Ep 517: Being a Pottery Educator with Ian Childers

The Maker's Playbook

In an internet world where there are seemingly endless “educators” available to learn from, what actually qualifies someone to teach a skill? Is it a traditional piece of paper, or diploma, saying that some institution has decided you can? Is it the number of years you’ve been doing the thing? Frankly, there’s really not a fixed formula we can say where x+ y = qualified educator! However, during this chat with Ian Childers, a potter who, as often happens, fell into education by necessity and yet has found a passion for it, I’ve found a few thru lines and a couple of Ian’s philosophies I wholeheartedly agree with - namely, the fact that he’s not only teaching his students a skill set to hypothetically go make a living at this craft, he is also showing his students what it takes to make a living at this craft. As Ian says during our chat, how can he expect his students to trust him if he’s not out there doing it himself? And that I couldn’t agree more with.
Guest Resources:
Ian Childers Instagram - @ianchilders

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Chapter

1. Ian Childers (00:00:00)

2. Welcome to the Podcast: A Casual Introduction (00:04:39)

3. The Journey from Potter to Educator: Ian's Story (00:06:17)

4. The Intersection of Tattoos and Pottery: A Personal Exploration (00:35:18)

5. Navigating Artistic Residencies and Personal Growth (00:40:58)

6. Challenges and Triumphs in Mississippi's Education System (00:42:30)

7. Staying Culturally Relevant: The Art of Teaching (00:47:15)

8. Second part? (00:58:31)

9. Navigating the Balance: Pottery, Teaching, and Personal Time (01:15:23)

10. The Shift to Slipcasting and Seasonal Production Strategies (01:16:04)

11. The Impact of Social Media and the Value of Juried Shows (01:21:31)

12. Reflections on Career, Community, and the Ceramics Industry (01:26:07)