PG-13 Pottery

Photo Credit: Stephen Salter

TikTok is a multiverse of all different types of amazing talent; it's no wonder that @pg13pottery has created a corner of the app all on his own. The potter only began his craft four years ago in high school and has since developed a unique and creative way to expand on the hobby. By day, he serves as a part-time ceramics teacher at his university. During his off time, however, the entertainer uploads a bunch of unique pottery videos to TikTok which cover a wide variety of subjects. Whether he’s “making 6ix9ine,” creating a crown for David Dobrik, or making one of the tiniest pots known to man-kind, PG-13 Pottery never fails to disappoint. Over his short time on the app, he’s gained 1.5 million TikTok followers and over 31 million likes. We recently spoke to him about his beginnings on the app, the feedback he has received, and more!

Pottery has clearly been a main fixture in your life as of late. Has this always been something that you've been interested in?

I started doing pottery 4 years ago in a highschool ceramics class and fell in love with it ever since. For the last 2 years, I have been teaching ceramics classes part-time at my university, so it has definitely become a big part of my life. 

When did you realize that your love for pottery could turn into something greater?

I'm not entirely sure if I have had this sort of grand realization yet, but I guess I would say it was as soon as my TikToks started getting a lot of attention. I'm currently studying social media in college, so I knew of the potential that TikTok had for quick growth, and I thought it would be fun to try it out for myself. I tried to combine my own hobby with what I thought people would like to see and suddenly it became far bigger than I could have imagined. 

What is your favorite thing about creating content?

My favorite thing about creating content is trying to predict what you think people will like to see. There is so much content on TikTok nowadays, you really are forced to get creative if you want good exposure. Sometimes you have a really good week in terms of video performance, sometimes not so good, but it is always satisfying to watch a video blow up that you were truly proud of. 

Have you gotten any feedback from fellow potters? What has that been like?

Yes! I have actually gotten tons of feedback from my fellow potters. Me and 31 other potters from TikTok actually have had a massive group chat for a few months now, and we are all constantly giving each other feedback, whether it's on video ideas, business ideas, or life in general. It has been amazing to be part of this unique art community online and if it weren't for them, I'm not sure I would have stayed so motivated over these last few months. 

Besides pottery, what are some things that you do like to do in your free time?

Outside of pottery, I am a full-time college student and have been playing Tennis competitively since I was little. Both of these pretty much take up all of my time outside of TikTok. 

How has your TikTok fame changed your life, both personally and professionally?

Personally, I would say it hasn't changed my life at all. It's certainly become a big commitment and my friends like to joke about it pretty often, but nothing else has really changed. Also, I don't really show my face in my videos, so I don't think I'll have paparazzi at my doorstep anytime soon. Professionally, I would say this has all been a great experience to help build my career in social media. As a college student focused in social media marketing, I would love to work in that industry some day, and this has definitely taught me a lot. I often say that I dove deep into this whole TikTok thing this summer because I was unable to land an internship, but I would not trade this experience for anything. Also, it has been very fun managing myself, whether it be brand deals, media features, TikTok partnerships, or interviews like this one!

With over 1.4 million followers and 29.6 million likes, do you ever feel pressured to create content?

To be honest, sometimes I do feel pressured. Although, I wouldn't necessarily say anyone is putting pressure on me to post other than myself. I have tried to set a high bar for myself from the beginning with my account, which means producing high quality content as often as I possibly can. I think posting frequently on TikTok helps with growth, so I am motivated by trying to reap the rewards of large amounts of content. I have posted almost every single day for the last 14 weeks straight, so sometimes it feels like a lot, but I just need to remember when to take a step back and enjoy life outside of my phone.

You are in a lane all by yourself. With that said, are there any TikTokers that you'd be interested in doing a collab with?

Myself and about 15 other potters actually already did collaborate to make a montage video showing off our best work, a video posted on July 27th, 2020. Aside from that, I don't really have any specific artists in mind, but I would love to continue to collaborate with the pottery community on TikTok in general. There are so many unique art styles just in our community alone, the possibilities are endless. 

What is next for PG-13 Pottery?

I really do wish I had a more exciting answer to this question, but right now all I am trying to do is balance school, TikTok, and life. It has been an extremely unexpected and chaotic last few months, so really I am just waiting to see where it continues to take me. I would love to continue to push out content I am proud of, collaborate with some unique brands, and maybe even work with TikTok on some of their upcoming projects.