Starting Your Own Ceramics Studio: What to Do and Not Do

I thought starting my own studio would be pretty easy. Just throw a wheel and kiln in my moms basement, right? Turns out, it certainly isn't, so I thought I'd write this post on what I've learned so far (still learning!) and what to do and not do when looking to equipment, a space, or weighing costs and feasibility.

DOs

• Research everything. Factor in costs, studio size, electrical components, tools and equipment you'll need, and anything else you can think of.
• Work with an electrician (if you're buying a kiln). Don't assume that the kiln can just plug into a wall outlet - it probably can't.
• Write down everything you need. There's a ton of equipment and tools you'll need, so write everything down so you can start making pottery right away rather than scrambling to find things at the last minute.
• Setup an online store before you start making things. If you want to sell your ceramics online, definitely setup an e-commerce site before you start making things. This gives you a lot of time to plan for the future, and build a nice site that people can visit. Even if you sell mostly word of mouth, this will definitely help set you up and make your business feel legit.
• Write out your plans. Self explanatory. It helps, even if you normally just wing it like I do.

DONTs

• Assume it will be easy. There's a lot of work involved, and definitely requires more effort than you'd initially think. There's choosing a kiln, choosing a wheel, buying supplies and tools, and setting up the space you're going to work from.
• Buy everything online. Buying clay can be a lot cheaper if you research local ceramics shops. Facebook marketplace is also a great place to find useful 
• Do it alone. Make sure to connect with local potters, old teachers, etc. and try to learn from them. It's hard to know how to work a kiln, what wheel to get, which clay to use, what cone level to fire at etc. The pottery community is so supportive and willing to help. So reach out to local people to bounce ideas off of. If there's nobody local, turn to channels like Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, or even Tik Tok!

And that's it! If you have specific questions, be sure to add those to the comment section below and I'd be happy to answer them!

-Connor