Chris Campbell on fri 22 jun 01
Hah !! Got your attention with the headline.
Promises excitement.
Delivers boring advice.
The "Bomb" I am talking about is not getting paid, getting used and
ripped off. It is a most natural consequence of what I call the Sally Field
Syndrome - "You like me, you really, really like me!" (No offence Sally,
love ya)
We artists sometimes lose all common sense when a buyer gushes and
lays down an order. It validates our work in that secret part of our soul
which is mostly full of doubt and high hopes. Some buyers are as naive as we
are and truly get in over their heads and cannot pay on time... BUT ... there
is a whole other crowd that know exactly what they are doing and are
consciously manipulating us. They know that they have got maybe a year to
abuse us before we learn, then they just move on to the next new artist. Sad
but true. Been there, done that.
Print out the recent business advice from Tom Wirt and Betsy Price and
hang it on your studio wall. You won't get simpler and better advice anywhere
no matter what you pay for it.
Don't wait for someone to offer a "Business for Crafters" course ...
get out to your local community college or high school night class and take a
basic business course. Sure, there are exeptions for artists in some areas
but the basics are the same whether you are making widgets or pots. Just suck
it up and do it ...you learned glaze chemistry and you can learn budgets.
The sad truth is that there are predators out there along with the
good guys and it is up to you to protect yourself. Wear your heart on our
sleeve but keep your head on your shoulders.
Chris Campbell - in North Carolina - tried to buy my daughter trucks but she
would not play outside with them because they would get dirty. Got some shiny
Tonka trucks in the attic. The Barbie dolls however were frequently kidnapped
and held hostage by the Ken doll .... hmmm....
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