Advice for Artist - Feed Your Inner Potter

Become Master of the Pot

Art books are expensive, but they really never go out of date.

I still have my old Daniel Rhodes' Clay and Glazes for the Potter textbook. I keep that book more out of nostalgia than for use.

I try to keep only the books that are relevant to me. I sell ones I've 'outgrown' or find are not relevant anymore.

You can find some great books in used bookstores and thrift shops. And if they are a bit worn, so what? They fit nicely in the studio where you don't have to handle them with kid gloves.

"Working" books in my library are written all over, have pages turned down and notes and bookmarks jammed all through them. "Keeper" books are in the house lined up in bookshelves and kept pristine.

Great art books like great cookbooks are enhanced by finger marks, dog ears and splashes....don't you think?

Magazines are good too. Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated, Clay Times and are the leaders.

The Studio Potter is pricey and is published a few times a year.

Crafts, a UK publication, are excellent magazines, though pricey, it gives you a good idea of what is current in the UK and Europe.

Ask your local library to order them. Librarians are usually delighted to get input from patrons for

their orders budget.

Make it known that a subscription to one of these magazines would be a welcome gift for your birthday or Christmas.

There are some good discounts are available through Potter's Council membership for Ceramics Monthly, Pottery Making Illustrated and Clay Times.

Check out the online site Ceramic Arts Daily to see information and other artist's work. http://ceramicartsdaily.org.

UK Art Magazines on Google is another great art magazine online. I particularly like Danish clay work.

http://www.veniceclayartists.com is another international site full of works from Europe.

Don't limit what you look at to only clay-related publications. I keep images of baskets, weaving, jewelry, glass, metal work and other kinds of work I like. Even a piece of pottery on a coffee table in an interior design magazine gets put in my files. Many can inspire you and feed your inner artist.