Kathy Mccormick on sat 21 feb 98
Dear Clayarters:
I've been one of the many lurkers on this list for about 2 years now. I
wanted to take a minute to thank all of you that contribute to the list for
the amazing amount of information and inspiration that I have gained from you.
I don't consider myself an expert on much of anything and am quite often
behind on reading the digests, so I rarely contribute directly myself. But as
a way of becoming a contributing member of this community, I want to pass on a
summary of my experience as a commercial potter for the last 2+ years as a way
to encourage others to follow their dreams, whether in pottery or elsewhere.
I began in clay about 10 years ago with a community based 'hobby' class and
eventually graduated to a studio in my basement. At the time I was in the
information systems business working as a corporate drudge which I found
wholey unsatisfying except from a financial perspective. I finally decided
that life is too short to be so unsatisfied, and so decided to 'be a potter'.
The decision was as much about choosing a lifestyle as it was about being
fascinated with clay.
I saved my pennies arduously for a year and then gave notice. I also down-
sized my housing considerably and ended up in a tiny house outside of town
with a nice 2 1/2 car garage which I converted to my studio. I did a few
shows prior to actually quitting work just to see if ANYTHING I was making
would sell and thought at the time I had good stuff.
I didn't have a business plan to start with and still only have a sketchy one
now. But I had the guts to try and I have the self-confidence to know that if
I can't make this dream work, I'll find another path. So some people think I
kind of jumped off a cliff when I did this, but I feel I just chose a path and
that there is no cliff in my own personal landscape!
The first full year was hard. I soon came to realize that my stuff was
anything but good, I didn't have the right set-up for shows, I didn't have the
right vehicle for shows, I didn't even know which shows were the right shows.
But I kept learning...
The second full year, 1997, was much better. I ended up selling about $26,000
worth with an income before depreciation of about $12,000 which was right on
target with my goals. My sales in 1997 were limited by the amount I was able
to produce due to an elder care situation. In 1998 I expect to sell around
$40,000 and a few of my expenses will be less which should yield a fairly
healthy income.
An unexpected benefit has been the flexibility of my schedule. I was able to
provide a lot of support to my mother in her last days, and am now also able
to spend time with my father who now faces a terminal condition. It brings
great comfort to me and the rest of my large family to spend that time.
My strengths are my business skills ( I have a marketing major) and
flexibility (partly because I'm single with no children!), a bank account I
could live on for the first year, and at least the start of a retirement
account. My weakness is my technical knowledge in pottery. I compensate for
my weaknesses by relying on the knowledge of suppliers, therefor right now I
buy commercial clay and glaze and concentrate instead on product and building
product lines. I work in cone 6 electric and have 3 kilns (7 and 3 cu ft, and
a test kiln), a slabroller, extruder, and 1 wheel. I produce functional
tableware and wall art.
My five year goals are to relocate to a larger studio with room for a gallery,
glaze-making and pugmill, to increase sales from wholesale, to reduce my
dependence on shows (I do about 18 a year) and to increase my technical
knowledge.
There have been some posts questioning the worth of doing retail shows/art
fairs, but I'm here to tell you that you can make a living that way (as along
as the economy holds up). Plus if you approach them with the right attitude
they are fun and a wonderful source of customer feedback. If you can do them
I highly recommend them for beginners in the business.
In summary, I live very cheaply from a financial perspective but my life is so
much richer and rewarding than it has ever been, just because I followed a
dream. And I have discovered I am more of an artist than I ever knew, another
benefit of working in this medium full-time.
So to steal from several cliches, life is an adventure, just go live it!
If anyone wants more details, just e-mail me. And thanks again to the gurus
on this list... you'll probably never know how many people you influence and
inspire.
Best wishes to all,
Kathy McCormick
Midland, Michigan
LaReneM@aol.com
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