Nan Rothwell on mon 29 mar 04
I've been following the discussion of the ethics of selling safe functional
work, and finally feel the need to weigh in with my perspective. The question
that pushed me out of my usual inertia about writing was from Jennifer Boyer
(whose posts and opinions always interest me...)
Jennifer wrote, "Thanks for your thoughts John, So do you think galleries
have a responsibility to monitor safety issues in the pots they carry? If our
gallery(run by 9 craftspeople as a cooperative board of directors, 4 of us
potters) has a potter with a mattish copper glaze and she suggests that buyers coat
the bowls with olive oil, what is our role? Ask for her leach test results?
Most potters haven't taken the step towards testing. If she has, do we
formulate our own standards as to what numbers we need to see from the testing? This
whole thing gets my head spinning."
I help run Spruce Creek Gallery in Nellysford, VA, where we often face these
issues. Gallery owner's responsibility on glaze safety is a tough one. For
now, we "deal with it" by limiting ourselves to work done by people who we
know. Even with that, I have had the occasional qualm about some of what we sell.
I look forward to hearing what the folks on Clayart have to say about the
issue.
As for pots being functional -- more than once, we have turned down GORGEOUS
raku because of concerns about use. Specifically -- wonderful vases and
teabowls, forms that clearly invited use. Our decision was not made lightly and
not without deep ambivalence. But as many of you have pointed out, even if we
sold the pieces with attached cards that warned people about specific use, we
could not be sure that the purchaser would not throw out the card before
passing the piece along as gift.
For me, the low-fire-vase seeping water and ruining the finish on grandma's
table is not an abstract possibility. I sent my late grandmother just such a
piece early on in my own potting career. Years later, when I was helping clear
out her apartment after her death, I found all the later gifts I had sent her
-- years of salt-glazed vases, lamps, stacked mixing bowls, mugs &, etc. --
all piled neatly on a shelf in a bottom kitchen cabinet. Clearly, not one of
them had ever been put to use. She had learned her lesson from that early
vase.
Nan Rothwell
SpruceCreekGallery.com
Ron Roy on tue 30 mar 04
Hi Nan,
If I were running a gallery I would make sure the functional pots did what
they were supposed to do - just good for business for starters. If your
customers trust you they will be more inclined to come back. Surprise them
and they will be less eager to get surprised again.
Perhaps having two distinct sections in the shop would help solve the
problem - one for functional work that works and another for semi
functional and non functional work.
Some sort of system so your customers would have the feeling they have been
tricked - just good for business.
Having knowledgeable staff is always a great advantage - the better
informed they are the less chance of unwanted surprises.
RR
>I've been following the discussion of the ethics of selling safe functional
>work, and finally feel the need to weigh in with my perspective. The question
>that pushed me out of my usual inertia about writing was from Jennifer Boyer
>(whose posts and opinions always interest me...)
>
>Jennifer wrote, "Thanks for your thoughts John, So do you think galleries
>have a responsibility to monitor safety issues in the pots they carry? If our
>gallery(run by 9 craftspeople as a cooperative board of directors, 4 of us
>potters) has a potter with a mattish copper glaze and she suggests that
>buyers coat
>the bowls with olive oil, what is our role? Ask for her leach test results?
>Most potters haven't taken the step towards testing. If she has, do we
>formulate our own standards as to what numbers we need to see from the
>testing? This
>whole thing gets my head spinning."
>
>I help run Spruce Creek Gallery in Nellysford, VA, where we often face these
>issues. Gallery owner's responsibility on glaze safety is a tough one. For
>now, we "deal with it" by limiting ourselves to work done by people who we
>know. Even with that, I have had the occasional qualm about some of what
>we sell.
> I look forward to hearing what the folks on Clayart have to say about the
>issue.
>
>As for pots being functional -- more than once, we have turned down GORGEOUS
>raku because of concerns about use. Specifically -- wonderful vases and
>teabowls, forms that clearly invited use. Our decision was not made
>lightly and
>not without deep ambivalence. But as many of you have pointed out, even if we
>sold the pieces with attached cards that warned people about specific use, we
>could not be sure that the purchaser would not throw out the card before
>passing the piece along as gift.
>
>For me, the low-fire-vase seeping water and ruining the finish on grandma's
>table is not an abstract possibility. I sent my late grandmother just such a
>piece early on in my own potting career. Years later, when I was helping clear
>out her apartment after her death, I found all the later gifts I had sent her
>-- years of salt-glazed vases, lamps, stacked mixing bowls, mugs &, etc. --
>all piled neatly on a shelf in a bottom kitchen cabinet. Clearly, not one of
>them had ever been put to use. She had learned her lesson from that early
>vase.
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Phone: 613-475-9544
Fax: 613-475-3513
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