We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christine Silbaugh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christine , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have been able to earn a full-time living from my ceramic art since 2013. It all started by taking a ceramics class… Falling in love with clay instantly, I just had to have a ceramic studio of my own! My husband, who is in the construction industry, had built a couple of pottery studios in the area. One day a friend of his offered to give me pottery lessons. I jumped with excitement at the opportunity and started going every week. Discovering how diverse ceramics can be, ideas kept flooding my head & soon I had to do it every day. I started taking clay home and worked on small projects like buttons & beads. The wheel however wasn’t as easy as I dreamed it would be. But I am a determined person & kept trying even though at first I found it difficult make anything. I purchased a used pottery wheel & practiced daily. Soon after, my husband built me my very own studio at the back of our property and my pottery business was born.

I started by selling most of my wares at local art & craft shows and some shops. Then two of my friends, who had successful Etsy shops, suggested that I give it a try. I took their advice and started my shop in 2011. Thankfully it was at a time when Etsy was relatively new so it was easy to get traffic to my shop. Things have changed since then however I still think Etsy is one of the easiest ways to start selling online. They have great tools and amazing articles to help you learn how to sell online.

My business really started taking off so I had to hire my sister to help me with shipping. I also hired a part time potter to help me in the studio. These days my adult children help me in the studio.

To start selling your creative work I think the most important thing (and the hardest) is just to start and put yourself out there. You will learn along the way. I have learned you don’t have to have to know everything and you can start small. Just with a couple of things. There are so many helpful articles to show you how to sell online, you just need to apply the information.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Christine Silbaugh of Back Bay Pottery in Los Osos CA. I was born and raised on the central coast of California.
Growing up in this beautiful area I couldn’t help but be inspired by nature, birds, leaves, flowers, and the ocean. I was raised by artists and crafters and have been creating my whole life. I was taught how to look at things, not for what they are but for what they can become.

My childhood was filled with art, crafts & creative thinking. My twin sister & I would play with clay while my mother was using her old potters wheel on the back porch. Dad was always making some sort of sculpture out of things most people would consider “trash”, in between fixing cars so he could pay the bills.

After my children were born I did not want to return to a job outside of the home so I helped make ends meet by making a variety of things (mainly jewelry) & selling it at local shops. I learned how to make pottery from some local ceramic artists, youtube videos, books and articles.

I make a wide variety of things, from tiny little bird beads to functional pieces for the home and kitchen. Some of my best selling items are garlic graters, utensil holders, butter dishes and house numbers. One of a kind and handmade is special to me because it brings connection to our lives.

I am drawn to texture and color and I make things that I want in my own home. Most of my ideas come to me in quiet moments – often while I’m sleeping – so I keep a notebook by my bedside table to jot them down. I use both the wheel and hand building to create my pieces. My favorite techniques is called slip trailing. I draw with a squeeze bottle filled with liquid clay. I love coming up with new designs put on my pottery. It makes each piece special & unique. All my pottery is fired twice, and sometimes I use a process that requires a third or fourth firing. One of the best things is to open the kiln to see the amazing transformation: What was once a ball of clay is now a beautiful piece of art.

Often I get a wild idea to make something new and I just have to do it. I love connecting with my customers (from all over the world), hearing their inspiring ideas & making them come to life.

One of the best times to come visit the pottery studio is during the annual Open Studio Art Tour (OSAT), the two middle weekends in October. The artist community here in Los Osos has been instrumental in encouraging me to have my art based business and OSAT enables me to connect with the local community and out of town visitors. I love opening up my studio and showing people (especially young ones) how ceramics are made. We have over 200 artists that participate county wide and about 40 of them are right here in Los Osos.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

For most of my business I have relied on commercial clays and glazes, however it has been a challenge as the world continues to change and some ingredients are no longer available. Some clays and glazes that have worked for me for years no longer work well together. To solve these issues I have learned how to make some of my own glazes and am working on making my own clay bodies. There is a lot of science that goes into making ceramics and I have been taking glaze chemistry classes online. I continue to learn my craft and this helps me grow as an artist. There are many materials and techniques to try so making pottery never gets old.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

When I discovered ceramics (2010) it fit so perfectly. It is such a versatile medium that I am able to use all of my artistic skills. I love the idea of making useful and beautiful things that people will want to use every day.
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is to bring a positive connection to the world. I feel very blessed to have a life where I can create beautiful things, full time, and be there for my family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://backbaypottery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backbaypottery/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BackBayPotteryHome

Image Credits

Brooke Lee Photography & Back Bay Pottery