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Sarah Chatawanich | Episode 1073
Sarah Chatawanich has been a working artist for over 20 years within a wide range of disciplines. Sarah’s current work focuses on the Japanese art of nerikomi. Sarah mixes stains with porcelain to create colored clays, which are then layered into blocks and sliced through to reveal unique patterns. Sarah’s pieces are sanded at various stages and polished to create smooth, vibrantly colored surfaces.
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Do you actively try and grow your audience? To search out new people to reach?
I do not. (laughter) No, I’m sorry. I don’t. I don’t know, I’m just making my stuff and putting it out there. That’ just really all I’ve got time for right now.
How do you keep track of sales? Do you have any computer programs or software that helps you?
I use Shopify and that does a lot of that for me.
Is there something about Shopify you wish was better?
No, I think I like pretty much everything that they are doing on there. It’s really easy to use and edit an function. I think it’s a great platform.
Do you have any special shipping services that you use to get discount on postage or anything like that?
Shopify puts that in there which is great. I can tell them which shipping providers I want to use, what’s nearby me, and they do it all for me. And through Shopify I get a discount or better rates.
How do you stay inspired to continue to be a maker?
I feel like I have about a million ideas already in my head and I try to write them all down. It takes so long to get to most of them that I feel like I have a nice notebook filled with ideas. But anytime I am out anywhere I feel like I am inspired by just about everything.
Is making ever a discipline as opposed to a passion?
I think there are parts of it that are. I mean, I don’t enjoy every part of making nerokomi but you do those parts to get to the end and I think that sitting down and starting the block is definitely a passion. And having the idea and seeing if I can get anywhere close to it with layered clay is a passion.
Who inspires you to be an artist?
Well, I think I have been lucky to have a lot of artist friends in my life, especially from the early days when we had our art gallery and artists that I got to work with in the gallery with me. We lived in sort of an art community that was filled with art galleries and art owners and I guess they were my original inspiration and probably planted a seed in me that has just sort of grown over the years.
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Instagram: @chatawanich.ceramics