Terrance Lazaroff on sun 4 feb 01
-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Kanigel
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Saturday, February 03, 2001 11:41 PM
Subject: Re: Free workshops, free demos.
>Terrance,
>I'm on your side about getting paid, BUT if you also can display and sell
>your pottery in this fair, then I would consider your demos as advertising.
>People would naturally be drawn to your booth where the action is, and
>probably your sales would benefit.
>The singers and dancers on the other hand are selling ONLY their
>performances- what you see for them is what you get.
>Judy in Cambridge.
>
Judy;
The other side of the coin is that when you use demos as a publicity come on
the public often see us throwing some simple object that does not take too
much time. They relate the speed to the price and often they feel that they
are being taken to the bank. Joe public doesn't realise that the process of
creating is long and often plagued with losses and rejects. It is like the
Hamada thing when someone asked him why he was so expensive when it only
took a few minutes to throw a piece. They don't realise that it took a life
time plus a few minutes. Demos can give the wrong impression and they
should be only for the very few fortunate customers whom understand the
process.
My last kiln opening I took the chance and invited one of my customers to
come and help open and unload the kiln. It was stressful as I didn't have
a very easy time bring the kiln up. Nevertheless there was a minimum of
losses and a great deal wows from my client. I think I will try inviting
clients to my kiln openings this fall season. It might make better sales.
I am sure the stress will always be there.
Terrance
dayton j grant on mon 5 feb 01
maybe terrence ,you shouldnt demo at the same place where you are selling
stuff because i know the frustration and sometime irritation when you are
showing people who dont understand about pottery there is a great deal of
energy being put out by the thrower and when it is belittled or
misunderstood by someone who has nothing invested (like buying something
,or learning how to throw)it can just take all the wind out of your sails
so you have to understand that you are opening yourself spiritually when
you throw so you need to be in a safe place with good people or be in a
state of mind where you are able to defend against fools and vampires its
ok to walk around naked as long as you know youre naked and youre ready
to deal with the responses you may get from the different kinds of people
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Dai Scott on mon 5 feb 01
Terrance - Of course!! It all looks 'way too simple when an experienced
potter is throwing a pot. Yes, the onlooker is impressed with the way the
lovely wet, smooth clay is magically taking on shape, and height, and
volume, especially if they've never seen the process before. "But, look at
how easy it is! Look at how quickly the potter can form that pot! Boy, he
must be able to make a zillion of them in a day! Oh, yah, look at the ones
he's "painted" and "baked" over there---boy, that sure is a lot of money for
that little mug! He must make a fortune....." I think you're definitely
right---having the demonstration right there simplifies and abbreviates the
process to the point of it being almost meaningless in the whole picture. I
think it also destroys some of the "mystique" surrounding a particularly
wonderful piece of pottery. This is not to say we shouldn't be educating
our customers! I just think there may be better ways; like more one-on-one
with those who are truly interested. Not as a five-minute (or less)
diversion for the looky-loos.
Just my 2 cents worth (that's 1.5 cents US, right?)
Dai Scott in Kelowna, BC
potterybydai@home.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terrance Lazaroff"
To:
Sent: Sunday, February 04, 2001 6:02 PM
Subject: Re: Free workshops, free demos and kiln openings
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judy Kanigel
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Saturday, February 03, 2001 11:41 PM
> Subject: Re: Free workshops, free demos.
>
>
> >Terrance,
> >I'm on your side about getting paid, BUT if you also can display and sell
> >your pottery in this fair, then I would consider your demos as
advertising.
> >People would naturally be drawn to your booth where the action is, and
> >probably your sales would benefit.
> >The singers and dancers on the other hand are selling ONLY their
> >performances- what you see for them is what you get.
> >Judy in Cambridge.
> >
> Judy;
>
> The other side of the coin is that when you use demos as a publicity come
on
> the public often see us throwing some simple object that does not take too
> much time. They relate the speed to the price and often they feel that
they
> are being taken to the bank. Joe public doesn't realise that the process
of
> creating is long and often plagued with losses and rejects. It is like
the
> Hamada thing when someone asked him why he was so expensive when it only
> took a few minutes to throw a piece. They don't realise that it took a
life
> time plus a few minutes. Demos can give the wrong impression and they
> should be only for the very few fortunate customers whom understand the
> process.
>
> My last kiln opening I took the chance and invited one of my customers to
> come and help open and unload the kiln. It was stressful as I didn't
have
> a very easy time bring the kiln up. Nevertheless there was a minimum of
> losses and a great deal wows from my client. I think I will try inviting
> clients to my kiln openings this fall season. It might make better sales.
> I am sure the stress will always be there.
>
> Terrance
>
>
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Maid O'Mud Pottery on tue 6 feb 01
Hi Dai:
The London (Ontario) Potters Guild also wanted a way to show the hard work
involved, without having to demo, and of course, you're right, w/o giving the
impression it is a fast and easy art.
We put together a "power point" display on a computer. In a series of about 20
pictures, we showed a mug from wedging to being dipped into the glazes. Each
picture had a short explanation of the action being shown (centering, drawing up
the walls, shaping, adding handle, trimming etc). As it is a "slide" show type
presentation, no time factor is implied. People (including other potters) were
gathered around looking at the computer.
I suggest carrying a portable computer "slide" show instead of a wheel, stool,
buckets, clay, water and power!! This way you are not only giving a virtual demo,
you can sell at the same time.
HTH
Dai Scott wrote:
> Terrance - Of course!! It all looks 'way too simple when an experienced
> potter is throwing a pot. Yes, the onlooker is impressed with the way the
> lovely wet, smooth clay is magically taking on shape, and height, and
> volume, especially if they've never seen the process before. "But, look at
> how easy it is! Look at how quickly the potter can form that pot! Boy, he
> must be able to make a zillion of them in a day! Oh, yah, look at the ones
> he's "painted" and "baked" over there---boy, that sure is a lot of money for
> that little mug! He must make a fortune....." I think you're definitely
> right---having the demonstration right there simplifies and abbreviates the
> process to the point of it being almost meaningless in the whole picture. I
> think it also destroys some of the "mystique" surrounding a particularly
> wonderful piece of pottery. This is not to say we shouldn't be educating
> our customers! I just think there may be better ways; like more one-on-one
> with those who are truly interested. Not as a five-minute (or less)
> diversion for the looky-loos.
> Just my 2 cents worth (that's 1.5 cents US, right?)
> Dai Scott in Kelowna, BC
--
Sam, Maid O'Mud Pottery
SW Ontario CANADA
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110
scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
"First, the clay told me what to do
Then, I told the clay what to do
Now; we co-operate"
sam, 1994
"Effort does not always equal output"
sam, 1999
Tom Wirt/Betsy Price on tue 6 feb 01
Dai...
Yes this issue of it appearing too simple is real. In the few demos I
give, I don't just throw the pot. I take time to carefully explain
what I am doing and the decisions my mind is making as I go.
This has 2 effects....first, it slows down the throwing so it takes
maybe 3 times as long as it would in the studio, And second, the
viewers get a better impression of the level of skill it takes to make
a pot.
Finally I always take pains to make sure that they understand that
potting is like life...the enjoyable parts are the smallest part of
the process.... that this pot is now going to go through drying,
trimming, drying, bisque-fire, glazing and firing again....a total of
maybe 2 to 3 weeks of process (OK, so I stretch it a little).
They often get a little bored with all this, but it leaves many with
the idea that they're getting a deal with teh pot they buy.
I also frequently use Louis Katz's number of having to throw a form
3,000 to 5,000 time before you "get it"...a number very similar to the
repetitions necessary for an athlete to "get" what it is they're
doing.
Tom Wirt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dai Scott"
Subject: Re: Free workshops, free demos and kiln openings
> Terrance - Of course!! It all looks 'way too simple when an
experienced
> potter is throwing a pot. Yes, the onlooker is impressed with the
way the
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