Kate Johnson on sat 21 may 05
Hi Steve, Paul, Earl and all...
>
> It seems like it comes down to two factors. How variable is the dinner
> ware glaze from firing to
> firing, and how fussy is the recipient of the dinner ware set.
So far the glaze is being fairly dependable....
>
> If you'd just like it to harmonize, then doing the pieces in different
> firings would be fine. The
> finished pieces will look like they are all members of the same family
> rather than clones. Some
> customers are very finicky though, and want everything to look identical.
> If that's the case then
> doing everything in one firing would be a good idea.
In that case, finding a different potter would be even BETTER. I don't do
identical...don't like to, don't want to, and am not able to in any case, I
expect. "Members of the same family" works for me!
>
> We sometimes get customers in the Artists' Co-op with paint swatches
> looking for an exact match
> with a glaze.
Gaaaaah!! Some people ask me to do paintings to match their couch. I'm not
that hungry yet...
Other people see variation as evidence of process, and an important feature
of a
> hand crafted object.
And those are the people I want to work with. I'm quite upfront with
people--if their expectations are for true uniformity and they're adamant, I
don't think we can work well together and I tell them so. I don't need
disappointed, angry customers OR an ulcer.
As Paul Herman wrote, "...Handmade pottery has differences from piece to
piece anyway, one of it's attributes. If your customers wanted them all
exactly the same they would probably be looking somewhere else."
Exactly.
And yes, I am making extras. Not only the firing but in this case the
decoration is variable as well. I'm marbling the set, and some have very
bold marbling while others wanted to be quite fine and delicate. I'll
choose those that go together best.
And by the way, I discovered it's best not to try for ANY sort of
production line with marbling. I thought I could slip a plate and a bowl
with the base layer, then drop in the contrasting marbling slip and move it
around. Er, no. Even in that short amount of time, the bowl, which was
slipped first, had set up more than it should have. The effect
is..............interesting, but it won't go with any of the other stuff. A
stand-alone!
Thanks, all...you've given me much food for thought.
Best--
Kate Johnson
graphicart@epsi.net
http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
Art, History, Nature and More at Cathy Johnson's Cafepress--
http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson/
Graphics/Fine Arts Press--
http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
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