Patty Alander on sat 17 jul 99
At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
Patty
amy parker on sun 18 jul 99
At 02:32 PM 7/17/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
>pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
>his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
>that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
>beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>
>I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
>sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
>you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
>of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
>Patty
Patty - I sell "crackpots" to my friends for a few bucks, clearly labeled
as "seconds" with a sticker identifying the flaws. About half the time I end
up just giving the pots away. I would Never Ever put a pot I knew was
flawed out for sale at a public show! I have seen a lot of other potters do
it, though - at a recent fair, I saw a bowl that was "perfect" from above,
but had not just "S"-cracks on the bottom, but S-caverns, 1/4 inch across, 2
inches long, and
it was not presented as "flawed" by the seller. I think this is totally
unprofessional. I might purchase such a piece for a few bucks from a friend
if I especially liked the glaze or the piece, as long as the piece was
presented to me as "flawed", but NOT sold with the attitude you describe
above!! We have to accept a certain amount of failure as potters, and should
consider it a matter of professional pride not to sell flawed goods at full
prices!!! If I'm gonna pay full price, I expect full goods!
Amy in Hotlanta, thinking this should be food for discussion in the newly
forming guild...
amy parker Lithonia, GA
amyp@sd-software.com
Iveragh Ceramics on sun 18 jul 99
Dear Patty,
Yes.
Regards,
Bob Hollis
----- Original Message -----
From: Patty Alander
To:
Sent: 17 July 1999 19:32
Subject: would you sell a cracked pot?
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>
> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
> Patty
>
douglas adams on sun 18 jul 99
>I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
>sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
>you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
>of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
>Patty
>Dear Patty,
The saying 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder' applies here. In America
we look for the beauty in something before we explore any other
posibilities. A shame, but true. If it's beautiful, we'll buy it. As to the
pot being cracked, in pottery it becomes part of the character and depending
on your philosophy is beautiful or not. I once had a Raku plate with a bird
taking off in flight, the plate split down the center of the bird but not
entirely through the plate, during my show I had several people relate to
the birds crack and how it might have meant broken dreams and other
metaphors, but one older woman came up and said" what a beautiful plate ,but
what a shame about the crack in it". Some things in life cannot be
disputted. let your consciencebe your guide. Good luck and God's speed.
Burtt on sun 18 jul 99
Hi Patty,
I guess the real question is, when is a crack really a crack? I have
struggled with this same issue.
I sometimes get little stress cracks on the bottom of stoneware
pots. They are not s-cracks, don't go all the way through and don't even
warp the bottom. But they are cracks and if I sell them, I sell them as
seconds. I don't sell pots that have obvious s-cracks or those with
cracks that change the shape of the pot.
On my raku pots, I sometimes get glaze cracks, but they are cracks
that do not appear to be in the clay. If I am comfortable that the crack
will not widen or move, then I do sell those pieces. If the crack is in
the body, I do not sell it. However, I know potters who do, particularly
with raku. They say thermal stress is part of the process and the crack
even adds to the beauty of the pot. I think that's a stretch.
So, to tell you the truth, I look at each crack and determine if it
is a legitimate flaw in my work. I'm too embarrassed to sell major flaws
and will only sell minor flaws when clearly marked as seconds.
I hope that sufficiently muddied the waters.
Steve Burtt
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Patty Alander wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>
> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
> Patty
Martin Howard on sun 18 jul 99
No.
All cracked and second rate pots go to the annual Great Saling Fete, for
breaking up at the crockery stall.
Only one problem. Because I use earthenware and cone 01/1, the pots are
difficult to break with the wooden ball provided. Perhaps I must make
some solid clay balls for next year's do, so that the public can have
the enjoyment of smashing all my second rate ware.
I made a decision not to give or sell anything that I regarded as less
than top quality. Trouble is though, as one improves, that fine line
changes forever upwards.
Sounds to me that the guy Patty describes is not being honest with
himself or the public, but I will be interested in other responses.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery and Press
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
araneajo@gn.apc.org
Pamala Browne on sun 18 jul 99
I am very happy to say I made some money at my 2 first craft fairs! And
,yes, I sold some cracked pots. I had them on the table more for comparison
of style and technique and was sure to point out that the pots were
cracked.They bought them anyway. Go figure.One man ,whose wife used to own a
pottery gallery , fell in love with my stuff.He bought 4 of my pieces and
the one that was cracked was his favorite. These pieces were of course
priced accordingly ( as thirds) and I had a funny feeling about sending my
'thirds' out into the world.But, I also knew that these pots were going to
be loved.Maybe I should not have put them out,but I'm new to the game and I
did.I got flack from a potter friend for selling cracked pots--said you
should never do it. I really haven't made up my mind on it yet , it will be
interesting to see where this thread leads. HOWEVER , when the woman from a
gallery came up to the table and chose some for her shop, and she had picked
a couple of cracked ones,and I told her about them, AND she said it didn't
matter--- I knew I wouldn't really want my pots in her store so I never took
them to her. Kind of a chicken- sh__ way to deal with it , I know. But I
want to have my perfect stuff ' out there' and didn't want to start off on
the wrong foot. Perhaps it was OK ( for me ) to sell the cracked pots direct
to the customer because I saw them hold them, and got to tell them
personally about the crack. pamalab
----- Original Message -----
From: Patty Alander
To:
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 1999 11:32 AM
Subject: would you sell a cracked pot?
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>
> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
> Patty
>
Anne Hunt on sun 18 jul 99
Ditto what Patty asked, but from the standpoint of a cracker/seller. Being
an Aquarian Aries can sometimes put me in a bind (or that's the rationale I
use).
Usually my raku inventory is very low, and I put in a pot or platter that
has a crack in it, drawing the line at what I, with my limited knowledge,
would call a structural crack; will usually discount the piece and never try
to hide the crack. Sometimes, as with the fellow Patty observed, I like the
piece so much I want to share it.
On the OTHER hand, with the first situation, I feel as if I'm succumbing to
situational ethics, which I abhor. In both situations, I wonder if I should
be biting the bullet, elevating my "professional standards", and not putting
the pieces out to the public in any form. THEN I wonder if it's my
self-defeating perfectionism creeping in so I can , one more time,
unnecessarily shoot myself in the foot.
I know that I'm still learning bunches, and growing creatively and
professionally. Gasp!
I'm sure responses to this and Patty's post will include some slam-dunks,
with mebbe a pat on the fanny or two. But this has been kicking around in
my brain/heart for a couple of years now, and I guess I'm ready to belly up
to the bar and ask the question I may not be able to stand the answer to...
Joyce in the Mojave, et al., what say you?
anne & the cats, where mama raccoon has started bringing her 3 little ones
around in the evening to mooch.
Tom Wirt on mon 19 jul 99
Pam....
Think about this for a minute. It is not the one who buys your less than
perfect pot who is the problem. It is the person after that who never gets
to hear that you're aware that the pot isn't right. So now they believe
that the type of pots you make is not good. And if the old marketing saw
holds true, they will tell at least ten others..."Pam Browne's pots have
cracks" Now how's your reputation going to hold up?
If it isn't right, don't even second it out. Seconds, if sold should be
minor blems, not major structural defects. We mark the bottoms of seconds
in magic marker. That way if someone does pass it along, at least the
notice goes with it. We also donate work to nursing homes and senior
assisted living places. They love having something more like home to use.
Someone on the list a couple off years ago noted that he had sold a flawed
large salad bowl to someone who was owned a restaurant, only to find that
bowl used on the restaurant salad bar advertising his bad work to the whole
community. Your reputation for quality is one of the few bits of equity you
have in this business.
Tom Wirt
Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> pottery gallery , fell in love with my stuff.He bought 4 of my pieces and
> the one that was cracked was his favorite. These pieces were of course
> priced accordingly ( as thirds) and I had a funny feeling about sending my
> 'thirds' out into the world.But, I also knew that these pots were going to
> be loved.Maybe I should not have put them out,but I'm new to the game and
I
Lori Leary on mon 19 jul 99
I personally don't feel comfortable with this. I don't even like to
GIVE away pots with cracks. I would be afraid that such a pot might
come back to haunt me. There are happy accidents, and there are just
plain old mistakes. Cracks in my pots have never been happy accidents
to me; they just look like flaws. I also worry about the structural
integrity of pots with cracks.
If a pot looks great in other ways, maybe it has a nice glaze or finish
and the form is pleasant, it often ends up nestled (not prominently
displayed) in my yard. I remember reading an article somewhere (sorry,
can't remember who wrote it or where I saw it...anybody know?) about
porchies...pots that don't quite make it. They ended up on the author's
porch. I have some of those, too. So I guess there are "keepers",
"porchies" and "yardies".
And then there is the hammer. Sometimes, I use that on my pots, too.
Always kind of amusing to do that in front of students.....
Lori L.
lleary@sccoast.net
Pawleys Island, SC
Woods on mon 19 jul 99
I also say,
yes,
as it is so inherent in the process
Sue
-----Original Message-----
From: Iveragh Ceramics
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Sunday, July 18, 1999 12:55 PM
Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Patty,
> Yes.
> Regards,
> Bob Hollis
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Patty Alander
>To:
>Sent: 17 July 1999 19:32
>Subject: would you sell a cracked pot?
>
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
>> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
>> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
>> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
>> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>>
>> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
>> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
>> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
>> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>>
>> Patty
>>
WHew536674@cs.com on mon 19 jul 99
Patty,
When I was in a museum (forget which one) they had a large platter of Peter
Voulkos under glass with a large crack in it, which appeared to be from
firing, not intent. From that point on, I figure if it is good enough for
Voulkos, it's good enough for me. I guess it depends on the pot. If it
works in with the piece, why not.
Joyce A
Jeff Seefeldt on mon 19 jul 99
The only thing that I would want to buy less than a wheel thrown cracked pot
would be a RamPressed Cracked Pot,
NO! I would not sell a cracked pot,,
Woods wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I also say,
> yes,
> as it is so inherent in the process
>
> Sue
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Iveragh Ceramics
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Date: Sunday, July 18, 1999 12:55 PM
> Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
>
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >Dear Patty,
> > Yes.
> > Regards,
> > Bob Hollis
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Patty Alander
> >To:
> >Sent: 17 July 1999 19:32
> >Subject: would you sell a cracked pot?
> >
> >
> >> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
> >> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
> >> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
> >> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
> >> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
> >>
> >> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
> >> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
> >> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
> >> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
> >>
> >> Patty
> >>
Robert Santerre on tue 20 jul 99
Sorry, this is going to be a bit long and perhaps sound a bit pontific.
I'll start by saying I personally buy cracked raku pottery. If the piece
catches my fancy, I really don't care if it's cracked. In fact, I view cracking
in raku fired pottery as part of the mystique and beauty of the work, evidence
of the ravages of a violent firing and cooling process. For me, raku pottery
also has an aura of antiquity (every really old pot I've ever seen has had glaze
crackling, even stoneware glazes not necessarily intended to crackle - they
remind me of old dishes my grandmother used to serve her wonderful foods in).
This is obviously a diversion from the real topic, cracks in the body of the
piece, but it may give you a better view of where I'm coming from.
Now, as a potter do I sell vessel forms with cracks in the body of the vessel?
The answer is "yes" and "it depends". "Yes" I sell raku vessels with cracks in
the body. I take great pains to tell the customer about the cracks (sometimes I
make repairs with Superglue to give the vessel structural integrity), I explain
the firing process, I make sure the customer understands the piece is decorative
and NOT FUNCTIONAL (including a short written description acompanying the piece
describing again what I've just said), finally I tell them if the piece should
ever break or if they ever have second thoughts about the purchase, I'll be
happy to take the piece back and give them a full refund (I actually do this for
all my work anyway). Obviously, this requires personal contact with the
purchaser. I would not let most galleries sell such pieces, because I couldn't
be sure they would do all I do to make the customer aware of what they are
buying.
"It depends" whether or not I will sell a cracked stoneware vessel that I've
made with the intention of it being functional. 99.9% of the time they get the
hammer. On very rare occasions I've "saved" a cracked or otherwise "flawed"
vessel because it struck me as spectacular for some reason. Again, if I sell
such a vessel (usually I just keep them for my own enjoyment), it's with all the
caveats mentioned above for raku work, making absolutely sure that the customer
understands the piece is NOT FUNCTIONAL. And again, since I can't be sure a
gallery would do this, I wouldn't put pieces like this in a gallery.
I don't buy vessels with cracks that I intend to use in my kitchen. I do buy
vessels that are a LONG, LONG way from "perfect" (out of round, uneven bottom,
showing evidence of the hand making process, etc.). Some for functional use.
All because they catch my fancy as interesting.
For me the issues here are HONESTY and ART. It's my job to be honest with my
customers and it's my job to decide what of the work(art) I produce I want to
represent me. It can be an OK piece of pottery, but if I can't feel good about
it being in a stranger's hands, it gets the hammer (that goes for "seconds" as
well as "firsts"). Every artist has to establish those criteria for him/her
self. Admittedly, as I've grown over the years as a potter and artist these
latter criteria have evolved. There are some pieces out there that I probably
would hammer if I had them back today. That's OK. When I sold that piece, I
felt good about it. It was my best (or an acceptable) statement at that point
in my career.
Ok, I'll quit and enjoy reading the responses to these thoughts.
Bob
rfsanterre@iquest.net
Woods on tue 20 jul 99
How did this whole thing turn into "regular pots" being cracked???
I was of the understanding that we were talking about RAKU!
Yes, I would sell a cracked RAKU POT as long as it didn't look like it was
going to break. And I would not hide it, I would point it out.
NO, I would not sell any funtional pot or dish or bowl. Wheel thrown,
extruded or ram pressed. High fired, low fired, electric fired, gas fired,
wood fired or smoke fired it would be retired! Dressed or regressed I would
not be impressed with a crackpot (oop's cracked pot).
Sue
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Seefeldt
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Monday, July 19, 1999 12:45 PM
Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>The only thing that I would want to buy less than a wheel thrown cracked
pot
>would be a RamPressed Cracked Pot,
>
>NO! I would not sell a cracked pot,,
>
>Woods wrote:
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> I also say,
>> yes,
>> as it is so inherent in the process
>>
>> Sue
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Iveragh Ceramics
>> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>> Date: Sunday, July 18, 1999 12:55 PM
>> Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
>>
>> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> >Dear Patty,
>> > Yes.
>> > Regards,
>> > Bob Hollis
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: Patty Alander
>> >To:
>> >Sent: 17 July 1999 19:32
>> >Subject: would you sell a cracked pot?
>> >
>> >
>> >> ----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
>> >> At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
>> >> pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some
of
>> >> his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
>> >> that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
>> >> beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>> >>
>> >> I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
>> >> sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
>> >> you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so
sure
>> >> of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>> >>
>> >> Patty
>> >>
Janet Kaiser on thu 22 jul 99
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Santerre
>"It depends" whether or not I will sell a cracked stoneware vessel that
I've
>made with the intention of it being functional. 99.9% of the time they get
the
>hammer. On very rare occasions I've "saved" a cracked or otherwise
"flawed"
>vessel because it struck me as spectacular for some reason. Again, if I
sell
>such a vessel (usually I just keep them for my own enjoyment), it's with
all the
>caveats mentioned above for raku work, making absolutely sure that the
customer
>understands the piece is NOT FUNCTIONAL. And again, since I can't be sure
a
>gallery would do this, I wouldn't put pieces like this in a gallery.
including use of super glue?!?!
>For me the issues here are HONESTY and ART. It's my job to be honest with
my
>customers and it's my job to decide what of the work(art) I produce I want
to
>represent me. It can be an OK piece of pottery, but if I can't feel good
about
>it being in a stranger's hands, it gets the hammer (that goes for "seconds"
as
>well as "firsts").
Talking from a UK gallery point of view, I find Bob's thoughts intriguing.
The original question was about raku, which most seem to regard as
non-functional. (I beg to differ here, but that is by the way). So there
seems to be the "art allows it" reaction from Bob and several other clay
arters.
There has also been mention of big name pots with cracks in museums and now
the idea that a gallery would not be able to represent this cracked "art" in
the "honest" way the maker would wish...
The Chapel of Art (CoA) is known and respected by many potters as a ceramic
gallery run by a potter (me) who understands the problems and pitfalls.
Runny glazes, lime popping, warping, underfiring, overfiring, crazing, etc.
etc. No need to go on as you all know the problems and disasters that can
hit out of the blue.
Most of the real disasters do not get as far as The CoA because the
artists/makers are HONEST enough to know it is a gallery and not a seconds
shop. It is also a high class gallery that the customers respect for good
work at affordable prices. No $4000 teapots here folks! Instead, you get an
eclectic range of work from highly functional stoneware vessels "a la
Cardew" to fanciful, definitely non-functional sculptures. If it is made of
clay, we will exhibit and (hopefully) sell it....
BUT, I insist on the integrity of every single piece I display. Not a
subjective like/dislike but objective honesty as to "quality" of
craftsmanship. For example: intentional, decorative crazing - yes;
unintentional crazing in a salad bowl or what could be used as one - no;
shivering - no; warping on bowls and other round vessels - yes; warped
teapot with a lid that does not fit well - no; and so on.
And cracked pots? A definite NO! And I will tell you why: As a student all I
could afford at a pottery (somewhere around Nashville, TN) were two glorious
goblets out of the seconds basket. I duly carried them back to Plattsburgh,
NY and my room mate and I opened a bottle of wine to christen them. Our
dismay when wine started seeping out... My dismay that these were my ceramic
souvenirs of my year in the US...
SO they look good? Yes, but they have been an irritation to me for over
twenty years! They could be described as "dysfunctional rubbish"...
Now, although the potter was sort of honest putting those beautiful beasties
in the seconds basket, was it fair? Selling drinking vessels that do not do
the job they were made for? Is that "ART" or "HONEST"? Made me wonder about
the integrity of that potter for sure. Perhaps if there had been super glue
in those days, they would not even have been in the seconds basket?
Sorry, for the ramble, but it makes me mad that "art" is the excuse for a
mistake or even poor workmanship and even more mad that some people are
talking themselves into a corner. If work is so quirky, artistic, personally
pleasing and all the other useful labels that have been used, then keep it
yourself, but do not hoist, foist or otherwise try to spit clay into the
public's eyes... It will backfire one day.
I know that if I ever visit Tennessee again, those goblets will be in my
luggage, just in case I ever find that maker... We elephants have long
memories!
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art, Criccieth, GB-Wales WEB SITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
Home of The International Potters Path EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
James Blossom on sat 24 jul 99
Just a short little story on 'seconds'
Just after we started out making clay items (I hesitate to call them
'art',
even with a small 'a') we tried making wall pockets. Made a
lot of different designs, and some even almost so-so. We took all the
seconds &
thirds and gave them out to relatives to grow herbs in or to fill with
pencils, etc.
These were actually appreciated and given a place to show.
One fine day in May, I went up by Black Mesa near the Santa Clara
reservation to
celebrate my birthday with my nephew and his honorary great grandmother who
also
had the same birthday. In the middle of the goings-on my mother brought
out one of
the seconds to show every one. The great grandmother looked at it and said,
" That's
nice. Some forms take time to master. Keep trying."
I was mortified. This particular granny was Terasita Naranjo, niece of
Maria Martinez,
and one of the (if not the) greatest living potters in New Mexico (sadly now
deceased.) She
has pots in the Met, the Smithsonian, and also has a presidential medal.
And my
very own mother showed her one of my first ever mistakes. AARRGHH!
Since this happy occasion we have never even given away, much less sold, any
substandard
work.
"I must begin not with hypothesis, but with specific instances."
-- Paul Klee
Mike Blossom
Sleeping Dog Designs
Albuquerque, N.M.
jblossom@worldnet.att.net
-----Original Message-----
From: amy parker
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Monday, July 19, 1999 10:10 AM
Subject: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
At 02:32 PM 7/17/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>At an art fair I attended last week end there was a guy selling raku
>pieces - most of them glazed with white crackle. The crackle on some of
>his pieces wasn't just the glaze - the pot was cracked also. He said
>that it was no problem selling them for full price since they were too
>beautiful to throw out and were not meant to hold water anyhow.
>
>I've thrown out or kept for myself some great looking cracked raku or
>sawdust fired pieces. Am I being too much of a perfectionist - would
>you sell a cracked pot? Would you buy a cracked pot? He seemed so sure
>of himself - I'm curious as to how other potters feel.
>
>Patty
Patty - I sell "crackpots" to my friends for a few bucks, clearly labeled
as "seconds" with a sticker identifying the flaws. About half the time I
end
up just giving the pots away. I would Never Ever put a pot I knew was
flawed out for sale at a public show! I have seen a lot of other potters do
it, though - at a recent fair, I saw a bowl that was "perfect" from above,
but had not just "S"-cracks on the bottom, but S-caverns, 1/4 inch across, 2
inches long, and
it was not presented as "flawed" by the seller. I think this is totally
unprofessional. I might purchase such a piece for a few bucks from a friend
if I especially liked the glaze or the piece, as long as the piece was
presented to me as "flawed", but NOT sold with the attitude you describe
above!! We have to accept a certain amount of failure as potters, and should
consider it a matter of professional pride not to sell flawed goods at full
prices!!! If I'm gonna pay full price, I expect full goods!
Amy in Hotlanta, thinking this should be food for discussion in the newly
forming guild...
amy parker Lithonia, GA
amyp@sd-software.com
Ray Aldridge on tue 27 jul 99
At 01:30 PM 7/19/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I also say,
> yes,
> as it is so inherent in the process
>
It depends. If you're selling something as "an object for contemplation"
then okay, who cares if it's cracked? If you're selling it as a lasagna
dish, and the crack lets the sauce leak out all over the oven, then no.
On the other hand, my porcelain mugs, with handles pulled on the pot,
sometimes have tiny cracks at the tail end of the handle. I sell them as
firsts.
Ray
Steve Dalton on thu 5 aug 99
Here's my two cents worth about this issue. I don't know how big of a crack
we're all talking about.
If it's pre-glaze or post glaze. For me-if it preglaze and I didn't catch
it until after the glaze firing, I
might toss it. Yet to me it depends on how bad the crack is, though. If it
filled in with glaze and did not
get any bigger, sure I'll sell it. I've had some that I could barely see,
but the glaze filled in the crack.
It still pinged, and held water just as well as uncracked ware. If it's
cracked after the glaze fire-I'll
toss it or save it for filler for a cement pad.
Talking about nit-picking, I've had a couple customers that tried to talk me
down on the price that
I had set for the piece, ie $15.00 for a $20.00 piece. I just tossed the
piece on the ground and
watched the shards go flying. I'd rather break the piece than to sell it to
them, but I guess that would
be another hot topic
Steve Dalton
Snohomish, WA
----------
> From: Ray Carlton
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Fw: Re: would you sell a cracked pot?
> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 1999 09:49:19 EDT
>
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>well the chinese potters really new how to sell their pots..even the ones
>that were less than perfect...if you can sell a cracked pot to a client and
>get him or her to believe that the imperfections make it a great expression
>of the ceramic art form...well...good luck to you...i certainly won't
>criticise you....i get totally sick of nit picky galleries looking for any
>excuse to try and knock down your price...
>
>cheers
>
>
>At 17:42 30/07/99 EDT, you wrote:
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>Our Chinese predecessors honoured and embelished firng blemishes and
cracks
>>with gold leaf. These pots are now highly valued and can be found museums
>>around the world! I live in hope -
>>Carenza
>>At 14:35 28/07/99 EDT, you wrote:
>>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>>I have some pots around the house which have cracks in them. I feel a
>>>special love for some of them and the cracks are sometimes part of their
>>>special charm. I wouldn't sell them, but I sometimes wonder why not. If
>>>you are selling the pot as "art" and the cracks are part of the
expression,
>>>then it should be OK. But to sell them as pottery...even raku...I feel,
>>>requires that they be crackfree.
>>>
>>>John Jensen
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>cheers Ray Carlton
>
>McMahons Creek Victoria Australia
>
>
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