mel jacobson on mon 30 jul 12
another part of the critique story is selection of pots
for a sale.
my take is....`get em all out there`
others want to do a `show review`...pick out the best
in their judgement, cull the rest or throw them out.
my take is...`get em all out there`
one does not suppose to make critical judgements on
what others like or dislike. if i hate blue pots, does that
mean none of my blue loving customers can ever have
a blue mel pot? that is stupid.
i try and make a broad range of colors and shapes and hold
to a standard of excellence that i determine. that comes with
experience. but, to cast out blue, or tan, or anything, is not what
a customer should expect. let them decide.
i am not talking about flawed pots, or severe seconds...i am talking
about the range of pots you make, or sell.
same for size..some small, some medium and some large.
and, in a range of colors. i am not talking pink and gold here,
just subtle change to meet customers needs. and, society changes
what they want for their homes. it is 2012. not 1966 lets do earth tones.
i cannot tell you how many times folks walk on my deck, walk over to
a `butt ugly blue` pot and say..`now you are doing it correctly`
they snap it up and give me cash, and run to their car thinking they
just won the lottery. i sure don't argue with them. it is their pot
now...they own it. and that is the whole purpose of having a sale or
show...let the customer have what they want. you cannot impose
your values on others...just like we hear all the time on clayart...
`let me scream at you one more time...what i believe socially, politically
and intellectually is the truth...and you don't get it.` then they tell
you again and again. and, no one listens, we turn it off.
we all work for a standard of excellence that we believe in as artist/potte=
rs/
3d people. we find things we adore and love every time we open a kiln.
but, it may not be what others adore, or even want or like.
if no one buys your work, it is your problem. change.
if you do not want to change...plan on storing a lot of work.
it is not swallowing pride, it is understanding what you are, what you do
and how you do it.
i take the great adoring pots into the house and box them up. save them
for my kids in the future. the rest i sell. and, it is really kind of eas=
y
to know what people pick up, pay for and haul away.
just make some more of the same.
mel
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart page below:
http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
http://www.21stcenturykilns.com/
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