Porcelain snowflake that I have gifted to someone anonymously by hanging it in a tree at my local park following the principles of the Found Art Project. I’m looking forward to going to the park today to see if anyone has discovered it.
Switching gears from the last couple of posts….
Initially, when I realized that we’re sneaking up on a New Year, I thought I’d write a lengthy post on my goals for 2008. Instead, I found myself on the Art Biz Blog the other day and perused Alyson’s posts until this one caught my eye. It wasn’t so much the title that caught my attention “Plan your art career wins for 2008″, but rather the small amount of text that precedes her podcast that spoke to me:
This is my favorite action to share each year. Take time to write down all you have accomplished instead of focusing on what is yet to be done.
I like this idea a lot! It’s not about resolutions, but rather a reflection on the good things that have transpired the last year. So, with no further ado, I give you a list of things that I’m thankful to have accomplished in the last 365 days in no particular order.
I’ve managed to avoid getting a 9-5 job so that I’m available for my daughter before and after school - something about which I feel very good.
I’ve left the communal studios of the Art Student’s League and set up my own studio at home fondly named “el garagio”.
I became a substitute teacher in Denver Public Schools which has opened my eyes to how wonderful it is to work with children.
I started teaching clay classes after school in Denver which allows me to share my love of art and clay with other people - there is nothing more rewarding to me than having a child tell me how they can’t wait for Monday/Tuesday afternoon to work with clay
I have made a lot of new contacts and friends that I hope to nurture in 2008 virtually and in real life.
I embarked on a lot of learning and education this past year to help my art business - though it also spills over into my personal life such as learning HTML & other computer programs, reading and taking one of Alyson’s art marketing classes.
I have volunteered many hours at my daughter’s school and have learned that I’m a good fund raiser when I believe in the cause
My work has been placed at the ArtHaus66 Gallery in Albuquerque, NM and just received my first commission check.
I received wholesale inquiries that I’m going to pursue in 2008.
I’ve participated in 2 large fairs this past year, including the Summer Art Market and the Fancy Tiger First Alternative Craft Fair.
I’ve donated a lot of my work to causes that are important to me
I bought a larger new kiln that will last me my lifetime.
My blog is maturing.
My work is getting better.
I joined groups both in person and virtually which has allowed me to make new friends and build a stronger community.
I am realizing what it is I want to accomplish and how I want to live. I have a true vision for 2008 and beyond that I hope to share with you in the new year.
Best of all, I am creating a life for myself that feels true to me by not compromising my values.
I’m thankful for a lot - and while this list may not be complete, I want to end 2007 and begin 2008 on a positive note.
So from me to you, I wish you a Happy New Year in 2008 - may you have many accomplishments big and small!
Click on the image to view a 20 minute movie hosted by Annie Leonard about how stuff makes its way to us and more
So, do any of my fellow bloggers out there ever start writing a post and inside you’re thinking - “Don’t go there girlfriend - I want to keep my blog all sunshine and puppies?” That’s exactly what happened to me yesterday; only I couldn’t stop myself and kept writing and writing till I was ready to join Greenpeace and travel the open water in a motorized rubber raft chasing illegal fishing boats, whalers and polluters.
S**t. I did go there. But, I don’t regret it - in fact I think it’s high time I went there. There’s something about articulating an inner feeling and then all of a sudden I see similar positions all over the place. Shortly after writing my post I found the Story of Stuff movie on the net. Then, I opened my freshest issue of Ceramic’s Monthly (which I read cover to cover yesterday) and read a commentary titled quixotic? an essay on transition (not yet online) by Drew Nicklas that talked about the very same thing I so clumsily tried to express yesterday. He was a doctoral candidate studying international political economies when he discovered clay and switched gears.
I chased these discoveries by reading the Denver Post before dinner and saw an article on lackluster holiday sales. I don’t know about you, but I avoid the mall like the plague but drove by it last Saturday where there was hardly any parking to be had. How much money does the government and big business want us to spend anyway? Remember after 9-11, President Bush said “Go Shopping” to save America? Well it seems like we’re all shopped out. As a country, we’re on a vicious treadmill of spend, work, pay bills, and then spend more only to be hit with high credit card bills which causes us to get a second job or maybe tap the equity in our homes (if you have one) only to lose it in foreclosure months later when we spend even more on cheap stuff we neither need or can’t afford. I haven’t even touched on shopping as therapy or how our stuff is poisoning us with the toxins in everything from toothpaste, pet food, toys, etc. etc. or the rising cost of gas and food.
Back to The Story of Stuff which explains two different strategies that big retail corporations have perpetrated on unsuspecting citizens. It has to be two of the biggest conspiracies out there! They’re called planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence. I snoozed through micro and macro economics in college so this was all news to me, though I did sub-consciously understand the underlying ideology already.
Planned obsolescence is the pre-planned retirement of an object by the manufacturer where it ceases to be functional after a time which causes consumers to replace it with another *newer* model. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been through 4 or 5 computer printers since getting my first computer 10 years ago. Printers, for example, are so inexpensive now a days, that rather than fix it which would cost the same as a new model, we go out to buy another one to replace the one that stops functioning.
Perceived obsolescence is when an object doesn’t stop working per se, but instead goes out of style. Think fashion here or maybe the latest gadget. The movie illustrates this point with women’s shoes. Clunky heels one year and pointy high heels the next. If you’re not wearing the one in style, you sort of stick out like a sore thumb. So, when faced with that dilemma, we donate our old shoes, and buy new ones every year even though our last season’s shoes never stopped functioning as were designed to in the first place. If you’re anything like me, I hold onto those shoes for a few years, hoping that they’ll come back into style until I finally donate them.
Did you know that only 1% of stuff that is purchased is still in use 6 months after being purchased? That’s pretty pathetic. Places like Walmart contribute to the cycle by offering us cheap stuff. But, as I said yesterday, this comes at a great human and environmental cost.
What to do? Spend consciously. Ask yourself if you really need xyz. Be honest with yourself. Finally, buck the trend and be yourself. If we stop caring about trying to fit in and just start being ourselves, it will be a much better world.
It’s not lost on me that I make stuff and sell stuff. I think that is really what I’ve been grappling with the past year. How do I reconcile this with our disposable society. I’m still trying to figure that out, but I do think my stuff doesn’t compete with pottery at Walmart if merely because of the price difference. Currently I sell a mug for $16.00 - which is pretty reasonable for a handmade cup. I know I’ve checked around. But, at $16.00, it gives pause to the buyer - they have to really like it to buy it and will hopefully keep it for their lifetime. I know it may sound like I’m trying to justify my position, but I’m not - I’m trying to understand how I fit into the equation without selling everything I own and beginning a life of ascetic subsistence.
Finally, the last serendipitous moment was when the ever so talented Andrea posted this little movie at the end of this post on global warming on her blog yesterday.
View from our front door 12/27/07 7:00 AM. We already have about 8-10″ on the ground and another 6″ is expected today.
First, I’d like to give you a little sugar before the rant; although not all of you reading this would consider snow sugar. But, it is pretty to look at and we seem to be having a “normal” winter here in these parts of Colorado which is a good thing. What about global warming? Actually, I believe in global warming and it’s related to my rant on a documentary I finished watching last night.
If you haven’t seen it, I recommend renting/borrowing Walmart: The high cost of low price if you have the stomach for it. It’s a documentary style movie that exposes many of the perils of living in a community where Walmart locates and the tremendous human cost of its global reach.
Have I ever shopped at Walmart? Yes, and I even had a SAM’s Club (a Walmart subsidiary) membership at one time. I canceled our SAM’s membership about 4 years ago because of my growing “Shop Local” philosophy. If you haven’t tuned me out by now, read on….
Yes, I like to save money like everyone else, but I’ve come to realize that it carries a high price tag with big corporations like Walmart. I know, I shouldn’t just pick on Walmart - because you could probably insert any large big box store name in its place and the same conditions apply. It all started a few years ago when I became disillusioned with selling handmade pottery. I would go into my local SAM’s club or even Target and I would find beautiful handmade pottery imported from Asia for a very reasonable price. A set of 4 plates for $9.99 or so.
I started thinking, if SAM’s imported the pottery and paid all the applicable duties, and paid a wholesale cost to the factory who manufactures the pottery, then what kind of salary is the actual potter making after the factory owner takes his cut? Probably pennies a day. One could argue that their cost of living is less expensive which justifies a lower wage. After seeing the Walmart movie and the interviews with some of the Chinese, Indian and Guatemalan workers, some are working 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, live in dorms and are charged rent which is deducted from their paychecks for the privilege of working at a Walmart factory . Doesn’t sound ideal to me - so that I, as an American, can buy a set of 4 plates at a cheap price. In fact, it sounds down right unethical to me and doesn’t smack of being a good global citizen.
As an American and an artist who makes wares out of clay, I can’t compete with work being sold at places like Walmart. I couldn’t even buy the raw materials to make the plates for $9.99! Some have argued that the folks who shop at Walmart are not my target audience and that is true to a certain extent, but their practices have set up the expectation for consumers to look for the best price. Independent artisans and businesses are losing business to places like Walmart. In true Walmart fashion, I should close my business and become an associate for Walmart at an hourly rate of $7.00/hr. Can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Now, granted, it’s always prudent to read the author’s bias before making your own decisions on where to spend your money these days. I apologize for going on a bender, but I feel passionate about the topic. Money talks and we have a responsibility to our community to support a sustainable living for everyone. Sounds crunchy doesn’t it? I’m getting all warm and fuzzy just thinking about the possibilities.
To play devil’s advocate, I watched a PBS Frontline special a few months ago on the exportation of not just production type jobs, but also more skilled computer and call center jobs. The producers argued that it’s all a part of a dynamic economic business cycle. The “experts” asserted that America and other developed countries will respond to the changing times by innovating new ideas and technologies that will once again advance our economies which is good news for all the upper middle class + citizens who check the progress of their stock portfolios every day. But, what about your local farmer, shop owner, widget maker, artist etc.?
It’s sort of ironic that many of the same people who shop at Walmart are contributing to their own woes of lost jobs, suppressed wages and lack of health insurance. Looking for the lowest price sometimes does more harm than good. I should quantify that I have family members who shop at Walmart too, so I’m not out to defame anyone. As a company, Walmart has successfully brain washed our country into thinking that they are good for families and America. So what are we to do, or more specifically what am I going to do?
I have already vowed to do my part by putting my money where my mouth is. With the exception of some digital photo frames and some games for my daughter, I either made my own gifts this year for Christmas or I purchased them from an independent store or artisan. But, it’s not stopping there. I am going to be more sensitive towards everything I do, from the foods that I buy, to the environmental aspects of my clay business, to making sound decisions on where I choose to shop. I’m going to continue recycling, conserving where I can and will shun big box stores in favor of local businesses.
So, what about global warming, and how does it relate? It goes hand in hand with my shop local/independent philosophy of being conscious of my actions and how it might affect our world in the long run. Maybe global warming will end up being a stretch, but is it really necessary to have a vehicle for every member of your family? Is it okay to litter or pollute the environment? Is it okay to…. Feel free to shoot me a terse email if you really detest being lectured or feel differently. I appreciate open dialog. But, more than anything, I hope that a little part of my rant resonated with you. The good news is that many communities, including a local Denver suburb, have recently voted to deny Walmart’s presence, now that people can see the affect of the business on U.S. communities.
Clip from, “Confessions of a Walmart hitman”
Here’s some cold hard statistics:
“A recent study by researchers at UC Berkeley’s Labor Center has quantified what happened to retail wages when Wal-Mart set up shop, drawing on 15 years of data on actual store openings. The study found that Wal-Mart drives down wages in urban areas, with an annual loss of at least $3 billion dollars in earnings for retail workers.” Source: Arindrajit Dube, “Impact of Wal-Mart Growth on Earnings throughout the Retail Sector in Urban and Rural Counties” [PDF File], UC Berkeley Labor Center, November 2005.
In the State of Florida alone, 12,300 WAL-MART Workers and their Dependents are on Medicaid. “Wal-Mart Corp., which is getting millions of dollars in state incentives to create jobs in Florida, has more employees and family members enrolled in Medicaid than any company in the state. …The giant retailer, which has 91,000 full-time and part-time employees in Florida, has about 12,300 workers or dependents eligible for Medicaid, the growing health care program for the poor and the elderly…According to figures released Thursday by Florida’s Department of Children and Families, Wal-Mart and four other large companies that receive state incentives have an estimated 29,900 employees or their family members enrolled in Medicaid…The figures suggest taxpayers may be double-subsidizing low-wage employment by paying companies to create jobs and by paying for the health care of some of those companies’ employees.” * Source: Sydney P. Freedberg and Connie Humburg, “Lured Employers Now Tax Medicaid,” St. Petersburg Times, March 25, 2005.
$50 MILLION to settle an off-the-clock class action suit in Colorado. In 2000, “Wal-Mart paid $50 million to settle a class-action suit that asserted that 69,000 current and former Wal-Mart employees in Colorado had worked off the clock.” Source: Steven Greenhouse, “Suits Say Wal-Mart Workers Forced To Toil Off The Clock,” New York Times, June 25, 2002 [reprinted via Common Dreams]
Federal Poverty Level Family of Four - $17,650. Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001 Federal Poverty Guidelines. Average Wal-Mart Hourly Sales Employee Wages - $13,861
Mary Cay at the opening of her show this past summer at Firehouse Gallery in Denver
My good friend and local ceramic artist, Mary Cay, approached me about a month ago about writing a guest blog post. At first, being the wise aleck that I am, I replied, “Get your own blog!” Okay, I really didn’t say that - I said sure, I’m running out of things to say (not really).
Mary Cay and her development of kiln jewels were published in Ceramic’s Monthly in February 2006, A Glittering Obsession
Let me back up and tell you how I met her…. I moved back to Denver in the summer of 2004 after graduating from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in art - ceramic’s concentration. I did not feel very confident when I graduated because I didn’t have a really good technical background. I found the Art Student’s League of Denver and signed up for their advanced throwing classes taught by Mary Cay. She’s generous with her knowledge and is a wonderful and inspiring artist. While I am no longer taking classes with Mary Cay, I know that I can always call her with a clay question and she’ll point me in the right direction.
Two porcelain vessels with kiln jewels by Mary Cay
Meanwhile, she has also become my friend. On Friday night, I went out to dinner with her and a new friend of ours, Jane - who recently moved to Denver from Steamboat Springs. The 3 of us could get in serious trouble. I spent yesterday recovering from our night out. Let’s face it, I just can’t party like a rock star anymore!
Wheel thrown and handbuilt porcelain planter, watering can and tray with kiln jewels by Mary Cay
So, with no further ado, I give you Mary Cay’s first ever blog post. Maybe now, she’ll go get her own blog! ;D Cynthia
Janet and Jules, Mary Cay’s students Mary Cay:A few weeks ago I asked Cynthia to let me blog about my students, Janet Andrews and Jules Muscari, who are taking semi-private lessons from me and doing really well. A “private lesson” situation is not for everyone because I think potters are naturally drawn to a “community” of artists. But then there are the students who seem to need more time and ask a lot of questions, which is a good match for private lessons. My goal for all my students as well as Jules and Janet is to meet them were they are in their learning process and then push them just out of the comfort zone.
Janet’s bowls on left, Jule’s stemless wine goblets on left
Before starting these classes they had about a year of experience in a community art center. So our first assignment was to work in multiples of six, using the cylinder form, and making pieces that were the same size and shape. Intention and Consistency was the point of the assignment. They chose shapes inspired by the Lark Book 500 Cups. The next assignment for Janet, who wanted to improve making handles and have a signature mug, was to choose a shape she liked and add a handle, again working in multiples. Jules, who is a wine connoisseur and distributor, chose to pursue a simple yet elegant stem-less wine goblet. Jules decided to make the inside of her goblets a golden color after drinking wine at my home from a Connor Burns mug. So we are testing rutile washes under white glazes in oxidation, which is their available firing method. Janet found a new altered bowl shape she liked while working on her own, so we made it into an assignment of making 20 with the quirky handles. Currently, we are working on making trays.
Bowls by Janet
Janet and Jules both have busy lives—they own their own businesses and Jules is planning her May ‘08 wedding. But they have chosen to be committed to their ceramic work through building a studio, buying a kiln and other equipment, and most importantly dedicating time to their assignments — when they are making pots they are working with Intention! I think their progress is impressive and I look forward to our mutual goal of having a show and sale in the fall of ’08.
Jule’s wine goblets
On another note, I just returned form a road trip to Taos, NM, and there are some wonderful new ceramic studios and a BIG wood fired kiln that the two studios are using. If you are into wood-fired pots, don’t miss J. Bradford Pottery and Taos Clay. One of my all time favorite shops in Taos is Wabi Sabi because I love the Japanese aesthetic-awesome glazes.
Thanks Cynthia and Happy Holidays to everyone. I think 2008 is going to be a great year!
Thank you Mary Cay - Janet and Jule’s work is shaping up beautifully! By the way, visit Mary Cay’s Etsy Shop to see some of her kiln jewel jewelry and other work. She does not currently sell her pottery online.
I'm Cynthia and am a ceramic artist living in Denver, CO. Occasionally, I dabble in other mediums including painting and fiber art. I love comments! I generally answer comments on my blog and then visit your blog to take a look at what's new in your neck of the world. Click here to contact me.
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