job posting: Blue Sage Pottery and Art Gallery – Studio Assistant and Sales Associate

by Carole Epp | Jun 24, 2018 | job posting

Blue Sage Pottery & Art Gallery is currently seeking a full time employee to work as both a Studio Assistant/ Potter and as a Sales Associate.  The studio and gallery is located in Amarillo, Texas on Historic Rt. 66.  Amarillo is a small friendly city with a low cost of living, great school system and easy access to Palo Duro Canyon State Park and other local attractions.

Job Title: Studio Assistant/Potter and Sales Associate

Salary: The salary for this dual position is $30,000 per year, and it is a 40 hour per week position.

About us: Blue Sage Pottery & Art Gallery is a pottery studio and retail art gallery owned by husband and wife, Kent and Megan Harris.  At Blue Sage we design and make high quality handmade stoneware pottery. We make over forty different types of pots on the potter’s wheel for the home, kitchen & garden.  All of our pottery is made by hand, so any experience throwing pots, glazing and loading/firing kilns is a plus! (We are very interested in hiring someone with experience as a production potter that can also “wear other hats” in the business).  In addition to making handmade pottery, we teach several group classes per week. Our studio is both a fully equipped production studio and teaching space.  In the adjacent art gallery, we sell our pots as well as fine art and handmade gifts by other artists.

Job Duties:

Studio Assistant/ Potter:

• Prepare clay
• Throw and trim production pots
• Wax & glaze pottery
• Keep student work organized
• Help teach classes
• Prepare for classes
• Clean up after classes
• Make and sieve glazes from raw materials
• Prepare for firings
• Load, fire, and unload kilns
• Keep studio and kiln yard tidy

Sales Associate:

• Greet and assist customers with their gallery purchases
• Run register, make receipts, carefully wrap purchases etc.
• Pack and ship orders
• Deliver artworks
• Clean gallery and packing room as needed
• Operate online sales gallery as needed

• Assist in photographing artwork & editing photos
• Assist with marketing efforts

Required Skills:

• Studio Pottery experience
• Must be able to lift 30 pounds
• Must be able to do repetitive movements for long periods of time
• Must be able to work Saturdays and three evenings per week
• Ability to work both as an individual and as a team member
• Ability to pay attention to the details
• Retail experience

Preferred Skills:

• Bachelor or Master Degree in Fine Arts or Studio Arts
• Five or more years wheel throwing experience
• Basic knowledge of clay and glazes
• Adobe Photoshop proficiency
• Proficiency with technology
• Experience with e-commerce
• Teaching experience of some kind

How to Apply:
Please apply by e-mailing a letter of introduction, a resume and contact information for three references to Kent Harris at [email protected].  The e-mail application deadline is June 31st, 2018.  We will then choose applicants for skype and/or local interviews that will be conducted in July.  Applicants with studio pottery experience will be asked to demonstrate pottery skills. Thank you for your interest!