Richard Aerni on wed 11 jan 06
Hey!
This time of year is always interesting for me. Generally I am at somewhat
low ebb, having expended serious energy prepping for the holiday season, and
then getting through all the sales and shipments. It's a good time for me
to reflect, plan the foolproof strategy for making it through the next
twelve months, do my business taxes and analysis, perhaps plan and implement
some new designs...that sort of thing. Life got a bit more interesting this
year as I had some minor surgery which precluded any heavy work for a few
weeks, and I also had to deal with having my once full and bustling studio
empty again after my studio mates left to set up their own studio. So, I
spent some time tearing up the old messes, cleaning them up, making things
spic and span and better and more efficient than ever, and then putting
together my photo area. While recuperating I learned how to take decent
shots with the digital camera.
This week, as I've been getting back into the swing of things, I decided to
take positive action and "get my act together" as far as getting my
information out to galleries I would like to carry my work. I took about
100 of those new images and compiled a PowerPoint presentation which I
burned to CD, and then put together the same information on a CD loaded with
JPEGs and accompanying 10 page commentary (for the many gallery owners who
don't have, or don't know how to use PowerPoint), and tomorrow will get all
the copying and burning done and get them out to galleries as they begin to
block out their wholesale buying. It's a damn sight cheaper than going to
Baltimore or Philadelphia with a ton of pots and display, spending about two
or three grand getting there, staying there, and paying your rent to ACE or
to Wendy Rosen. I did this last year and this year I've refined it a bit
more. Everything the gallery needs to know to order from me is contained on
the CD. (No, I'm not going to send anyone on clayart these CDs, unless
you're a gallery and want to order. If you want to know particulars, have
me out for a workshop and it will be one of the things we can talk about.
---Just joking---) So, that's done, and now it's time to get back to the
studio and get busy. There's a handful of custom jobs people want me to do
and this is the time to do that. There are new pieces to noodle
through...new forms to model and then cast the working molds for...shelves
to fill...new music to listen to and new books on tape to delve into.
It's a wonderful time for a working potter, as long as you don't let the
sight of all those empty shelves give you the heebie jeebies...
Take care, work hard,
Richard Aerni
Rochester, NY
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