Best NCECA Podcasts (2024)

1
92. From the Archives: NCECA 2023 Wheel Talk Collab. 1:07:06

10d ago1:07:06

1:07:06

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…

1
#245 - Pricing your work pt 2 & presenting at NCECA with Heidi Fahrenbacher from Bella Joy Pottery 2:18:42

12d ago2:18:42

2:18:42

Ryan & Becca welcome back Heidi Fahrenbacher from Bella Joy Pottery for third time to chat all things NCECA and catch up on Becca's pricing. They recap how NCECA went for them as demonstrators & presenters, what makes the conference so overwhelming, dig into Becca's pricing and sales since we last met with Heidi, and hunting apparently. Stay tuned …

1
#246 - Let's talk preorders 1:31:05

5d ago1:31:05

1:31:05

Ryan & Becca chat about preorders today! We cover a few pros and cons of doing a preorder, what we've preordered before, what we'd like to preorder in the future, and customer considerations when receiving an online preorder. Enjoy and good luck if you're planning to preorder anything this year. Resources Join the waitlist for Ryan's future Bookkee…

1
Ep 508: Instagram Real Talk with Allie Mason 1:25:04

6d ago1:25:04

1:25:04

I know I'm not the only one who finds social media to be exhausting. The idea of keeping up with trends sounds equivalent to nails on a chalkboard to me. But at the same time, I know there is a huge opportunity on social media. After all, Instagram alone has 2 billion users. Enter Allie Mason. A data-based marketing strategist who understands that …

1
Ep 507: The Assault on Creativity with Connie Cole 1:23:05

14d ago1:23:05

1:23:05

On this week’s episode I talk with founding Community member, Connie Cole, about her winding path to becoming a full-time potter. We discuss her battle with imposter syndrome, what finding a “gateway drug” has done for her business and the assault on creativity she’s experienced over time (and of course, how she’s battling against it!) Interested i…

1
#244 - Road trip home from NCECA! 2:29:00

20d ago2:29:00

2:29:00

Ryan & Becca are heading home to Cincinnati with Erica & Jessica from Richmond, Virginia after attending NCECA 2024. Enjoy the events that made this week special and some of our key takeaways as we get home, rest up, and get back into our studios soon. We hope to see everyone in Salt Lake City, Utah for 2025 and Detroit, Michigan for 2026! Follow E…

1
91. Paperwork: “I spent this much on toilet paper…” 55:47

24d ago55:47

55:47

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…

1
#243 - Getting better at in-person shows 1:38:54

27d ago1:38:54

1:38:54

Ryan & Becca are getting excited about NCECA, which just concluded at the time of this release, before answering a listener's question about gauging the shows they're selling at. Sandrine's in her second year of selling and wants to make sure the shows she's looking into are good fit for the potential customers out there for her. We get into how yo…

1
Ep 506: Business FOMO (and NCECA) 27:09

1M ago27:09

27:09

Feeling the FOMO because you aren't going to NCECA? Come hang out inside of The Community - Learn more & join for 1 month by clicking here. One of my favorite books: Deep Work by Cal Newport (purchasing the book through this link helps support the podcast!) Love this podcast? Support an episode! Click here to learn more. Follow The Maker's Playbook…

1
#242 - How we started & where we're going 1:31:13

1M ago1:31:13

1:31:13

Ryan & Becca share some stories today about how the podcast started and how it's changed over the years. We also get into how we see it progressing into the future and some dream scenarios we may see come to fruition at some point. Thanks for continuing to listen! Listener Questions On this episode: - How did the podcast start? How did we manage it…

1
Ep 505: Creating Environmentally Friendly Pottery with Yuliya Makliuk of Here & Now Pottery 1:06:50

1M ago1:06:50

1:06:50

Do you get overwhelmed at the idea of making your studio practice environmentally friendly? It can seem impossible to figure out where to start and what actually makes an impact. The science of climate change is complicated at best, and more often than not confusing. Which is exactly why I’m so grateful for people like Yuliya Makliuk - a trained ec…

1
90. Teaching Tales at Sun City: “More money, less work, I’m out.” 47:24

1M ago47:24

47:24

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…

1
#241 - Setting boundaries on social media with Melanie Westheiden from Swell Ceramics 1:52:37

1M ago1:52:37

1:52:37

Ryan & Becca are joined today by Melanie Westheiden from Swell Ceramics. Melanie shares about her business’ evolution from a home studio to brick and mortar, preparing for the holiday season, setting boundaries on Instagram, & shifting her body of work. Thanks so much to Melanie for taking the time to share with all of us. -----Find more about Mela…

1
#240 - Mobile studios 1:24:11

2M ago1:24:11

1:24:11

Ryan & Becca are back together once again and this week we're talking mobile studios! We received a question about the viability of using a mobile studio in a trailer, van, etc to assist in teaching small kid classes and selling at shows from it. Becca's insights may surprise you on this one. Thanks for the question Lilly! Listener Questions On thi…

1
Ep: 504 - Setting Boundaries & Vetting Educators Online with Hope Limyansky-Smith 58:58

2M ago58:58

58:58

The internet can be amazing for connecting us all to resources we wouldn’t otherwise have access to. But it can also be absolutely overwhelming. With so many people teaching online, how can we tell who actually knows what they are doing? How do we know (especially if we decide to pay) that they are actually qualified to teach us? I’m not talking ab…

1
89. A Brief History of Famous Glazes: “Is there a trademark on celadon?” 40:16

2M ago40:16

40:16

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…

1
#239 - Custom wholesale & clay buttons with Sara Davis from Golden Earth Designs 2:07:45

2M ago2:07:45

2:07:45

Ryan & Becca are joined today by Sara Davis from Golden Earth Designs. Sara shares about her process of making custom wholesale mugs, selling full time the past year, getting back to production after the holidays, and clay buttons! Thanks so much to Sara for sharing some time to chat about her work and business. -----Find more about Sara's business…

1
#238 - A path to full time ceramic artist with Em (Paz) Stevens (Pt 2) 1:48:51

2M ago1:48:51

1:48:51

Ryan & Becca welcome Em (Paz) Stevens to the show to discuss balancing a full time job in the service industry and part time pottery. We get into how her business did in 2023, how she's building out her home studio, funding the build through Kickstarter, setting realistic business goals, and digging into Etsy shop advice. Thanks again to Em for sha…

1
Ep 503: Instagram: The Good, The Bad & The Weird with Hope Limyansky-Smith 50:08

2M ago50:08

50:08

How often do you look at what other makers are sharing on social media and think to yourself - “How do they have time to make all this CONTENT? Daily reels, stories, thoughtfully designed themes, not to mention the actual pots!” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This week on the podcast, we’re going behind-the-scenes with Hope Limyansky-Smith of Limya…

1
88. ClayCon West 2024 Review: “We want it to feel cozy and interconnected...” 34:31

2M ago34:31

34:31

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…

1
#237 - A path to full time ceramic artist with Em (Paz) Stevens (Pt 1) 1:50:19

2M ago1:50:19

1:50:19

Ryan & Becca Welcome Em (Paz) Stevens to the show to discuss balancing a full time job in the service industry and part time pottery. Em has a number of questions for us, especially related to how Ryan was able to sell $95k worth of work in a year that averages $35 while selling "part time." We cover a number of topics on this first installment of …

1
EP 502: Waiting until the Time is Right with Victoria Brook 1:14:37

2M ago1:14:37

1:14:37

What were you doing 15 years ago? Were you already making? Had you not even found clay yet? It’s amazing the twists and turns our lives can take, and yet, without them, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing today. On today’s episode, I sit down with Victoria Brook, who first introduced me to wheel throwing 15 years ago, when I lived in Newcastle-up…

1
#236 - Clay Con West recap! 1:19:11

3M ago1:19:11

1:19:11

Ryan & Becca are back to chatting just the two of them on today's episode. Most of the discussion involves updating everyone about their busy lives the past few weeks before getting into their time at Clay Con West this January. It was another great year spent with new and old friends and we hope to see you at NCECA 2024 in Richmond, Virginia or ne…

1
Ep 501: Things that Want to Happen with Rebecca Harvey of the Archie Bray 56:37

3M ago56:37

56:37

We’re kicking off Season 5 with a big announcement right at the start of my chat with Rebecca Harvey, the executive director of the Archie Bray. Rebecca and I also chat about the history of the Bray and her vision for the future, along with the pros & cons of traditional academic education and partnering (or not!) with galleries. Never miss an impo…

1
87. SacAnime Winter 2024 Review: “Uuuhh…I made some poor decisions…” 1:09:42

3M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

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…

1
#235 - A peek inside the Maker's Playbook with Rebecca Ickes Carra 2:40:37

3M ago2:40:37

2:40:37

Ryan and Becca are joined by Rebecca Ickes Carra, host of The Maker's Playbook podcast and co-owner of Carra Terra, a small pottery business in Milwaukee, WI. Drawing from her 14-years as a self-employed photographer, Rebecca sheds light on the dynamics of building their pottery business alongside her husband Francesco. We cover the art of juggling…

1
{Best of 2023} Ep 327: "Blooming late," Academia & Imposter Syndrome with Page Kelly 1:20:33

3M ago1:20:33

1:20:33

Our 4th most popular episode of 2023 was my conversation with Page Kelly of Zephyr Valley Ceramics twists and turns, much like her career paths. A self-proclaimed “late bloomer,” there is this stunning moment in this conversation at about the 46-ish minute marker when Page discusses the narrative body of work she is currently producing, where I hea…

1
#234 - Body care for long term success with Joshua Reed from Wellness with Joshua 3:23:40

3M ago3:23:40

3:23:40

Ryan and Becca are joined by Joshua Reed from Wellness with Joshua to talk how we can ensure our bodies can hold up long-term as potters and small business owners. Joshua has a varied background in physical therapy, biomechanics, physical training, nutrition coaching, and more to share his expertise with us for long term body care as potters. We ho…

1
#233 - Is paid advertisement worth it? with Will Donovan from Donovan Pottery 2:23:30

3M ago2:23:30

2:23:30

Ryan and Becca welcome back Will Donovan of Donovan Pottery to discuss a range of topics, including: sharing end of year recaps, growing your business with help, using paid ads to sell your work, and geeking out on Lord of the Rings. We learn a ton from Will's second time on the podcast and we hope you take some good nuggets into your own practice.…

1
#232 - What do you look for in a workshop? 1:38:58

3M ago1:38:58

1:38:58

Ryan & Becca share insights about what they look for when seeking out workshop opportunities to expand their skills. We also share what valuable takeaways we typically come away with once we’re leaving a workshop. Join Becca or Ryan at a future workshop they are teaching soon: Throwing Efficiency with Becca - Jan 10 Selling at In-Person Shows with …

1
86. 2023 Year Review Part 2: “You’re psyop-ing yourself!” 44:02

4M ago44:02

44:02

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…

1
{Best of 2023} Ep 401: Making a Living with Danny Meisinger 1:17:05

4M ago1:17:05

1:17:05

When I say “making a living” what do you think I mean? Do you immediately think of income and how much money you make? Or do you think of how you spend your time? Do you think of the balance between working hours and leisure hours? I don’t think there is one particularly correct answer, but on this episode of The Maker’s Playbook, our guest, Danny …

1
#231 - Analyzing your best & worst Instagram Reels 2:24:34

4M ago2:24:34

2:24:34

Ryan & Becca try a different approach on today's episode to discuss some of their top performing (and worst) Instagram Reels over the past 6 months. We chat about what we think made them so successful, some takeaways to think about as we produce content for future reels, and why some just completely flopped. We hope this is a useful discussion as y…

1
{Best of 2023} Ep: 332 - Building a Viable Business in NYC with Sarah Hussaini of Not Work Related (Part 1!) 53:48

4M ago53:48

53:48

Our second most listened to episode of 2023 was Part One of my chat with Sarah Hussaini of Not Work Related (and Part Two wasn't fair behind, coming in at the 6th most popular!). There's a different reality in making a living from the things you make in an urban center like New York City than just about anywhere else in the world, and on this chat,…

1
#230 - Starting a community studio from scratch with Noah Smith from NWS Ceramics 2:12:32

4M ago2:12:32

2:12:32

Ryan & Becca welcome Noah Smith to the show today to chat about getting a community studio up and running very recently in Portland, Oregon. Noah's been making pottery for a few years, but has recently embarked on opening Heirloom Ceramic Studio in the Sellwood neighborhood outside Portland. We chat about the growth so far, how he's enjoying the te…

1
85. 2023 Year Review Part 1: "Punch my internal dialogue would you?" 50:12

4M ago50:12

50:12

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…

1
{Best of 2023} Ep: 326 - The Business of Pottery with Rebecca Graves-Prowse 1:31:22

4M ago1:31:22

1:31:22

We're taking a brief season break amidst the craziness of holiday fulfillment season for our own ceramics business (and then hopefully, with a little luck and a lot of planning, a bit of an actual break). New episodes will return at the start of February 2024, but in the meantime enjoy the top episodes of 2023 to finish out the year. You just might…

1
#229 - 2023 wrap up 2:01:51

4M ago2:01:51

2:01:51

Ryan & Becca discuss leaving early for in-person shows from a recent experience Ryan had at a show before wrapping up their key takeaways from their year, even though there’s still a few weeks left in it. They get into goals, money, & possible plans for next year. Thanks for listening and have a great holiday season everyone! Listener Questions Sen…

1
Ep 423: Starts & Stops {The Launch Series} 38:59

4M ago38:59

38:59

A year end recap of our first full year focusing more intentionally on launching our ceramics business, Carra Terra. If you are looking for support in trying to figure out how to make a living from the things you make, come take a look at our online home for makers from all over the world by visiting makersplaybook.com/community Love this podcast? …

1
#228 - How do you handle negative feedback? 1:56:57

4M ago1:56:57

1:56:57

Ryan & Becca have some thoughts today about how to handle negative feedback, whether it's a customer, fellow business owner, business you partner with, or otherwise. Handling these situations can be pretty tricky and we hope you get some good insight from today's discussion. Thanks for listening! Listener Questions On this episode: - What's the bes…

1
#227 - Tiki Technical Talk with Henrik van Ryzin from VanTiki 2:34:43

5M ago2:34:43

2:34:43

Ryan & Becca welcome Henrik Van Ryzin today from VanTiki Studios. He shares a wealth of knowledge about his evolution from a special effects artist to a full time ceramic artist focused in mold making & slip casting. Henrik and his wife Denise focus on producing ceramic tiki mugs and other goods that share their love of tiki with customers all over…

1
Ep 422: Debunking the Hustle with Gerald Brown 1:13:56

5M ago1:13:56

1:13:56

Have your friends ever marveled at how much you manage to get done? How you somehow work full-time and then also produce artwork on the side that you sell on the nights and weekends in your side-hustle? How often are we praised for seemingly “doing it all?” In our productivity focused culture, these accolades can feel amazing. But is it healthy? I …

1
84. Chat with Birdie Tam: “You have to be a bit delusional…” 1:39:25

5M ago1:39:25

1:39:25

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,…

1
#226 - Kiln size matters 1:58:32

5M ago1:58:32

1:58:32

Ryan & Becca get deep into kilns on today's episode to give some insight into how you may choose your next kiln based on your studio production. They cover a range of kiln body sizes from the L&L & Skutt lines, as well as a few others along the way. Good luck if you're in the market for a kiln and let us know if you have any questions to help you m…

1
#225 - What influences a buyer to purchase? 1:40:15

5M ago1:40:15

1:40:15

Ryan & Becca are back together this week to recap some of the points discussed last week on Becca's solo episode about her shows. To relate back to a more broad topic, Ryan get's into what he feels influences buyers to purchase from you at shows. Hopefully you were able to reflect on your booth set-up and interactions at shows to see where you're d…

1
Ep 421: Defining Your Goals with Jono Pandolfi 1:02:30

5M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

Goals… Are they something that’s fixed? Or something that’s flexible? I used to think of goals as rather fixed. You choose your goal, then put your head down and work towards that one, singular, (often random?) goal. Right? Hmmmm… Goals do give us guidelines. Without goals, we are constantly chasing the next shiniest thing. Before we ever got any t…

1
83. Pottery Myths Part 2: “Can we just all have sprinkles?” 42:11

5M ago42:11

42:11

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…

1
Ep 420: Starting with Relationships with Makeda Smith of Sio Ceramics 1:01:55

5M ago1:01:55

1:01:55

A lot of business advice talks about needing to find your ideal customer. That hypothetical person that you need to understand inside and out - from what stores they shop at to what value system they use to view the world. And while this is important, what most of that business advice does not tell you is that it is nearly impossible to figure out …

1
#224 - Becca’s on the road 37:15

5M ago37:15

37:15

Becca shares some thoughts on her drive back to Indianapolis after a show weekend in Louisville, KY. She covers some thoughts around what a positive show looks like for her, how she's feeling about shows this year, and how she plans to move forward. We hope you enjoy this raw solo episode with Becca and stick around next week when Ryan shares some …

1
#223 - Health & safety in the studio 2:03:46

6M ago2:03:46

2:03:46

Ryan & Becca answer a frequent listener questions about how to keep your studio clean, from handling water usage, clay dust, reclaim, equipment, managing a packing & shipping station, and how we can make the space sustainable for the long term. Enjoy and happy cleaning! Resources For Flux Sake Podcast Safety in the Ceramics Studio by Jeff Zamek Lis…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

NCECA Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide