Jan L. Peterson on tue 15 jul 03
If you put the price of a really beautiful pot at a true price, no one could
afford it.
I do ceramics. And if I put the price of labor and love on it, I couldn't
sell it. I bought a little pot the other day at a yard sale. Cute, in an ugly
way, for a dime. Such a shame. It's gone from my shelves at $2.50. Another pot,
bought for 50 cents is waiting patiently at $5.00 for the right person to come
along-made in china, but badly painted. If I re-do the paint and fix it up,
I'll have to sell it higher, but I'm betting it won't sell.
People are always looking for something for nothing. Even the lovliest and
most rare. It's frustrating to watch them wrinkle their noses at the smallest of
prices.
Reading your posts, I'm getting some idea of the labor and difficulties and
the length of time it takes to make a good product, and also some idea of what
a fair price for your work would be. Jan
Lily Krakowski on tue 15 jul 03
Yes. I agree with him who said we don't agree on elitism. What it is. How
it works. To me it also suggest the two edged sword of I am better than
whoever/ Whoever must be brought up to my level.
The question then divides again. If "I" am better, who says so, besides
adorable me? Generally elites are oligarchies of one kind or another,
aristocracies. And so on. And WHY should anyone be brought up to elite
level. Pareto had it right. Elites rise, rule, fall, are replaced....
It is very easy to sell pots. Make them very cheap, learn to live on next
to nothing, peddle your pots locally. You will be hungry, your teeth will
rot in your head, you will have chillblains in winter, your kids will be
sent home from school for smelling so bad, and coughing all the time...but
do not mind. You will be living the life of the potters from China and
Mexico and wherever whose often beautiful work crowds the shelves at the
malls.
If you want to make pots and sell them for a price that supports such
"luxuries" as food for your kiddies, heating for your house, medical care,
and stuff, then you sell them at a price that is fair to you, although only
richer people will be able to pay it, or you get a second job.
I am a great fan of the hangtag. I read every word on the one that came
with the historically ground grits Ms Skeen sent. I read all wine labels,
from the discovery of a stray grape in a lonely Chilean volcano, to the last
sulfite. Why?
Because the reading involves me more in the merchandise. I have hangtags on
my costlier pots, that remind people that this pot is totally unique. No
one else has one just like it.
If we want to educate the public to great pottery, then the Ceramic
Society might ask Kathy Couric to tour the studio and tell us about the
pots. They might write to other shows where the writers and producers have
some leeway and ask them to include mention of the crockery on the show. No
kidding.
Would it destroy Law & Order if, in going through the apartment of The
Victim, the better educated detective said "Oh my goodness. Look at that.
A Renoir on the wall, and a Lucie Rie on the pianer." Would it hurt "The
District" if the Commissioner or Elsie bought a pot as a retirement present
for someone?
On any show where someone is thinking of a present for someone worthy why
NOT have A say to B: "She has all the fur coats and jewels she can want-but
does she have a ***** teapot?"
Ok. Too hot tonight for a straight jacket. But think on it. I bet several
Clayarters DO know people who make TV or other movies.
Lili Krakowski
P.O. Box #1
Constableville, N.Y.
(315) 942-5916/ 397-2389
Be of good courage....
John Baymore on wed 16 jul 03
Would it destroy Law & Order if, in going through the apartment of The
Victim, the better educated detective said "Oh my goodness. Look at tha=
t.
A Renoir on the wall, and a Lucie Rie on the pianer." Would it hurt "The=
District" if the Commissioner or Elsie bought a pot as a retirement prese=
nt
for someone?
On any show where someone is thinking of a present for someone worthy why=
NOT have A say to B: "She has all the fur coats and jewels she can
want-but
does she have a ***** teapot?"
Great scenario!!!!!! All stuff I'd LOVE to see happen.
The power of TV to impact the public is pretty amazing. A few years ago=
I
was featured here in NH on a TV show because of some stuff happening in
Japan. Not a long segment..... probably 10-15 minutes. (What's that lin=
e
about "15 minutes of fame" .) For the next couple of days...... I
noticed many people in places like supermarkets clearly recognizing me fr=
om
my minimal TV appearance. And it was clear that my "stature".... whateve=
r
that really is........ seemed a tiny bit "larger"..... at least for a few=
minutes. It actually was disconcerting for me to have people "noticing" =
me
like that. And it showed me in no uncertain terms the impact that "the
tube" has in American life.
Unfortunatley we'll have to stand in line behind the mass market agancy
folks who pay (and get paid) big bucks for those "product placements". <=
g>
Hopefully occasionally someone with a love of pottery who also is involv=
ed
in the TV indusrty will manage to do this without having to cough up the
big dough.
best,
......................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086-5812 USA
JBaymore@compuserve.com
http:\\www.JohnBaymore.com
603-654-2752 (studio)
800-900-1110 (studio)
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop: August 15-24,
2003"
stacey ballard on wed 16 jul 03
Having been selling my ceramic pieces (part-time) for the last 8 years, I know myself to still be a newbie. But, having been in retail sales for about 20 years, I think that being judgmental of certain markets is not going to help our cause either. I agree with a lot of what Lily says. It has been interesting to watch different peoples opinions. Each of us market our work to a certain market (and have pretty strong opinions for why they do). I started out doing craft fairs, mostly environmental, Earth friendly fairs. Which were great, but a lot of hard work. For health reasons, I could not do them any more, so I knew I had to change my marketing ideas. I knew I wanted to sell my work to people that would like my "style", I knew I wanted to sell to people that had a lot of the same ideals as I had. Well, starting to talk to different people, I realized, people that have more money aren't innately more sinister than people that have no money or little money. I mean, I knew
that.....didn't I? I knew it, but maybe some where in my hippy-loving head, I had some judgments that were wrong. There are some rich people out there that are destroying the world, but there are also some people with little or no money that are up to no good. Money is just energy, and I figure the more I have of it, the more good I can do. I have some really good ideas up in this head of mine about helping my community and my planet. And while I don't have any money I will continue to work with my city council, help get this ceramics co-op going, and donate pieces to causes I believe in. Once I can do my art full time, I will still do all the things I have done before. I will also have more money to help the causes I believe in and help to build some of these great ideas I have floating around in this head of mine.
Thanks for listening (?)
Stacey Ballard
http://www.basicelements.biz
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