Lee Love on wed 9 sep 09
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 3:24 PM, douglas fur<23drb50@gmail.com> wrote:
> The question is- When do we give the non-selling pots to the "Goodwill" w=
ere
> some one will get to use them instead of holding onto them?
Douglas, my problem is holding on to a few. Jean is always twisting
my arm. She says, "Keep this one for your retrospective.
> p.s. I'd ask Lee to comment on Zen and atachments but I can't spell it.
It is partly why I sell them all, so as not to be stuck on the
old pots. But it was really enlightening to see some of my old pots
that were in storage while I was in Japan for 10 years. They were
both better and worse than I remembered. I think I mentioned before,
the biggest improvement, besides developing more skill after a 3 year
apprenticeship, is that I learned not to exaggerate. That, and better
feet.
--
Lee Love, Minneapolis
"The tea ceremony bowl is the ceramic equivalent of a sonnet: a
small-scale, seemingly constricted form that challenges the artist to
go beyond mere technical virtuosity and find an approach that both
satisfies and transcends the conventions." -- Rob Sliberman
full essay: http://togeika.multiply.com/journal/item/273/
gayle bair on wed 9 sep 09
Larry,
I had an interesting experience this year regarding good unsold pots.
I had several pricy teapots ($300+ range) that got a lot of admiration
but were not selling.
I debated briefly over lowering the prices but just couldn't do it.
And there they sat garnering admiration but no sales.
Then one day in the studio I realized that I was quite attached those
pots and
didn't really want them to sell. Goofy as it sounds I had to have a
conversation with self about that!!! ;-)
Seriously, I did have to give myself an "It's ok to sell it".
The next week it sold. The same thing occurred with the other pricy
pot a month later.
Now the other side of the coin was obvious when watching the Tom
Turner DVD.
He kept a lot of his best pots throughout his career and has a
fabulous collection of his work.
All I have is photos and lots of my seconds. Hmmmmm!
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island WA
Tucson AZ
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
On Sep 9, 2009, at 6:48 PM, Larry Kruzan wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I sure tend to agree with Mel - I've had a few tubs of pots
> gathering in the
> back room that just did not sale. Most were very good pots with no
> problems
> such as blisters, cracks, craws or anything that would have been
> considered
> a flaw, but for some reason they just did not sale. These were not
> seconds
> but they just sat there. Dollars on the shelf, investment in blood,
> sweat
> and tears unrealized.
>
> A few weeks ago I started to gather all the pots that had been on the
> shelves and unsold for more than 3 months. Pretty soon I had eight
> tubs of
> pots! I have to admit that there were a few that dated back more
> than two
> years.
>
> This past week our small town had its annual Popcorn Festival were I
> had
> reserved a couple booth spaces. In one space I setup my usual booth
> with my
> current work, in the other I setup wire shelving units from my store
> and set
> out the dated pottery. I hung 1/2 price signs on each shelf.
>
> Here is the bottom line - by the end of the festival I had sold
> almost all
> of the older pottery - and added $2000 to my bank account. I am sure
> that
> some bargain shoppers bought some of the discount pots instead of my
> regular
> items that they might have otherwise purchased.
>
> One local gallery operator showed up and bought 12 pieces that I had
> placed
> with him last year - at the time he said he couldn't sell them
> because of
> the price - at half off I guess he can ??? He was charging me 50%
> back then
> so I don't know what the deal was but now he owns them, I have his
> money, we
> are both happy even if I'm confused.
>
> Have I devalued my ware by doing this onetime sale? I doubt it and
> since I
> was the only potter there, nobody else was placed at risk. I had a
> local
> gentleman come into my shop today wanting to replace a cup he had
> bought a
> few years ago and broke last week. He was shocked to see my prices had
> doubled since the original purchase. I simply pointed out that gas
> prices,
> utilities and a lot of things had doubled since then - everything
> except his
> and my wages - phrased it in a joking manner and apologized for the
> increase
> I couldn't help. We had a good laugh and he bought a mug promising
> to keep
> it safer.
>
> Another lady who loves to shop at my store tells me how she enjoys
> starting
> each day with her breakfast coffee in one of my mugs. She says that
> she
> always remembers the day she visited with me in the studio while I was
> throwing mugs and how much joy I showed at working the clay of the
> wheel.
> She said that the thoughts always move her to take joy in all she
> will do
> that day.
>
> Is pottery a precious item?? It certainly can be! I know for some
> joy is in
> owning a precious item. If you work fits that description then that is
> great! There are those of us who want to see folks buy our work and
> use it.
> It really drives us nuts when it sets on a shelf.
>
> Also, please understand those of us who see the experience of using a
> special piece of pottery as precious.
>
>
> Larry Kruzan
> Lost Creek Pottery
> www.lostcreekpottery.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of douglas
> fur
> Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 3:25 PM
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: unsold pots/pricing
>
> Mel
> Not to get into the old noisy-trees-in-the-woods-paradox but if it
> doesn't
> sell (no one wants it) does it have any value?
>
> As potters the "labor theory of value" makes more sense to us than the
> "market theory of value" because we invest our blood sweat and tears
> into
> our work.
>
> On the other hand I saw a great bio. on Andrew Carnegy on "The
> American
> Experience". As a teenage office boy he made a decision, in the
> name of the
> railway's president, to destroy a locomotive rather than salvage
> it. He saw
> that they were not in the railway business but in the freight moving
> business and that the break down was impeding their freight. The
> standard
> practice saw the railway as the business and the engine as something
> to
> save.
>
> If we're in the business of making pots we hold onto them. If we're
> in the
> business of making pots for people to use we're out to get rid of
> them.
>
> The question is- When do we give the non-selling pots to the
> "Goodwill" were
> some one will get to use them instead of holding onto them?
>
> DRB
> Seattle
>
> p.s. I'd ask Lee to comment on Zen and atachments but I can't spell
> it.
> On Mon, Sep 7, 2009 at 8:44 AM, mel jacobson
> wrote:the
> most expensive pot in your studio is the unsold one.
David Hendley on thu 10 sep 09
---- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Kruzan" >
> A few weeks ago I started to gather all the pots that had been on the
> shelves and unsold for more than 3 months. Pretty soon I had eight tubs o=
f
> pots! I have to admit that there were a few that dated back more than two
> years.
3 months, Larry? You are either joking or your operation is
quite different from mine.
The great thing about pottery is that it doesn't go bad. I've got
dozens of pieces, mostly the large unusual ones, that have been
sitting around for years. Eventually someone comes along and
likes one and buys it. Some I even re-price if they have been
there for many years and are now priced too low.
The slow movers aren't hurting anything by sitting around, but I
guess I have more space than many potters. By the time I fire
another kiln load, take out the special orders and promised
pots, there is always plenty of shelf space for the new pieces.
I do have my limits, and just this year turned a few unsold
pots from the 20th century into 21st century driveway fill.
David Hendley
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
Carole Fox on thu 10 sep 09
I have had a big raku jar in my studio for about 8 years. It became too =3D
much of a pain to take to shows with me, so I just stuck it in the =3D
corner on the floor. People often have commented on it, even asked the =3D
price...but no takers. Currently, I am the featured artist in a new =3D
gallery (for me) and I decided to dust the cobwebs off of it and put it =3D
in the show. The gallery put it in the window. It sold the first day and =
=3D
two other people were interested in buying another "just like it".
My problem is...over the years I have been lowering the price to try to =3D
get this baby out the door of my rural studio/gallery. So, I sold it for =
=3D
$200 when I could probably have gotten $500 at this gallery. Ouch. I =3D
have just learned a fairly expensive lesson.
Over the years, I have been told many times that my prices are too low. =3D
When I am in venues like this gallery, I believe it. But at home, in my =3D
studio gallery, the prices seem outrageous. I am often embarrassed to =3D
charge $25 for a mug or $50 for a large serving bowl.
What helps a bit is my clearance table where I practically GIVE away the =
=3D
pots I just can't bear to look at anymore and tons of seconds( Hey -it's =
=3D
cash for clunkers!). But I hope to someday not be so lame as to have =3D
this much clearance pottery! Now I am thinking about starting to send my =
=3D
mailing list discount coupons that can be used in my studio sales.
Do any of you also have to deal with the inconsistencies of home and =3D
gallery sales? How do you reconcile?
Carole Fox
Silver Fox Pottery
Elkton, MD
silverfoxpottery@comcast.net
-----=3D20
> ---- Original Message -----
> From: "Larry Kruzan" >
>> A few weeks ago I started to gather all the pots that had been on the
>> shelves and unsold for more than 3 months. Pretty soon I had eight =3D
tubs of
>> pots! I have to admit that there were a few that dated back more than =
=3D
two
>> years.
>=3D20
> 3 months, Larry? You are either joking or your operation is
> quite different from mine.
> The great thing about pottery is that it doesn't go bad. I've got
> dozens of pieces, mostly the large unusual ones, that have been
> sitting around for years.
Lee Love on thu 10 sep 09
During my apprenticeship, if a pot did not sell after about 3
different shows, the very best ones were wrapped up in their box and
then the box was wrapped in whit paper. Then one of us apprentices
would put the pot in the attic, where a mountain of paper wrapped
pottery boxes were store. I would guess that after my teachers
passing, there were enough pots in that storage space to have shows
for many years into the future.
--
Lee Love, Minneapolis
"The tea ceremony bowl is the ceramic equivalent of a sonnet: a
small-scale, seemingly constricted form that challenges the artist to
go beyond mere technical virtuosity and find an approach that both
satisfies and transcends the conventions." -- Rob Sliberman
full essay: http://togeika.multiply.com/journal/item/273/
Lee Love on thu 10 sep 09
On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 7:12 AM, Carole Fox wrote:
> Do any of you also have to deal with the inconsistencies of home and gall=
ery
> sales? How do you reconcile?
Gallery contracts often take care of this for you. They stipulate
that their retail prices will be the same as your studio prices and
prices at other galleries.
--
Lee Love, Minneapolis
"The tea ceremony bowl is the ceramic equivalent of a sonnet: a
small-scale, seemingly constricted form that challenges the artist to
go beyond mere technical virtuosity and find an approach that both
satisfies and transcends the conventions." -- Rob Sliberman
full essay: http://togeika.multiply.com/journal/item/273/
William & Susan Schran User on thu 10 sep 09
On 9/10/09 8:12 AM, "Carole Fox" wrote:
> Do any of you also have to deal with the inconsistencies of home and gall=
ery
> sales? How do you reconcile?
I don't sell directly out of my studio, but I have sold to individuals
outside of gallery situations.
I usually charge the same selling price as I have on the pots in the
gallery. Keeping the gallery in business helps keep me in business and it i=
s
less confusing for the customer.
I do discount for my pottery colleagues and for clients that have bought
from me over the years or purchase several pots at once.
The only other exception is donations I make to "empty bowls" and to our
annual school holiday pottery show where all pots are donated.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
Lis Allison on thu 10 sep 09
On Thursday 10 September 2009, Carole Fox wrote:
>>
> Do any of you also have to deal with the inconsistencies of home and
> gallery sales? How do you reconcile?
I reconcile by just accepting that different venues attract different
customers who will have different attitudes. At my market booth I expect
mid-range customers who want value for money and practical stuff, at one
sale I do downtown I expect more upper-scale customers who will pay more
for more creative work, and at home I expect many will be looking for
bargoons. So I sell my seconds (never anything wrong, just don't like them
or they have been around too long) for a very low price from home once a
year, save the interesting stuff for the downtown sale, and put the
regular stuff in the market booth.
Lis
--
Elisabeth Allison
Pine Ridge Studio
www.Pine-Ridge-Studio.blogspot.com
Lee Love on thu 10 sep 09
On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 5:13 PM, Des & Jan Howard wro=
te:
> Lee
> Not for this little black duck!
> The 1% of our work that sells outside of our showroom
> at the workshop has the gallery commission on top of
> our retail.
We can't do that in "civilization." ;^)
--
Lee Love, Minneapolis
"The tea ceremony bowl is the ceramic equivalent of a sonnet: a
small-scale, seemingly constricted form that challenges the artist to
go beyond mere technical virtuosity and find an approach that both
satisfies and transcends the conventions." -- Rob Sliberman
full essay: http://togeika.multiply.com/journal/item/273/
Des & Jan Howard on fri 11 sep 09
Lee
Not for this little black duck!
The 1% of our work that sells outside of our showroom
at the workshop has the gallery commission on top of
our retail. We refuse to accept less than we can get
for the item here. No deal, no pots. Pots in our
showroom frequently have different prices on seemingly
identical items. Prices are based on a 'what the market
will bear'/aesthetic judgement call out of the kiln,
even on mugs.
Pots are not saved/collected. This is an extremely
egocentric belief that your work is/will be of some
historical or familial significance. Make 'em, sell
'em, move on!
Des
Lee Love wrote:
>> Do any of you also have to deal with the inconsistencies of home and gal=
lery
>> sales? How do you reconcile?
>
> Gallery contracts often take care of this for you. They stipulate
> that their retail prices will be the same as your studio prices and
> prices at other galleries.
--
Des & Jan Howard
Lue Pottery
Lue NSW
Australia
2850
02 6373 6419
www.luepottery.hwy.com.au
-32.656072 149.840624
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