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Dennis Stark | Episode 453
Dennis Stark was born and raised in Quincy, Illinois. He moved to Maryland in 1979 while serving in the U.S. Air Force and currently lives in Frederick, MD. Dennis is a functional potter and draws most of his inspiration from Warren Makenzie. Dennis began his ceramic career in 2012 by attending classes at the Frederick Pottery School and at Frederick Clay Studio. Most of Dennis’ training came from workshops and ‘Youtube University’. Dennis, with his partner Phil Berneburg and his wife and partner Gerri Berman, founded Washington Street Studios in 2017. Dennis transitioned to be a full-time studio potter and gallery owner on June 1st, 2018.
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How involved have you been with social media for growing the business?
I am the person who built the website, who does all the Instagram posts, who does the Facebook updates, and Wix is the provider of our website. They have a really cool thing called Shout Out that creates our email marketing schemes. So yeah, social media is very important.
How often are you sending emails?
Generally 20 or 30 times a month.
That’s a lot!
Yeah. But they are all about different topics. For example, I told you about the Potter’s round table that is the second Saturday of the month. The week following the round table I will send a burst that just says: The topic for the next round table is _____. And I let them know when it going to go on and later in the month I will send a reminder and then the week before the event I send out a final reminder. Then when we ever have a workshop or whatever I do the same sort of thing. Many of our classes have very limited seating so sending reminders is helpful to them.
What is your email unsubscription rate look like?
I have had 204 exactly and 2 people have unsubscribed. I’ve got 136 that are active. Meaning they open almost every single one.
You are running this business and you are about to expand. How much time do you devote to your own making?
I actually can make while I am at the business so it’s kind of cool. I am able to put in 20-30 hours a week if I want to. I have been averaging about twenty hours a week.
What are you doing with all the work you are making?
Well that is interesting. I make the mugs for our church. I just give that away to them. I’ve got this thing going on. There is a free clinic that has one of those bowls events and everybody comes with extra bowls and everything. I am trying to figure out a monthly rhythm where I can invite a bunch of potters to come over to our studios and throw some bowls. We will just put them in a closet somewhere until someone comes and asks for them and just give them what ever they want.
How important are sales for you as a maker?
Not really all that important. We are fortunate enough that all our bills are paid by the memberships. So the galleries are really for our own fun to be able to sell some pots and get some stuff out there.
How are you advertising for the gallery specifically?
This is the first year of having the gallery really. So I haven’t done a lot of advertising but for next year we are really looking forward to posting and getting our name out. We did get our name out on the local maps. Our area has a lot of tourist maps that they tear off and give out.
Why take on such a big endeavor when this is suppose to be taking it easy time?
It is taking it easy. I love throwing pots and I love potters. We are giving back to the community. It’s just easy, and it’s good and it’s fun. It is not hard work.
Book
A Potter’s Book by Bernard Leach
Contact:
Instagram: @washingtonstreetstudios