mel jacobson on fri 8 jan 99
i think that the greater question about taking photos of pots
is, `what is the reason?`
far to many potters both young and old seem to have an obsession
with `getting in shows`.....
what does that do for you?
big question.
i have stated before on this venue.
why do you enter shows?
you should have a very precise reason, and goal.
far more than ego.
it should be a sound business decision.
i feel that getting a customer base, taking care of customers,
and clients. promoting your work on a local level is far more
important than `shows`.
not many potters will find that their customers give
a damn one way or the other if you had work in a show.....they
can see the work, touch it, and make choices of what they want.
Ego is the usual driver for entering shows.
`hey mom, hey, uncle joe, i just got in a show in denver!`........who
cares?
if you are an academic, and need a broad resume, with
shows listed, hey, get at it.......and do it with high and mighty
quality. it is the life blood of the mfa looking for a good job.
the grape vine tells me that the cm show for nceca
had over 1500 entries.......wow.
how many are people that really need that kind of exposure?
maybe 300.
i have had my pots used on cereal boxes for general mills
for years........most of you have seen them, but did not know
that they were mine...........who cares?
i get paid very well to make those pots..........no credit.
it does not affect my sales one bit.....just commercial
work that has to be done. that is all.
(of course my high school kids would just go ape over a
new box. now that impressed them. )
again, the bottom line is always the same.
take care of business within a 50 mile radius of your studio.
it will pay you great dividends.........get rid of the ego, show crap.
and spend the time and energy making better pots for your
clients.
and that is a fact..........
ask anyone that is making a living making pots.
mel/mn
and anyway, getting in a show is just the whim of a group
of potters that are making two second decisions about your
work. who cares. is that lasting?
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Thonas C. Curran on sat 9 jan 99
Mel...Now that I have given up my former speciality of scale miniature
pottery (you may remember Andrea Fabrega with tiny pots on cover of CM a
few years ago, a fellow miniaturist), I am much more dependent on shows
and I have left behind 20 years of reputation for something new. If I
were to stay at home in old "Hometown, USA" and not venture to shows,
my raku bottle forms and sculptures would remain on the shelves with
Elisha Havisham cobwebs all over. Sure, there's some ego involved to
have people purchase the items you LIKE to make, not just the bread and
butter items. It all depends on where you live and work, how
cosmopolitan the area is and the type of pots you are making. One size
does NOT fit all. Chacun a son gout and all that. Getting into
galleries and the quality shows may be (for me) the only way to show
pots which are not like Pooh Bear's empty honey pot, a "useful pot to
put something in". I am playing artistically now, and I like it. If it
means better slides and more fuss, so be it.
Cheers...always enjoy your postings!
Carolyn aka CNC
Karen Shapiro on sat 9 jan 99
Mel,
I was the one to begin this photo background question, so I'll respond to your
comment (which I feel is very legitimate).
I have never applied to a juried show -- I take photos of all my pieces to
have a record and to apply to GALLERIES in order to make a living. I am a
sculptor, not a potter, so it's a bit different, I guess (far less pieces! and
far more diversity).
Karen in Sonoma who doesn't have a big ego!!
Joyce Lee on sun 10 jan 99
I can understand why Mel and David react as they do to the prospect of
spending time and money to get their divine "stuff" into shows. I,
however, have absolutely minimum ego regarding my role as a potter and
I deserve every minimum bit...only in that role, mind you... a very
healthy ego abides within in other aspects of my life...AND I would be
so thrilled to have a pot be deemed beautiful enough or interesting
enough or craftsmanlike enough to warrant a spot in any well-known show,
especially if it had to "earn" its way through a jury......I'd tell
everybody within reach, clearly announce it to Clayart as many times as
Joe would allow, and get it in as many pubs as possible. I'll bet a lot
of others feel the same way. Ego-shmego??? Nope. Just immense pride.
Joyce
In the Mojave dreaming.........
Nick Zappa on mon 11 jan 99
There is some wisdom in your comments. We have been making a living solely
from our pottery for 25 years and have never entered a show. I feel if you
can take it of the shelf and enter a show with that piece perhaps your work
has already spoken. Nick Zappa
-----Original Message-----
From: mel jacobson
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Friday, January 08, 1999 9:40 AM
Subject: photos/big question
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
i think that the greater question about taking photos of pots
is, `what is the reason?`
far to many potters both young and old seem to have an obsession
with `getting in shows`.....
what does that do for you?
big question.
i have stated before on this venue.
why do you enter shows?
you should have a very precise reason, and goal.
far more than ego.
it should be a sound business decision.
i feel that getting a customer base, taking care of customers,
and clients. promoting your work on a local level is far more
important than `shows`.
not many potters will find that their customers give
a damn one way or the other if you had work in a show.....they
can see the work, touch it, and make choices of what they want.
Ego is the usual driver for entering shows.
`hey mom, hey, uncle joe, i just got in a show in denver!`........who
cares?
if you are an academic, and need a broad resume, with
shows listed, hey, get at it.......and do it with high and mighty
quality. it is the life blood of the mfa looking for a good job.
the grape vine tells me that the cm show for nceca
had over 1500 entries.......wow.
how many are people that really need that kind of exposure?
maybe 300.
i have had my pots used on cereal boxes for general mills
for years........most of you have seen them, but did not know
that they were mine...........who cares?
i get paid very well to make those pots..........no credit.
it does not affect my sales one bit.....just commercial
work that has to be done. that is all.
(of course my high school kids would just go ape over a
new box. now that impressed them. )
again, the bottom line is always the same.
take care of business within a 50 mile radius of your studio.
it will pay you great dividends.........get rid of the ego, show crap.
and spend the time and energy making better pots for your
clients.
and that is a fact..........
ask anyone that is making a living making pots.
mel/mn
and anyway, getting in a show is just the whim of a group
of potters that are making two second decisions about your
work. who cares. is that lasting?
http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Earl Brunner on mon 11 jan 99
I concur with Carolyn on this one. I wasn't making a living after ten years
and 4 kids and it wasn't fun any more. Maybe I wasn't such a great business
person ( few artist are it would seem). In any case that was 19 years ago
and when I started back in clay about 3 years ago I did it with out any
monetary motivation what-so-ever other then to have it pay for itself and to
create what I wanted to create. I'm interested in making one of a kind
"art" pieces and if I sell one it will be for a price that makes it not hurt
so much to give up the pot. If that's few and far between, GREAT! I don't
care. And shows and competitions interest me. Is that an ego trip?
Whatever! I don't care. (Have I entered any? Not yet!)
I take my hat off to you who are making a living from your work and I wish
you all the best in the world. I really admire you if you can make quality
work and make a financial go of it.
Earl Brunner
Thonas C. Curran wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Mel...Now that I have given up my former speciality of scale miniature
> pottery (you may remember Andrea Fabrega with tiny pots on cover of CM a
> few years ago, a fellow miniaturist), I am much more dependent on shows
> and I have left behind 20 years of reputation for something new. If I
> were to stay at home in old "Hometown, USA" and not venture to shows,
> my raku bottle forms and sculptures would remain on the shelves with
> Elisha Havisham cobwebs all over. Sure, there's some ego involved to
> have people purchase the items you LIKE to make, not just the bread and
> butter items. It all depends on where you live and work, how
> cosmopolitan the area is and the type of pots you are making. One size
> does NOT fit all. Chacun a son gout and all that. Getting into
> galleries and the quality shows may be (for me) the only way to show
> pots which are not like Pooh Bear's empty honey pot, a "useful pot to
> put something in". I am playing artistically now, and I like it. If it
> means better slides and more fuss, so be it.
> Cheers...always enjoy your postings!
> Carolyn aka CNC
Gene Gnida@Aol.Com on mon 11 jan 99
Dear Joyce, I commend you . My wife and I are jewelers and we do craft shows
AND IT IS OUR ENTIRE LIVELIHOOD. Maybe, in some instances, the Johns and
Marys and Mels and Davids of this world are afraid of putting their "stuff" up
in front of their peers for fear their EGOS could not deal with the
possibility of rejection. Your ego is the healthy one. Best of luck to you.
Gene Gnida
David Hendley on tue 12 jan 99
Hi Joyce, I don't want to speak for Mel, but I can lay claim to
a good healthly bit of "ego" and pride in my pottery work.
In fact, that may be why I have no burning desire for my
work to be "validated" by a jury. Maybe it's not the most
beautiful, interesting, or well-crafted, but I know it's competent
and I don't need a consensus approval.
But remember, I am a potter by trade, a hard way to try to
make a living. I make business decisions every day, and I
think basing my livelihood on the whims of a jury is a bad
decision.
Let's see, how much does it cost to enter a very competitive
show?
Professional photographer: $100
A day of lost work, going to and from the shoot: well I try to
produce at least $150-200 worth of work in a day.
Jury fee, $20
And for this I might not get ANY benefit?
As I said before, the Texas Lottery starts sounding good here
(and I hate lotteries, and never participate because they
are a bad deal).
That $300 would go quite a way in promoting my shop,
through mailouts to customers, local advertising, etc.
And what if I were accepted to a show, went, was successful,
and was trying to build up a customer base in a far away place?
The next year the jury could keep me out, and all my "groundwork"
would be wasted.
I know I am refering to "selling shows", while I think you are
thinking of 'exhibition shows". The "selling shows" jury
message is the one I was originally replying to.
I certainly don't suggest that my thinking is the best way or the
only way, just the conclusion I've reached after muddling
through many years of trying to be a potter.
David Hendley
Maydelle, Texas
hendley@tyler.net
http://www.farmpots.com
At 08:09 AM 1/10/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I can understand why Mel and David react as they do to the prospect of
>spending time and money to get their divine "stuff" into shows. I,
>however, have absolutely minimum ego regarding my role as a potter and
>I deserve every minimum bit...only in that role, mind you... a very
>healthy ego abides within in other aspects of my life...AND I would be
>so thrilled to have a pot be deemed beautiful enough or interesting
>enough or craftsmanlike enough to warrant a spot in any well-known show,
>especially if it had to "earn" its way through a jury......I'd tell
>everybody within reach, clearly announce it to Clayart as many times as
>Joe would allow, and get it in as many pubs as possible. I'll bet a lot
>of others feel the same way. Ego-shmego??? Nope. Just immense pride.
>
>Joyce
>In the Mojave dreaming.........
>
Steve Dalton on tue 12 jan 99
Okay here's my two cents worth,
I can see Mel's point in all of this, Look at the Roman Empire- they spread
themselves
out to thin, and guess what happened. You should concentrate around your
studio,
sure you might get some orders from outside that 50 mile radius, but your
sales and
clients should be in your own hometown, etc. I've gone to several local
sales, the most asked
question, aside from "is it food safe?" is( Are you ready for this Clayart
readers) "Are you local?"
I thought alot of these shows were started for local talent!
Another big thing, most juried shows are scams, and most of the jurors I've
met are snobs.
Steve sdpotter@gte.net
----------
> From: mel jacobson
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: photos/big question
> Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 11:40:00 EST
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>i think that the greater question about taking photos of pots
>is, `what is the reason?`
>far to many potters both young and old seem to have an obsession
>with `getting in shows`.....
> what does that do for you?
>big question.
> i have stated before on this venue.
>why do you enter shows?
> you should have a very precise reason, and goal.
>far more than ego.
> it should be a sound business decision.
>i feel that getting a customer base, taking care of customers,
>and clients. promoting your work on a local level is far more
>important than `shows`.
> not many potters will find that their customers give
>a damn one way or the other if you had work in a show.....they
>can see the work, touch it, and make choices of what they want.
> Ego is the usual driver for entering shows.
>`hey mom, hey, uncle joe, i just got in a show in denver!`........who
>cares?
> if you are an academic, and need a broad resume, with
>shows listed, hey, get at it.......and do it with high and mighty
>quality. it is the life blood of the mfa looking for a good job.
> the grape vine tells me that the cm show for nceca
>had over 1500 entries.......wow.
> how many are people that really need that kind of exposure?
>maybe 300.
> i have had my pots used on cereal boxes for general mills
>for years........most of you have seen them, but did not know
> that they were mine...........who cares?
>i get paid very well to make those pots..........no credit.
> it does not affect my sales one bit.....just commercial
>work that has to be done. that is all.
> (of course my high school kids would just go ape over a
>new box. now that impressed them. )
> again, the bottom line is always the same.
>take care of business within a 50 mile radius of your studio.
>it will pay you great dividends.........get rid of the ego, show crap.
>and spend the time and energy making better pots for your
>clients.
>and that is a fact..........
>ask anyone that is making a living making pots.
>mel/mn
>and anyway, getting in a show is just the whim of a group
>of potters that are making two second decisions about your
>work. who cares. is that lasting?
>
>
>http://www.pclink.com/melpots
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