mel jacobson on fri 11 may 12
when considering a kiln for your own private use,
please remember, the most important investment
you can make, is in your own future and the joy
that your life will have.
any kiln will give you the complete flexiblity
to create pots or art whenever you want. you are
on your own. it is the best feeling in the world.
i always advised parents to `not buy kilns or wheels for kids`.
who knows how long the fad will last, but adults...`my
god, go for it.`
it makes your lifetime richer than you can imagine.
it is wealth.
i told a story a few years back: gal in my painting class at the u of minn=
.
always painted on cheap paper. canvas seemed `too much`
for her. and, really good materials seemed to spook her.
i said one day during the grad critique...`why are you using such crappy ma=
terials`?
she said...`oh, art supplies are soooo expensive, i find it hard
to spend the money`.
she drove a really nice car,
she had on a big diamond ring
her shoes must have cost a hundred bucks.
i was not pc. i said to her...`sell your gd diamond, or go to the
goodwill and get some shoes and spend your gd money on art
supplies.` she was offended. (everyone is offended now days..but
who cares?`) i told her...`are you just afraid of being good, being
talented, being a quality artist?` and, that was the fact...she was
using poor supplies to allow her to be almost good. several other students
chimed in. `mary, you have great potenial to be really good, get on with i=
t.`
i think she `got it`. when others started to point things out to her, she
sort of had her head knocked back. i hope she still paints...she was very
`potentially good`.
and, the secondary fact is: when you have a complete studio the potenial f=
or
sales increases a hundred fold. you can control cost of production. you c=
an
start using tax deductions for the materials that you use to make pots.
then you are into classic profit and loss. if you don't care about profit,=
at
least you support your `habit` with sales. then you can have the best of
the best.
speaking of painting and future....i just bought a roll of treated canvas,
six feet wide, about 35 feet long. it should last me for a bit. it is one
of those things that makes me feel good about my future...it will take
me twenty years to use up all that canvas. good, then i will run out
when i am 97. i can get some more. a roll of potential paintings is
waiting for me. i never use scrap crap. get the best, be the best.
quality materials are very inspiring.
so, take good care of you. learn to trust you. invest in self and it
pays back at about 50% interest.
i have no idea how much it has cost me to have my studio, the farm,
many kilns and wheels, pug mill and buildings. it was all paid for because=
of
my pottery sales. every dime.
thousands of dollars worth, all paid for...cash.
i walk into my heated, air conditioned studio every day of my life.
tons of clay waiting for me. a great stoneware kiln waiting for me,
two old electrics waiting for me. potential energy for life. and i don't
have to ask anyone to support me, do not need a government agency
to support me, or a school program. it is mine. i earned it, the old fashi=
oned
way. as we used to say...`don't be a pawn, be a king or queen of your
own life.` the wait for someone else to do it for you is very, very long.
and, if someone else pays for your life, the strings that surround you
get very tangled and can strangle you. getting it free, never is.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
Neil Estrick on fri 11 may 12
I always tell my customers to buy the kiln you'll need in five years, not=
=3D
the kiln=3D20
you need now. Your skills will continue to improve, and the small kiln th=
=3D
at=3D20
seems huge now will be much too small in the future. Kilns last a long ti=
=3D
me.=3D20
Think ahead.
Lee on fri 11 may 12
On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 5:17 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> i have no idea how much it has cost me to have my studio, the farm,
> many kilns and wheels, pug mill and buildings. =3DA0it was all paid for b=
ec=3D
ause of
> my pottery sales. =3DA0every dime.
> thousands of dollars worth, all paid for...cash.
The great advantage of a "day job" is that you can take all the money
from pottery sales that isn't paying rent and buying food, back into
your studio.
I advise young potters not to quit their day job until the
studio and kiln are fully equipped.
Debt and overhead is the number one killer of new businesses.
--
=3DA0Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3DA0"Ta tIr na n-=3DF3g ar chul an tI=3D97tIr dlainn trina ch=3DE9ile"=3D9=
7that is, =3D
"The
land of eternal youth is behind the house, a beautiful land fluent
within itself." -- John O'Donohue
Taylor Hendrix on fri 11 may 12
Absolutely, Mel is right about the kiln.
When I lucked into my first wheel (the kick wheel) I was in heaven. I could
throw and trim anytime I wanted. It was fantastic, but I still needed Barb
to fire my pots. Sure, I helped load and unload the kiln. I learned to
change elements and thermocouples. I even started helping measure out and
mix glazes, but none of it was really mine. I didn't have ultimate control
of that part of my pots. Once I got my own kiln and could be totally
independent, the feeling of empowerment was significant.
My advice is this: The minute, nay, the SECOND you find yourself saying,
"Drat, I need my own kiln" for the first time, run (do not walk) out and
buy a kiln. As long as that "drat" was real, you are ready for a kiln.
Learning to throw woke me. Obtaining my first wheel encouraged me. Finding
that first beat up kiln saved me.
Rock on Rock Stars,
Taylor, in Rockport TX
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On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 5:17 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
> when considering a kiln for your own private use,
> please remember, the most important investment
> you can make, is in your own future and the joy
> that your life will have.
>
>
Earl Krueger on sat 12 may 12
Neil,
I would modify your statement somewhat. For someone new to pottery put in
enough electrical capacity for what you think you will need in five years
but buy a small used cheap 2 cu ft kiln now.
Right now it would probably take me a month to fill a 10 cu ft kiln whereas
I can fill and fire my 2 cu ft every week. The shorter turnaround time
promotes learning.
Earl in Oregon
On May 12, 2012 2:59 PM, "Neil Estrick" wrote=
:
> I always tell my customers to buy the kiln you'll need in five years, not
> the kiln
> you need now. Your skills will continue to improve, and the small kiln th=
at
> seems huge now will be much too small in the future. Kilns last a long
> time.
> Think ahead.
>
Neil Estrick on mon 14 may 12
Yes, that is another possibility. Many people want to buy new, though, be=
=3D
cause=3D20
they don't know enough about kilns to feel comfortable buying a used one.=
=3D
Plus=3D20
I'm not going to tell someone who wants to buy a new kiln from me to go o=
=3D
ut=3D20
and buy a used one and come back in 5 years :-)
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