Lee Love on thu 24 mar 05
clennell wrote:
>I think that because of demographics (an aging population) that the field of
>ceramics will and is exploding with newcomers that have pensions,
>
Dear Tony and Dick,
I was lucky to work at Northern Clay Center urning my
time as a potter in St. Paul. I was exposed to a diversity of people
there, including retired folks taking up the craft.
Something you fail to recognize, is that those people
coming into the craft with "fat pensions", not only make and sell
pots, they are also more likely to have the disposable income to buy
good pots. Not cheap pots, but better work that will inspire
them. And most of these retirees will probably not be production
potters, but rather, hobby potters, who will learn more about what goes
into making pots and will have a better appreciation for fine
craftsmanship. People who make know better what it takes.
Besides, the world is a better place with more creative people in it.
Keeps us from being reduced to the role of consumer. Screws up "Da
Man!" I see it as our only hope against the Corporatacracy engulfing
the world.
If you want to know what it is like to be in an
environment that has a glut of production potters, Japan and especially
Mashiko, is a good place to look. There are more potters per square
inch here than you will find anyplace. And the hobby potters vastly
outnumber the professionals. So much so, that the pottery corner at
home improvements stores sell a greater variety of pottery related
materials and equipment than most Clay only businesses do back home.
The first thing I recognized about working in this
"potter rich" environment is that you really can't compete at the lower
end. It is young people who make really cheap work and not retired
connoisseurs (folks are often forced into retirement at 60 in Japan. I
know several people who move to Mashiko after retirement to pursue their
dream of being a potter, painter, printmaker, etc.) Young folks see
being a potter as a respectable way to keep out of the rat race & not be
a step & fetch-it "salary man" or "office lady." They can sell for
peanuts.
When looking at low end work, the bottom line is
always price. People choose the lowest ticket on the prettiest
cobalt blue piece they can find. A skilled person with an aesthetic
sensibility is going to do better outside of the low end.
It has been my experience even here in Japan, that the
potters you fear are the ones that are the best customers. They buy
the most when they visit the studio. I wouldn't fear them. Not any
more than the gajillion people who studied pottery with Warren
MacKenzie. Most of these folks do not become professional production
potters, but end up having a better understanding about what it takes
to make a good pot.
Hey, check out my visual bookmarks page. Found a great
interview with Warren MacKenzie from the Smithsonian Oral History site:
http://hankos.blogspot.com/
(fifth link down)
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://potters.blogspot.com/ WEB LOG
http://claycraft.blogspot.com/ Photos!
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