carrie or peter jacobson on sat 27 feb 99
A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
and I told her $25.
Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
trying for a price that would make her balk.
And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
little creation! Gone forever!
Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
say. And I need to believe them.
Carrie
Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, CT
mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
Jeremy M. Hellman on sun 28 feb 99
Carrie,
Congratulations on your first sale! It's just not so easy to let your
children go out into the world all by themselves.
However, how nice to get such a good price for the bowl! Quite often
people value an object by its price. If I pay $5 for a bowl, I might not
think it's as special as the bowl that costs me $25.
Art is not necessarily priced by size. If that lady (assuming she wasn't
a relative, a friend, or a charitable donor ) thought your bowl was
worth $25, which she obviously did, it was worth it. Period. (You didn't
hold a gun to her head to get her to buy it, did you?
There's a Pgh ceramic artist Eberle (forget his first name) (whose work
will be on exhibit in Columbus for all NCECA and Columbus to see) who
sells his small bowls for around $350. And people buy them.
A friend of mine who majored in ceramics in college told me that their
first throwing class had them make 100 pots, left leatherhard or wetter.
The instructor went along with a wire and sliced each and every one in
half to view the profile. My friend said that after that, he lost any
emotional attachment to his pots.
I think you should feel very good about your first sale. May there be
many more!
Bonnie
Bonnie Hellman in Pittsburgh
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
>with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
>and I told her $25.
>
>Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
>than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
>trying for a price that would make her balk.
>
>And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
>experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
>little creation! Gone forever!
>
>Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
>develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
>sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
>say. And I need to believe them.
>
>Carrie
>
>
>Carrie Jacobson
>Pawcatuck, CT
>mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
"Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too
dark to read" Groucho Marx
" " Harpo Marx
"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana" Att. to GM
"You can tune a piano but you cant tune a fish" Old Proverb
"By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves
began to suspect 'Hungry' ..." -- Gary Larson, "The Far Side"
Sylvia See on sun 28 feb 99
Having a house, basement, garage, and yard full of pots, improved my
attitude a whole bunch. Then I couldn't find the lady with the 25 bucks.
Sylvia See Claresholm, Alberta sylviac@telusplanet.net
-----Original Message-----
From: carrie or peter jacobson
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 8:57 AM
Subject: sold a bowl
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
and I told her $25.
Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
trying for a price that would make her balk.
And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
little creation! Gone forever!
Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
say. And I need to believe them.
Carrie
Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, CT
mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
Charlie and Linda on sun 28 feb 99
Carrie
Congrats!! You sold your first piece and also got a great price.
As to separation anxiety...I was too hungry and broke to worry about the
loss of my first piece/pieces but last year I watched a fellow(well,
she's not really a "fellow"...how 'bout "cohort") go through severe
depression after her first sale. She is willing to laugh about it now
but it was truly painful at the time.
By offering your work to the public you are sharing the beauty of your
creations with others. They derive pleasure and sense the beauty that
exists in clay in glaze(how am I doing so far?) Enough smoke and
mirrors.... Hope you get over it soon because your house is going to
fill up real fast and it's a real %$#$^#@ to dust years of pottery
making. :-)
Take heart. Your are good enough for people to notice your work and are
now willing to pay to own a piece.
Welcome aboard to the great brother and sisterhood that sell their
creations!
Charlie Riggs
Barney Adams on sun 28 feb 99
I kind of understand your view on this, but I am just the opposite.
The mug or pot I make that I like only for the moments while I'm
making it and at times afterwards. The ones I like I know I will make
nicer ones later to replace those that I sell or give away. I've probably
given away over 200 pots last year (sold maybe 50). I feel I'm learning
the art/craft. I do make the people who take my free pieces hear my speel
about pottery. (that maybe more costly than if they paid money). I think a
great
deal of the people at my work have grown in their appreciation of pottery
from my pots (I wish I was a better representative). The enjoyment people get
from my pots as crude as they are is enough payment for me (for now).
I'm not making a living from my pottery for now, but I would like too some
time in the future. Remember that you'll really never be seperated from you
creative work bacause a piece of you went into it. Besides all my really good
pieces have collasped on the wheel, broken while green, been dropped as bisque,
........ I think you get the point.
Barney
carrie or peter jacobson wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
> with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
> and I told her $25.
>
> Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
> than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
> trying for a price that would make her balk.
>
> And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
> experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
> little creation! Gone forever!
>
> Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
> develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
> sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
> say. And I need to believe them.
>
> Carrie
>
> Carrie Jacobson
> Pawcatuck, CT
> mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
zahidi on sun 28 feb 99
I am always in love with my pots. Unfortunate, perhaps, but I have never
developed the distance attitude, even when doing production. In my opinion
the solution to the problem of attachment to the piece we've created is to
make MORE pieces. There is then an ongoing flow of new pieces to get
attached to, so we can let the old ones go. This creates the practical
problem of storage. Pretty soon you'd better sell them, or your house and
studio will be too full of pots to move around in. So see yourself GIVING
these pots (in exchange for money to buy clay to make more pots) to people
who also love them like you do.
But then, I do have a piece that I made in the early 70's that I will NEVER
sell, Period!
-----Original Message-----
From: carrie or peter jacobson
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 9:57 AM
Subject: sold a bowl
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
and I told her $25.
Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
trying for a price that would make her balk.
And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
little creation! Gone forever!
Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
say. And I need to believe them.
Carrie
Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, CT
mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
Stephen Grimmer on sun 28 feb 99
Carrie,
Make the very best pots you can possibly manage, try to place them in
good homes where they will be used and enjoyed, and then go back to your
empty studio and fill it up again. That's the only way I can bear it.
Congradulations.
steve grimmer
marion illionis
----------
>From: carrie or peter jacobson
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: sold a bowl
>Date: Sat, Feb 27, 1999, 9:57 AM
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
>with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
>and I told her $25.
>
>Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
>than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
>trying for a price that would make her balk.
>
>And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
>experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
>little creation! Gone forever!
>
>Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
>develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
>sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
>say. And I need to believe them.
>
>Carrie
>
>
>Carrie Jacobson
>Pawcatuck, CT
>mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
>
Corinne Null on sun 28 feb 99
There will always be the pots that you sell, that you remember, and wish you
still had. I've heard it said (here on clayart) that one should always keep
the best pot from each firing. I think that's wise advice.
But, we NEED to sell the rest, to make room for the new and ever (hopefully)
"better" pots. Eventually, you'll have so many pots laying around that you
DON'T necessarily like, that you'll be delighted to get rid of them.
But, Congratulations! You've made an important first step into the complex
cycle of becoming a potter. I'm not too much further along, myself. Oh,
what awaits me?????
Corinne Null
Bedford, NH
null@mediaone.net
-----Original Message-----
From: carrie or peter jacobson
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 10:57 AM
Subject: sold a bowl
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
and I told her $25.
Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
trying for a price that would make her balk.
And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
little creation! Gone forever!
Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
say. And I need to believe them.
Carrie
Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, CT
mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
Marty Anderson on mon 1 mar 99
Congratulations Carrie,
I remember my first sale. I really didn't believe anyone would buy my pots
much less for th price I had on each one. I sold about 1/4 of them and was
so depressed because I had not taken pictures of the few I felt very
attached to at the time. I agree with the statement of giving them good
homes and coming home a filling up your studio again for placement in more
good homes. I do take pictures now of my favorite pots. Not that many
anymore are my favorites. If the pot really means something to me I will
keep it. It may not mean as much to me down the road and I will sale it
then. I usually try to tell myself it is ok, just go make a dozen more.
Again, Congratulations, and many more in the future
marty
martya@airmail.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Corinne Null
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Sunday, February 28, 1999 10:39 AM
Subject: Re: sold a bowl
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>There will always be the pots that you sell, that you remember, and wish
you
>still had. I've heard it said (here on clayart) that one should always
keep
>the best pot from each firing. I think that's wise advice.
>
>But, we NEED to sell the rest, to make room for the new and ever
(hopefully)
>"better" pots. Eventually, you'll have so many pots laying around that you
>DON'T necessarily like, that you'll be delighted to get rid of them.
>
>But, Congratulations! You've made an important first step into the complex
>cycle of becoming a potter. I'm not too much further along, myself. Oh,
>what awaits me?????
>
>Corinne Null
>Bedford, NH
>null@mediaone.net
>-----Original Message-----
>From: carrie or peter jacobson
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Date: Saturday, February 27, 1999 10:57 AM
>Subject: sold a bowl
>
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
>with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
>and I told her $25.
>
>Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly larger
>than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
>trying for a price that would make her balk.
>
>And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
>experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
>little creation! Gone forever!
>
>Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
>develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
>sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced potters
>say. And I need to believe them.
>
>Carrie
>
>
>Carrie Jacobson
>Pawcatuck, CT
>mailto:jacobson@brainiac.com
>
Elca Branman on mon 1 mar 99
After awhile, when you've sold many pots, an echo developes;people come
to you and say"I"ve seen your work at the Jone's home" , and they buy a
pot and after a while, if you've been selling locally in your community,
there's hardly anyplace that you go that doesn't have a pot of yours...
Sometimes its wonderful to see old pots and sometimes its downright
embarrassing.
I once went to dinner somewhere , saw a pot I liked ,enthused about it,
turned it over , and saw my signature..wished I had been a little quieter
with my enthusiasm.
Of course there are those other pots,early ones,heavy bottomed little
darlings ...oh dear..maybe a more transient medium is the answer..
Elca.. at home in Sarasota,Florida
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Joyce Lee on mon 1 mar 99
I am intrigued by the pricing of handmade objects...having both
undercharged and overcharged, I think. A potter/friend (she was a
friend before I was a potter) makes her rather comfortable living
selling monthly at shows throughout the southwest. She was asked to join
a self-identified "elite" group to sell her wares in a very, very elite
city-within-a city not far south of us...I think the whole city-within
etc is probably gated, including downtown, although they do allow
murderers to roam freely, come to think of it...I need to mention that
the citizens of the c-w-a-c tend to identify their elitedom by the vast
sums of money they make...not by their talent (and some are full of it;
talent, that is), or education, or compassion, or even looks (although
appearances are greatly prized). My friend was warned to "keep those
prices high," so she doubled, tripled and before actually opening at the
show had quadrupled the sticker prices on her functional pottery. Her
pots were handled and appreciative comments were heard, but very, very
few sales...The next year, wonder of wonders, she was invited again (her
pots are exquisite)and this time, heeding the advice of those with
experience at this show, she didn't concern herself with "doubling etc";
she blasted those sticker prices higher than she'd ever dreamed of
doing, ever. She just about sold out!!! Gotta' know your customer...
Joyce
In the Mojave
Joy Holdread on mon 1 mar 99
Carrie,
Your earliest work is important to your development. I learned much from
mine. Yet I believe in supporting myself by selling my work. Dilemma. I've
smacked a high price on some works, or held others back for months or years
before offering them for sale. What works well for me it photographing the
pieces from several angles. Of course I don't shoot every single piece but do
record representational works. I have a visual memory of the works. I say
good by holding a piece with my eyes closed to really feel the weight &
balance. Sales are what support future works.
Joy in Tucson back from a few weeks of art shows & the Yuma Art Symposium
> A week or so ago, I sold my first piece of pottery. It was a small bowl,
> >with an interesting bunch of glazes on it. A woman asked me what I wanted
> >and I told her $25.
> >
> >Now, I think, that was an absurd amount. This bowl was only slightly
larger
> >than palm-sized, though it was lovely and interesting. I think I was
> >trying for a price that would make her balk.
> >
> >And why do I think that? Because when she handed me the money, I
> >experienced a true sense of loss. Oh no, there goes my little bowl! My
> >little creation! Gone forever!
> >
> >Potters who have experience in this sort of thing tell me that I need to
> >develop an attitude toward my pots that I am making this, these, those to
> >sell. A little distance will only improve things, these experienced
potters
> >say. And I need to believe them.
> >
Hank Ray on mon 1 mar 99
Hello....
I have a friend, who is a student at a local university ... he has numbered
all his pots from number one on... i don't know what number he is up to
now..... he has been at it for a couple of years.... also ... he keeps a
journal of every pot, what it looks like, how it is glazed, etc.... ( it
comes in useful when i have a question about how he did something).... he has
maybe given away two or three pots.... last year for the Christmas sale at
the art center ... he said he would help out anyway he could, but just
couldn't make any thing for sale ... he just can't part with his pots ... he's
an odd dude.. but a really nice guy....
pete in oklahellma
Peter Atwood on mon 1 mar 99
Boy oh boy does that sound like me! I too have been in love more times
than I can count and for me the obvious solution has been to make more.
My girlfriend/wife/partner person likes to joke that we need to hire a
pottery removal service to reduce the constant buildup of pots on every
horizontal surface in the house. New ones arrive weekly. I haven't
really had too much trouble selling my stuff though. Something about
that green leafy stuff called money that I really like. But there are
favorites and I figure if they can stand in my cupboard long enough to
avoid the presale roundup then they must be keepers.
--Peter Atwood
you wrote:
Subject: Re: sold a bowl
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I am always in love with my pots. Unfortunate, perhaps, but I have never
developed the distance attitude, even when doing production. In my
opinion
the solution to the problem of attachment to the piece we've created is
to
make MORE pieces. There is then an ongoing flow of new pieces to get
attached to, so we can let the old ones go. This creates the practical
problem of storage. Pretty soon you'd better sell them, or your house
and
studio will be too full of pots to move around in. So see yourself
GIVING
these pots (in exchange for money to buy clay to make more pots) to
people
who also love them like you do.
But then, I do have a piece that I made in the early 70's that I will
NEVER
sell, Period!
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Merrie Boerner on tue 2 mar 99
When I began making pottery, I was so flattered by the customer and so
desperately in need of the money that I sold almost everything that I
made...without regret....for the first six or so years ! One night I had
the most vivid dream....I walked into the dining room to see all the pots
that I had ever made. Some stacked up to eye level and some beautifully
displayed......I remembered them all. It seemed like my long lost children
had come home.....I awoke with a terribly mournful feeling in my gut......I
looked around my house and realized that the only pots I had saved for
myself were my school projects, broken or faulty pots, pots that didn't
sell, and two or three nice one-of-a-kinders that my daughter had insisted
that I keep. Since then, I keep more of my favorite pots than I probably
need......knowing that someday I could sell them......if it becomes too
crowded around here.
What I really love is for a customer to say, " I have one of your pots !"
They are still calling it MY pot !!! Like I'm just loaning it to them.
: ) Merrie
Merrie Boerner on tue 2 mar 99
When I began making pottery, I was so flattered by the customer and so
desperately in need of the money that I sold almost everything that I
made...without regret....for the first six or so years ! One night I had
the most vivid dream....I walked into the dining room to see all the pots
that I had ever made. Some stacked up to eye level and some beautifully
displayed......I remembered them all. It seemed like my long lost children
had come home.....I awoke with a terribly mournful feeling in my gut......I
looked around my house and realized that the only pots I had saved for
myself were my school projects, broken or faulty pots, pots that didn't
sell, and two or three nice one-of-a-kinders that my daughter had insisted
that I keep. Since then, I keep more of my favorite pots than I probably
need......knowing that someday I could sell them......if it becomes too
crowded around here.
What I really love is for a customer to say, " I have one of your pots !"
They are still calling it MY pot !!! Like I'm just loaning it to them.
: ) Merrie
Carol Jackaway on tue 2 mar 99
When I first started to sell, I priced everything to low. If I made expenses
I was thrilled. But, my brain woke up and now I have a formula that helps me
keep everything straight. I try to sell everything (prices range from $5.
candleholders to $750. vases and tea sets) I take slides of all one-of-a-
kinds. I will never forget the show (dream mode now).....It was Fri. night
opening day of a three day show. I had traveled 10 hours to get there and was
my first time there. Sales were really good and I knew already this would be
a good show. I had with me a tea set (new design) that I had not
photographed. This tea set is right out front of the booth and always draws a
crowd (placement is very important!) Well, three women come up to look at
the set, two start looking around the booth, but the third is just standing
there wide mouth and hand on her chick. I start to tell her about the
set..it's funcitional..etc. She just turns to me and says "I must have this"
Her friends are stunned, I am stunned these are the only words she has said in
15 minutes! $650.00 she owns the set. Sun. the last day of the show she
comes back with her same two friend and three more. She is telling me where
she put the peice and her friends are buying peices for themselves. I LOVE
IT WHEN A SHOW COMES TOGETHER Don't you?
Carol Jackaway
CoilLady @aol.com
It is sunny...finally!
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