mel jacobson on sun 6 apr 08
if you look in the back section of the May issue of ART NEWS,
i think you will find the listings for all new york fine galleries. (santa fe,
los angeles and san fran too, i think.)
( i am sure they still do that each may.)
you can see the list of artists that they have in their stable.
yes, that is what it is called.
stable.
when you enter the stable, most sign a binding agreement
that you will sell with them only. exclusive contract.
i don't know what the present status is, but that was
the method a few years back.
i did the snooping, send the photos, got a few offers, but
did the math...and declined for good..never go back there again.
many stable artists will black market their own work..cash/ 50% discount.
(but the buyer must not advertise that they have the work.)
most galleries of note will assure you that your work will
climb in great value. pots at 8 grand..etc.
and, often they sell for that price.
now take warren mackenzie.
he makes about 400 pots a month. very busy man.
and, at 83 a real inspiration for others. in fact, that number of pots may
be on the low side.)
he makes great pots..sells them, at low prices. all of them.
if he sells them for a ten buck average...do the math.
4000 bucks a month. not very many new york selling potters
are making 4000 bucks a month. times 12. hardly. and keep
it up for 55 years.
i have always been on the mackenzie track. i made 396 pots
in the month of march. counted them all. i will sell them
all at some point. a show/city gallery tour in may...a lot will
leave with folks. a big retro show next may 15,2009. a
show in hudson, wisconsin...brand new gallery opening...a dear
friend. i trust her completely.
so, i am very glad that i am not shipping pots to garth clark.
he would not want them anyway. ick, a production potter.
(yes, i do produce pots, lots of them...)
i did just complete an order to tom turnquist...a great collector.
and, i do not charge him. he has done so much for potters that
it would seem immoral not to give him anything he wants.
(i gave him the names of two fine potters that i want him to
`discover`. a couple of you will be very surprised when he calls.
he is maybe the best collector in america. he sure is smart about
pots. and, he has made a number of potters a bit more famous.
melvin rule: 823b.52
never charge collectors more than your average customer.
if they get a bargain...so be it. they may want to spend
200 bucks on your bowl, but, never take it. same price
for all. never nick a great collector. they will come back
from time to time...get a few more as gifts to give.
i want to be the potter that a great collector buys from
to give gifts. how could your work be more well advertised.
i love it when they say `hey, this is not a very big bill for
three pots`. then i say...`then buy some more another day...give
them away.` and, often that is just what happens...and the
getter of the gift often calls for some good bargains.
gotcha.
mel
from minnetonka:
website http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart site:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
gayle bair on mon 7 apr 08
I shouldn't but I continue to struggle with the gallery issue.
Every time I swing to the gallery side my internal "no, No, NO" meter
goes wild.
So I keep plugging away at the fringes with local shows, shops other
than galleries
and the farmers Market on Bainbridge.
One of these days I'll come to a final decision and my no-no meter
will stay calm.
Through the years I must say that I am most excited & honored
when one of my peers (another potter) buys my work.
It is always heavily discounted.
I have a few people who have been collecting my work over the years.
They get discounts and/or get to choose a piece as a gift from me.
People with purchases of $100 or more get to choose a gift also.
It's amazing how excited they get when I tell them about it.
They get to choose one of my production pieces & frequently take longer
picking it out than the original one off pricey piece(s).
Gayle Bair
Tucson AZ
Bainbridge Island WA
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
On Apr 6, 2008, at 12:54 PM, mel jacobson wrote:
> i did just complete an order to tom turnquist...a great collector.
> and, i do not charge him. he has done so much for potters that
> it would seem immoral not to give him anything he wants.
> (i gave him the names of two fine potters that i want him to
> `discover`. a couple of you will be very surprised when he calls.
> he is maybe the best collector in america. he sure is smart about
> pots. and, he has made a number of potters a bit more famous.
> melvin rule: 823b.52
> never charge collectors more than your average customer.
> if they get a bargain...so be it. they may want to spend
> 200 bucks on your bowl, but, never take it. same price
> for all. never nick a great collector. they will come back
> from time to time...get a few more as gifts to give.
> i want to be the potter that a great collector buys from
> to give gifts. how could your work be more well advertised.
> i love it when they say `hey, this is not a very big bill for
> three pots`. then i say...`then buy some more another day...give
> them away.` and, often that is just what happens...and the
> getter of the gift often calls for some good bargains.
> gotcha.
> mel
>
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