David Hendley on wed 30 mar 05
I am starting a commission for dinnerware for a bridal registry for
Karl Martz's grandson and his fiancée. Karl was a well-known and
well-respected Indiana potter back in the '60's and '70's, well before
the big resurgence of interest in handmade pottery.
I am quite flattered that someone who grew up around handmade
pots chose me to make his dinnerware. He and his fiancée did
an internet search of potters and then spent the next few months
reviewing hundreds of web sites, looking for the potter they wanted
to make their dishes.
Last week they drove down from St. Louis and we looked at
plate samples, so they could decide on colors and designs. I don't
have too many customers who drive 900 miles to look at pottery!
Well, they like to travel, so they will spend the week touring around
Texas.
So, what attracted them to my work, out of the whole www of
possibilities? In a word, color - Those candy colors that more
sophisticated and refined stoneware potters would not use in
polite company.
Now I'm faced with doing a firing full of copper reds - always a
tricky proposition with a wood-fired kiln. Hopefully, it will be
beautiful - strong yet subtle copper reds contrasted with yellows,
turquoises, and flashed raw clay.
I am getting more and more business from my website, and usually
have at least one bridal registry page.
The amazing thing is, the website is basically free - what a ROI
(return on investment)!
My teenage son put together my first website in about 1997. A
couple of years later, he left for college and I couldn't get him to
update it for me, so I finally decided to learn how to do it myself.
It took about 80 hours of hard work to get the hang of it, but I am
quite proud to be over 50 and know how to build and maintain
a website. So far, it is not a "click and buy" website. Soon I plan
to make the jump to connecting with a secure pay service, to make
it easier to buy things.
My host service for the last 7 years has been http://www.netfirms.com,
and it is completely free and reliable. There are banner ads at the top
of the pages, but they are customized to the content, so you will see
ads for Bailey Pottery Supply and similar businesses - not obnoxious
at all..
There is a limit as to how much information can be downloaded to
viewers in a 24 hour period, but this has never been a problem. Well,
one time it was a problem - when I wrote in to Clayart and included
a link for pictures the day the space shuttle Columbia blew apart
and rained debris all over the yard.
My domain name registration costs next-to-nothing at
http://www.godaddy.com, and is perfectly reliable.
I have never made any effort to place my website on search engines
or inserted any text containing "key words" for search engines, but
people still seem to find me just fine. I've recently started having
people show up at the shop who say they lost my brochure from a
visit years ago and looked me up on the internet to jog their memory
as to how to drive to Maydelle.
Be thinking "copper red" for me in about 3 weeks!
David Hendley
I don't know nothin' but the blues, cobalt that is.
david@farmpots.com
http://www.farmpots.com
dannon rhudy on thu 31 mar 05
David, your post was a delight to get. Congratulations.
Your information on your website was most interesting,
too.
I note that you say that color was the main reason for
you being chosen.. That may be partly true. But it isn't
just the color, David. It is the way you USE it that makes
your work such a delight. There is just something about
your work that makes me (and a lot of others) smile. Can't
look at it without knowing how much skill, intelligence, and
whimsy go into the making. Good on ya'!!
regards
Dannon Rhudy
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Hendley"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:12 PM
Subject: Karl Martz's grandson
> I am starting a commission for dinnerware for a bridal registry for
> Karl Martz's grandson and his fiancée. Karl was a well-known and
> well-respected Indiana potter back in the '60's and '70's, well before
> the big resurgence of interest in handmade pottery.
> I am quite flattered that someone who grew up around handmade
> pots chose me to make his dinnerware. He and his fiancée did
> an internet search of potters and then spent the next few months
> reviewing hundreds of web sites, looking for the potter they wanted
> to make their dishes.
> Last week they drove down from St. Louis and we looked at
> plate samples, so they could decide on colors and designs. I don't
> have too many customers who drive 900 miles to look at pottery!
> Well, they like to travel, so they will spend the week touring around
> Texas.
>
> So, what attracted them to my work, out of the whole www of
> possibilities? In a word, color - Those candy colors that more
> sophisticated and refined stoneware potters would not use in
> polite company.
> Now I'm faced with doing a firing full of copper reds - always a
> tricky proposition with a wood-fired kiln. Hopefully, it will be
> beautiful - strong yet subtle copper reds contrasted with yellows,
> turquoises, and flashed raw clay.
>
> I am getting more and more business from my website, and usually
> have at least one bridal registry page.
> The amazing thing is, the website is basically free - what a ROI
> (return on investment)!
> My teenage son put together my first website in about 1997. A
> couple of years later, he left for college and I couldn't get him to
> update it for me, so I finally decided to learn how to do it myself.
> It took about 80 hours of hard work to get the hang of it, but I am
> quite proud to be over 50 and know how to build and maintain
> a website. So far, it is not a "click and buy" website. Soon I plan
> to make the jump to connecting with a secure pay service, to make
> it easier to buy things.
>
> My host service for the last 7 years has been http://www.netfirms.com,
> and it is completely free and reliable. There are banner ads at the top
> of the pages, but they are customized to the content, so you will see
> ads for Bailey Pottery Supply and similar businesses - not obnoxious
> at all..
> There is a limit as to how much information can be downloaded to
> viewers in a 24 hour period, but this has never been a problem. Well,
> one time it was a problem - when I wrote in to Clayart and included
> a link for pictures the day the space shuttle Columbia blew apart
> and rained debris all over the yard.
> My domain name registration costs next-to-nothing at
> http://www.godaddy.com, and is perfectly reliable.
>
> I have never made any effort to place my website on search engines
> or inserted any text containing "key words" for search engines, but
> people still seem to find me just fine. I've recently started having
> people show up at the shop who say they lost my brochure from a
> visit years ago and looked me up on the internet to jog their memory
> as to how to drive to Maydelle.
>
> Be thinking "copper red" for me in about 3 weeks!
> David Hendley
> I don't know nothin' but the blues, cobalt that is.
> david@farmpots.com
> http://www.farmpots.com
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
>
lela martens on thu 31 mar 05
Hi,
I have to join in here and agree with Dannon. The attraction is more than
the colour.
To me, David`s work reads.. cheerful sassy attitude. The squished feet say,
` I am very comfortable and happy to be here, thank you.` The bent waist
with the arms on the side, ` Oh, yeah?` with a smile and a wink.
One of these days soon....sigh.
Best wishes, Lela
>I note that you say that color was the main reason for
>you being chosen.. That may be partly true. But it isn't
>just the color, David. It is the way you USE it that makes
>your work such a delight. There is just something about
>your work that makes me (and a lot of others) smile. Can't
>look at it without knowing how much skill, intelligence, and
>whimsy go into the making. Good on ya'!!
>
>regards
>
>Dannon Rhudy
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Hendley"
>To:
>Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:12 PM
>Subject: Karl Martz's grandson
>
>
> > I am starting a commission for dinnerware for a bridal registry for
> > Karl Martz's grandson and his fiancée. Karl was a well-known and
> > well-respected Indiana potter back in the '60's and '70's, well before
> > the big resurgence of interest in handmade pottery.
> > I am quite flattered that someone who grew up around handmade
> > pots chose me to make his dinnerware. He and his fiancée did
> > an internet search of potters and then spent the next few months
> > reviewing hundreds of web sites, looking for the potter they wanted
> > to make their dishes.
> > Last week they drove down from St. Louis and we looked at
> > plate samples, so they could decide on colors and designs. I don't
> > have too many customers who drive 900 miles to look at pottery!
> > Well, they like to travel, so they will spend the week touring around
> > Texas.
> >
> > So, what attracted them to my work, out of the whole www of
> > possibilities? In a word, color - Those candy colors that more
> > sophisticated and refined stoneware potters would not use in
> > polite company.
> > Now I'm faced with doing a firing full of copper reds - always a
> > tricky proposition with a wood-fired kiln. Hopefully, it will be
> > beautiful - strong yet subtle copper reds contrasted with yellows,
> > turquoises, and flashed raw clay.
> >
> > I am getting more and more business from my website, and usually
> > have at least one bridal registry page.
> > The amazing thing is, the website is basically free - what a ROI
> > (return on investment)!
> > My teenage son put together my first website in about 1997. A
> > couple of years later, he left for college and I couldn't get him to
> > update it for me, so I finally decided to learn how to do it myself.
> > It took about 80 hours of hard work to get the hang of it, but I am
> > quite proud to be over 50 and know how to build and maintain
> > a website. So far, it is not a "click and buy" website. Soon I plan
> > to make the jump to connecting with a secure pay service, to make
> > it easier to buy things.
> >
> > My host service for the last 7 years has been http://www.netfirms.com,
> > and it is completely free and reliable. There are banner ads at the top
> > of the pages, but they are customized to the content, so you will see
> > ads for Bailey Pottery Supply and similar businesses - not obnoxious
> > at all..
> > There is a limit as to how much information can be downloaded to
> > viewers in a 24 hour period, but this has never been a problem. Well,
> > one time it was a problem - when I wrote in to Clayart and included
> > a link for pictures the day the space shuttle Columbia blew apart
> > and rained debris all over the yard.
> > My domain name registration costs next-to-nothing at
> > http://www.godaddy.com, and is perfectly reliable.
> >
> > I have never made any effort to place my website on search engines
> > or inserted any text containing "key words" for search engines, but
> > people still seem to find me just fine. I've recently started having
> > people show up at the shop who say they lost my brochure from a
> > visit years ago and looked me up on the internet to jog their memory
> > as to how to drive to Maydelle.
> >
> > Be thinking "copper red" for me in about 3 weeks!
> > David Hendley
> > I don't know nothin' but the blues, cobalt that is.
> > david@farmpots.com
> > http://www.farmpots.com
> >
> >
>____________________________________________________________________________
>__
> > Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> > You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> > settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> > Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
> >
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
Jonathan Kirkendall on fri 1 apr 05
David,
Thanks for the news! Congratulations!
I have wondered how you got those pottery ads running on your site - I
had no idea that some hosting companies understood that customizing such
things would make sense. All this time I thought you were such a
marketing whiz!
Jonathan in DC
>
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