Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Rachel Bultman | Episode 426
Rachel Bultman is a wife, mother and full-time potter based in Alaska. Rachel has a background in oil painting and now creates functional pottery with detailed, hand painted surface designs. Rachel and her husband blur the line between production potter and studio potter by producing a large number of pieces while focusing on modern, artistic design.
SPONSORS
Number 1 brand in America for a reason. Skutt.com
For all your ceramic needs go to Georgies.com
How do you find inspiration?
Well, I am really inspired by home and making home a pleasant place and peaceful place and somewhere you want to be. So I just try to think of designs and shapes that I would want to have in my home and show to my guests that I am hosting and just kind of enrich my life. So that is the kind of thing I am thinking about when I design my pots. Obviously I am inspired a bit by nature and landscape.
How do you go about developing your skills?
With pottery it is just so hands on and I am doing it so often I think it is impossible to not improve. When you are making 80 mugs a week you are definitely going to get better with every mug you make. I feel like I am practicing constantly so it just kind of happens naturally.
How important is your community of potters for you to feel like you are not alone?
It is important. I think even just living in a small town it gets a little claustrophobic here in the winter time when it is dark and cold and there isn’t a lot of place to go so you kind of have to have good relationships to keep you going. I think community in a small town is huge. As far as a potters community, I’m kind of just stepping into that. I am a little bit of a newby. I think it is great that there are so many of us in a small space.
How does one go about setting up a budget?
I think it is important to be really realistic about every expense that you have. There is always little things that you don’t think matter that you don’t think that you need to add to your budget but they add up fast. So you have to kind of account for everything and make sure you over-budget for stuff so you know that you are going to have excess more often than be in the negative.
Is it important to budget towards excess instead of towards exactness?
I think so.
How does one work with a spouse and not hate them as a louse?
Well, I mean I know for me we just really love working together. We take small amounts of time to ourselves
Book
Brewing Up a Business: Adventures in Beer From the Founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery by Sam Calagione
Contact:
Instagram: @rbdpottery