jWesley Allen on sat 13 jan 01
I'm interested in knowing how other ceramic artists pay to have piece work
done.
Is it a certain percentage if the artist is doing your design or theirs?
Thanks for any insight,
jWesley in Florida
NLudd@AOL.COM on sun 14 jan 01
J Wesley (Jwnstpa@AOL.COM) wrote
> I'm interested in knowing how other ceramic artists pay to have piece
> work done. Is it a certain percentage if the artist is doing your design
> or theirs?
Hi JWesley,
I've been a thrower/journeyman potter for a couple dozen potteries in three
countries, and here's my 2 cents:
Twenty five percent of wholesale was the rate I earned in the Bay Area when I
started doing piecework instead of by the hour, in 1983. Later I worked for
potters who at first offered quite a bit less, but gladly paid 25% or even
slightly more when they saw the pots. That's one-eighth of retail. I take a
firm stand that less than this, for a finished raw pot, is unfair. However,
in the case of quickly-thrown pots that are worked on more than minimally by
someone else before firing, less than 25 percent is negotiable.
>..your design or theirs?
Hmm.. only in America was I ever asked to throw or create, for the hiring
potter, my own designs.
BAH!
Darn it, I'm being paid to throw, not add my soul into the bargain for free.
Grrrr.
I have no problem discussing pottery design if my hirer wants my opinion. I
like to be helpful, and I positively enjoy good craftworker collaboration,
teamwork. But would I design a new line of pots for a potter who would pay me
only to throw them? - NO.
....best wishes,
Ned
in Chico, California
freeflt on sun 14 jan 01
When working as a production potter I was paid 5% of retail (10% of =
wholesale). I it was all his forms, and I had to match them. =20
~sherry wells
free flight pottery
nw montana, where it is lightly snowing
Jim Larkin on sun 14 jan 01
Wesley:
I have a potter who does some production piecework for me. To answer your
second question first, I do the designing. I am not interested in producing
another potter's designs. Even so, his style does show in the work. He
prefers to sign the work with our shop logo, although he is free to sign his
own name if he wishes.
The harder question is pricing. I pay him approx. 17% of retail. I provide
the clay and pick the pottery up from him as greenware. The potter and I
have come to this price by wrestling around with it until the potter
recieves a decent hourly wage and I can still make a profit. We've come to
our prices on a per item basis. With a mug, for example, he looks at his
time and sets a price. I can either afford to purchase it or not. Some items
I can't afford for him to make, or he can't afford to make. But the price
generally shakes out at approx. 17% of my retail. I stick with smaller
production items such as small bowls, candlesticks, etc.
Wesley, I hopes this helps. I would love to hear how other potteries
approach piecework. This has been our trial and error method over a number
of years.
----- Original Message -----
From: jWesley Allen
To:
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 11:01 PM
Subject: Re: Piecework pricing
> I'm interested in knowing how other ceramic artists pay to have piece work
> done.
> Is it a certain percentage if the artist is doing your design or theirs?
>
> Thanks for any insight,
>
> jWesley in Florida
>
>
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Jeff Brown on sun 14 jan 01
----- Original Message -----
From: jWesley Allen
Subject: Re: Piecework pricing
> I'm interested in knowing how other ceramic artists pay to have piece work
> done.
> Is it a certain percentage if the artist is doing your design or theirs?
I have worked for a number of potters and factories with different piece
rate pricing structures. In Seagrove, NC, I have been paid by the pound
(rates range from about $0.75 - $1.25 per/lb.) for throwing only; for the
finished piece, a percentage of retail (usually 10%); and for my own
designs, I set the price.
I have also been paid 10% - 20% of wholesale at a hi-volume factory (up to
200 pieces a day), where they bring the pre-weighed, ready-to-throw clay to
my wheel.
Jeff Brown
http://www.jeffbrownpottery.com
jeff@jeffbrownpottery.com
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