Why Buy Handmade?

“The Value of Buying Handmade vs Mass Produced products is known to those who value the creative spirit and support the artisan, the craftsman, the entrepreneurs providing quality over quantity.”

-J. Sterling

When an artist creates a piece of art, they leave a part of themselves in it. There's a deep sense of pride in taking something from start to finish—whether it's a chunk of clay or any other medium—and transforming it into something beautiful, functional, or both. For me, that transformation happens through pottery: I shape raw clay into objects people can use every day, or sometimes, into purely decorative pieces. Handmade items are always more personal than mass-produced ones. While ceramic dinnerware from corporate stores might be cheaper, nothing compares to the uniqueness of a handmade piece. No two handmade items are ever exactly alike. The variations in color, glaze, texture, size, and form are what make each piece one-of-a-kind. That’s the heart of handmade art.

For those with a more Type-A personality, you know who you are—if you like things to match or be uniform, there are potters who share that attention to detail and love for precision. But the beauty of handmade goods lies in their individuality.

Small, locally-owned businesses tend to have an unmatched eye for quality and a commitment to perfecting their craft. If something doesn’t meet the owner’s standards, it doesn’t get sold. That means you’re getting the best possible product for the price.

Handmade is also more sustainable. It uses less energy than mass-production assembly lines and supports a tradition of skilled craftsmanship in a world increasingly dominated by machines.

I believe in educating people about the value of handmade goods. By choosing items crafted by hand, you’re not just purchasing an object—you’re supporting a craft and preserving a tradition that is more meaningful and environmentally responsible than its mass-produced counterparts.