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career in throwing



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 9th 03, 03:12 PM
vicky
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Default 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  
Old November 9th 03, 06:20 PM
Brad Sondahl
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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  
Old November 10th 03, 09:56 PM
Andrew Werby
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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  
Old November 11th 03, 03:45 AM
Cecilia Wian
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Posts: n/a
Default



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  
Old November 18th 03, 02:54 AM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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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