This is a story from issue one of the Lance.

 Their business started June of this year after they were inspired by the classes they took at Westside. Senior David Livingston took Marketing 1, as a junior and found that he wanted to be an entrepreneur. It was his idea to start the company Twisting Tree Pottery. David asked his brother, Michael Livingston, and his friend, senior Samir Thariani, to be a part of the business.

“I saw the artistic potential in Samir and Michael,” David said. “They were the best at pottery in their class, and I saw it as an opportunity to start a company.”

Both Thariani and Michael have taken all the pottery courses Westside has to offer. For Michael, it was Pottery I in freshman year that convinced him he loved it. Thariani started in fifth grade after a teacher recommended it, and he became a prodigy.

“I’ve almost always been a fan of 3D art,” Thariani said. “As a kid, I liked the idea that I could make whatever I wanted with just my hands. The art form never gets old because the possibilities are endless.”

While Thariani and Michael are the artists of the company, David handles the business aspect of it. He manages their inventory, plans events and maintains social media.

“I’m not really a pottery guy,” David said. “I like stepping into the leadership position, and I’m learning as much as I can about the industry through Twisting Tree.”

After filling out tax information for the government, getting everything approved and several trips to the bank, Twisting Tree Pottery was finally recognized on the state and federal level. The company also needed a workshop which came in the form of the Livingston’s grandma’s basement.

“After my grandpa died, we wanted to make a use out of the space,” Michael said. “It used to be a woodworking shop, so it was really dusty and dirty. We spent a lot of time cleaning it up before we purchased our equipment.”

To start their business, the three bought two pottery kilns, a wheel, a sand-glassing cabinet, and all of the tools they needed. To afford the expensive items, the members of the business split it up equally.

“The process starts off with buying clay from Blick Art Materials,” Thariani said. “Michael and I form the pieces, dry them, engrave them, fire them, and then glaze the pieces depending on what color the customer wants or what is popular. Then the piece is put online through Etsy to display, and then taken to the art shows where people can buy it.”

The business has been to several local art fairs, such as Rockbrook and the Omaha Arts Festival. Art shows are usually a one-to-two day event, and they cost about $100-300 to rent a ten by ten space to set up a table.

“We’ve paid for all of our materials already,” Michael said. “Some of the money we make from art fairs helps pay for clay, but right now, we’re just working a profit margin.”

Twisting Tree Pottery sells items that are functional. This includes spoon rests, pitchers and plates. The artists usually make two pieces a day, each piece taking about one-and-a-half to two weeks to finish each piece completely.

“I get my inspiration from online and other artists,” Thariani said. “I usually start by shaping the style I want to form, and then go from there.”

While starting a company with a sibling might be a nightmare for some, the Livingston brothers find it to be an interesting challenge.

“We have a completely different relationship as business partners that we didn’t have before,” Michael said. “Because we are brothers through, we naturally fight. We argue about everything while we’re doing stuff, but it always works itself out.”

They usually meet together as a company once or twice a week to plan out the upcoming events, take inventory and make ceramics.

Their goal is to someday make their business into a pottery shop where they can rent out studio space, teach lessons and sell pottery.

“We want to expand our business, and buy more kilns,” David said. “We are currently working on getting a website up, but it’s hard because of all the logistic stuff. We are also planning on attending more art fairs next year to help with the costs of expansion.”
Twisting Tree Pottery has helped all of them with their future plans. David plans on being an entrepreneur after his experience with the business, while Michael and Thariani want to continue creating pottery after college.

“Pottery is a dying form, but I will always want to do it,” Thariani said. “I’m good at it, and I enjoy it. Pottery will keep up with me wherever I go.”