. Hannah initially studied Illustration at Camberwell college of Art and went on to work in Fine Art printmaking, before getting involved with clay in 2012. Hannah now works full time from her garden studio making functional, wheel thrown, stoneware ceramics. Hannah’s work is primarily monochromatic and she mostly works with wax resist, focusing on geometric bold shapes and expressive painterly marks.

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Listener’s Choice Part B | Picks From The First 500 Episodes | Episode 500B

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Picks From The First 500 Episodes | Episode 500B

I went to the mic and asked for the listeners to send me their top picks from the first 500 episodes and what part of the episodes really made and impact. For some of the people who wrote in I was able to call them and have a short conversation, and for others I read their email. Either way, this episode is dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy it.Continue reading→

Listener’s Choice Part A | Picks From The First 500 Episodes | Episode 500A

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Picks From The First 500 Episodes | Episode 500A

I went to the mic and asked for the listeners to send me their top picks from the first 500 episodes and what part of the episodes really made and impact. For some of the people who wrote in I was able to call them and have a short conversation, and for others I read their email. Either way, this episode is dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy it.

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Some Great Conversating | Ian Childers | Episode 499

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Ian Childers | Episode 499

Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Ian Childers is an Associate Professor of Ceramics at MUW in Columbus, MS.  Ian has been working with crystalline glazes since 2005 and has shown his work both internationally and nationally.  In June/July 2016 Ian was a featured artist in Pottery Making Illustrated magazine showcasing his crystalline glazes.

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“I Gotta Go Play Now” | Vicente Garcia | Episode 498

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Vicente Garcia | Episode 498

Vicente is on the left

Vicente Garcia is involved in producing a body of work that includes vessels in clay, clay and steel, and steel sculptures.  In ceramics Vicente’s expertise is in primitive firing techniques, primarily raku and pit fires. In steel Vicente focuses on the fabrication process using many kinds of metals.

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By Any Means Necessary | Adrian King | Episode 497

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Adrian King | Episode 497

Adrian King is a potter making functional pottery in Portland, ME. Adrian grew up in New England and learned making pottery in high school. Adrian then pursued a BFA in ceramics as well as worked as an apprentice potter in NC. He now has returned to Maine to make pots and teach adjunct at a local art college.

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Stepping Up The Game, Stepped Up The Results | Scott McClellan | Episode 496

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Scott McClellan | Episode 496

Scott McClellan is a wood fire potter from northern Utah. Scott received his BFA from Utah State University. He then worked as a Studio Technician at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and a Resident Artist at Taos Clay. Scott then received an MFA from the University of Missouri. Scott is currently the Wood Fire Resident at The Clay Studio of Missoula.

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Making a Side Hustle | Markus Flach | Episode 495

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Markus Flach | Episode 495

Markus Flach was born in Bamberg, Germany in 1979. He came in contact with pottery during a backpacking trip around the Dingle Island in Ireland in 2014 where his girlfriend paid for a 10 minute mini-pottery class. Markus really fell in love pretty much right away and a few weeks after returning home he bought a pottery wheel.

The following months he learned how to do pottery step by step almost entirely on his own. He purchased his first little electric kiln – then a raku kiln and started experimenting with the different styles of pottery.

Markus is a part-time potter and works at the Family Business (Paper Wholesale Company with 7 Employees) at the same time – giving him the freedom to really concentrate on the things he likes the most in pottery.

His focus is both on doing stoneware pottery and raku. Most of his works sell over the internet thanks to Instagram or facebook.

This year he made a raku film with a talented Filmmaker named Thomas Diroll. In Summer he became a Dad and is now proud father of his second son (first one with his divorced wife).

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