Monday, July 27, 2009

Interview: potter Cindy Gilliland

Vital statistics (name, age, location, link to website/blog)?
Cindy Gilliland (Dirt-Kicker Pottery)
47
Washoe Valley, NV
dirt-kickerpottery.blogspot.com

Where do you work in clay?
My Studio, Located 50 feet from my house.

Do you have another job?
No. Prior to working with Clay, I worked in Escrow for 20 plus years.

Are your studio and occupation decisions made by choice or necessity? Please explain.
Choice. Pottery is a choice for me. I could make a more lucrative income working in escrow, but at this point in my life, I chose to make pots.

How do you budget your time (in the studio and out - family, errands, etc)?
I do whatever needs to be done. If I need to take care of grandkids or run some errands, well... the pottery has to wait. I'm usually in the studio 4 or 5 days a week.

Why do you make pots (or sculptures)?
It is a creative outlet. I makes me happy.

How concerned are you about environmental issues? Does this affect your work?
I'm very concerned about our environment. My work does not currently reflect my concerns.

What do you do when you're having a bad day in the studio?
I turn on Hawaiian Music, open a bad of Laguna Hawaiian Red clay, make me a Mai Tai and pretend I'm making pots in Hawaii :)

Do you create art in other mediums?
I paint with acrylics.

Where do you sell your work?
Open studio, Etsy, website (to be completed shortly) and word of mouth.

How did you approach those venues about selling your work?
I don't like lugging my work to shows or fairs. I prefer building a contacts list and selling directly from the Studio.

Do you have any questions you want to ask other ceramic artists, or artists in general?
When your love for making pottery turned into a job, did it hamper your creativity?

NEW question: If you could change one property of clay, what would it be? (optional question; from potter
John Bauman in the second Monday survey)
I like clay just the way it is.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

cindy... you were in escrow? sorry, i bet you get that all the time. interesting interview, love the answer about hawaiian music and mai tais

Linda Starr said...

Nice interview Erin, Cindy I hate lugging the pottery around too - it is a pain in the petute.

 
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