Monday morning after the ceramics fair Dordrecht, jogging, the morning sun in my face. Music in my ears, a patch of mist on my glasses, autumn is coming.
Relaxing after the fair. Normally I do this round on Sunday morning, but then we were selling ceramics in the centre of Dordrecht.
Great to sell your own work “live”, especially when the weather is fine. You speak old acquaintances and new interested people. But the business part is a steep learning curve for me. And not just for me, also for the singing Potter David Hendley.
When I first went to the art fairs, I didn’t know the game, seems I always leave with more pots then when I came
(David Hendley “The Cobalt blues”, 2005)
The ceramics blues…
Ceramists Blues
Making ceramics is difficult, what to make is more difficult and selling is the hardest. That complete challenge is my addiction; a blessing and a curse at the same time. David Hendley hits the nail on the head with his “cobalt blues” and not just in terms of the cobalt Blue.
Selling directly what you have (hand-) made makes a ceramics fair an experience, for both visitors and maker. It is a personal exchange of ideas, knowledge and taste. Visitors tell what appeals to them, what they are looking for and sometimes why. I look how I can merge this technically and with my own taste and ideas.
It’s strenuous and exciting. You work towards it, you live up to it and before you know it is over again. What remains is the blues.
Online Ceramics Fair
But when the blues is jogged out of my body, I can look back at a successful ceramics fair. I have spoken with many people, got to know people that read this blog, received even a bin full of grapes from a fellow ceramic artist. And no, I didn’t leave with more pots than I came…. (and I have not only sold cobalt blue).
In short, learned a lot, gained new ideas and eager to make new work. And show this again on the next ceramics fair. The circle of the ceramists life.
Well not quite. Times are changing, there are also digital ceramics markets, for me on Etsy. Autumn has begun, time for me to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Online ceramics has again different dynamics and other blues.
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