Ever feel stuck in a dreary office job, dreaming of working with your hands, creating beautiful art? Meet Alina Hayes, a ceramic artist who made this dream a reality. Our conversation traverses her inspiring journey from mundane office life to the vibrant world of pottery. She shares the spark that ignited her passion for pottery and her audacious decision to pursue a master's degree in fine arts. Alina’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, perpetual exploration, and building strong community ties in the artistic journey. As we delve into the elegance of her pottery, Alina unveils her creative process, and how it breathes life into her unique sculptures. She reveals the secret techniques she’s mastered to speed up the process, including using a metal rib for scoring and slipping. The pivotal decision of turning her passion into a full-time career and her success on platforms like Etsy are sure to inspire budding artists. However, she also emphasizes the risk of depending solely on such platforms, a lesson crucial for aspiring potters. Finding one’s unique artistic and sales voice is often the toughest part of the journey. Alina courageously opens up about her own voyage of self-discovery. We discuss how understanding where your work will live, being less self-critical, and fostering exploration can illuminate your true artistic voice. She also shares the profound impact of the book, Art and Fear, on her approach to her work. Whether you're an emerging ceramic artist or a seasoned potter, this candid conversation is bound to leave you brimming with insights and inspiration. Aline is having a restock on November 17th click this link here to go support her https://www.alinahayes.com/shop You can also learn more about Alina by checking out her instagram here https://www.instagram.com/alinahayes/ Top 3 Value Bombs: 1. The Journey of Transformation: Alina Hayes shares her inspiring journey from a monotonous office job to becoming a successful ceramic artist. She talks about the courage and resilience it took to pursue her passion and turn it into a full-time career, thus emphasizing the importance of following your dreams despite challenges and risks. 2. Techniques and Strategies: Alina reveals some of the secret techniques she has mastered to speed up the pottery-making process. Her methods include combining different techniques, using a metal rib for scoring and slipping, and finding success on platforms like Etsy. She also cautions against depending solely on such platforms, a crucial lesson for budding potters. 3. Discovering One’s Artistic Voice: Alina opens up about her journey of self-discovery and how she found her unique artistic and sales voice. She emphasizes the importance of understanding where your work will live, being less self-critical, and fostering exploration. Alina also shares the profound impact of the book, Art and Fear, on her approach to her work, providing valuable insights for both emerging and seasoned artists. and so much more! Resources: Take this Free Quiz to see how close you are to finding your pottery voice click here to take the quiz shapingyourpottery.com/quiz  The Questions we ask will determine how our pottery will look like that's why I created a Free 15 questions to help you discover your voice template go grab it here www.shapingyourpottery.com/questions Get your 53 themes by clicking this link shapingyourpottery.com/53themes