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#1
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career in throwing
Hi all, i am trying to find out what the career prospects for newly
graduated throwers are? i'm in my final year at uni and hope to continue throwing as a career. If anyone has any advice or information on the subject or if there are any throwers out there who could answer the following questions i would be very grateful. 1, what sort of throwing is prefered by consumers, studio or industrial? 2, is there still a market for thrown ceramics? 3, has thrown ceramics made a comeback or is it dying out? |
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#2
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If you look in the classified ads in Ceramics Monthly, you may find ads
for throwers, if that's all you want to do. If you want to start your own pottery business, throwing is about 10 % of it. The rest is taking care of the thrown pots to final firing, and about 50% of the total time is marketing. It's easier to make a 100 pots than to sell 100 pots. It's as easy to make a living as a potter as it is to be a writer or musician, that is, it is difficult for all but a few. After 28 years I'm finally over $25,000 per year in sales (that's before expenses). So from what I've seen selling peanuts in the ballpark at Shea Stadium pays better. I just made up a rule the other day--people are paid in inverse relationship to how fun it is to do. Since pottery is fun it doesn't pay well, or lots of people would do it for living. Being a proctologist isn't fun, so they're paid very well. As to your specific questions, both functional and decorative pieces are preferred by consumers, if they like them. It is a standard axiom that blue pots sell best. Is there a market? Yes, though it varies by location, and there are plenty of potters already in that market. Whether in a comeback or dying out may also vary by location. Judging by the color ads and heft of Ceramics Monthly, the pottery market must be doing pretty well overall. To summarize: You can make a living at a potter. It's not easy. It's competitive. Everything else in the world is also. Good luck. Brad Sondahl -- For original art, music, pottery, and literature, visit my homepage http://sondahl.com Pottery sales page http://sondahl.freeyellow.com My music site at mp3.com http://www.mp3.com/stations/sondahl To reply to me directly, don't forget to take out the "garbage" from my address. |
#3
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"Brad Sondahl" wrote in message ... If you look in the classified ads in Ceramics Monthly, you may find ads for throwers, if that's all you want to do. [It's not exactly a high-paying occupation. Sweeping floors is a lot more lucrative.] If you want to start your own pottery business, throwing is about 10 % of it. The rest is taking care of the thrown pots to final firing, and about 50% of the total time is marketing. It's easier to make a 100 pots than to sell 100 pots. [You've got that right!] It's as easy to make a living as a potter as it is to be a writer or musician, that is, it is difficult for all but a few. After 28 years I'm finally over $25,000 per year in sales (that's before expenses). So from what I've seen selling peanuts in the ballpark at Shea Stadium pays better. I just made up a rule the other day--people are paid in inverse relationship to how fun it is to do. Since pottery is fun it doesn't pay well, or lots of people would do it for living. Being a proctologist isn't fun, so they're paid very well. [I'm not sure about that. Being a movie star is fun, and the pay is good too. Same with being a corporation's CEO. Digging ditches and picking vegetables aren't much fun, and they pay badly to boot. Also, I'm sure some proctologists enjoy their work - although you might prefer to use one that doesn't...] As to your specific questions, both functional and decorative pieces are preferred by consumers, if they like them. It is a standard axiom that blue pots sell best. Is there a market? Yes, though it varies by location, and there are plenty of potters already in that market. Whether in a comeback or dying out may also vary by location. Judging by the color ads and heft of Ceramics Monthly, the pottery market must be doing pretty well overall. [That's the supply side, not the demand side.] To summarize: You can make a living at a potter. It's not easy. It's competitive. Everything else in the world is also. Good luck. Brad Sondahl [It's something that's a lot easier to spend money on than to make money doing. You might consider setting up a teaching facility, or one of those "glaze it yourself" outfits that sells bisqueware and charges by the hour. While you're still at the University, you might take some economics courses to put your choices in perspective.] Andrew Werby www.unitedartworks.com -- For original art, music, pottery, and literature, visit my homepage http://sondahl.com Pottery sales page http://sondahl.freeyellow.com My music site at mp3.com http://www.mp3.com/stations/sondahl To reply to me directly, don't forget to take out the "garbage" from my address. |
#4
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To summarize: You can make a living at a potter. It's not easy. It's competitive. Everything else in the world is also. Good luck. Brad Sondahl [It's something that's a lot easier to spend money on than to make money doing. You might consider setting up a teaching facility, or one of those "glaze it yourself" outfits that sells bisqueware and charges by the hour. While you're still at the University, you might take some economics courses to put your choices in perspective.] Andrew Werby www.unitedartworks.com Loudly seconding Andrew's suggestion... Take some econ and/or business classes. Accounting 101 may be dreadfully dull, but at least you'll be able to tell if you're making money when you're done. I'm a retired Accountant, wandering around in clay now, and I'm amazed at the folks who think they're 'having a good show' when they've just only made back their booth fee. Cecilia |
#5
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Brad Sondahl wrote:
If you look in the classified ads in Ceramics Monthly, you may find ads for throwers, if that's all you want to do. If you want to start your own pottery business, throwing is about 10 % of it. The rest is taking care of the thrown pots to final firing, and about 50% of the total time is marketing. It's easier to make a 100 pots than to sell 100 pots. It's as easy to make a living as a potter as it is to be a writer or musician, that is, it is difficult for all but a few. After 28 years I'm finally over $25,000 per year in sales (that's before expenses). So from what I've seen selling peanuts in the ballpark at Shea Stadium pays better. I just made up a rule the other day--people are paid in inverse relationship to how fun it is to do. Since pottery is fun it doesn't pay well, or lots of people would do it for living. Being a proctologist isn't fun, so they're paid very well. As to your specific questions, both functional and decorative pieces are preferred by consumers, if they like them. It is a standard axiom that blue pots sell best. Is there a market? Yes, though it varies by location, and there are plenty of potters already in that market. Whether in a comeback or dying out may also vary by location. Judging by the color ads and heft of Ceramics Monthly, the pottery market must be doing pretty well overall. To summarize: You can make a living at a potter. It's not easy. It's competitive. Everything else in the world is also. Good luck. Brad Sondahl -- For original art, music, pottery, and literature, visit my homepage http://sondahl.com Pottery sales page http://sondahl.freeyellow.com My music site at mp3.com http://www.mp3.com/stations/sondahl To reply to me directly, don't forget to take out the "garbage" from my address. I have to agree with Brad Sondahl completely. I have made a living as a potter for 30 years. In normal years I gross between 20 and 25k. With the economy on the boink, my sales have slacked off about 25 % in the last two years. Of course, I sell out doors on the streets and the weather took a big dump on us last Christmas, So this accounts for a lot of my sales going down. This summer saw few tourists' dollars coming my way as well. We all know that tourism was down. I have a large surplus inventory built up as a result and I am looking for more ways to market my products. Its not want I want to do. I like selling my work myself on weekends at shows and the local street/farmers' market. Selling gets me out of the studio. That is why I got into the craft, to make and sell my work myself. If all I did was throw clay, I might as well make bread sticks or work on a production line making widgets. Being a potter and ceramic artist takes many hours and many skills. Sometimes I am a mechanic, electrician, plumber, desktop publisher, videographer, accountant, and gardener to make my pots... Russ Andavall www.firegodarts.com |
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