John Baymore on tue 26 jul 05
Strive to do your best and don't think about the money while you work.
Thinking about money usually screws up your priorities as an artist.
When you can't keep the pots on the shelf, you might raise the price a
little.
I have a little different "take" on this subject.......
Strive to do your best and ......once your skill level is there.....make
sure that you consider the worth of YOUR skilled time just as valauable as
AT LEAST your carpernter, car mechanic, and maybe even (god forbid!) your
PLUMBER......(which will be slightly higher than any doctor or lawyer's
time ).
Once you are skilled, (collectively) NOT thinking about the money screws
up not only your own potential income stream but tends to devalue the
whole art/craft (pick a word) market for everyone else as well. The
purist "art ubber alles" approach does not tend to put food on the table
or health insurance premium checks in the mail.
When you can't keep the pots on the shelf, raise the price a bunch. You
probably were underpricing it to start with anyway . Why kill your
body and your equipment making 100 pots at $10, rather than one pot at
$1000? (Rhetorical)
Sorry... but I like to pay my bills without worrying too much, be able to
AFFORD a carpenter when I need one, and have some health insurance for
when I get sick.
One of the most important lessons I learned when I first went to
Japan ...... which a lot of people tend to think of as the "Mecca" for
pottery........... was that above all the great pots that are made
there...... it is very much a BUSINESS. Potters there generally are sharp
businesspeople... or if they do not have that skill themselves..... they
employ someone who does. There is plenty of aesthetic sensibility to go
around and then some.... but they don't tend to lose sight of the money as
they pursue the aesthetics. The tend to focus on BOTH aspects of
pottery. It serves them well.
I've related this one before......
I was talking to an established older potter there on my first time in
Japan. Like many there, he makes (among other things) teawares. I was
talking to him about his beautiful chawan (teabowls). He said that he
only sells a certain number of his bowls a year. I think he said it was
100. I asked him why, ....and was expecting some answer based in
aesthetics and how hard it was to produce really GOOD teabowls, and so
on. I was all set to learn some really important aesthetic considerations
and such.
His answer? He wanted to control the market value of his chawan...... if
he sold too many he would devalue the product...and his prices would
drop. His teabowls alone brought in the equiv. of most dual income Yuppie
families here. It was a purely business related answer. And it caught me
right between the eyes . I learned something at that moment... but it
was not what I expected to learn... which is always the best learning
experience.
That was the first of many "it's a business" observations.
Anyway............
best,
..............john
JBaymore@compuserve.com
http://www.JohnBaymore.com
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
"Please use compuserve address for direct communications."
Jeff Guin on sat 30 jul 05
John,
I agree. Do your best, stay at it, and the money will come.
http://mudwerks.blogspot.com
>From: John Baymore
>Reply-To: Clayart
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Re: It IS about the money. :-)
>Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 14:24:00 -0400
>
>
>Strive to do your best and don't think about the money while you work.
>Thinking about money usually screws up your priorities as an artist.
>
>When you can't keep the pots on the shelf, you might raise the price a
>little.
>
>
>
>I have a little different "take" on this subject.......
>
>Strive to do your best and ......once your skill level is there.....make
>sure that you consider the worth of YOUR skilled time just as valauable as
>AT LEAST your carpernter, car mechanic, and maybe even (god forbid!) your
>PLUMBER......(which will be slightly higher than any doctor or lawyer's
>time ).
>
>Once you are skilled, (collectively) NOT thinking about the money screws
>up not only your own potential income stream but tends to devalue the
>whole art/craft (pick a word) market for everyone else as well. The
>purist "art ubber alles" approach does not tend to put food on the table
>or health insurance premium checks in the mail.
>
>When you can't keep the pots on the shelf, raise the price a bunch. You
>probably were underpricing it to start with anyway . Why kill your
>body and your equipment making 100 pots at $10, rather than one pot at
>$1000? (Rhetorical)
>
>
>Sorry... but I like to pay my bills without worrying too much, be able to
>AFFORD a carpenter when I need one, and have some health insurance for
>when I get sick.
>
>One of the most important lessons I learned when I first went to
>Japan ...... which a lot of people tend to think of as the "Mecca" for
>pottery........... was that above all the great pots that are made
>there...... it is very much a BUSINESS. Potters there generally are sharp
>businesspeople... or if they do not have that skill themselves..... they
>employ someone who does. There is plenty of aesthetic sensibility to go
>around and then some.... but they don't tend to lose sight of the money as
>they pursue the aesthetics. The tend to focus on BOTH aspects of
>pottery. It serves them well.
>
>I've related this one before......
>
>I was talking to an established older potter there on my first time in
>Japan. Like many there, he makes (among other things) teawares. I was
>talking to him about his beautiful chawan (teabowls). He said that he
>only sells a certain number of his bowls a year. I think he said it was
>100. I asked him why, ....and was expecting some answer based in
>aesthetics and how hard it was to produce really GOOD teabowls, and so
>on. I was all set to learn some really important aesthetic considerations
>and such.
>
>His answer? He wanted to control the market value of his chawan...... if
>he sold too many he would devalue the product...and his prices would
>drop. His teabowls alone brought in the equiv. of most dual income Yuppie
>families here. It was a purely business related answer. And it caught me
>right between the eyes . I learned something at that moment... but it
>was not what I expected to learn... which is always the best learning
>experience.
>
>That was the first of many "it's a business" observations.
>
>Anyway............
>
>best,
>
>..............john
>
>JBaymore@compuserve.com
>http://www.JohnBaymore.com
>
>John Baymore
>River Bend Pottery
>22 Riverbend Way
>Wilton, NH 03086 USA
>
>"Please use compuserve address for direct communications."
>
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Chuck Wagoner on sat 30 jul 05
If it was ONLY about the money I would do something else. After 24 years
of running the same little shop I have decided it is about the whole
process and money is a by product or an end result. Most working potters
have done a lot of "side work" to supplement the household. I work on
computers and give tennis lessons sometimes to foot the bills. It is
almost like the money supports the pottery habit for us. The clay has
been an "enabler" all these years and now we are both codependent on
each other. The only way to get through it is to do it.
Would we make as much pottery if there was no money? No, but we would
still make pots somehow someway. Just gotta spin that wheel.
And the potter said unto the clay, "Be ware." G.O.
Potter Wagoner
Rockville, IN
bonnie staffel on sun 31 jul 05
For many years I was a dedicated potter, loving the making and designing of
pots. After 20 years of having my own gallery and a successful career, I
had several "bumps in the road." One was our insurance company making
demands on us to make certain changes that were impossible to do. When we
lost our Liability Insurance because they wanted us to move my husband's
blacksmithing shop off the property (five acres, geez) we felt we could not
continue. An opportunity came for me to work at the Campbell Folk school
and joined the Administration world which was a real culture shock to me.
As a potter with several apprentices, I was the "boss." Accepting the job
at Campbell then I became the employee, so to speak. Well, I tackled that
job and rose in compensation and responsibility to a point where I felt the
tail was wagging the dog. I wanted my old life back where I was in control
of my destiny. During this time I was of course growing older and more
bumps came up, but like overflowing water always filling the hole, I was
able to keep working and selling my pots. Then more bumps, one was a
fractured back slipping off icy steps, and then carpal tunnel operations.
Now I have survived these and am back at work, at a much slower pace and
much lower income as a result. However, I do have more goals in mind and if
the body holds up, plan to accomplish these in the future.
I realize I will not attain the income I am used to, but if I can pay my
bills and have the continued support of my family, I have set goals to
accomplish within those lines. Of course I would like to win the lottery as
much as anyone, but since I don't play it, that pipe dream will not come
true. I figure there is a possibility that I might have ten to twenty
(????) years left to make pots so I have to keep the fingers agile and the
mind open to new exciting ideas that might wander in.
Is it about the money????
Warm regards,
Bonnie Staffel
URL Krueger on sun 31 jul 05
On Sunday 31 July 2005 12:13 pm, bonnie staffel wrote:
About her life and career.
In other countries they declare people like Bonnie National
Living Treasures. We may not make that official
designation in this country but I certainly do believe that
Bonnie is a living treasure.
All you youngsters out there (and not so young-sters, too)
remember; When Bonnie speaks, listen !
--
Earl K...
Bothell WA, USA
bonnie staffel on mon 1 aug 05
Hey URl, you have me blushing. Never would I put myself in such a category,
There are too many super potters out there that I look up to and who have
provided inspiration to me. I am going through my "payback" stage now and
if what I have learned will help someone, I am happy to share. You all have
become my friends and keep me on an even keel. Thank you for the honor
though. I will cherish the thought.
URL Krueger
Subject: Re: It IS about the money. :-)
On Sunday 31 July 2005 12:13 pm, bonnie staffel wrote:
About her life and career.
In other countries they declare people like Bonnie National
Living Treasures. We may not make that official
designation in this country but I certainly do believe that
Bonnie is a living treasure.
All you youngsters out there (and not so young-sters, too)
remember; When Bonnie speaks, listen !
Warm regards,
Bonnie Staffel
http://webpages.charter.net/bstaffel/
http://vasefinder.com/bstaffelgallery1.html
Charter Member Potters Council
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