We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Audrey Mason. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Audrey below.

Audrey, appreciate you joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Running into unexpected issues is part of life as a potter! There are a lot of points in the pottery process where a piece could flop over, crack, break, or simply not turn out as imagined. The average potter (myself included) deals with a 10-20% failure rate when they’re producing work, due to the fragility of the making process. That means I need to plan ahead. If I have an order for 50 mugs, I know I should create 60 mugs. And I know, when 10 of them inevitably aren’t up to snuff, that it’s simply part of life. Part of the process. Pottery has taught me how to move through failure—instead of against it—with resiliency, acceptance, and a bit more creativity.

Audrey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started making pottery in a one-time date-night pottery class in 2017! It was a 3-hour wheel-throwing class, and I was instantly hooked. I’d always loved handmade ceramics, but actually moving the clay on the wheel myself was a feeling I can’t describe. I knew immediately that I was meant to be a pottery artist.

After that class, I threw myself into learning how to make pottery on the pottery wheel. I took a few more beginner classes, but am otherwise largely self-taught. The online pottery community is a wealth of knowledge, and artists with years of experience are open and helpful for young learners like me. (Now, I try to be helpful to new potters, too!)

Today, I make wheel-thrown pottery in my home studio in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I make functional pottery, meaning: microwave- and dishwasher-safe pots you can use and love, like mugs, bowls, vases, planters, spoon rests, etc. My design inspiration is twofold: I look to marry my love for handmade beach-inspired pottery with clean lines and modern design.

Right now, I sell my work in a co-op art gallery downtown (where I also work at the desk twice a week), online on my website, and at art festivals in the Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland area.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Obviously, the arts nationwide (and worldwide) are underfunded and could use more support. I’d also love to see more of a shift in societal thinking about artists—and BY artists—about art & maker businesses. It’s time to move beyond the “starving artist” narrative. Artists can—and should—be seen as legitimate businesses that can make money and (dare I say it?!) make a profit. But we need help and guidance to get there. There is a lot of incredibly helpful information out there for service-based small businesses, but the information well quickly runs dry for makers. Many artists have no training in business, accounting, or marketing. I’d love to see experts share their knowledge about how artists can apply those concepts to their maker businesses.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love listening to podcasts while I’m in the pottery studio, and I stumbled upon the Keeping Shop podcast in late 2019. As someone whose dream it is to own her own studio & storefront, it was incredible to hear directly from other small business owners specifically about opening and running their own brick & mortar stores. I devoured the entire backlog over the course of a month or so, and I still frequently re-listen to episodes for inspiration. The host hasn’t produced any new episodes in a year or so, but the backlog is SO worth the listen for anybody who hopes to open their own brick and mortar one day!

One recent interview on the Keeping Shop podcast turned me onto the Profit First method, which I’ve started following in my business. It’s a simple way to manage your bookkeeping using a modern version of the envelope method, and it’s made a world of difference in being able to easily see my cash flow, expenses, and profits simply by checking my bank accounts. Art businesses are still businesses, and we deserve to earn a profit, too! Check out “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz. You won’t regret it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.potterymason.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/thepotterymason
• Facebook: facebook.com/thepotterymason
• Other: Pottery Mason at Sean Kelley Art & Friends 42 Rehoboth Avenue, #4 (Penny Lane) Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Image Credits
(C) Audrey Mason 2022