Mark C. Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Well - I said I wanted to work less this past year and that seems to have not worked out. I fire my last car kiln load for 2015 tomorrow Thats a 35 cubic gas kiln-its candling right now as it full of some large platters on top. I just turned off my little 12 cubic gas kiln an hour ago and read my kiln logs and the facts do not lie-I'm working more not less. last year I did 20 small kiln loads(glaze fires) 12 cubic feet= 240 cubic feet of pots fired last year I did 25 car kilns loads(glaze fires) 35 cubic feet=875 cubic feet of pots fired Total 1115 cubic feet This year is 23 small kiln loads 12 cubic feet=276 cubic feet of pots fired this year is 27 car kiln loads 35 cubic feet=945 cubic feet of pots fired total 1221 cubic feet I like to produce a massive amount of pots near years end to stock up all my outlets so they never looked picked over going into the new year-its just what I have learned to do to maximize sales and make the stores look well stocked no matter how the sales are going in the busy times before and after x-mass-The other reason for doing this is I need a few months off and need to have work to take to shops and not have to produce it-as its already to go. The reason I mention this is its obvious I'm not slowing down but producing more-who knew that 2015 would be one of my most productive years especially when I told myself I need to slow down. Going along with this trend is also better sales-I have yet to close the books on this year sales wise and will report on that next year but I can say I have had my best show ever in my career this month ( and thats saying something as I have 40 years under my belt of shows and my best ever show had been 17K) and generally most venues are up sales wise On a side note you may have noticed my moniker says rain forest for a location and so far in this month of December we have had over 14 inches of rain as its dumping outside right now as I type this.Thats no typo I said 14 inches so far this month.18 total for the year which starts on October 1st. Its been a banner year for me but I'm going to try harder to slow down in the next few years really I am-I need to cut some shows and not replace any outlets if they fail. I told my wrist surgeon that I would try to slow down before my wrist needs fusion when it fails and thats what I need to do. Its a plan I just need to stick to it.So far this year I have failed at slowing and worked to hard-it all paid off but still thats not the end game these days for me. So you want to sell some pots I said a long time ago-well turns out you can do just that if you put your mind to it. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babs Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Working hard at slowing down HA! Does a leopard change it spots? Get into that fireprotecting suit for a few hours per day... Only way for you I think. Something always slips in to fill any gaps youcreate, but if it's not body bashing then that should be ok. Time for molds ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bciskepottery Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 If your goal for 2015 of working less resulted in you working more, then for 2016, set your goal as working more and you'll end up working less. Caution: logic is not one of my stronger points. Until 2016, sell those quadbillion-ounce mugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 On the plus side, I'm glad you are selling extremely well! In the meantime, just tell your wrist surgeon, you are opting for the bionic wrist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Perhaps you could weed out a few of the shops that sell your pots, and/or a couple of shows. Then you could still keep the others well stocked but not have to make as much work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 On the plus side, I'm glad you are selling extremely well! In the meantime, just tell your wrist surgeon, you are opting for the bionic wrist... Mark Skywalker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benzine Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Exactly my thoughts Neil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 I made a math erros as I am firing my 27th car kiln load today-meaning its more than I thought again. as far as weeding down-I did 12 shows for years then weeded down to 10 for a decade now its 7 and my own xmas sale I plan on doing a few less in one year so that will be 5. The shops are easy and do not require travel so I,m keeping my 5 outlets shows give the best return as Mea has shown and that also true with me. I have not crunched my numbers yet but I know its most likely over 80-120k in sales. I plan on raising prices again for next year. as to a new wrist-thats a just a pipe dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavy Fire Studios Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Holy geez, I threw my back out just READING that! I'm dang lucky if I get maybe three or four pieces done every couple months. Fred hasn't fired a full load since March... I hope that'll change soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Fireborn Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 That is a lot of pots. Nice work sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancylee Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 You make a LOT of pottery!! Wow!!! How do you keep from burning out? I have a potter friend who had to make 500 mugs in a week or so - I can't even imagine!! Not just the amount of work, but the thought of 500 handles?? I can't even imagine making that many handles. I bow to you! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 I would extrude those handles As far as burn out -pottery making is what I have always done I just work on a larger scale than most I produce about 35 different forms ,and keeping at this is a full time gig You start out in clay working with one or two pieces and over the years learn to make series Most never get past the one or two pieces but a few as Meas said are wired for production I have learned the key is to have lots of wares at a show and not run out This way you can see what the maximum potential is money wise The only way to do this is lots of stock As to burn out yes it can be an issue so my way is to do less shows now compared to a few years ago And take time off as I,m doing now for 6_ 8 weeks from clay after Xmas . There are very few potters who even want to produce this volume do work And they do get burned out unless you pace yourself . I recall in collage my instructor teaching us tap centering said throw 30 cereal bowls them tap center to trim them. That making 30 bowls was a huge job to begin with but as he said by the time I tapped 30 bowls to center I mastered not only throwing in series but tap centering These days it takes longer to trim than throw and 30 bowls is nothing. Bowls are my favorite to make anyway The thing I can say about burn out the most is that if making tons of pots as an idea panics you then take another path as its not your thing For me working in clay is what I wanted to do and to some degree is not work as I like it I,m being paid to work in my studio which 40 years ago was a dream People pay me to make pots and even after 40 years it seems unreal Remember I do not have a day job and play with clay it's full time I,m paid to play with clay and that means make and sell lots of it. I like doing other things like travel and diving and they cost $ So I want to make lots of $ with clay and have learned how to do that It's not for most and as you know it's a lifestyle and for me it been great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancylee Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 Thanks for responding, Mark. I think that maybe since I already work full time, I get panicked about making enough to sell. I never have enough time in my life and I definitely don't have time to play with pottery or sit and think about it, and I'm always running behind with orders I have to make for people: mugs, urns, etc. I sell online, and make custom stuff, and I'm always catching up. Now if I had ten days to make 200 ring holders, I can definitely see doing 20 a day, plus some other stuff during the day. I took off last year for about 6 months and played with pottery and jewelry and it was such a pleasure to get up and have the freedom to go do my work. Unlike tonight: when I get home at 6PM, I have to make dinner and then make handles and trim a half dozen mugs, trim 5 urns and their lids, and make three more bowls. I'm exhausted all of the time, but if I don't keep making things, my skills get rusty!! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazenerd Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 1221 CF @ 6? mugs per CF = 7326 mugs @ 4 lbs a mug = 29,304 lbs of clay. 7326 mugs @ 30grams glaze each = 219,780 grams of glaze. Just for a generalized / rough estimation. Anyone feeling tired? Nerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatthewV Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 It is 1 lb a mug. :-) But probably closer to 12 for mug/cubic foot even including a bit of furniture. Going back to Mark's comments about ordering ~18,000 lbs of clay might be an easier starting point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazenerd Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 My coffee cup is 24oz.. then I can tell the doc I only drink one cup of coffee a day. Was just trying to put Mark's output into my reality, and now it is helping make a decision- do not want to be that busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim T Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 If you want to reduce working hours, try putting your prices up - there's obviously enough demand for your work to try this. Assuming sales decline a bit, you may well find you are making more money and having more time as the number of pieces you need to make goes down, so you can take more time off. If sales don't go down, either put prices up more, or use the extra money to get an assistant, enjoy training them up, and again have more time off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chantay Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Mark, My question is do you feel like you have worked harder last year? Is it possible that even this far into the game you have increased your efficiency? New work methods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 The bigger issue is I did not go tuna fishing as they did not come near us this year in Northern Ca. I spent less time on boat and more time in studio so I feel like I have worked more -but did I keep track well no I do not keep a studio long another than the kiln fires and sales. I did have my house foundation finished this last fall. I finally found a concrete crew willing to dig and pour the last 62 feet of perimeter. Now its all done.It cost about as much as my best show last year but I do have piece of mind. 43 years in same house and its now all on concrete bolted and shear wall ready for earthquakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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