Jane Woodside on fri 22 jan 99
I just read a most depressing post about no one making a living at clay unless
they become manufacturers, sacrificing originality to a product which sells,
or teach or hold down another job etc. I must respond because this is really
too bleek a picture. I started taking pottery classes 7 years ago and started
my own studio three years ago. Even though I am only working half time as a
potter (a choice dictated both by prudence and a desire to spend time being a
parent) and have rather high expenses as I rented a studio I would grow into,
I am darned close to making a living (and I'm not a minimalist). This is a
business which requires some start up time to develop a name and a client base
(both wholesale and retail) and a lot of optimism and a good mix of attention
to marketing and attention to artistry and craftsmanship. CM is full of
success stories. I am not sure what an advanced degree adds to a clay career
as I have used just books and videos from the library and Clayart for
technical information --however I think a knowledge of business, however
obtained is quite essential. At least enough so that you can tell whether a
particular item you wish to create can justify itself commercially.
Dwiggins, Sandra (NCI) on sun 24 jan 99
Hooray, Jane.
I'm learning that one does not have to sacrifice craft and originality to make a
living in this business---but one does have to make things that justify
themselves commerically---make things that can make money. AND--that one has to
spend a good deal of time marketing....that's really important. By the way---I
think we ARE manufacturers---what else are we when we make 100 mugs at a crack?
I don't do that because I don't do mugs unless I'm really asked to make them.
If a painter made 100 of the same painting, would the painter still be
considered a painter or a manufacturer? Did any of you see that article on the
fellow who does several 100 of the same painting in different colors? And they
sell like hotcakes, and no, he doesn't do them on black velvet, but people come
back for more and they're not cheap. So, what's the difference between that
and mugs? Can manufacturers be artists? What about Clarice Cliff? What about
Josiah Wedgewood? What about Minton? The things they made are beautiful to
look at as well as being manufactured.
Sandy D.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Woodside [SMTP:Jawoodside@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, January 22, 1999 7:44 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: the can't make a living blues
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I just read a most depressing post about no one making a living at clay unless
they become manufacturers, sacrificing originality to a product which sells,
or teach or hold down another job etc. I must respond because this is really
too bleek a picture. I started taking pottery classes 7 years ago and started
my own studio three years ago. Even though I am only working half time as a
potter (a choice dictated both by prudence and a desire to spend time being a
parent) and have rather high expenses as I rented a studio I would grow into,
I am darned close to making a living (and I'm not a minimalist). This is a
business which requires some start up time to develop a name and a client base
(both wholesale and retail) and a lot of optimism and a good mix of attention
to marketing and attention to artistry and craftsmanship. CM is full of
success stories. I am not sure what an advanced degree adds to a clay career
as I have used just books and videos from the library and Clayart for
technical information --however I think a knowledge of business, however
obtained is quite essential. At least enough so that you can tell whether a
particular item you wish to create can justify itself commercially.
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