Five sand molds. A day’s worth of work. And nothing to show for it. Five failed pieces to be melted back down and tried again on another day. This is the reality hidden behind each successful piece. It’s a bit demoralizing when it happens, but you just have to mark it as a loss and keep trying. That’s why it feels so great when you open a poured mold and see a successful cast. For every piece I produce and go on to sell, there was a moment of anticipation, of pleasant surprise and satisfaction. That’s part of the beauty of things that are hand made.