dreamsinclay on sat 22 jan 05
Dear Tony:
I may have come in on the middle of this thread....but
man it was really great reading that post!
I agree....the market has really changed, and with it
we have to as well.
After 20 years of potting...mugs have become somewhat
of a drag to make. I produce just enough to have some
representation on my shelves for a show....
I only make them for a show, or for a well established
customer who needs to refill their supply. In the
time it takes to make mugs I can produce one of kind
pieces that not only draw the customers into the
booth, but also call prices worthy of my time to
create.
In my market it seems the bottom has dropped out for
the middle price rage buyers. If the object is to
produce a range of work that supports me as a full
time potter, the ratio would either be 100 mugs or 2
to 3 one of a kind pieces. There really isn't any
question about what I'd rather do. Production of
individual pieces is much more gratifying, as well as
splendid to the eye.
This is no put down to mug makers...it is just my
experience with my market.
It seems to follow that galleries also are requiring
more inventive and creative pieces for their
clientele.
And then there are those who have what I call
"stupid money". (I mean no malice in that, they just
have enough money to purchase everything in my booth,
and more money than I could ever imagine having this
time around) For those beloved benifactors...and I
mean that with my heart and soul... I am grateful...I
need to be extremely flexible, delicate and creative,
because they are the clientele that have a vision
closest to mine and are seeking something more.
(Whatever that means for them)
Bottom line......As the market changes, and I evolve
in my work, I feel fortunate to somewhat feel the
pulse of the changing trends. I believe that each of
us produces what we believe will earn our way....I am
happy to proclaim that "I hate making mugs"!
Denise
(Hunkering down in Long Island's first major snow
storm for 2005...and loving it!)
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Tom Sawyer on sun 23 jan 05
I had an interesting experience that is on point with this post suggesting
the mug maker is dead. About 2-3 months ago, my wife suggested I make some
wine goblets to replenish some of our breakage. Before I got to the task,
she came home with 24 crystal wine goblets for $1.50 each; to be honest I'd
rather drink wine from the crystal glasses and I had to reflect whether the
wine goblet making potter can really compete.
Tom Sawyer
tsawyer@cfl.rr.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of dreamsinclay
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2005 8:59 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: The Mug Maker Is Dead
Dear Tony:
I may have come in on the middle of this thread....but
man it was really great reading that post!
I agree....the market has really changed, and with it
we have to as well.
After 20 years of potting...mugs have become somewhat
of a drag to make. I produce just enough to have some
representation on my shelves for a show....
I only make them for a show, or for a well established
customer who needs to refill their supply. In the
time it takes to make mugs I can produce one of kind
pieces that not only draw the customers into the
booth, but also call prices worthy of my time to
create.
In my market it seems the bottom has dropped out for
the middle price rage buyers. If the object is to
produce a range of work that supports me as a full
time potter, the ratio would either be 100 mugs or 2
to 3 one of a kind pieces. There really isn't any
question about what I'd rather do. Production of
individual pieces is much more gratifying, as well as
splendid to the eye.
This is no put down to mug makers...it is just my
experience with my market.
It seems to follow that galleries also are requiring
more inventive and creative pieces for their
clientele.
And then there are those who have what I call
"stupid money". (I mean no malice in that, they just
have enough money to purchase everything in my booth,
and more money than I could ever imagine having this
time around) For those beloved benifactors...and I
mean that with my heart and soul... I am grateful...I
need to be extremely flexible, delicate and creative,
because they are the clientele that have a vision
closest to mine and are seeking something more.
(Whatever that means for them)
Bottom line......As the market changes, and I evolve
in my work, I feel fortunate to somewhat feel the
pulse of the changing trends. I believe that each of
us produces what we believe will earn our way....I am
happy to proclaim that "I hate making mugs"!
Denise
(Hunkering down in Long Island's first major snow
storm for 2005...and loving it!)
__________________________________
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Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
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Kate Johnson on sun 23 jan 05
>I had an interesting experience that is on point with this post suggesting
> the mug maker is dead. About 2-3 months ago, my wife suggested I make some
> wine goblets to replenish some of our breakage. Before I got to the task,
> she came home with 24 crystal wine goblets for $1.50 each; to be honest
> I'd
> rather drink wine from the crystal glasses and I had to reflect whether
> the
> wine goblet making potter can really compete.
Hi Tom...I have no idea as to whether you can complete in the marketplace,
but I WILL tell you I am not the cyrstal glass/goblet type AT ALL, but
cherish the set of beautiful, subtle, earthy hand-thrown goblets from Cecil
Doubenmeir, wondrous Missouri potter. We used them at our handfasting,
even.
Also have a funny/poignant story...my old friend Bob, a wine connoisseur,
used to rag on me terribly about my pottery goblets. So gauche. Just
WRONG. On and on. He loved to tease me, about any and everything.
After he died a few years ago, I was given one of his favorite drinking
vessels--a very large, very impressive pottery goblet. GOD I love that
thing! I laughed myself silly through my tears...
Best--
Kate
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