Wow, I am blown away by all the responses here. The debate is well and truly alive. I was wondering if I would be able to use excerpts of some of the replies in my blog? I will credit every one and provide links to their websites and post a link back here so you can rant at me if you don't approve and I will immediately change it. Cross my heart.
The traffic to my blog has rocketed over the past few days and when I look at the stats it appears that most of it is from the US. I just wish I could get more of the stiff upper lip English types ranting and making a fuss and kicking up a stink, drawing attention to ourselves at this moment would not be such a bad idea.
The main points raised here so far seem to surround how we define ourselves, maker/designer/potter/ceramicist/ceramist/artist and so on. I am equally confused about my identity it is maker/artis/designer at the moment but these could change order at any time. This struggle with a definition of ourselves is definitely projected out there. I wonder if we appear as a bunch of confused, bearded, not to technological people who like a bit of country air. And is that a bad thing or not?
The other point that jumped out at me was 'going local'. I need to spend a morning thinking this one through. BUT I am going to risk putting an un-fully formed view out there. Isn't that just going back to the B. Leach way of doing things? You know, the potter in his country studio providing for his local community. In this post I look at some of the ways our industry has changed over the years, that may raise some thoughts. And in this post I have a bit of a rant about Leach. Could it be that we need to diversify further? Is it enough just to educate people with some clever marketing so that they realise my perceived value of ceramics. I mean people pay extortionate prices for all kinds of ridiculous things that cost nothing to manufacture, and are to be frank crappy.
I think I will have to give up the day job, I am spending so much time on blogging and this debate. I have to go and do some marking! I will be back with further rants and more questions. (I seem to have many questions, but no answers)