Bloglines and Can One Retail & Wholesale?
Now, I’ve almost subscribed to all my blogroll via bloglines and I’m a very happy camper. I can login to my account and bloglines tells me who has a new post and I can take a looksie. If I’m moved to comment, I can transport myself painlessly to their blog and come right on back. I can’t recommend this service enough. A++
As far as the question of retail & wholesale, that may be a question for later – unless you want a super long post? Okay, well here it goes… I’ve had a couple of glasses of wine from the now glazed cup you see above (photo to be posted later) so I’m feeling a bit verbose, if you will… it is Friday night after all. I just got my first wholesale order yesterday – very exciting stuff. The buyer orders, I make. Pretty painless. Now, as a fairly new artist, I’m not making a ton of money on either wholesale or retail from my pottery. I make more money teaching clay to be honest. I’ve been reading some posts on the WSC website forums, which unfortunately you don’t have access to unless you are a member. Retailers don’t like artists having a foot in both fronts. If you’re retailing and wholesaling, some argue that you become their competitor. As an artist, I feel like if I were making a living wage from wholesaling, I would stop retailing. But, I’m not there yet – and I’ve got bills to pay. So, I’ve decided to do both. I’m not alone in this – there are several artists who both retail and wholesale.
I sell online via Etsy and I do a limited amount of in person sales at art festivals. I think the trick lies in creating a happy retail price point for myself that doesn’t undercut the retailer. I personally believe that people who shop online are not necessarily the same people who shop galleries and fine craft shops at various locales across the globe. I know I personally like to touch pottery before purchasing someone else’s work. I would have to know the potter’s work before buying something touch unfelt from someone online – pottery is a tactile experience for me. So, in that sense, an in-person gallery is ideal. I’ll take this moment to thank the folks who’ve purchased work from me online based on just a photograph or two.
I understand that with our current economy, galleries and shops are struggling since disposable income is limited for a lot of folks. So what are artists to do? I’m not at a point in my career where I can turn off selling in person just yet. I would, personally prefer to pay a higher percentage to wholesale an item than to consign one – consignment carries a risk to the artist, whereas, wholesale shifts the risk to the gallery. One has to totally trust the gallery or shop to which one is consigning work. What if they go out of business and keep the work? What if it doesn’t sell, and sits there indefinitely? So, with that said, I’m not keen on consignment other than for a special exhibit.
What do you think? I’m really interested in your opinion, as I’ve been thinking heavily about the topic. I haven’t posted new work in my Etsy shop recently as I sort out my dilemma – but I am committed to a special exhibit that includes a sale, the potter’s guild bi-annual sale and the Summer Art Market in the next few months.
Have a good weekend,
~Cynthia
Find me in the studio today…
Sunday afternoon, I made a larger prototype for my organic shaped bowl for which I had received an inquiry from a buyer on WSC . The glazed bowl to the right and on the bottom is my original bowl that I have uploaded to the site and while large at 8″ across and accomodating 24 oz. of liquid, the new bowl will be serving size large. Leatherhard, it measures 12″ across and 5″ high (though it will shrink during the bisque fire) – based on similarly sized bowls it will hold over 60 oz. of liquid. This will make an awesome set!
I only lost 1 bowl during my experimentation – but now think that I can easily replicate the larger sized one. I know I need another studio tool – a huge rolling pin, right now I’m using a standard sized one which just doesn’t cut it when one needs to roll out slabs larger that 12 inches wide. Yes, folks, I hand-roll my slabs of clay at my studio. I have access to the electric slab roller at the guild, but I wasn’t inclined to drive over to there to do my experimentation this past weekend. Now, the trick will be to dry it slowly to minimize warping when I fire it.
Today is a good day – bright, sunny and just right for a morning jaunt in the park after I drop my daughter off at school. I hope to get a good 6 hours in the studio before it’s time to pick up my Mile High Scholar at the end of the school day. Yes, she sure has made me proud this year!
Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this image:
Bubblicious, white earthenware with acrylic paint by my daughter at age 9
He greats me every morning, pierced tongue sticking out at me, when I stumble down the flight of stairs to the kitchen looking for my caffeine fix. Thanks Jazz I love him!
I must get moving now,
Cynthia
Pampering Myself and I’d Rather Be in the Studio!
I spent most of yesterday in the studio and was pretty productive which felt great. So now you might be wondering where I’m going with this post given the title? Slowly, I’ve started adding inventory to my wholesalecrafts.com artist page, and was pleasantly surprised yesterday to receive an inquiry about my work from an upscale gift shop. My page on wholesalecrafts.com went live on March 13th – and I’m curious how long it might take to get a sale. The owner wanted to know if some of my pieces came in larger sizes – so my quest right now is to make a larger sized pasta type bowl, similar to the one above without excessive warping. It feels good to have a challenge & mission.
Speaking of wholesalecrafts.com, it is not free. It cost $395.00 for a year for artists to join, and is free for screened buyers. I figure a year’s time will be a good indicator whether it is a good avenue for my work. I do a few art fairs every year, and they are exhausting (and not exactly cheap either) – so if wholesalecrafts.com can bring buyers to me, it will mean less art fairs, though I do enjoy connecting with people in person who eventually take my work home.
When I finally came inside the house from the studio, it was almost 5:30 and I decided to take a bath – not something I do very often. It’s self indulgent and I don’t normally feel like I can afford to spend an hour soaking in the tub. Since it was Saturday night, I gave myself permission to pamper myself a bit and headed upstairs with an icy cold margarita and my copy of I’d Rather Be in the Studio! The artist’s no excuse guide to self promotion by Alyson B. Stanfield. I received it over a month ago, and it’s been sitting unread on my night stand since I can’t seem to keep my eyes open once my head hits the pillow. I started reading chapter 13, “Share, Don’t Sell” on building a mailing list. I took one of Alyson’s classes almost a year ago today, and I still don’t have an organized email mailing list – though I certainly have collected addresses. The good thing about Alyson’s book, is that you don’t need to read the book in order. You can jump around and find the information that you need – and there’s a ton of great information packed inside those pages.
Venus of Willendorf, circa 24,000 – 22,000 BCE
Meanwhile, I glanced down at my body while I was in the bath, and realized that I haven’t been taking care of myself lately. Naked, my body resembles the Venus of Willendorf. Okay, it’s really not that bad and water does serve as a magnifying glass. But, it reminded me that as artists, we really need to take care of ourselves. Art takes a lot of energy – both mental and physical, especially ceramics. I’ve gained a little weight over the winter. I think it’s had something to do with the fact that I couldn’t exercise like I would have liked since I suffered through a 5 week long chest cold that resulted in bouts of coughing if I did anything more strenuous than walking up a flight of stairs.
My running season is right around the corner – Denver Fit starts up on April 12th this year and I think I’m going to sign up for the full marathon this year, instead of just the half. Glutton for punishment? Most definitely. My husband once joked that he was going to buy me some Focus Factor since sometimes I seem to be all over the place. I think in tangents. In reality, running causes me to focus. I just realized that’s what I’m missing right now and why everythingl seems a bit off for me right now (and why I’ve put on a little weight). Remember my last post? Deepak Chopra also mentioned that exercise has the same effect as drugs when it comes to feeling happier.
So, what’s my point? Take care of yourself – your body, mind and career. If you don’t who will?
~Cynthia
Little of this, little of that…
We helped my husband celebrate his 43 birthday last Monday – his chosen place of celebration was the Cherry Cricket, home to the best burger in town (maybe even the nation). Their tap menu doesn’t stink either. It wasn’t a huge milestone type birthday, but a birthday nonetheless. I’ll let you in on a little family secret – my husband and I don’t exchange gifts for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day or other “holidays”. Before you start feeling sad for me, don’t – we decided long ago when money was tighter, that we’d rather spend the money ear marked for a gift to go out to a fancy diner. Well, times have changed but, old habits die hard. We still don’t exchange gifts and we still go out to eat. The Cherry Cricket isn’t fancy – but it was his birthday after all.
We do exchange cards – and I either look for the cheesiest around or something that makes you go “hmmm”. Well, my birthday is just next week – so I guess when I chose a card with this phrase (see above) on it, I was thinking of myself. I haven’t stopped thinking about how old I would be if I didn’t know how old I was. I certainly, don’t want to relive and relearn everything. I really feel like I’m on a roll right now. My husband chose age 25 as his ideal age. I would choose youth if I could keep what I know now intact. I was certainly healthier and more youthful looking.
Meanwhile, I caught a little Deepak Chopra on PBS last night. The talk was titled, The Happiness Prescription and I was drawn in. I originally turned on the TV to watch a little mindlessness – to tune out. I didn’t want to think about anything, but of course, I started thinking about everything.
Statistically, Americans are some of the least happy people in the world – and that doesn’t exclude the wealthy. So what’s his answer to achieve happiness? Choose one: drugs, cognitive therapy or meditation. Some people are blissfully, ignorantly happy with their lives. A good many of us are, however, saddled with “existential suffering” – that feeling of “is this it?” I’m not ranting or anything here – just thinking out loud.
Things have been turning around for me in the past year – maybe I’ve unwittingly happened upon some of what Deepak talks about in his show. Problems have become opportunities, I’m reaching out to others, I’m really trying hard to be non-judgmental among other actions. Now, I’m not really tooting my own horn here – I’m feeling a sense of wonderment that I’m experiencing life on my own terms. It has all been a long, long process that is just starting to manifest after leaving my airline job and feeling a little lost 7 years ago.
So, on Monday, I will celebrate my 42nd birthday and to answer my original question, I would be the age that I am now. How about you?
Have a good weekend,
~Cynthia
