Anne Webb on mon 11 oct 04
of course craft shows are not the ideal venue for selling pots. I
have no illusions of that. we may price our pots at "retail" but in
the grander scheme of things, that's not what we are making
especially when you take into consideration escalating show fees,
gasoline prices, etc. Then there is the cost of time away from your
studio, prep time, recouperation time, etc.
Is it worth it? Well each person has to make their own assessment
and decision. I've met some pretty good and loyal customers at
shows, wholesale and retail. and i do sell pots at shows.
I've cut back the number of shows we
do because of the growing number of promoters and organizers that are just
plain getting
greedy.. shows explode in size, fees go up exponentially, quality
goes down, as do sales, and they usually destroy the show in the
process.
so we limit the number of shows we do, keep them fairly
close to home, and are ones that we have done well at in the past.
(We take the kids with us.) Other than that we wholesale, sell out of the
studio, and online. i
was planning on doing a christmas sale this fall but although we
didnt have extensive damage from the hurricane, there is too much
to do around the place yet before the place presentable enough
again.
just doing is craft shows with 80% small items.. i am glad that's not us.
as far as doing craft shows for the glory of it or for exposure to
the so called art world.... that is a laugh. hell if i were into "glory"
do you think i would bother making functional pots? lol
"glory" and often recognition by your peers isnt always what
its cracked up to be. go academia if that's your thing, not shows.
regarding magazine covers.... being in a magazine or on the cover is not
*always* indicative that the pots are "good" nor does it mean you have "made
it". as one of the presenters said at our state's clay conference recently,
its oftentimes the guy who sends his slides in or toots his own horn the
loudest that makes the magazine covers or articles. That doesnt always ring
true though.. Harlan House's pots, you are right tony, are lovely.
as far as what you make... i do agree that you should love what you
are making. love what you are doing and strive for excellence. it shows.
People will find you.
and that guy who walks into your booth/showroom/whatever and says
"you know what you should make..?" talk about Mister Tact.....he's not the
guy
who would buy a pot from you anyways.
>Thirdly, I am a pot snob. I know what i like and I know what i don't like.
>Usually if I don't like something, i don't say anything at all.
>Would you rather I be a "whore" and tell the potter i love them, their work
>and lets lock loins.
that's not "whoring", that's being two-faced ... political even. That's
not what i was asking of you. There's a difference between being
discerning and being a snob. There's a difference between not liking
someone's pots and stereotyping and belittling them cuz, for example, they
like/need/want to do craft shows or choose to make a certain kind of pot or
..whatever, then going around telling everybody they are fools.
>Just because we are all in clay doesn't mean we all have particiapte in
>love
>ins.
true. but there's no need for condescending sarcasm or humour at other
peoples' expense either.
I am not trying to pick on you specifically tony, i am sorry if it sounds
that way. There have been several posts lately with a similar tone that just
doesnt sit right. I just happened to read yours last.
oh and do we have to keep using the word "whore"? it gets a reaction but
..enough already.
anne
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