Lindsey and Donte chat about how they handle goals with multiple timelines. There’s talk of monetary investments vs time investments, risk tolerance, saving mental energy, and working with what makes your brain tingle. What’s the main way you get your sh*t done when you’re juggling multiple goals? Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us a me…

In this blast from the past, Lindsey and Donte chat with Becca and Ryan from Wheel Talk Podcast in the NCECA 2023 Podcast Room. Have you ever been to an NCECA? Drop your thoughts in the comments, or send us a message @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning professional ceramic artist who m…

Lindsey and Donte chat about a few of the different kinds of paperwork they’ve dealt with as professional artists. From the different tax forms to contracts and what counts as a business expense, these Mud Peddlers give an overview of some of the most confusing parts of being a working artist. What was the most confusing part of getting your busine…

Lindsey and Donte chat about Donte’s big life news, and what his experiences and learning moments have been at his new teaching gig. There’s talk of age factors in teaching, politics in the classroom, and why it’s important to teach the “why” along with the “how”. Do you have a burning question about teaching you’d like us to discuss? Drop your sug…

Shinos and celadons and tenmokus oh my! Lindsey interviews Donte about some of the most famous glazes you’re likely to hear about in the ceramics world. There’s talk of when and where they come from, what makes them unique, and why they’re different from the bottled glazes of the same name you can buy today. Is there a historical topic within ceram…

Lindsey interviews Donte in this low-key chat about his solo adventures at ClayCon West. There’s talk of crowd sizes and artist talks, expectations and infrastructure… And why there might be a new Hogwarts-style sorting ceremony to be had. Do you like going to big festive events? Or do you gravitate towards those that are more small and low-key? Te…

Lindsey and Donte chat about their experiences at their first event of 2024! There’s talk of navigating price changes, successful and failed plans for inventory management, creating an efficient booth setup, avoiding wifi struggles, and what to do when there are just some things that are out of your control. Oh, and what these mud peddlers think of…

Lindsey and Donte look forward into 2024. There’s talk of taking care of our bodies, the fun to be had while procrasti-planning, and why Donte just can’t stop experimenting with glazes. What are you most looking forward to in 2024? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillo…

Lindsey and Donte look back at 2023. They touch base with the goals they set, share the unexpected changes that came up along the way, and dig through some of their biggest lessons learned from this past year. What was your biggest takeaway from this past year (ceramics or otherwise)? _____ About Your Hosts Lindsey M Dillon is an award-winning prof…

Lindsey and Donte chat with Birdie Tam! Join them as they discuss Birdie’s world of ceramic art and illustration, style development, going full time as an artist, balancing social media with making, hustle culture, what it’s like being an artist in Sweden…and more! What’s one question you’d want to ask Birdie if you were interviewing her? (And hey,…

Lindsey and Donte discuss some technical and social myths around the pottery and wider ceramic world. Welcome to Part 2! Which of our social and technical myths was most interesting to you? Got one you think should be on the list? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @earthnationceramics or @lindseymdillon! Referenced Artists and others: For Flu…

You may have heard me say I’ve been wanting to integrate more creative writing into my art practice. While this episode has nothing to do with ceramics, it is born from a love of writing and love of horror stoked by podcast The Magnus Archives. My eternal thanks to the incredible artists behind The Magus Archives not only for making an incredible s…

Lindsey and Donte discuss some technical and social myths around the pottery and wider ceramic world. From thoughts on porcelain to setting goals for followers, they discuss some of the myths they’ve faced, the ways they’ve formed, and the ways they’ve navigated them. Have you ever had a moment where you realized a lesson you’d been taught wasn’t r…

81. Financial Deep Dive: “How do you do what you do?” Lindsey and Donte go deep into the details of how they manage the financial part of their lives as working artists. From yearly income and where that income comes from to healthcare and retirement planning, these two mud peddlers invite you to see how they’re surviving and thriving* in this late…

Lindsey checks in with Donte about his teaching adventures. Ever wondered what kind of challenges might meet a first-time in-person instructor? From balancing time between students to updating his curriculum, Donte shares his. What’s a time you had to adapt to suddenly-changing circumstances in your art? Tell us in the comments or tag us using @ear…

79. SacAnime Summer 2023 Review Lindsey and Donte discuss their experiences at SacAnime. They walk through their expenses and profits, how they dealt with the tricky business of getting reception in a giant building made of concrete, and both new and old strategies they put to work to navigate their *very* busy weekend. Curious about the nuts and b…

Lindsey and Donte wrestle with the question of when you should push yourself beyond your comfort level in your work. There’s talk of the techniques Lindsey and Donte have used over the years to push their own work, how to balance creative itch-scratching with your income goals, and methods to push yourself should you choose to do so. When is a time…

Lindsey and Donte sit down with Evie of @mudmonsterclayworks to chat about everything from pricing philosophy, to navigating big life changes that affect studio time...to the best way to bribe your studio manager to make sure your piece gets into the next firing. If you were on the call today, what question would you ask Evie? Tell us in the commen…

With Donte’s upcoming, first ever in-person classes starting this week, Lindsey and Donte chat about teaching at a ceramics studio. They discuss everything from their approaches to curriculum development and how much they’re getting paid, to the pros and cons of teaching at a ceramics studio and how they’ve decided if teaching is or isn’t for them……

Lindsey and Donte celebrate The Mud Peddlers’ three-year anniversary/birthday/marker of time being in your ears! Listen as they chat about what three years of this podcast has meant to them, and hear from fellow listeners! A huge thank you to everyone who listens to The Mud Peddlers…we wouldn’t be here three years later without you. An extra big th…

74. Tips for Starting a Youtube Channel Lindsey picks Donte’s brain about starting a Youtube channel. From whether it’s better to buy a nice camera or a nice mic, to what “success” on Youtube might look like for you, join these mud peddlers for both an in the weeds and 30,000 foot view of this giant among social media and entertainment platforms. D…

Lindsey and Donte check in on their progress towards the goals they set at the beginning of the year. Among conversations around contracts, classes, and children, they find out which goals they’ve met, and which ones have shifted since the dawn of 2023. How is your year shaping up so far? Tag us on social media or tell us in the comments! _____ Abo…

Lindsey and Donte continue their exploration of a question from listener @harta.vs. This episode's “eureka” moments focus on the emotional. There’s talk of who defines value, what defines success, and exactly how many tears Lindsey shed over her grad school application. What’s one of your biggest emotional eureka moments? Tell us in the comments, o…

It’s big breakthroughs this week as Lindsey and Donte answer a listener question from @harta.vs in way more detail than anyone wanted! It’s “eureka” moments, or situations where a lightbulb went off and changed everything. This week it’s technical breakthroughs – what ours have been, and how we think you can find your own. What’s one of your bigges…

Lindsey and Donte catch up after Lindsey’s sudden and semi-mysterious disappearance. There’s talk of sand and washing machines, debates over lowering prices, and discussions of all the adult things that occupied Donte while Lindsey was away. Also Donte is starting a new in-person class at Industrial Minerals Co. (IMCO). If you’re in the Sacramento …

In this special vlog-style podcast, Lindsey and Donte document their time at NCECA 2023. From sleep-deprived flights to amped-up live podcasting sessions, join them at they share each day's experience during the nation's largest ceramics convention. Did you go to NCECA? What was your favorite part? If you were to go, what would you be most interest…

Lindsey and Donte finish their 2-part miniseries about how and why to develop a body of work – or, how to create a series of pieces in your own style. In Part 2, they discuss how to choose what to make your series about, different aspects of that series to focus on, and overall how to make work that’s “yours”. There’s talk of what makes conceptual …

Lindsey and Donte begin their 2-part miniseries about how and why to develop a body of work – or, how to create a series of pieces in your own style, in less art school terminology. In Part 1, they share their tips and techniques for getting consistent shapes. They talk tools, efficiency, and experimentation…as well as some risque anime tropes… Do …

Lindsey and Donte share how they’ve shaped and balanced their social lives with their time in the studio. They describe the wildly different ways they structure their friendships, how they navigate time with family, how their non-ceramics work schedules have changed as their businesses have grown, their biggest challenges as they’ve shaped their so…

65. SacAnime Winter Review: “We wanna buy our nerd sh*t!” Lindsey and Donte share their experience at the recent SacAnime Convention (Jan 6-8th 2023). There’s talk of what worked well, things they did differently this con compared to conventions past, how much inventory they brought vs. how much money they made, and generally how they fared at a co…

Lindsey and Donte have a chat about glaze chemistry. Or, rather, Lindsey interviews Donte about a medley of glaze chemistry topics as he descends deeper into the knowledge pool provided by Rose and Matt Katz in their renowned Ceramic Materials Workshop. Donte shares some of the experiments he’s exploring regarding cones, melting points, and adjusti…

Lindsey and Donte reflect upon this past year, and share their exciting prospects for the year to come. There’s talk of goals met and goals abandoned, glaze chemistry and slip casting, and some new projects (both at home and out of state) that they’re looking forward to in 2023. What’s one big success you’ve had this past year? What are you most lo…

Lindsey and Donte debate the pros and cons of selling online and selling in person – and which they prefer. There’s talk of everything from personality types and performance, to location and love notes. How do you prefer to sell your work? If you’ve never sold your work before but are interested in doing so, what’s your biggest barrier to getting s…

Lindsey and Donte talk all things handles: the different ways you can make them, the pros and cons of each making method, style vs. function, tips for improving your handles if you’re a beginner, and how the way they make handles has changed with time and projects. They recommend a few different artists to look at for reference, and even suggest a …

Lindsey and Donte again touch upon the topic of preparing for the holidays. In a more musing sequel to their 2020 episode on holiday prep, these two mud peddlers discuss their holiday shop update plans, where they focus their numbers on inventory when there’s multiple demands on their product, and changing perspectives on money-making and efficienc…

Lindsey and Donte sit down with Aaron Navarro of Dirty Panda Ceramics for a very nerdy discussion of everything from pricing, glaze techniques, and inventory management, to B movies, Warhammer, and Nick Cage. Find Aaron’s work on Instagram (@dirtypanda_ceramics) and meet him in person this January at Sacramento’s SacAnime Con. What was your favorit…

From sponges in beginner packets to touch-screen kilns, Lindsey and Donte discuss tools – and their experiences with what’s a necessity, what’s a luxury, and what’s totally superfluous. They consider what you gain or lose by using certain tools, how perceptions of what’s a “necessary” tool have changed over time, and when it’s better to experiment …

Lindsey and Donte discuss what they do when the kiln gods do NOT bless their firings, and they end up with pieces that don’t meet their regular quality standards. They share what makes a “second” for them, the pros and cons of selling seconds, the different ways you could go about it if you’re considering selling your seconds, and how we navigate t…

Lindsey and Donte discuss the answer to a question that always creeps up on people just getting into ceramics: What exactly is the difference between an oxidation and a reduction firing? They share that answer both in layman’s terms, and with a single pinkie toe in the chemistry behind it all. They also discuss other elements around the oxidation v…

Welcome to The Night Peddlers! In what may soon become a regular Patrons-only side show, The Night Peddlers is the top hat and brandy swilling side of The Mud Peddlers. Imagine Donte and Lindsey sitting by the fireside, talking to each other about their studio adventures, personal lives, and other behind the "behind-the-scenes" stories that wouldn'…

Lindsey and Donte revisit what was once a mainstay in their creative worlds in the time before the ‘rona: selling at anime conventions! As Lindsey gets ready for her first in-person event since 2020 (SacAnime Summer on Labor Day weekend) she and Donte discuss some of the most-often-asked questions about preparing for an in-person selling event, and…

Lindsey and Donte check in on the progress of their 2022 goals. They share what they have accomplished (and what they learned from doing so) and what they’ve had to kick down the road a bit (and how they’re adapting their plans for the rest of the year). There’s talk of parenting as a potter, what mental blocks have kept some goals perpetually on t…

Lindsey and Donte share how they navigate making videos of their work for social media. From TikTok and Instagram Reels to Youtube, they discuss how they manage their video content,, the biggest challenges they face in creating videos, and some ways to make your own video content-creation a bit easier if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the ever-chang…

Lindsey and Donte dip their toes into the “big-brain” topic of ways to interpret art. Art can be moving and captivating. But it can also be intimidating. And confusing. And even straight up boring. Many of us can say we have a favorite genre of music, but not everyone feels sure enough to say what kind of art they like. Especially if it’s the kind …

Lindsey and Donte talk about how they take photos. There’s talk of light, color, angles, backgrounds, editing tools, and the ever-important vibe of photographs -- and how it relates to their branding. They also share some tips that helped them as they started taking pictures of their work...there's even a little homework assignment for you to try o…

Lindsey and Donte start out with a conversation about more pricing details, and how to balance skill, time, and rarity in pricing in your ceramic art… Which evolves into a lively debate about what makes something valuable. There’s discussion of social constructs, the lifecycle of fads, when properly valuing work becomes price gouging. And – of cour…

Lindsey and Donte answer a listener question about stamina in the studio – mental, physical, and creative stamina. Alongside some practical tips about how to get the most out of your time on the wheel, Donte and Lindsey discuss their sometimes differing philosophies about when to push through emotional blocks, whether to focus on production consist…

Lindsey and Donte go head-to-head for the title in this EXTREME podcasting experience! Donte swaggers to the table with Squarespace, his trusty website-builder and selling platform. Lindsey strides up with Etsy, the easy – but controversial – marketplace website. They swing at each other, comparing each website with such ferocious topics as ease of…

Lindsey and Donte debrief after an exciting – and exhausting – experience at NCECA (the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts). Between telling stories of the people they met and the mugs they traded during the 4-day clay extravaganza, they discuss what they each wanted out of NCECA (and if they got it), what NCECA has to offer for new…

Lindsey and Donte take a small break from pure clay talk to catch up on an exciting past two weeks – and answer questions you didn’t know you were burning to ask. Like, “What’s the name of Donte’s brand new first-born?” Or, “What tastes like a french fry but is not a french fry?” Or, “What free and awesome clay event is Lindsey going to be demonstr…