Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in ceramic art but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chelsey Tellier, creator of Live Free Art Studios, located in Standard, AB, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I make unique, one-of-a-kind functional pottery. Art for everyday use. I strive to make pottery that fits your everyday needs but is also as different and special as the individuals that hold it. I draw inspiration for my work from the landscape of the Alberta prairies and images from my life here. I love the Badlands and fossils as well as native plants and some esoteric witchy stuff too.
Tell us about yourself
I have dabbled on and off with pottery since childhood, but it has always been part of my life in some aspect. I got into it seriously about four years ago and haven't looked back since. I am the type of person who enjoys being my own boss; I am motivated and driven always to put my best work out. Nothing brings me greater joy than when someone tells me that my mug is their favorite mug! They wash it and use it every day; that makes me so happy that something my hands made knows your hands so well. It's like a bond, a connection I have to everyone who holds my pots in their hands. I love the connection to the earth, that clay is found everywhere around us. The minerals and compounds used to make the colors are elements we find in the ground. Pottery connects us in so many ways, not to mention to our past and history as civilizations.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
When I started to feel secure like I knew this wasn't going anywhere, that it wasn't going to end. That was my biggest accomplishment. Whenever I worked for someone else, I always felt like there would be an end to that job or that I could fully rely on steady work. But after a couple of years of making an actual income, knowing I could make a certain amount that when I knew it was real. I stopped stressing (as much) and really started to enjoy being a small business owner.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Knowing your worth. As artists, we are naturally critical of our work; it's how we strive to do better and try new things. It's hard to be satisfied. And with that comes self-doubt like, "is my product comparably good as other similar products out there?", "I don't have as much experience as them." "How can I justify charging this much?" Pricing is so difficult when you're just starting out. And not doubting that the time, money, and passion you invest into your work is worth the price you ought to be asking. The scarcity mindset is something artists have learned to accept, like struggle should be part of it. But it shouldn't be, and if people appreciate your work, you should not be afraid to make a living at it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- You can't do it alone. You need support, emotional, financial, and sometimes even just to carry the load. You get into it knowing it's going to be hard, but when you're in the thick of it, you'll be grateful for the people you've asked to be there for you.
- Be prepared to be really broke and work all the time. It really helps to have someone you can count on for financial backup or a loan or save enough to get by without too much anxiety. If you can stick to out, it won't last forever, so don't let it scare you off.
- Do what you do with love in your heart. If you are not excited and happy and proud of what you are doing, you may want to have a second thought. There are nights that I go to bed feeling so excited to wake up the next day and go to work. I love what I do, and I see no end to that. I have bad days like anyone else, but the true test is to ask yourself
"If I won the lottery, how much would my life be different?" and for me, the answer is Not Really. I would still do what I could because nothing brings me more joy with all the money I could dream of.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Pottery, like many backs to roots sort of things, has made a comeback in recent years. I love that people are growing an appreciation for the craft and for the feeling of how hand-crafted pottery creates more of an experience when drinking your favorite beverage. To have a favorite mug, to know that mug and the way it fits your hand, is something really special. You can feel the artist's hands that made it; it's something you could never find in mass-produced dishes. Love the functionality of art in our everyday lives that pottery has.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://livefreeartstudios.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefreeartstudios/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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