Re: career in throwing

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