Home Robert Compton Pottery Site Map
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About the Potter

Firing Techniques

On-Line Sales
Gallery

Forming
Methods

Christine Homer Weaving

DVD's for Potters
2009

Apprenticeship
2009

Links & Friends

Pottery Workshops

International Potters
B & B

Potters Visits
& Potters Potlucks

Used Tools & Kilns for sale

Bulletin Board

Frequently Asked Questions

Bulletin Board

2008

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy a used wheel or get plans to build a kiln	In January of 2007 a new page was added to this site for Used Potter's Tools & Kilns . Robert is not currently selling plans for building kilns but offers insight and suggestions on the following page Books & Design Tips included on that page are plans for building a *Clam Shell Raku Kiln.*
Is it possible to make a living as a potter?	One of the most frequently asked questions, and the simple answer is "Yes" but it is not easy. A full time potter often commits to pottery as a life style, then secondarily considers making a livable income. It is possible to earn a good living as a potter, but this will depend entirely on how much a person is willing to trade off in other aspects of their life. Robert's upcoming DVD on "Making a Living as a Potter" is a one hour presentation on what one can expect to encounter and how to find a path to make a living as a full time potter.
Do you make custom work?	Custom work depends on the client and what time of the year a request is made, with regards to Robert's work cycle. Generally his work is an evolving process of designs that relate to the firing methods and growth he has undergone as a potter. Copying a design given to him by a client is not something he chooses to perform.
Do you consider yourself a production potter?	Most production potters reproduce a fixed design, in large quantities. Production potters often make tens of thousands of pots a year. To accomplish this, production potters designs must be simple and easy to reproduce, with little emphasis on individuality. Robert works in limited series, where a design is constantly modified, as a result of his growth as a potter and the evolution of his firing methods.
What suggestions do have for an aspiring potter on how make a living?	Best to be born rich, or teach, but if you are determined to sell pots for a living, do lots of research. Visit working potters and educate yourself on what they have done. Visit shops and galleries to understand what market there is for pottery. Consider working for a studio potter to get hands on experience. Making pots is easy, selling pots is the hard part. Many wonderful potters can't make a living from the sale of their work. Teaching is an alternative for some, while others work a full time job and just make pots on the side. If you choose to make pots as your only income, you need recognize what are your strengths and weaknesses in regards to marketing. Robert's upcoming DVD on "Making a Living as a potter" is being made to help potters who are starting out as well as established individuals who want to change direction.
What makes the firing process so important?	Many potters use clay as a canvas for painting and choose to fire their work in electric kilns. This offers consistency and predictability of results. Firing with electricity allows many potters to use glaze much like one uses paint. Robert made the decision to emphasize the process of firing as the surface modifier on his work. The results from these processes are explained in the *Collectors* *Guide* and in links under Firing Techniques.

2007

September 15-16	The last firing of 2007 in the large Noborigama is on September 15-16,2007 - Robert and Christine welcome visitors to their studio during the firing.
June-Aug	The Vermont Pottery is not offering any workshops in the summer of 2007. Christine and Robert offered unique workshops at their home and studio from 1993 through 2006. In 2007 they will not be hosting workshop sessions. Instead they will concentrate on finishing several DVD's begun in 2004, and Robert will work on new vessels.
	Traveling Workshops -----Potters guilds & schools can contact Robert, if they would like him to share his experiences with their group.

2006

October 15th	Showroom hours change from daily to by chance or appointment until May 15th 2007
September 16-17	Last wood firing at the Vermont Pottery for 2006
June	First Wood Firing for 2006
March 17-19th	Wellington Potters Guild, Wellington New Zealand - Workshop on Altering Thrown Forms
May13th	29th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner
May 15	Showroom and Studio open for the season, 10 am- 6 pm, Closed Wednesdays
February 20- April 22	Robert and Christine gave 4 workshops in New Zealand

2005

Oct 15	Wood Firing of Noborigama 250
July 30th	Wood Firing of Noborigama 60
May	28th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner
April 16	Slide Show at League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, Hanover, NH
March 17-19	Baie D'Urfe Potters' Guild, Montreal, Canada. Altering Thrown Forms Workshop
February 16	Alfred University - Lecture and Slide presentation on " A working Pottery".

2004

October	The new Noborigama 250 kiln nears completion with the raising of the chimney
July, Sept and Oct	"Media Productions" from Raleigh, NC, spent several weeks at the pottery shooting footage for several up coming videos on kiln firing and life at the pottery.
May- June	Wood fired pieces of Roberts newest work was at the Carroll Reece Museum, Johnson City, Tennessee " Gas-Fired/Wood-fired, Kilns, Fire and Ceramic Expression"
May 15th	New Zealand potter, Brian Gartside graciously shared his interests in simple glazing methods and paper clay with about 40 workshop participants in the afternoon. Another 40 people came for the 27th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner later in the day.
July - Aug	Robert had three pieces in an invitational show at the Currier Museum of Art Exhibit "Creations in Clay".

2003

May	26th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner
May -June	A series of 4 kiln building workshops. This is an opportunity for those who plan to build a kiln to participate in one or more of the stages of building our new Wood Fired Noborigama.
May	30th Anniversary Celebration at our studio in Bristol, VT

2002

May	25 th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner
May	Apprenticeship - We have a new apprentice starting in May 2002, Jeanne Arsenault. She has just finished a 2 year degree program at the Worcester Craft Center in Massachusetts. The next apprenticeship position will open in Summer of 2003.
April	New Zealand Society of Potters annual conference, "The Big Smoke", held in Auckland. The featured potters included: Robert Compton, Takeshi Yasuda, Chester Nealie, Robert Compton, Peter Collis and Margaret Sumich.
*February -April*	*Robert and Christine gave six workshops to various potters groups in New Zealand*

2001

December	Several of Robert's recent pieces are part of the " Hand Held Cup Show" at Odyssey Gallery, Ashville, N.C
November	Robert's work is featured in the new book, "The Art of Contemporary American Pottery" By Kevin A. Hluch
August	Our newest Wood/Salt Catenary Arch kiln was fired for the first time on Sept 17th, It was only with the indispensable assistance of Bryan Mattraw, that we were able to complete and fire this kiln during our busy season. It's small size is ideal for testing glazes in-between firings in our old Noborigama. It will also assist in working out ideas before we build the next large hybrid wood kiln.
August	Roberts fountains is a feature of the " In the Garden", Invitational Exhibition, Frog Hollow Gallery, Burlington, Vermont
July	Pots of Roberts and his Studio are featured in Steve Branfman's new book Raku a Practical Approach, second edition.
May	24th Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner

2000

April	Strictly Functional Pottery National, Robert's Wood Fired Altered Jugs is currently on exhibit in the Lancaster Museum of Art
March	Our 23rd annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner, Over fifty working potters from all over Vermont and eastern N.Y. came for an afternoon and evening of good food and talk.
March	The new building for the newest wood kiln was completed in March. Footings in for the new kiln are in place and the new kiln will start taking shape over the next couple of years
Sept	Robert has two pieces featured in The Altech Potters International Biennale 2000 in Johannesburg, South Africa

1999

Sept	International Wood Fired Potters Conference "Different Stokes", Robert's paper Standing Up For Wood Firing is part of the record of that event
July	"Karen Karnes & Friends" at the Vermont Clay Studio, Robert was in invited artist
June	Bryan Mattraw comes to our studio and gallery, he will be assisting in all aspects of the business
May	Karen Karnes attended our 22nd Annual Potters Pot Luck Dinner on May 15th, we we delighted that she could share her time and experience with other potters at this event. Karen expects to move into her newly rebuilt home this month, it has been just a year since the wood kiln she was firing burned her home and studio to the ground. An added bonus at this years Potters Pot Luck, was having Michael Gill and Rachel Hooton, two potters from Dorset, England, here for the weekend. They are English Potters who are part of the Studio Potter Network - Bed and Breakfast Program. Michael has had a most interesting life. He spent 10 years in Uganda, Africa setting up potters there in the 1950's.
April	Robert gave a workshop in Farmington, New Mexico at the San Juan College. A special thanks to Robin Renner for inviting me to come to San Juan College and Mike Casselberry for putting us up while we were in Farmington.
April	Robert gave a presentation at Utah State College for the students of John Neely
March	Robert was invited to exhibit his work at the Functional Ceramics 1999 show at the Wayne Center for the Arts in Wooster, Ohio
March	Jack Troy in Huntingdon, Pa asked Robert to give a demonstration to his students at Juniata College
January	Two day Thrown and Altered Forms workshop for The Mudflat Clay Studio, in Somerville, Massachusetts.
January	demonstration at the Heartwood College of Art in Kennebunkport, Maine

Robert Compton Pottery
2662 North 116 Road, Bristol, Vermont 05443, U.S.A.
Phone: 802-453-3778
E-mail: Robert & Christine

02/07/09

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