Ken Nowicki on mon 18 oct 04
Hi Terry,
Thanks for this recent update about Feriz and his business with the ceramic
potting community.
>Like Mel San says, he doesn't make a buck from us ceramists compared to his
industrial >uses.
I understand that we potters are all "small fish in a big pond" with regard
to the livelihood of his company. Unfortunately, that is just the way it is...
same with the mining operations around the globe where we get our chemicals
from... in most cases, we only get them as a by-product from some other huge
corporate industrialized need. The fact is, our ceramic industry is very small
compared to the global corporate industrialized economy. Not a whole lot we can
do about that. Just a fact of life.
>He doesn't really want to keep on with the retail sale of ITC for potters.
Not because he >doesn't love us, but because it is really a very small part of
his business and takes way to >much of his time. He told me he would love to
sell off this part of the business so
>maybe someone like Axner or Laguna might want to buy that from him.
I can certainly understand Feriz's viewpoint from an economic business
perspective. Certainly he has every right to focus his attention on the kinds of
clientele that will help him reach his business goals in the best way he sees
fit. I just hope, that for the ceramic potting community, that in the end, we
will all still have access to be able to purchase his products if we so choose. I
think Axner and/or Laguna or maybe even Bailey would be great candidates for
extending his retail operations to potters here in the U.S. - as for abroad...
I don't know... I'm sure there are others.
>He has a folder of unpaid bills for ceramists who ordered his itc
>product but forgot to pay. He has no energy or will to pursue these
>debts.
This statement above was "especially disheartening" to read and hear about.
I'm sure this kind of thing doesn't help our case much as potters in Feriz's
eyes.
>Perhaps we all who know him from the many NCECA conferences and such;
>could take the time to tell him how much we do appreciate his efforts to
>help and educate us on itc and kiln dynamics and to send a word of
>friendship. I think he could use this.
>Yours, Terry Sullivan
I've been in touch with Feriz recently myself, since ordering products for my
kiln project. He explained to me that when his wife, Alice was alive and they
were first beginning their business... that she really loved potters... and
that they made a commitment back then to assist us as best they could...
sharing their products with our firing needs and offering advice whenever needed
along the way. I certainly have let him know how grateful I was for helping me
out, as well as his contributions to our clay community as well.
Terry's suggestion, in my mind, is a good one. If your potting life has been
touched by Feriz or his ITC products in a positive way... why not drop him a
little note next time you think about it... wouldn't hurt to take a minute out
to do this, would it?
All the best,
- Ken
Kenneth J. Nowicki
Port Washington, NY
RakuArtist@aol.com
Charter Member/Potters Council
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