Monday, October 8, 2018

Show Time!


and it's good to be home........ (mug by Lorna Meaden)



My mind is reeling from a weekend of rain, mud and pottery patrons.  The rain, humidity, freezing temps and then heat seemed relentless this year and yet there were wonderful pockets of sunshine.  Set up on Wednesday went pretty well weather wise and other wise too.  Thursday morning the only thing left to do was pricing.  

The show, Ohio Mart at Stan Hywet Hall in Akron is normally an hour drive.  Thursday morning turned into a two and half hour nightmare drive and I wondered if I would make the opening to get the lights turned on.  If we have the technology for driverless cars we should have the technology to disengage a cell phone when your car door shuts!  911 would be the only number you could dial.  I do not own a cell phone as I have squirrel syndrome.  I would also break limbs as I would be looking down all the time and I prefer to look up these days.  I encountered not one but two accidents on the way down.  I was also unaware that the berm is a passing lane if someone is in a hurry.  WTF people!  Also we are just not nice to each other anymore!  Need to do a bit of pondering on that one.  The ride home was not much better.  Friday morning only one accident.  

My brain is playing havoc with me this morning.  I sold well.  What did I sell?  Mostly mugs with gingko designs or bunnies and carrots.   I was sold out by Saturday morning.  I price mugs at $32.00.  I had carved porcelain tea bowls that I personally love and only sold one.  Iron reds just sat there, celadons just sat there.  The end of the show and right side of my booth was pitiful.  The left side looked like the day I set up.


The drive home was great as the load was considerably lighter, my bank account had a reprieve and it was Sunday. 

Soooo here is the dilemma.  I spent 6 weeks weaving pots for gallery shows.  I have sold two pots at the gallery shows for a total of $234.50.  Are pots that are fussy, high end better made by artists working at universities collecting a regular pay check and getting hospitalization?  I don't know and I am not being snarky it is just a reality.  I don't get retirement and I am only as good as my last firing, not so much my last gallery show.   I am now thinking of how many mugs and bowls I could have made in those 6 weeks and had a bit more in my bank account.  Seriously this is driving me bonkers.  I have another show in 4 weeks and will be in the studio with the pedal to the metal trying to catch up on what was sold.  Mother Hubbards cupboard is bare.  I have woven pots coming out my ears but the functional stuff is gone.  I also heard several patrons say ....... "thank you for getting your pottery out of the 70's".  I heard it on Saturday and I heard it again on Sunday.   Over the last 35 years of pots and all things pottery I have learned to be flexible and change up glazes and clay bodies but who knew people would that, out loud.  I always felt hand thrown or handmade pottery was kind of timeless unlike the mass produced stuff which does go out of vogue. 

Ohio Mart is an awesome show in every respect; from the organizers to the patrons to my whacky neighbors.   Peggy sporting a new purse from the vintage tent :)  


We have become friends over the last three years and it is always fun to "catch up".   

I'm not saying I will never make another woven pot by any stretch but I think I will become more judicious about shows I commit to and at what time of the year.  Curious to see if I get my Etsy store updated, will it become active as I do a few more shows?  

I can't even believe I am still vacillating on these issues.  I started with wisteria back in the day and it paid for my studio, kilns and trips to far off places while dragging my kids behind me.  
I need to add a kiln room to the studio in the near future and I wouldn't mind a cover over the exposed outdoor work area.  

Today I will unload a van full of muddy fixtures and wet canopy; hose down the rug and pedestals but first there is time for coffee on the patio and catch up time with a very much missed buddy, Kirby. 






12 comments:

  1. I'm lucky in that I am retired, with a pension, so no monetary pressure to have to figure out what's the next best thing that folks might want to buy. I make enough of the pots I want to make in order to keep my set of shelves at our little co-operative gallery stocked. I teach one day a week out of my home studio. I am liking this a lot more than the go, go, go of trying to make pots, run my own gallery and hit all the arts and crafts shows. What I miss is the interaction with those who buy my pots as I only have to work at the co-op gallery a couple of times a month.

    You sound like you are at one of those pivotal moments of figuring out where to go next. I hope you can find a way that works for you as well, my friend ... take care ... hugs for you and the Kirb ... B

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    1. this whole year has been pretty pivotal....... It been like somebody slapped me upside the head and said; Hey get on with it and pay your bills oh and remember those things you loved to do? You need to do those again........ Aren't we all so much bigger than cranking out pots? Maybe not but boy I miss that kayak and garden! So I am getting on with it........ thanks Brenda!!

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  2. Did you peruse Charlie Cummings Gallery Intimate Object Mug and Cup show this weekend at all? This is probably a dumb question, as I know you were busy. Take a look when you have time, to see what is new in Potteryland. I honestly can't say I feel great about a lot of it, but I am old and not in touch with the latest/greatest. Where can one peruse your entire stock of woven pots?

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    1. Hey Gail!! I know exactly what you mean! LOL....... Potteryland is dizzying these days! Ya, I'm pretty old and cranky myself and seem to be scratching my head quite a bit these days. However I know what I like and I know you need a good foot ring, a mug that feels great in you hand and on the lip, a good fitting lid and teapot that pours. I want to come home and say Ahhhhh and not have to think to hard about why that pig is flying upside down with a skeleton tattoo on its ass. JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION......... oh and chemistry is still a good thing to know :) I will get unpacked and send you a video of my back room gallery. I think I have 10 or 12 pots out a shows until Nov. 9th. The jury is kind of out but we will see......... LOL! thanks Gail!

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  3. and looking at your decorative gallery page, could you please add dimensions for the light green chipped surface one on the left? how tall is it?

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    1. I will measure it tonight! Standby........

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  4. a successful show,if not entirely what you'd thought would sell! go with the flow sometimes,and when that is flying,please yourself too

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    1. Hi gz, that is where I am at these days......... :)

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  5. It's so hard to figure out. Jeff and I have done a couple of shows in the last few years, where we didn't sell a single mug! I am glad to hear that overall your show was a success.

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    1. Hi Michèle! I've done this show for three years and every year I change it up. The first year I took all high end art and got killed, the next year I took half and half and did better, this year I took mugs and bowls, lots but it was not enough. So I think I'm getting there and next year will be even easier to set up because the right side of the booth just sat there so not taking those. Feels like the hamster wheel of craft fairs LOL! thanks!!

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  6. Oh there is little box in the upper right hand corner that says follow by email. When I finally post you get a news flash........ or I could send an owl. 😂

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