Julia Bailey on mon 6 may 02
Hi,
I will graduate soon from university (in the uk) and need some
advice about what to do. I would dearly like to set up my own ceramics
studio but am worried that i do not have enough experience in how to manage
materials and run my own business. Should i look for a residency first or
offer to work for a local potter to gain experience?
The other question is where do i set up? I am at uni in Manchester
(large city but not close to London). I could probably rent a studio in
Manchester and find business links a lot easier, but i would really like to
move to London as the opportunities are far greater (and i would probably
regret it if i don't go). Studio and housing rents are astronomical and i
don't know anyone there!
Thank you for any replys in advance,
Julia
PS i have been provisionally offered a large barn to convert (with
another graduate) in the middle of the country, is this a better
idea?
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Richard Jeffery on mon 6 may 02
Fun, isn't it.
I reckon you should try at least as a start to get some free business advice
from whatever government agency does that in your neck of the woods these
days.
somewhere up front in your decision making process you need to have an idea
of what income you need to live on, and a business plan that will show how
you intend to generate the profit to do just that.
I reckon London and the barn probably target different markets, although you
could service London galleries from a rural workshop, and not a rural market
from a London base. different markets, different buying patterns, different
price expectations.
what do you make? [rhetorical, sorry] - if it's cutting edge, then a barn
won't do it, unless you want to compromise to meet the buying patterns of
the locals (who won't keep you going, probably) and the type of tourist the
area expects and targets. I suspect this favours functional, but you would
have to do the research.
First of all, make the following decision:
is living in London more or less important than earning a living as a
[whatever you call yourself - some folk around here get a tad iffy about
being called a potter when they're not, and vice versa......]
Good luck - Richard
PS - you may find it takes a decade or so to get to all of the
answers..........
Richard Jeffery
Web Design and Photography
www.theeleventhweb.co.uk
Bournemouth UK
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Julia Bailey
Sent: 06 May 2002 13:23
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Studios: Town or Country?
Hi,
I will graduate soon from university (in the uk) and need some advice about
what to do. I would dearly like to set up my own ceramics studio but am
worried that i do not have enough experience in how to manage materials and
run my own business. Should i look for a residency first or offer to work
for a local potter to gain experience?
The other question is where do i set up? I am at uni in Manchester (large
city but not close to London). I could probably rent a studio in Manchester
and find business links a lot easier, but i would really like to move to
London as the opportunities are far greater (and i would probably regret it
if i don't go). Studio and housing rents are astronomical and i don't know
anyone there!
Thank you for any replys in advance,
Julia
PS i have been provisionally offered a large barn to convert (with another
graduate) in the middle of the country, is this a better idea?
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Janet Kaiser on mon 6 may 02
Congratulations, Julia. Your degree is the first step towards becoming
a clay artist. I call you that, because you say "ceramic studio"
rather than "pottery" and judging from degree shows around the
country, there are few potters coming out of the academic system these
days.
If you can say hand-on-heart that you can do everything producing your
work without the help of technicians and so on, then you are
technically able to set up your own studio.
There are special (usually free) courses on "setting up in business"
and of course being a young graduate, The Prince's Trust is also a
valuable resource. That provides a much-needed mentor for the first
year or so. Check out the Crafts Council and other institutions...
Although the Arts Council of England is restructuring YET AGAIN
someone, somewhere must be able to tell you what is available to you.
I sounds to me as though you should check out the business
opportunities of both London and elsewhere. Remember, as a working
potter/maker starting from scratch, it is highly unlikely you will be
able to afford London, unless you have a trust fund, which will
provide you with an income of around £50,000 per year until you are
set up and established. I do not personally see that there is any
advantage of being in London... Too much to destract one from the
serious business of working!! You may be better going down to London
and getting the social whirl out of your system for a year or so and
then returning to your barn in the country... That is the ideal way of
focusing on your work and production. Remember "Good pots sell
themselves".
Just be careful about Cheshire... It is a cultural no-man's-land!!
Galleries are few and far between, whereas Antique Shoppes are ten a
penny -- always an indication of what the local population prefers!
Indeed, we have many customers from Manchester, Liverpool, Merseyside
and Cheshire, who bemoan how little accessible work is available
outside the Bluecoat Gallery in Liverpool and Artizana in Prestbury!
Good luck!
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk
kruzewski on tue 7 may 02
Dear Julia,
You could contact Potters organisations, like my own (North Wales
Potters) and ask if there are any situations vacant, but to be honest
they are few and far between. If you are in the ceramics department at
Manchester, isn't one of the tutors Steve Mattison? Steve is very
knowlegable and has lots of contacts. He may be a person who could give
you pointers.You may also get lots of contacts from your end of year
show, and maybe this will take you in surprising directions. Also a good
place to look is Ceramics Reveiw or Studio Pottery - the ads section.
You may try contacting London Potters if you want to move to London -
ask what opportunities there are. There may be possibilities of sharing
studio space. Look for contact information on the Studio Pottery
website, also possibly ceramics in society website -
www.ceramic-society.co.uk
There are organisations there to help with setting up a business - try
your local Job Centre to find information.
In the end I think if you want to start your own business you just have
to do it. There is practical help out there, and being part of a potters
group gives you some networking possibilities and possibly support,
exhibition opportunities etc, but nothing can really prepare you for
setting up on your own. Know what you want to do - what work, clay,
what type of firing, what glazes; get catalogues off the major suppliers
and work out what you need to get started. Then find a way of affording
it all! Second hand is a good start - or studio sharing.
As for the barn idea, conversion can be expensive. It would depend on
what markets you are aiming for and whether you can still get access to
them from the middle of the country. It would also depend on whether you
have a really good relationship with the other graduate and with the
owner of the barn. Speaking as someone who IS in the middle of the
country (middle of no-where) if you want to be close to a vibarant
market for your work you may need to at least start by locating close to
that market. There is a huge difference in attitude, spending power etc
between here (where is is pretty bad) to Cardiff, where I just did a
show with South Wales Potters and my friend, fellow Clayarter, Avril. If
I were just starting out and didn't already have a home, settled family
etc, I would definately consider spending a lot of my time near to, or
in, Cardiff. London must be even better. The downside, as you've pointed
out, is the higher cost of living.
As you finish Uni the world is your oyster. This is scary if you know
what you want to do but don't know how to go about it, but it also means
you can go anywhere and do anything. Be open to all possibilities.
I wish you the best of luck!
Jacqui
North wales
Julia Bailey wrote
> I will graduate soon from university (in the uk) and need some advice
> about what to do.
>
Julia Bailey on thu 9 may 02
I just like to say thanks to everyone who replyed to my message - this
was my first message ever posted on clayart and i will certainly be writing
more!
the advice was really helpful,
Thanks again
Julia
Chat with friends online, try MSN
Messenger: Click Here
Richard Jeffery on thu 9 may 02
good luck....
Richard Jeffery
Web Design and Photography
www.theeleventhweb.co.uk
Bournemouth UK
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Julia Bailey
Sent: 09 May 2002 17:30
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: Studios: Town or Country?
I just like to say thanks to everyone who replyed to my message - this was
my first message ever posted on clayart and i will certainly be writing
more!
the advice was really helpful,
Thanks again
Julia
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____________________________________________________________________________
__ Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org You may look at the archives
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may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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