Ben Friesen on sun 26 dec 04
How does a person get his ware into a gallery? I've been in clay now for =
two years and so far I've sold at a few fairs, and right now I have my =
work in two stores... yes, consignment--one is 60-40... My aim is to =
someday support myself and my small family on this but who =
knows......... maybe not possible. Right now I feel like I'm spinning my =
wheels a bit.. I've gotten excellent feedback on my product and it is =
selling but how can I move it along faster? Does it just take time? =
Years?=20
Ben Friesen
Stonepath Pottery
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Antoinette on mon 27 dec 04
HI Ben, it takes time to build a clientele, but it sound like you are on
the right track. The more people know about you, the faster you will
grow. Just make sure that your clientele is not growing faster than your
skills. You need time to learn, explore and grow.
The best.
Antoinette Badenhorst
105 Westwood Circle
Saltillo, MS 38866
(662) 869-1651
www.clayandcanvas.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Ben Friesen
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 1:36 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: getting started, galleries, etc.
How does a person get his ware into a gallery? I've been in clay now for
two years and so far I've sold at a few fairs, and right now I have my
work in two stores... yes, consignment--one is 60-40... My aim is to
someday support myself and my small family on this but who
knows......... maybe not possible. Right now I feel like I'm spinning my
wheels a bit.. I've gotten excellent feedback on my product and it is
selling but how can I move it along faster? Does it just take time?
Years?
Ben Friesen
Stonepath Pottery
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
________________________________________________________________________
______
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Larry Kruzan on mon 27 dec 04
Hi Ben,
I'm just starting out too, so I'll leave the serious advice for the
pros. I would suggest you look at a book by Robin Hopper called
"Staying Alive" "Survival Tactics for the Visual Artist". Lots of
great ideas and real life testimonials from folks you will know. It's
a small book so you can get through it pretty quickly but I know I have
reread several sections of it a lot recently. It is not one of those,
"do step one followed by step two" type of books, instead it lays out
general tactics for success. When I was trying to decide if I would
devote ANY space for walk-in retail, the book assured me it would be
paramount to my success. So retail space is now a significant
component of my business plan.
Good luck,
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery
On Dec 27, 2004, at 1:36 AM, Ben Friesen wrote:
> How does a person get his ware into a gallery? I've been in clay now
> for two years and so far I've sold at a few fairs, and right now I
> have my work in two stores... yes, consignment--one is 60-40... My aim
> is to someday support myself and my small family on this but who
> knows......... maybe not possible. Right now I feel like I'm spinning
> my wheels a bit.. I've gotten excellent feedback on my product and it
> is selling but how can I move it along faster? Does it just take time?
> Years?
>
> Ben Friesen
> Stonepath Pottery
> Abbotsford, BC, Canada
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
Ben Friesen on thu 30 dec 04
Thanks for the thoughts Antoinette... By building a clientele do you mean,
in part, to always take down addresses when you make a sale? I've not done
that much simply because I feel it's asking too much of the customer or I
don't want to bother them.... What do you think?
Ben Friesen
Stonepath Pottery
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
----- Original Message -----
From: "Antoinette"
To:
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 6:41 AM
Subject: Re: getting started, galleries, etc.
> HI Ben, it takes time to build a clientele, but it sound like you are on
> the right track. The more people know about you, the faster you will
> grow. Just make sure that your clientele is not growing faster than your
> skills. You need time to learn, explore and grow.
> The best.
>
> Antoinette Badenhorst
> 105 Westwood Circle
> Saltillo, MS 38866
> (662) 869-1651
> www.clayandcanvas.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of Ben Friesen
> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 1:36 AM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: getting started, galleries, etc.
>
> How does a person get his ware into a gallery? I've been in clay now for
> two years and so far I've sold at a few fairs, and right now I have my
> work in two stores... yes, consignment--one is 60-40... My aim is to
> someday support myself and my small family on this but who
> knows......... maybe not possible. Right now I feel like I'm spinning my
> wheels a bit.. I've gotten excellent feedback on my product and it is
> selling but how can I move it along faster? Does it just take time?
> Years?
>
> Ben Friesen
> Stonepath Pottery
> Abbotsford, BC, Canada
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> ______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Ben Friesen on thu 30 dec 04
This book is on my list! Thanks for the thoughts and encouragement.... Let
me know how things go.
Ben Friesen
Stonepath Pottery
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
bfriesen@afo.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Kruzan"
To:
Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 6:51 AM
Subject: Re: getting started, galleries, etc.
> Hi Ben,
>
> I'm just starting out too, so I'll leave the serious advice for the
> pros. I would suggest you look at a book by Robin Hopper called
> "Staying Alive" "Survival Tactics for the Visual Artist". Lots of
> great ideas and real life testimonials from folks you will know. It's
> a small book so you can get through it pretty quickly but I know I have
> reread several sections of it a lot recently. It is not one of those,
> "do step one followed by step two" type of books, instead it lays out
> general tactics for success. When I was trying to decide if I would
> devote ANY space for walk-in retail, the book assured me it would be
> paramount to my success. So retail space is now a significant
> component of my business plan.
>
> Good luck,
> Larry Kruzan
> Lost Creek Pottery
>
>
> On Dec 27, 2004, at 1:36 AM, Ben Friesen wrote:
>
> > How does a person get his ware into a gallery? I've been in clay now
> > for two years and so far I've sold at a few fairs, and right now I
> > have my work in two stores... yes, consignment--one is 60-40... My aim
> > is to someday support myself and my small family on this but who
> > knows......... maybe not possible. Right now I feel like I'm spinning
> > my wheels a bit.. I've gotten excellent feedback on my product and it
> > is selling but how can I move it along faster? Does it just take time?
> > Years?
> >
> > Ben Friesen
> > Stonepath Pottery
> > Abbotsford, BC, Canada
> >
> > _______________________________________________________________________
> > _______
> > Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> > You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> > settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> > Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> > melpots@pclink.com.
> >
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Paul Herman on thu 30 dec 04
Ben,
When a customer makes a purchase, I always ask "Would you like to be on
my mailing list?" They always say "yes". I can't remember any refusing,
unless they just lived too far away, like back east. Sometimes people
from far away do want to be on the list.
I don't think it's asking too much from the customer, or bothering them.
Best,
Paul Herman
Great Basin Pottery
Doyle, California US
http://www.greatbasinpottery.com/
----------
>From: Ben Friesen
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Re: getting started, galleries, etc.
>Date: Thu, Dec 30, 2004, 8:42 AM
>
> Thanks for the thoughts Antoinette... By building a clientele do you mean,
> in part, to always take down addresses when you make a sale? I've not done
> that much simply because I feel it's asking too much of the customer or I
> don't want to bother them.... What do you think?
>
> Ben Friesen
> Stonepath Pottery
> Abbotsford, BC, Canada
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