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Russell Kingston | Episode 1015
Russell Kingston’s work is deeply rooted in the North Devon Slipware and country pottery traditions and I hope to make Contemporary Slipware that has a good anchor in tradition, Marrying old techniques with newer ones, the goal of Russel is to be moving forwards while always looking backwards.
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Is it possible to unplug when you are a small business, a maker, an accountant, a marketing guru and all the other projects. Is it possible to really get unplugged?
No is probably the answer to that. I mean if you are trying to please the algorithms you’ve got to do the things to make sure your thing gets spread out. I have started recently putting my phone on do not disturb while I am out with the pottery. Which is good because you don’t get any pings. But once you open it, it’s a can of worms.
So in order to be productive you have set some boundaries for your work time, is that accurate?
You have to, I think. I work with lists a lot. I give myself vague goals and if I have done them I cross them off my list. It’s pretty good isn’t it? Crossing something off the list. (laughter)
Do you have any boundaries like that for out of studio hours? Do you have a time frame to schedule non-studio necessities like Instagram and accounting etc.?
No, but I should. I feel like I am just learning how to navigate to work-life balance because it’s just a learning curve, isn’t it? It’s like how much of yourself do you want to give away? How much do you need to put effort in? And how much can you ignore if possible? Not to upset people, because you need the headspace.
Do you plan your week out and put your lists together so that you know what you are supposed to do to give yourself direction, purpose, productivity?
Yes, when I am being really productive, yes. Sometimes I don’t do that and then I just float around. I still make stuff but not in the same quantities, because you can procrastinate between every job. So if you have got a list and you have crammed in as much as you can do and you haven’t got time to procrastinate then you are doing that job and you are looking through the list and moving straight on to the next job, if you have given yourself not enough to do that’s when the procrastination kicks in.
How big of a stumbling block is tech for you in your studio or even in your private life?
I would say I can get by. But I would say it frustrates me sometimes because some things I don’t feel I should have to do. Like sometimes you have to send in photos to get into shows or whatever and they tell you they have to be in a certain size, so many pixels for this and that and I can’t be bothered to work out how to change that because why should I? It doesn’t matter. I can just send you the picture and you can sort it out.
Do you ever recruit other to help you be more productive?
I have thought about it, more so on the internet side of things. I don’t want anyone to make my work because i think they should be making their work, not my work. I would like to have an apprentice at some point but that would be to help them blossom as a maker not to help them make my work.
Outside from the studio and away from clay what is your best non-potting activity that you find restful?
I would say there’s two. Walking with the dog, love that. And I really like cooking. So that was half the reason why I started functional pottery because I like to cook and make tasty food because eating food is nice, isn’t it? And then you get to display it and celebrate that food.
Book
Pots in the Kitchen by Josie Walter
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
Contact
Instagram: @russellkingstonceramics