Jonathan Kaplan on tue 23 apr 96
What Don failed to repost was that in my questioning the current crafts
movement I was assuming the devil's advocate postion, and if you reference
my original post:
>
We speak of the dilution of the market place by larger production studios.
In and of itself,this needs to be clarified. Yes the pie is still basically
the same size, but shrinking proportionally each year. The segments of the
pie, us, are becoming smaller. It does not necessarily mean that all larger
production studios are making poor quality work. The dilution of our
maketplace, IMHO, is perhaps better understood only in realtion to our
culture and our time. It was inevitable that such should happen. I'm
playing Devil's Avocate here, but why should we be immune to this? What is
so special about the craft movement? Why do we think that we can continue
to market and produce pots the smae way and with the same attitudes that we
started out with in the 60's or so, and expect the same dollar return? Does
not happen!!
>
Just for clarification purposes.
Yes, I think the crafts movement is very special indeed, but, it is at a
crisis level, at least in the marketing and promotion level. How we
continue to define what we do, how we do it, and how to bring it to market
is or crutial importance. But let us not exonerate those crafts marketers
and promoters who have blatently not only exploited craftspeople, and the
public, and who are directly responsible for such market dilution. But the
other side of the coin is that in our free market societly, such activity
is at the root of our system. Who do we fault, to whom do we ascribe blame?
My theory is that the root of this dissention is economic. The second part
of the theory is that the marketplace becomes overly saturated with
inferior and ineptly produced work. While these are of course, my opinions
only and what characterizes good work, great work, inferior work, etc, are
indeed subjects for a much more lengthy post, nonetheless, most of us
acknowledge that it is there.
What we all talk about is the need to educate our customers and the retail
public. This is a noble venture, but I venture that it is us as a body that
needs to be re-educated also. We are so quick to condemn and overly zealous
to point the finger, that we cease to acknowledge that there are many ways
to do what we do, and to appoint some one or some group as judge and jury
for us all is wrong, plain and simple.
Every marketing group and organization has its own point of view. Look at
what is happening in the Buyer's Market Shows. Whay do you think they are
called "Buyer's Markets" in the first place? There is an growing segment in
those shows that are small to medium to large manufacturers, as well as
small studios and singular craftspeople, but the point of view of the
promoter is that there is room, and should be room, for all. Agree or
disagree, this is the point of view of that promoter. ACC, IMHO, has a
different one, and, just my opinion, there is, an always has been, a
decided schism in both approaches to marketing and the look of each show
for as long as I can remember. On can accuse ACC of selectively
discriminating, could be true. Having been on the jury for ceramics, my
only guilt for being accused of discrimination is giving low points for
extremely poor slides, poorly executed and non professional work, and work
that in my opinion as a juror, does not fit the professional standards and
guidelines that we were charged with as jurors.
Yes the market is very much in a state of turmoil and crisis. At times I am
sure we have felt powerless in the face of such overwhealming odds. We
have all heard many stories about entry into competitions and shows, and
their downsides.
What I glean from Don's recent post is that
"What is so special about the craft movement is that in its soul,
the work is done one at a time by hand, generally using the most basic
methods, honoring the traditions of the medium."
In theory I couldn't agree more, but the fact is that there are many
traditions in any medium, many methods. What is this "honoring the
traditions...?" We all honor the tradition of potterymaking by what ever
methods and whatever ways we work. Being stuck in any one way of thinking
is indeed a difficult position to be in. I am not accusing any one, Don
included, here, but our movement has been struggling with this very concept
since perhaps even well before I started in 1973.
I'm not sure where this is going, but suffice it to be that if you want to
change the system, get involved. Nominate yourself for a juror position
with ACE and jury your point of view. Perhaps at some time, there will be
an ACE show with all potters who work alone in their studios, making pieces
one at a time. And at the smae time, another show of small manufacturers
and another of larger ones. Go to the NY Gift show and look at the number
of potters in that venue. From all aspects of potterymaking.
I am still convinced that despite all the marketing hyperbole, bellyaching,
whining, etc., there are enough venues out there for any of us who are the
least bit enterprising to get a piece of the pie, no matter how small that
piece is.
Further, Don posted....
>Often these business have glitsier presentations and better merchandising
>techniques, drawing the customer away from the one-at-a time person. The
>soul of the movement is not based in the attitudes of the 1960's but is
>centuries or millenia old. Its OPPOSITE is the industrial revolution and
>now computerized production methods. Not far from me was a booth that
>made music boxes. These were all cut out using a computerized router.<
And if we want to get that piece o'pie, we better damn well have a glitsier
and better merchandising techniques. Ands so must those who produce one at
a time.
I would submit that the guy with the computerized router shares much with
those potters using a motorized potters wheel, or programmable electric
kiln. The soul of the movement, and I'll end my post shortly, is not how we
do things or whatever methods we employ. The soul of the movement is what
we make, our work, our pots, our soul.
Finally, Don, I am not picking on you in any way. Your work, the
"atmospheres" are beautifully executed and are wonderful concepts in clay.
This is the soul of your work.
Jonathan
Jonathan Kaplan
http://www.craftweb.com/org/jkaplan/cdg.shtml
(aka "Scooter)
jonathan@csn.net
Ceramic Design Group/Production Services Voice:
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