Camille Morin on sun 7 mar 99
hello !
I am new to all this computer speak and e-mail, so I hope this gets to
you all. I was wondering, what is a good standard wage for production
pottery? I just got out of college with my ceramics degree and have an
opportunity to get into another studio. What is fair? Please help! It will
be owned by non-clay investors and they want to keep the profits from my
work sold, and only pay hourly.
needs advice,
Camille, recent UT grad
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Jeff Lawrence on mon 8 mar 99
Camille wrote:
> I am new to all this computer speak and e-mail, so I hope this gets to
>you all. I was wondering, what is a good standard wage for production
>pottery? I just got out of college with my ceramics degree and have an
>opportunity to get into another studio. What is fair? Please help! It will
>be owned by non-clay investors and they want to keep the profits from my
>work sold, and only pay hourly.
> needs advice,
> Camille, recent UT grad
Hi Camille,
I don't have an art degree and I haven't worked for anyone else as a
production potter. But I've tried to diversify my slip-casting business
into the hand-thrown pottery business several times. But no joy. It was
hard to make money off the potters I hired and I've backed out of it.
The potters I hired had unrealistic ideas about their productivity and
hence the value of their time. They would look at retail prices and think
dollar signs.
If you demand too much, it won't be worth the employer's while. If the
experience will be worth it to you, take what they offer at first and
demonstrate that you're worth more before further negotiation.
Good luck,
Jeff
Elias Portor on tue 9 mar 99
Why not try selling your own work, if you are confident and feel like you do a
good job you should reap your own rewards, you can always get a "day job" to
suffice in the beginning. How will you ever know what your talents are if you
give them to someone else. Think in terms of what you would get paid for say
teaching, or another position that required a degree and figure that as a
wage. Example, I was an RN, now I make pottery which is very finely
decorated. I made 17/hr with a degree and I feel I am worth that as an
artist. House painters make around 9-20/hr given experience so "go figure".
Good luck and have fun. EP
Jeff Lawrence wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Camille wrote:
> > I am new to all this computer speak and e-mail, so I hope this gets to
> >you all. I was wondering, what is a good standard wage for production
> >pottery? I just got out of college with my ceramics degree and have an
> >opportunity to get into another studio. What is fair? Please help! It will
> >be owned by non-clay investors and they want to keep the profits from my
> >work sold, and only pay hourly.
> > needs advice,
> > Camille, recent UT grad
> Hi Camille,
>
> I don't have an art degree and I haven't worked for anyone else as a
> production potter. But I've tried to diversify my slip-casting business
> into the hand-thrown pottery business several times. But no joy. It was
> hard to make money off the potters I hired and I've backed out of it.
>
> The potters I hired had unrealistic ideas about their productivity and
> hence the value of their time. They would look at retail prices and think
> dollar signs.
>
> If you demand too much, it won't be worth the employer's while. If the
> experience will be worth it to you, take what they offer at first and
> demonstrate that you're worth more before further negotiation.
>
> Good luck,
> Jeff
Craig Fulladosa on tue 9 mar 99
Camille,
I do have a college degree in Art and I have workd as a production potter.
Not in a long, long time though. From the limited experience I haver had with
production potteries, all seem to pay by piece work. 25 years ago I was working
for Laguna Pottery (his brother now owns Laguna Clay),
also I worked at anothe pottery. We were producing those small planters with
the attached water dish- about 4 inches across the top - I got paid 32 cents
apiece. Not only did they have to be within 1/4 inch alike but to make any
money you had to work very fast. At the time it was pretty good money but no
benefits or vacation time. Maybe that would have come had I stayed longer but I
didn't. It was very hard work (aching back and hands) but I am glad I did it
because I am an excellent thrower still to this day. I have yet to see anyone
throw better than myself even though I know there are tons of you out there. I
am not into those Olympic throwing events or anything like that but feel very
confident about my throwing skills. Heck, I really don't throw nearly that much
as full time potters and still can throw pretty good. I owe it all to those
stints as a production potter, it is the best practice you can get. What I
didn't like about it was besides the backache, was many of my pots when I
wasn't doing production were coming out the same way, same shape.
If you don't have a wheel or a kiln or a studio it is probably not a bad
experience to undertake. If you can invest in the equipment and market your
work and live cheaply (like at home with your folks for awhile :)) then I would
say produce for yourself! Even if you sell for wholesale prices you will make
more money - if they sell. That is the big question. Otherwise being guaranteed
money in your pocket for piece work is good because after you made Acuna Matata
- no woriies anymore.
I know at one of the potteries I worked I got mad because when I was first
learning the form any pot not within the 1/4 inche limit did not count - no pay
- yet they sold them as seconds.
I didn't mean for this to be so long but is one of the few areas that I
feel qualified to respond on this forum, even though I haven't worked at
production in a long time.
Figure how many pieces you are expected to produce in an hour - divide that
by what their wage for you will be. Big pots should pay considerably more.
The bottom line is you will need to be very fast to be effective, it is
very competitive in the prduction market. Unless you are doing artistic type
pieces.
You haven't told us too much about what you are producing or how many or
what your market will be. I hope I was helpful in any way
If you don't have too much to lose I'd say go for it. The experience will
be worth it. I didn't stay as a production potter for very long. I realy
improved my thowing skills and found out that I didn't want to do that for a
living full- time.
Good Luck.
Craig
the Clayman
http://home.earthlink.net/~craigfull/
Jeff Lawrence wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Camille wrote:
> > I am new to all this computer speak and e-mail, so I hope this gets to
> >you all. I was wondering, what is a good standard wage for production
> >pottery? I just got out of college with my ceramics degree and have an
> >opportunity to get into another studio. What is fair? Please help! It will
> >be owned by non-clay investors and they want to keep the profits from my
> >work sold, and only pay hourly.
> > needs advice,
> > Camille, recent UT grad
> Hi Camille,
>
> I don't have an art degree and I haven't worked for anyone else as a
> production potter. But I've tried to diversify my slip-casting business
> into the hand-thrown pottery business several times. But no joy. It was
> hard to make money off the potters I hired and I've backed out of it.
>
> The potters I hired had unrealistic ideas about their productivity and
> hence the value of their time. They would look at retail prices and think
> dollar signs.
>
> If you demand too much, it won't be worth the employer's while. If the
> experience will be worth it to you, take what they offer at first and
> demonstrate that you're worth more before further negotiation.
>
> Good luck,
> Jeff
John Jensen on tue 9 mar 99
I have an arrangement with my help on a piecework basis...they end up making
between $15 to $30 per hour depending on various factors. Personally I
consider $20/hr minimum wage for skilled craft.
John Jensen, mudbug@toad.net
Mudbug Pottery
Annapolis, Md.
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