Today, I decided to make some sprig molds. Here is a picture journal of the process:

First, I created the designs I want to make sprigs out of. I took small slabs of clay and built onto them the following designs (actually, I carved the man in the moon and built the flowers). Then, I put a slab wall around each one to make a little cup to hold the plaster:

Next, I mixed up some #1 potters plaster and poured it into the molds:

I was patient and let a couple of hours pass, before I removed the clay from around the plaster. They all turned out! Luckily, the clay pulled away and I was able to keep the originals, which I will fire and save for making molds in the future:

Here is a test sprig:

And here is the man in the moon sprig on a mug. I think it is going to look pretty cool once I’ve painted it:

The end, for now.

I went to a local art fair today to see how other potters set up their booths. I’m doing my first juried sale in November and have a lot to think about for how I am going to set up my booth. I wanted to get an idea of table/shelf setups, as well as pricing. I was surprised at how low a couple of the potters had their pieces priced - but then again, I wasn’t. I was surprised because it seems that a $10 mug is way too inexpensive, but then not surprised because I wouldn’t have paid that much for the mugs, or any of their other pots, for that matter. The tops were pretty, but upon turning them over I found untrimmed, messy, rough bottoms. Instant turn-off.

In my opinion, the bottom of a pot should be as presentable as the top. People turn pots over to see the signature of the artist, to get a feel of the heaviness of the pot, to see the foot ring. Not only does a beautifully presented bottom look nice, it adds elegance to the pot. This goes for everything - from tiny bowls, to mugs, to platters. I did not find foot rings on one single potter’s mugs, although a couple of them had nice, smooth bottoms that the artists had obviously paid attention to.

I think I have found my niche. I trim every single pot I make, into a shape that I find appealing, with a foot ring. When I look at the shapes of my mugs compared to what I saw today, I see mugs unlike any that were offered. Unlike the rough stoneware with drippy glazes and mottled colors, mine will be elegant with (hopefully) bright colors and eye-catching designs. Maybe not everybody’s style, but definitely mine, and one that I think will attract an entirely different crowd of shoppers than the other booths.

Here’s hoping!

And here is a picture of some of the pots I’ve made in the past two weeks: