I made some cookie cutter Christmas tree ornaments this year. I know to many people this is no big deal and all well and fine. But to some in the clay community it's a bit of heresy.
Honestly I made these and didn't intend to advertise them much. But I put them in my Etsy shop and posted on Facebook. Soon after the FB post I got messages saying I'd gone over to the dark side and that my Mingei card had been revoked. Ha! Of course I know the folks writing these comments and I didn't take them personally.
Some of you may be asking, What's the big deal about a few ornaments? Well in the art/clay/whatever world there is sort of this hierarchy of what one can make and still be seen as a reputable crafts person. (Now in truth that is totally, complete bull sh*t, but the perception is real).
So in the clay world that I've sort of set myself up in it's okay to make mugs, teapots, plates, jars, etc. But not okay to make soap dispensers, apple bakers, Christmas ornaments, deviled egg plates (oh that one would KILL me!!), (really I can't stop laughing now).
Anyhow, it can get a bit tricky too. For instance, I said it's okay in my circle (?) to make plates and teapots, but if I raku-ed them then I'd be ran out of town by Brandon and some others.
So I wonder if I made Christmas ornaments and fired them for 3 days in an anagama would that be okay? Hum....could be. Of course they would be priced at $100 each and I wouldn't sell any. On the other hand if I raku-ed them then they would be worthless in the eyes of my peers but the public would eat them up!
As I see it there's room for everyone, and we should all feel comfortable to make whatever we want. I do admit that I made these ornaments purely for financial gain. Gasp! I want an iPad dammit! and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get one. The funny thing is is that I took these ornaments to show this past weekend and didn't sell any (I gave my mom a few!)(yes, it was that sort of craft show). So this whole thing may not work out for me and I should stick to working for hours on end decorating jars and platters with rabbits and flowers and stars and moons. (At some point in the future we'll discuss why it's some how okay for me to put a rabbit on a pot).
Okay, enough of this. If I get out to the studio right now I should be able to crank out a couple dozen deviled egg plates by the end of the day. Look out Apple store, I'm on my way!!
Honestly I made these and didn't intend to advertise them much. But I put them in my Etsy shop and posted on Facebook. Soon after the FB post I got messages saying I'd gone over to the dark side and that my Mingei card had been revoked. Ha! Of course I know the folks writing these comments and I didn't take them personally.
Some of you may be asking, What's the big deal about a few ornaments? Well in the art/clay/whatever world there is sort of this hierarchy of what one can make and still be seen as a reputable crafts person. (Now in truth that is totally, complete bull sh*t, but the perception is real).
So in the clay world that I've sort of set myself up in it's okay to make mugs, teapots, plates, jars, etc. But not okay to make soap dispensers, apple bakers, Christmas ornaments, deviled egg plates (oh that one would KILL me!!), (really I can't stop laughing now).
Anyhow, it can get a bit tricky too. For instance, I said it's okay in my circle (?) to make plates and teapots, but if I raku-ed them then I'd be ran out of town by Brandon and some others.
So I wonder if I made Christmas ornaments and fired them for 3 days in an anagama would that be okay? Hum....could be. Of course they would be priced at $100 each and I wouldn't sell any. On the other hand if I raku-ed them then they would be worthless in the eyes of my peers but the public would eat them up!
As I see it there's room for everyone, and we should all feel comfortable to make whatever we want. I do admit that I made these ornaments purely for financial gain. Gasp! I want an iPad dammit! and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get one. The funny thing is is that I took these ornaments to show this past weekend and didn't sell any (I gave my mom a few!)(yes, it was that sort of craft show). So this whole thing may not work out for me and I should stick to working for hours on end decorating jars and platters with rabbits and flowers and stars and moons. (At some point in the future we'll discuss why it's some how okay for me to put a rabbit on a pot).
Okay, enough of this. If I get out to the studio right now I should be able to crank out a couple dozen deviled egg plates by the end of the day. Look out Apple store, I'm on my way!!