The Potter's Dilemma

Many years ago I read the book by the other TC- Tom Coleman entitled "The Potter's Dilemma". That book still resonates with me today .How does a potter make a decent living making good pots? I posted some teapots on my blog the other day. Bless you all for your positive comments and interest. Trouble is that I have so few pots and so many places I'd like them to go. It's not that I am lazy but the process I have chosen is so labour intensive.  I need to look good in Korea, in Wales, at a wood fire show in Hamilton in June at The Store, a retrospective and invitational of my old teacher Roger Kerslake and then I have a feeling my back is going to be to the wall for the show in Rochester with all the big shots of ceramics in upper NY.
I have a making problem not a marketing problem. How can I make enough pots and do all the other clay related things that I do? Pick something up and you have to put something down. Every workshop I do takes another week out of my clay making. The workshops though are my social life and some security from month to month. Knowing I have a workshop in April is a comfort. I need to feel the same comfort with having a room full of pots ready for market. Right now I'm making some jugs for an anagama firing with my wood fire group. Pick something up and ya got to put something down.

Comments

Dennis Allen said…
Nice Pitchers fella. Bet you thought I was going to say jugs.
Anonymous said…
Pitchers are what you keep in your wallet; jugs you can take to the bank!
smartcat said…
How about getting really highfallutin' and calling them ewers? Or is that too specific?
ShellHawk said…
Wise observation, Tony! I needed to hear that.

Popular Posts