CottageCrafter

I could not agree with Chris MORE! I find it interesting that the handmade arguments jump up on about every clay related site that I have been on from time to time. If you are doing art for arts sake, replication is never an issue as you probably are not intending on making money in the order of a retailer. If you make architectural ceramics as I do, molds are a necessary part of the production process and as a matter of fact, making good functional molds is also an art! About 10 years ago, I guest taught a session by invitation at a very well known arts college here in Kansas City. In their ceramics department, they had no good mold making expertise left and a project that they were working on was going to require it. I was amazed at the perceptions, some of the students were outright rude but I found that the others gained a lot from the process. Making a good multi-piece mold takes a huge amount of planning, uses spatial reasoning, a good bit of math, and a huge amount of common sense. The rude kids seems to have none of those traits. In my work, I do have to explain the process some times but you will find that the person looking at your work will give you that cue. Many times, folks that love handmade work will give you 'that look' and you know that they have interest in the process and it will make the piece more meaningful to them. Otherwise, it could have been made by political prisoners in China, they either like your work or they don't. (lets face it, most Americans could care less, its the walmart effect) Working in architectural ceramics, I somewhat have a good partner in the retailers! If you compare my prices to that of the retailers, I am competitive. The retailers sell the accent tiles, trims, major pieces and the such at a huge mark-up when compared to field tile-so-thats good for me!!!! I say, hey, use store bought field tile and accent with my stuff. (I really don't want to press out hundreds of field tile anyway - BORING!) People either buy my stuff because they like it, or they don't.......... Porter