#250 Crafting Narratives through Ceramics w/ Tom Budzak

This podcast episode features an enlightening discussion with renowned potter Tom Budzak. Tom shares his journey from aspiring tennis player to becoming a professional ceramic artist, his decision to pursue a Master's in Fine Arts, and his steadfast commitment to practicing and self-editing his work. He also reveals the creative process behind his signature dotted mugs and sculptures, explaining how he uses precision decorating, repetition, and variety to achieve his unique designs. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the impact of social media on the pottery industry, and how it has revolutionized the selling and sharing of pottery. Tom shares his insights on self-critique and his constant pursuit of pushing boundaries in his craft. You can learn more about tom by checking out his instagram @budzak [https://www.instagram.com/budzak/] Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. Importance of Practice and Self-Editing: The podcast episode stresses the importance of practicing and self-editing in pottery. Tom Budzak shares how he spent hours in the studio honing his skills and how repetition helped him improve. He also emphasizes the importance of self-critique and being able to identify and scrap pieces that don't meet his standards. 2. Using Various Techniques: Budzak talks about using a variety of techniques in his pottery work, choosing the most appropriate one based on the form he wants to achieve. He highlights that there's no need to be restricted to one technique and encourages experimenting with different methods to expand your pottery style. 3. Importance of Being Stubborn: Budzak contributes his growth as an artist to being stubborn, referring to it as not giving up and having an inner fire to keep going. He encourages listeners to persist in their pottery journey, even when faced with difficulties, as this stubbornness can lead to substantial growth and improvement.