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Sarah Van Raden | Episode 444
Sarah Van Raden is a full time potter who has been at this business since March of 2015. Sarah loves to create simple, timeless, and organic forms with glazes that are subtle and refined. Sarah’s work is primarily in stoneware and porcelain.
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How does one develop their skills in a short period of time?
Repetition. Always. I mean for me that’s what it was. I threw the same eight forms over and over and over again for months until I got those down and then I scaled up a little bit. But yes, for me it was repetition.
You mentioned that a friend of yours contacted you about selling your work.How did you know you were ready to sell your work?
I don’t know that I did feel I was ready, honestly. It was really scary for me because first of all I didn’t feel like a real potter, whatever that means. I was self taught and I didn’t have any confidence in my work so it was really scary to put it out in the world. Feeling like I didn’t have any business being there. But at the same time I was kind of at a crossroads and I knew that I did not want to continue with my other career so I kind of took a leap of faith I guess.
You said it was really scary. Where does courage in you come from? Were you raised with courage, leaning into fear or was that something that you had to develop in yourself?
I think both. I mean my mom even to this day says: Don’t make that decision out of fear. Think about why you are saying No to that and if it’s because of fear then you should think about maybe saying yes. And if it’s for another good reason then sure. I always kind of have that at the back of my mind. As a young kid I studied abroad when I was about 15 years old I moved to Germany and lived in Berlin for a year. It was kind of a sink or swim moment but I think that developed a lot of courage in me.
Are you making it as a business?
We are, which is shocking to me.
To know that you are making it, what things do you have to know?
Well, I have to be able to pay all my bills. I have to be able to pay my full-time employee. And then I have to have enough money to pay for my children’s food and our bills at home. We kind of did the math when I started this job. My husband makes enough money to pay the mortgage and after that we need me, big time. So it kind of comes down to being able to support us as a family, to pay for my employee, and to pay for this space. As far as me making it as a potter it’s been pretty amazing to see my work around the world. To see my work in these beautiful shops that I probably would never have reached out to, they reached out to us. I think we are in something like 40-50 stores now. To me that feels like a pretty nice pat on the back I guess.
I mentioned earlier that you look happy. How does making it and happiness play together in your life?
Someone said to me the other day, something like, How do you find a balance? And I said something like, Balance is bull. I don’t have a balance but what I do think is important to find is your priorities and for me when I feel like I am being a decent mom and a pretty decent wife and a pretty decent friend and my business is still afloat, then I think I’m killing it. But I never feel like I am finding a balance, I am always feeling like I’m doing pretty well in business or I am really killing it at home, but I never feel like I am perfectly balanced in both.
What makes you smile?
My kids, they are really funny. They are pretty great, they definitely make me smile. When I get an email from someone who personally uses one of my pieces in their home or in their life and they like it and it makes them happy, that makes me really happy. Time with my friends and my husband and my family makes me happy. And time without them when I am home alone in my studio and it’s evening and my pretty little twinkly lights are on and it’s quiet and it’s just me and I’m filthy, I love that time.
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