Stephani Stephenson on tue 21 aug 01
I have often wondered how other potters/clay artists structure their
work time.
For example, I find these days that I have a lot of office and non
studio responsibilities such as
answering email, invoicing, discussing projects with clients, designing,
packing, printing, etc..
(yes I try to delegate and hire out when possible but still find
myself doing an amazing array of activities!)
I also have much in studio work: sculpting, modeling, mixing glazes,
loading and firing, testing, laying out projects, mold making, etc. etc.
It kind of breaks down into 'messy' or 'studio' time as opposed to
'non-messy' or 'non studio' time.
I have tried different approaches such as splitting the day: doing
studio for half a day, non studio other half.
benefit of that approach is I get to each area every day. Drawback, and
one which quickly frustrates me, is not being able to get in depth
involvement before switching over.
Now I have been trying entire days such as M, W, F in studio. T, TH in
office. (sometimes it's vice versa. Actually it is more often M,W,F in
office.
T ,TH,SAT and often SUN in studio. That works better for me but
drawback is picking up the thread on a project after a day spent doing
something completely different.
Perhaps a related factor is not only switching projects but switching
from business brain to technical skills to creative work to butt work.
Truth is I love it , love the variety, but find I need to establish a
flexible though steady routine to separate office / client and studio
work (though inevitably they collide and or merge) and to avoid the
'chipmunk confusion' syndrome. (you have seen how chipmunks race across
the road in front of an oncoming truck, then change their minds and run
back, then change their minds again....and again......)
Just curious how others deal with those issues of continuity,
efficiency, and flow.
A related question would be do you pattern the work over a year? If so ,
what is your approach? I remember a ceramic sculptor who said he divided
the year in to quarters. 3 months with wet work, 3 months glazing and
firing I believe and 3 months (my memory fails me here, possibly a
combination of selling, marketing, designing and retooling.)
Question is ,what works for you?
Stephani Stephenson
Carlsbad, CA
steph@alchemiestudio.com
Dannon Rhudy on thu 23 aug 01
Stephani said:
I have often wondered how other potters/clay artists structure their
>work time......
...>answering email, invoicing, discussing projects with clients, designing,
>packing, printing, etc..
..... sculpting, modeling, mixing glazes,
>loading and firing, testing, laying out projects, mold making, etc. etc.
..>A related question would be do you pattern the work over a year? ....
Stephani, that is a really good question, particularly for
those who cannot structure their day(s) entirely around studio
schedule. And hardly any can, I'd guess.
I teach part time, and that involves not just the
hours in class, but all the paperwork/meetings/etc. that goes
with it.
I try to break down the week into studio and teaching. Since
I teach on Monday & Wednesday I try to keep all of my teaching
related chores to those two days. I mix glazes, load/fire
student work, oversee clay mixing, and the hundred other
things that fall into that category. Tuesdays are a mixture of
office/writing/computer work/design. Thursday through Sunday I try
very hard to keep for myself and studio. It requires some
compartmentalized thought, and in the beginning I actually
had to write down what I would do or had to do on specific days.
This has worked reasonably well for me. There are inevitably
times when flexibility is called for, but I am very protective
of studio time.
It is easier for me to block out specific chunks of time, because
every-other-day doesn't suit either the clay or me. I'm
very focused when I'm working in the studio, and like you
I am a fast worker when I have a series underway. Studio
work has a tendency to use up remarkable amounts of time.
But I find it also permits and encourages ideas and
solutions as I go. In that sense, more gets done than
just the physical work of making.
Packing & shipping can really eat time, too - I do
that once a week, if I can manage that limit, and
will work it in early on Monday or Wednesday whenever
I can.
Summers are a different story, because of workshops
and various other travel. But then, I don't teach summers,
so that helps.
Something tells me that this was not a whole lot of help.
Unless it is helpful to know that others also struggle with
scheduling.
regards
Dannon Rhudy
Jane Vernon on fri 24 aug 01
In message , Stephani Stephenson writes
>I have often wondered how other potters/clay artists structure their
>work time.
>
>A related question would be do you pattern the work over a year? If so ,
>what is your approach?
>Question is ,what works for you?
Because I am not a full-time potter this has always been an important
issue for me. Until recently I had the added complication of back
problems which prevented more than one session of throwing per day.
However, thankfully, in the last couple of years I am able to work as I
want. I do some teaching work and also work as a textile artist. I've
experimented with lots of ways of combining but have come to the
conclusion that the longer the period of working in one 'mode', the more
productive. For me this means a year plan. This year is probably going
to be the pattern for the future.
January and February - painting and machine work on wallhangings
March and April - throwing porcelain. Hand work on textiles in the
evenings.
May to August - throwing stoneware and firings. Handwork on textiles in
the evenings. Finishing all work. Annual exhibition middle of August.
3 weeks HOLIDAY! (now :) )
September - throwing porcelain
October to December - throwing stoneware and firings. Lots of selling!
As far as the week is concerned, that, too works best in blocks. I now
do my teaching on Tuesday and Wednesday only. From Thursday to Monday I
can do my own work without finding my head buzzing with teaching stuff.
Daily - I do mix things up a bit here. Make phone calls, order
materials, send off applications, do accounts - all while having coffee
or lunch breaks.
Jane
http://www.otbo.demon.co.uk
Stephani Stephenson on wed 29 aug 01
Thanks to all who responded on and off list about how you stucture /
balance your work time. I enjoyed reading about how you work it out,
from those of you who have a seasonal pattern of working, some
production potters , some sculptors who work for longer periods on
individual work, some teachers who balance studio and classroom and some
who wrestle studio time out of each day .To those who schedule and also
to those who charge fearlessly into each and every day!
Are we busy or what!?
sincerely
Stephani Stephenson
Carlsbad CA
steph@alchemiestudio.com
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