Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with potter and gallery owner Sandy Simon. She was a student of Warren MacKenzie’s at the University of Minnesota in the late 1960’s where she developed a studio practice of making utilitarian pots that continues to this day. In 1994 Sandy opened Trax Gallery in Berkeley, CA and has used the space to champion functional pottery. In our interview we talk about balancing form and decoration to create a unified pot, best practices for approaching galleries, and how the internet has changed the way pots are sold. For more information on Sandy visit www.traxgallery.com.

 

Hey Red Clay Rambler fans, the most common feedback I get from you is that this podcast helps you feel connected to other artists. We live in a divided time and many of us are working by ourselves in solitary studios. The podcast combats that feeling of isolation by fostering a sense of community, while also providing an archive of our field. At this point our Patreon sustaining membership program and our sponsors contribute less than half of our monthly budget of $2000, which goes to promotion, production costs, and labor. My wife and I kick in the rest, which we do out of love for the project, but as you can imagine we could really use your help. The goal of our Fall Fund Drive is to raise $12,000 for the next year.

I care deeply about this community, and I think art and making are vital to our world, now more than ever. I’m guessing you feel the same, so if you are able please donate to the show. Recurring donations are best because it allows us to create a stable budget, but one-time donations are also very helpful. You can find out more about these two options at www.talesofaredclayrambler.com/donate. Before I go, I want to ask one more favor. After you make your donation ask a friend to match your pledge with their own. Word of mouth is the best call to action, so I ask that you help me, by encouraging your friends and studio mates to support the show. With your help I can keep producing the interviews you have come to love.

 

For today’s AMACO Community Corkboard we have Greenwich House Pottery’s annual Made In Clay holiday sale happening December 13th and 14th. The sale features work by over fifty participating artists and takes place at GHP’s historic brick walk-up at 16 Jones Street in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village. For more info about Made in Clay visit www.greenwichhouse.org/calendar. I’d like to thank Amaco/Brent for sponsoring the community corkboard. Brent Equipment is celebrating their 50th Anniversary this year and have created a Limited Edition Black CXC wheel. For more information visit www.amaco.com.