Sig-ing it up

Had some internet connection issues today.  All resolved now.  Also, my brother in law/carpenter showed up raring to go this morning.  We are adding on a guest room and bath and he is doing the work for us.  I hadn't gotten a good start on my first cup of tea and he was here ready to go get lumber and pick out a window.

Anyway here are some images of that dish that I waxed out the other day.

 

 

I'm pretty happy with that result.  We'll see after firing.  That sig definitely needs some colorant added but I can work on that later.  (It's a bit too stark white).

Unloaded a few new pots this morning.  Pics in the next post.

 

Trying the Wax

I'm thinking again about using wax resist to mask out the areas on my pots where there will be no slip.  This will eliminate lots of scraping of slip and in turn eliminate much of the dust that I have to deal with.

Above is a pot that I waxed yesterday.  I'll apply a white terra sig today and sgraffito out the details in the Owl, branches, and leaves.

This weekend I am heading up to Bakersville, NC for Cousins in Clay.  I'm really excited to see all the pots but especially those by Sam Taylor.  Looking forward to a good time and some fantastic pottery.  If you love pots consider making the trip to the mountains this weekend.  Click HERE for more info.

A Good Friday

I had a really great and productive day in the studio.  It makes such a difference when I get in there early and have a plan of what I'm going to do.

  

Mugs drying upside down.  Handles waiting to be backfilled.

I think today was my last day throwing for now.  I'll finish up the pots I made today over the weekend and do some deco if I have time.  On Monday I'm going to start making some boxes, bottles and vases from slabs.   

 

Yay. New Sketchbook

Larry the Mail Carrier brought me my new sketch book today and picked up a box containing a mug on it's way to Kansas!  

Larry is a first rate dude.  He totally takes care of me and all my packages.  Karma loves to bark at his car. Larry always blows his horn all the way down the drive to announce his arrival, and to rile Karma up.

My new book is 9 x 12.  Bigger than usual for me.  I mostly use the size there on the left. (That's the outgoing sketchbook).  New Lamy fountain pen too, I'm really enjoying it.  I've never had a fountain pen before.  Well I did have one but I hated it so it doesn't really count.

This shelf holds some of my books from the past few years.  

Guess I'd better go draw something.  See ya.

Shipping.

I had a couple orders on Monday so I got them packed up and took them to the Post Office yesterday.  

I ordered a new sketchbook from Cheap Joes on August 6th.  It still hasn't arrived.  I called to check on my order and the lady said that I chose "XYZ" for my shipping (whatever the least expensive was) and that my package could take 8-14 days to arrive even in NC.  (Cheap Joes is based in Boone NC, less than 100 miles from my house).  Yuck.  Maybe it will come today.

The same day I ordered my sketchbook I also ordered a new fountain pen from Jetpen and a bottle of ink from Amazon. Both those orders arrived within a few days.  And I chose the cheapest shipping on both those orders too.  It was nice to get my pen and ink but I'd love to have my new sketchbook so I could do some drawings!!!  (Waving hands furiously like Lewis Black)

Okay.  So I need some rare earth magnets for this project I'm doing.  I go online and look through several sites and find them and at a good price.  I can get 14, one inch diameter magnets for $11 and change.  Great.  Add to cart.  Click checkout.  Oh look, a 5 dollar handling fee will be added to orders that are less than $100.  Okay.  Click.  Calcluate shipping cost.  (Let's note that this order weights less than 4 oz)  Shipping cost......... 12 freaking dollars (hands waving again)  So they are going to charge me $17 to send a puny package containing magnets that cost me $11!!!  Insane.  Insane.  I know for a fact that they can put them in a flat rate package and send them from anywhere in the US for less than $5.  CRACKERS! (that's not the word I used).  Cancel order...CLICK.

So the point is that I try to treat my customers well.  I ship their packages out as soon as I can.  I pack the pots well and I don't overcharge them.  I like to save money and I like to get things in a reasonable amount of time and I imagine that other people do too.  Who wants to be guessing when their package is going to arrive?  Or have to call to see if it is on the way?  Not me.  And I don't want my customers to either.

Last night I got an order for a mug though my Etsy site.  It will be packed up and ready for the postman to pick up this afternoon.

More New Pots. Video

I unloaded the kiln again this morning.  Mostly serving bowls in this firing.  I am making multiples of pots for upcoming shows.  I still have at least 2 more loads of pots to decorate on the shelves.  For now I need to make more pots so I'll concentrate on that this week.

I've been constructing a new show booth.  I am finishing with the basic framing.  Now time for the details.  I'll shoot some images of it later today and probably do a whole blog post on that ASAP.  Have a good day.

Monday Showers

I took 3 showers today!  That's more than usually happens all week!  

Karma had a skunk trapped under the gas kiln in the shed first thing this morning.  It had sprayed all over the place but hadn't hit Karma directly, thank goodness.  I used the water hose with some high pressure riot control techniques to 'flush' it out.  It was not a happy skunk and it looked like a drenched sewer rat as I directed it to the woods.  I smelled pretty bad from being around all the skunk spray in the shed  = shower #1.

After that I needed to get started glazing a load of pots.  I had forgotten I had used ever drop of glaze in the bucket for the last firing.  So I mixed up two five gallon buckets of glaze so that I would have plenty and some as a backup.  I admit that I am a very messy glaze mixer.  I ended up with glaze all down my leg and on my shoes and on the floor.  I felt too disgusting to start on the pots so I had shower #2.

Then I mowed the yard and glazed a kiln load of pots.  By that time it was 4:30pm and I needed to get ready to go out to dinner with Sarah and her parents for Sarah's birthday.  Shower #3.

I am one clean dude!

Cups ready to be glazed.

 

Goat plate with glaze drying.

Sarah's mom made her this beautiful and delicious fruit pizza for her birthday.

Wednesday Update

I was up fairly early today and jumped right in to getting four new pots in the Etsy Shop.  

Wow. I really like Etsy.  I feel like it's my own little shop (well it is) and that it's open 24 hours all around te world.

Here are a couple of the new pots in the shop.

Bird Mug $40

Laundry Line Plate $42

 

I got a couple boards of cups decorated yesterday.  It seemed like it was taking longer and I realized it was because I was putting two images on most of the cups!!  So this next batch of cups are going to be pretty special with the extra decoration on them.

 

I was so excited about my new idea for the house imagery that I did this dish first.  I think it will look amazing once it's fired.

 

Well, it's off to work for the day.  Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Getting Started. New Ideas Emerging.

Last week I ended up working quite a bit outside clearing out a shed and working around the house.  The pots sat waiting to be decorated.

Today I started.  Getting some layout done in pencil on the cups first.

New ideas emerged as I started on this dish.  

When I was little my mother used to draw images of our farm all the time.  She drew on ruled notebook paper using a ball point pen.  This drawing brings some of that back to mind. 

Last week we had the little racoons visiting.  

Here's today's visitor.

A Tiny Bit More about Shows

 I don't do a ton of shows.  This year I'll round out with about ten plus my 2 Home Sales.  Most of the shows I do participate in are events that feature all pottery.  These type of things are really good.  Most require folks to pay to get in the door and people come to buy.  I'm not sure what other crafts/arts do this type of thing.  I surely couldn't see getting a whole show full of jewelers together.  That's just asking for a fight! (All you jewelers, I'm just kidding of course)(but you know it's true)

The bottom line with shows  is that we do our best to get in , we take our work, hopefully there has been some promotion along the way (by us and the organizers), we show up and hope that the buying public is there. (And that it doesn't rain all day or that there isn't a national disaster the day before).

I am seriously thinking about applying to some new shows next year.  I know there are some that get good reviews and are well established.  This means travel and time away from home.  I just had a couple friends do the Cherry Creek show in Denver.  It was torrential rain for a couple days of the event but I heard that sales were still amazing.  I am looking into shows in Michigan, Louisiana, Missouri, Maryland and maybe even Minnesota.  This of course means more expenses but if the sales are good and hopefully some exposure too then it may be worth it.  It is a bit daunting.  But some people do it all the time.  For me it will be a new frontier.  

I do like getting out and doing retail sales.  I like seeing people and connecting with my customers.  It's very hard work, dragging around all these boxes of pots, a canopy and the display.  I'm re-evaluating my whole set up and what pots I want to show.  I've been obsessing over a new display for about a month now.  (That will be another post)

I was considering applying to ACC Baltimore for the wholesale and retail shows.  I think I have almost talked myself out of it now though.  I'll keep ya posted (but the application is due Aug. 1st so I better decide)

Well that's all I have to say on this right now.  I'll probably talk about my display issues next.  And I may share my opinion about wholesale vs consignment too.  Or maybe I'll just move on to other topics all together.  I had someone send me an email recently saying that if I want to focus this website to buyers then I need to change my content and layout.  He said most buyers would not be interested in reading about my struggles or technical issues.  I know I'm mostly writing to potters at this point and you all do care and have similar issues.  So for now...

From the Studio

I've been accepted to the Western NC Pottery Festival and the Carolina Designer Craftsmans Fine Craft show this November.  That adds quite a bit to my plate for the fall.  My plan is to prepare NOW!

Medium sized dished drying in the studio.  (Made on Tuesday)

Today they got footed and slipped. (16 total counting the ones not in the pic)

I am working on some new cap jars.  I don't usually put knobs on this form but since these were prototypes I though I'd see how they looked.

The small one is big enough to grasp the lid with one hand.  I'm loosing valubable decoration space by putting the knobs on the others.  I think I'll make 2 more tomorrow like the one in the center sans knob.

And I made a large jar too.  I really don't do very well at making big pots.  I guess I just need more practice.  I'm happy with this one.  I don't need monster sized pots, but I'd like to have just a few about this big to be center pieces.  It's going to get a good amount of deco.

Here's a short video showing me slipping the base of that jar.

Kyle Carpenter using the ballon technique very effectively.

Quick Follow Up

Thanks for everyone who left comments on the last post.  I feel like that's a great place for discussion so maybe keep checking in there if you want.

Also.  Please go and read this post on Liz Crain's blog.  CLICK HERE.  It's packed with information and there are plenty of comments to check out too.  I'm glad Liz left a comment here on my blog and pointed me to her writing.

I'm working on the next part to this.  So stay tuned.

(By the way, it's been exciting for me to get back into the blogging groove.  I really appreciate all the traffic and comments and you all sharing this on Facebook!!)

Craft Show. Part 1

I was at Art in the Park on Saturday in Blowing Rock, NC.  It was my first time back at this show in 8 years and the first time showing my earthenware in this area.  July can be a great show at Art in the Park (they have this craft fair once a month May-October).  Many affluent people have summer homes in Blowing Rock and it's a good tourist destination as it's cooler in the mountains this time of year.

 

 

I know I need some contrasting curtains behind those shelves.


My hope was to have a great show. (Always hopeful).  I wanted to do at least $1200.00.  I took my very best work and my booth looked nice.  The weather was unpredicitable, foggy, then showers one moment and sunshine and blue skies the next.  Folks were out non the less but it didn't seem as if anyone was buying.  I was very disappointed that my pots weren't leaving the shelves.  I popped in on some other artists and they were having slow sales also.  

I was saved by a gallery owner from nearby Linville, NC who came in and wanted to buy some pots for her shop.  She offered wholesale and met my terms.  I really prefer selling wholesale to galleries.  I can offer them my best work, they pay me and take it.  I am happy and I know they are going to do their best to sell it.  This particular gallery is 87 Ruffin Street.  I have been in it several times over the years and knew my pots would fit in well there.  A few of my pottery friends have work there too so I'll be in good company.

In the end I sold about $450 retail and $550 wholesale (that's $1100 worth of pots retail for those of you who may not know).  So not a bad day, but I'd really rather have had $1100 worth of retail sales for the day.  Still, it's good to move those pots and to get them out into the world.  Now I can make more.  And it's nice to have my work in a new gallery.

I'm having lots of thoughts lately about the whole craft show thing and how to go about selling my pots.  This is something that comes up every few years for me.  I'm going to do several more posts on the topic over the week. I want to talk a bit about booth design, wholesale vs. retail, getting in bigger shows, travel etc.   

By the way, just so you know roughly what my expenses for this show were.  The booth fee was $155.  It's an hour and a half from home so I don't have any hotel expenses.  We usually end up spending about $40 on lunch and dinner (and ice cream at Kilwins).

Also, just FYI, it takes just over an hour for Sarah and me to set up my tent and booth and get the pots out.  That's pretty good.  About 50 minutes to tear down and 15-20 min to load the truck up. 

 

Looking Back

Hey,  I looked back to my blog entry from July 11, 2006 just out of curiousity.  It was neat to see what I was thinking about then and how I had mentioned switching to earthenware and drawing on pots.  Hey!! I'm doing that now! Totally cool.  And also new slab vases are mentioned which I made recently.  

Anyhow you can read it below.  It's a good post even now.  Okay, well that's it for the moment.  I'm off to unload the kiln so I'll post up some new images later.

 

BE HERE NOW

DateTUESDAY, JULY 11, 2006 AT 9:12AM
I'm always looking at my work and wanting it to be better. I often want it to be entirely different than it is. I have had thoughts of switching to earthernware, or doing more color, or drawing on the pots. When I have tried some of these things I am usually not happy and I go back to making the pots I know how to make. Salt/soda fired, loose, minimal decoration, good handles and feet. These are good pots. I think the longing for new ideas or forms or whatever is healthy in that it allows the pots to grow. Although it is slow. I admit that I have a problem of comparing my work to other's work, usually potters who are well established and have been in the field for 30+ yrs. It's no good to do this, it just frustrates me. I have to allow myself to see my work where it is right now and let it grow. I do give myself problems to solve, like right now for instance I'm working on a new baker shape, thinking about new slab vases, and a way to make a large, slab, rectangular dish. Also I need to find a teapot shape I like to make. Yesterday while trying to solve some of these problems I made pots and threw most of them back in the clay bin. I was frustrated that I had nothing to show for my efforts, nothing physical anyhow. But I did learn some things. Maybe today I'll put some of that into some keepers. 
It seems most of my struggles, pottery or otherwise, are the same things over and over. How to learn to get out of this pattern is something I'm trying to look at. Breaking out of my conditioned thinking and living in the present would be helpful. I am still drawing and finding that that practice helps me to tune in and be in the moment. I am also noticing that I am beginning to look at things differently and really 'see' them. 
I need to buy a new camera, anyone have any suggestions?
Have a great day.

Poem.

I'm gonna post the poem that T Moss left in my comments.  You all have a read and comment if you like.  What happened first for me when I read this was I wanted to know who T Moss was!  I went on a search, doing my Sherlock thing.  I have an email from the post, which gives a clue. And also the name, T Moss, but really I couldn't turn up anything that was definite.  Curious.  I have a lead that he/she is in Illinois.  But that could be wrong. Maybe it's some cool, hip, poet from Chicago who's been reading my blog for years.  At first I thought it was a man, but then changed my mind and decided the writer was female.  I'm not sure what made me feel that way.  Maybe it just makes be feel better to think it is.  I also felt threatened at first by the poem.  Then a bit honored that I got all those words.  Cool.  And it's not entirely untrue.  So, I didn't get mad or anything, just curious.  Curious about T Moss and about my FB use.

T Moss does not like FB.  The poem got me to thinking about FB and how much time I use up on there.  It really is wasteful and pointless.  Think of all the time I could have been writing thoughtful, fun, blog posts instead of reading one liners about someone's day at their kids stupid soccer game, or the weather, or what they had for dinner.  (Oh wait I'm one of those that puts up pictures of my food all the time! Damn!)  (It's because it's on pottery, so that's justified as 'business' and therefore valid) (HA!).  Well, I'm still gonna use FB to promote my business.  I'll just not be one of those zombies anymore.  No more scrolling the Newsfeed.  (Damn, I see in my Tab that I have 2 new notifications.  Resist Philbeck.  Resist.)  (I closed it)  (I AM in control).

Okay.  So what else.  ????   fingers tapping.  Nothing right now.  Here's the poem:

Ron Philbeck’s in a pickle, 
That much you can see
If you’ve seen his blog lately,
It’s not what it used to be
The inner workings absent,
The thinkings deep and wide
Ron no more wants to show
The Ron that is inside
He tries to blame the fad,
He tries to blame the trend
For bringing a once thoughtful blog
To a feeble, shuddering end
“It’s all the rage, it’s really cool!”
Beams Ron about a social tool
“It’s so easy, and so fast,
I can post my trivial thoughts at last!
Without effort, without strain,
I can use the tool to clean my brain
Of all the ‘likes’ and ‘LOLs and ‘WTF’,
I’m glad the tool exists, what luck!
Others will clamour to read my fluff,
I don’t even have to get off my duff
To make another documentary vid,
As I further into laziness slid
The flick shows all just what I did,
But thinking, feeling will be hid
Others may hustle, others may bustle,
But I don’t have to move a muscle”
Yes, others may toil for hours endless,
Yet their blogs will not become friendless,
They work and strive, and yet they write
They don’t go gentle into any night
But it’s all too much, too much for Ron,
Who states he must be moving on
To fast results, with minimal work,
You must agree, or you’re a jerk
So farewll Ron, will you be missed?,
If we say “No” will you get…upset?
We’ll never know, we’ll never see,
Cause thinkers, on Facebook, will not be.