Chris Campbell on fri 8 jan 10
I would suggest you Google " trends for 2011" and
take in what the experts have to say about retail
trends in general.
We are not on a separate little island ... we are in
the whole mix of competition for the consumers
dollar.
Last year home shows and studio sales did well.
Whatever perception drove this trend ... be it a
personal touch or hopes to get things cheaper
or need for connection ... who knows?
Sales on the Internet for other products rose
in double digits. I have not heard from potters
who actively sell retail on the Internet so I cannot
comment there.
Artwork in the mid range sold well ... by that
I mean around $350 - $500. People still have
money to spend but it is not PC to do so right
now so they are being conservative for show,
not need.
The $150 range had a tough year ... too cheap
to be expensive and too expensive for impulse.
When will it be OK to spend again?
Soon, we hope.
As to the marketing workshop mentioned in
another post ... I suspect it is about marketing
Capital "A" art but if it is only $49 for the whole
day you don't have much to lose and I am sure
you will pick up a few tips that will make the
whole day worthwhile.
I still have an old post on my Blog - April 2009 -
of the presentation I gave at NCECA re: marketing
your work to galleries.
This was about little "a" art, not capital "A" ...
a whole different animal.
FYI ... my definitions ...
Little "a" art is work that is stocked on shelves
in the hope of resale to customers.
Capital "A" art is work that is represented,
marketed and promoted by a gallery. They adopt
the artist and it is usually exclusive in the state,
country or everywhere.
Chris Campbell - in North Carolina
President, Potters Council
Chris Campbell Pottery LLC
Designs in Colored Porcelain
www.ccpottery.com
http://neriagechris.blogspot.com/
Creative Ways With Colored Clays
PRE-NCECA WEEKEND WORKSHOP
March 26, 27 & 28, 2010
Clay Art Center
40 Beech Street
Port Chester, NY 10573
914.937.2047 x222
http://www.clayartcenter.org
SUMMER WORKSHOP
August 15-21, 2010
Touchstone Center for Crafts
1049 Wharton Furnace Road
Farmington PA 15437
1.800.721.0177
http://www.touchstonecrafts.com
Antoinette Badenhorst on sat 9 jan 10
Thanks for this information and prespective =3DC2=3DA0Chris.=3D20
I think people needs comfort during hard economical times and get automatic=
=3D
ally drawn to warm and cozy places where there are friendly faces and frien=
=3D
dly words.That is why=3DC2=3DA0artist =3DC2=3DA0studios=3DC2=3DA0get more a=
ttention. It=3D
is more than just a trip to the store. It is an experience and an outing. =
=3D
At the same time it fills the need to buy something and if one can connect =
=3D
a good buy to a good emotional experience, it comforts.=3D20
Potters are talking too little clay these days and too much of everything e=
=3D
lse. I can not recall a time period before that my delete button worked thi=
=3D
s hard. I think that Arnold was looking for oppinions that he could use to =
=3D
"measure" with, to "plan" with and I do not think his question got answered=
=3D
this far.=3D20
Of cause oppinions are formed over a much broader surface than just clayart=
=3D
, but every little bit of information shapes our thoughts. At this stage I =
=3D
get the idea that potters in general has too much time on their hands; that=
=3D
they do not know what to do with it. That in itself tells a story.=3D20
This is the perfect time for millionaires to be born. If one gets in at the=
=3D
bottom of the wave you're in for a long ride, but if one try to get in in =
=3D
the middle, it might be a long jump too catch up with the rest.=3D20
As for "buy American" is concerned: it does not matter where I get the mate=
=3D
rials from, if I can accumilate the money around "me" then I am successful.=
=3D
If I buy an "American made pot" the money stays and works right here. I f =
=3D
I buy a " made elsewhere" pot, the money works elsewhere. So, if I have to =
=3D
choose where I want the money to work, I prefer it right here. Money from a=
=3D
local studio feeds the potter, the local and eventually federal government=
=3D
. It create new jobs at gas pumps and local restaurants. If there is a grou=
=3D
p of studios it might create work at hotles. So does not matter where you a=
=3D
re in this world: think, local, think "made in my country" Add value to you=
=3D
r local materials and then: if you are smart enough to successfully infiltr=
=3D
ate a different economy.............do it.=3D20
Best wishes and happy potting in America.=3D20
Antoinette Badenhorst( still in the process of getting my new studio up and=
=3D
running.............)=3D20
Lincolnshire, Illinoise=3D20
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