Over the past year, really as long as I've been working with clay, I've had plenty of time to reflect on making and selling pottery. I've thought about what I like to make and what sells and at what price. At the last farmer's market I noticed a pottery booth filled with functional pottery and the highest priced piece of pottery was $65 and most pieces were priced at $20 or less. The market runs for six hours and the booth fee is $15 and it takes about an hour to set up and an hour to take down a pottery booth. A person would have to sell $135 worth just to pay their booth fee and make $15 an hour. That doesn't include the cost of materials, equipment, time, and effort making the pottery.
Rather than add to my expenses and purchase a kiln and pay for the wiring, I thought I could depend upon having my pottery fired in the kiln at the art center in Helen but I just learned the person in charge of firing the kiln is gone for two months. I didn't learn this till after I brought my latest batch of greenware to the center. Driving to the center takes 45 minutes one way. I'm not sure whether it's cost effective to drive over there but the wiring and cost of kiln is more costly up front. I do know I get much better results when I fire my own work. Just wondering if I'd be paid more for the fish wall tile or log cabin plate if they were painted on canvas or board? Not that art is all about money but it does help to be paid for your effort and materials.
Inexplicably I'm drawn to painting on clay with slips and I keep returning to that aspect. I notice many folks are drawn to paintings and seem to value two dimensional art over pottery, at least with their pockets. I plan to do some
painting on canvas and board in addition to my pottery. I have an appointment with a private wood mill tomorrow to get some special wood for an idea I have. Now that I have all of my art supplies unpacked I can devote part of my time to painting again. I'm not sure where this is going but I'm following my muse where it takes me. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
