Well here we are December 16th, the Christmas countdown has begun, 9 days left.
For those who think about pursuing a life in the pottery world I thought I'd do quick run down of my last week.
Pulled in the driveway Sunday around 10 pm. Walked in the house, drop to knees for obligatory ear scratching and greetings, a of couple biscuits and Butch was a happy camper. Kidding, Kirby was doing the happy dance. After a long show there is nothing so wonderful as coming home to a light on at the back door and collapsing on the floor for warm fur hugs all around. Kirby is not manic, he just sinks into you and wraps himself all over any body part. He never barks, he has never barked but there are low happy, groans of; OMG I have missed you with all my being and now you are home. Contentment and stillness, just settling into my dog again. Grabbed a jar soup out of the basement and slice of homemade bread. The freezing rain was starting, at 11 pm I ran out and unloaded the cargo carrier of the booth frame, dolly, and booth rug. Wrestle off the cargo carrier and get everything out of the rain and into the studio. Face plant sometime around midnight.
Monday, unload in the pouring rain, it poured all day. It was biblical rain. Everything in and all those pots get unpacked and put into piles. 4 piece place settings get broken down into soup bowl sets and on and on until 175 pieces of pottery are re-inventoried, re-stickered and re-packed off to their appointed place. New inventory sheets are typed up and the first delivery is packed in the van.
Also take the time to balance out from the show, I wouldn't call it balanced but the books and I came to an understanding that I cannot keep this up.
Tuesday morning grab Kirby and out the door we go, first stop Holden Arboretum Holiday Show. The show is ongoing and the Arboretum charges a 40% commission. Carry in boxes, meet and greet, check in inventory, wish everyone Merry Christmas and head back out to the sleigh. Well first there is time for a cold winter hike around the Blueberry Pond and through the wildflower path. Kirby loves it out here and so do I, we are members! The perks are great :)
Back in the car, stop for gas and off to Oberlin, Ohio. Next stop Gingko Gallery. The weather starts to change and the freezing rain is not helping the hour and half drive. Dash in and hugs for Liz! Ok I love this little gallery in Oberlin, Ohio and Liz is an incredible fiber artist and gallery owner. I don't think I get out to re-stock as often as I should but if I have pots, Liz is getting them. This gallery is a 35% commission.
OK I will never ever begrudge any gallery their commission! They keep the lights on, they take credit cards, buy all the boxes and wrapping to get your work home safely with the customer, a good gallery expands my customer base, and pays me in a timely fashion. They also display, answer any questions about the work and if they don't know they call me. They pay the hired help and keep the sidewalks clean. Liz also runs a kitten rescue in the way back of the gallery, IT'S OBERLIN! I have taken pots there a very long time. I didn't realize how long until Liz popped around the corner with a very old pot in barium blue that I hope someone knocks over soon! Yikes!
Hugs all around, back out the door with empty boxes and jump on the freeway home, hopefully before Cleveland rush hour hits. Home by dinner.
Wednesday, up early, shower and out the door to teach at the Montessori School until noon. I love Montessori, as the kids were out of control and I kept saying; it's only two hours, it's only two hours. by 11:15 am I was shooing them out the door and feeling pretty overwhelmed. On my way out I stopped to see the other art teacher. Her door was shut, very odd. I knocked and heard; come in! I saw a frazzled teacher spritzing down with lavender oil for a calming scent. "How are you, Sandy?" Whoa, fighting for my life today! I KNOW, the kids are crazy but you do know it's a full moon. Phew, it's not the kids, it's not me, IT'S THE FULL MOON! Lavender oil and the moon, I felt so much better. See you next week, have a great week!
Got home and started clearing a path through the studio. Realized I had over 40 glaze buckets. I know all the glazes intimately but does anyone need a glaze stable of over 40 glazes? NO! I called around and found a home for them .......... of course, on the other side of town. Load the van with a couple hundred pounds of glaze buckets, attach the recipes, also include some test tiles and more glaze recipes and promise to deliver on Thursday.
Thursday, glaze delivery complete. Back home pack up $1200 worth of pots to make one last delivery on Friday.
Friday morning, 6:30 am pack up pots and Kirby and head to Oglebay in West Virginia.
Hit the door at 9:45 am to a sparse table. Yikes!
Restock and head back out the door.
Headed home through Columbus. Pick up chemicals at Columbus Clay, hear the local chatter, look at new equipment. Jump in the van with empty boxes, 100 pounds of Kaolin, bone ash, red iron oxide, a road weary dog and head for the barn.
Three hour drive home and lots of time to think. First thought; this is nuts and you flunked carbon footprint 101! But if you have a less than stellar show you have to find a way to pay the bills. My electric bill will run around $800 this month. If most of the pots had sold at Winterfair, a great deal of the traveling would not happen as I just would not have the inventory to stock the galleries. I would also have 100% in my bank account.
All the way home I had a questions running around my brain. Why are there no or very few young artists at craft shows anymore. How are they selling their work and making a living. And many have student loans to pay down. Their expenses are higher than mine as I do not have a monthly student debt bill to pay. And then there were a few pearls of wisdom from a couple blog posts and still the questions kept coming. The realization that I love making pots and will probably continue to do so. And I hate ETSY. The packing and shipping part takes me a day, a day I would rather be throwing or gardening or walking the dog or anything ........ I just packed up 4 soup bowls and plates and shipped them off to Colorado. Took over an hour to pack, then off to the dreaded post office and then it was $33.00 and etsy wants us to eat the shipping and offer free shipping. I guess a mug wouldn't be too bad or a small bowl. I am hoping it has arrived in one piece and not bits and pieces. And with the new sales tax laws I am not sure how we handle that anymore. I know everybody is getting socked with sales tax and then I need to pay Colorado the tax..... another bit of paperwork.
Send the WAAAAA-MBULANCE, I JUST WANNA MAKE POTS.
And then I got a crazy idea........ why not start a youtube channel. I love youtube! I communicate with gardeners all over the world, watch potters in Korea, Japan, England and Denmark make exquisite work. And cooking galore..... and permaculture...... and critters on night-cam and check on Lake Erie beach live. and have live Sunday chats with a gardener in England. Talk about the world is your oyster! It is and it's on youtube. So I am contemplating a youtube channel on life in Paine Falls. Be a bit of garden walk abouts for sure and home improvement projects and canning and potting. And then it just might be an old lady loosing her marbles. I was so busy last year the place has gone to hell in handbasket! The very best day of all of 2019 was standing in the Kenai River in Alaska, fly fishing and catching absolutely nothing. I need more of that in 2020.
So how do we potters pay the bills......... stay tuned.
for now........
I might start watching YouTube regularly if you post, similar interests. Look forward to it.
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