liambesaw Posted December 26, 2020 Report Share Posted December 26, 2020 Yeah the rain is just now hitting us! The day started dry and just after I set up all my glazing tables it just started dumping out of nowhere. Everything is still in the front yard covered in painters plastic, really wishing I had more room to glaze, but will have to wait til tomorrow or Sunday, whenever it stops raining! Glad to hear you had a banner year, wish I could say the same! Had plenty of holiday orders this year though, so can't complain too much. Finally got everything finished and delivered yesterday! I'm not sure what to do now though... Should I even bother applying to shows for 2021? I get my zapplication emails every week, but I've been ignoring them. Talk here is that we shouldn't expect any relief on restrictions until the end of next summer... And show fees are UP believe it or not. The spring shows I had signed up for this year are now 100 more for a booth next year and the cutoff is next week. I'm gunshy to say the least. I'm thinking to apply to some August and later shows next year, just to play it safe. 500+ for booth fees on several spring and early summer shows seems like a lot of money tied up for the odd chance things will come through. Anyone else dealing with these decisions next year? Or are you fairly confident? Moved on to something better? I've done a few online sales in the later half of this year that were "OK", but looking to transition into something a bit more than "OK". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted December 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2020 (anyone else dealing with these decisions next year? Or are you fairly confident? Moved on to something better?) I have two shows in 2020 that I rolled the fees over into next year. I do not recall if I had a choice . Those fees where north of 1k. I'm not to worried about it as both those shows if they are a go I'll go-I expect sales to be down a bit for this year show wise as well .I have done these shows for 25-30 years now .We are so far from turning this ship around and folks most likely will not yet be out in force by then. Both shows are later in the year-August for one and Early Oct for the other. I have a spring show thats on a UC campus in Davis Ca in May but I feel that will not happen and even if it does and I am recovery from Hand surgery I'm out recovering then. There is a chance that my surgery Jan 19 will not happen due to covid taking all the anesthesiologists away to the ICUs and I wait another year-but even in this I think since they have to make the show call by February it will not happen.I was thinking of doing one last year there as its been over 25 years at that show for me and I have a huge following but this year has taught me that I need to pair down a few more shows. This may be one as it hard to do and getting harder with the pack in and out and tons of new rules every year (the university. really does not want the show at all on campus) Fall shows are a maybe as are summer shows-I would avoid paying for any spring shows-The other point is whats the refund policy-this now matters more than in the past. My friends who did 2020 shows said sales are about 1/2. Those are all out of state shows from Colorado to Arizona . Now my local sale was an exception sales wise but the reasons are completly different from a real art show. As a board member who helps put on a Sept local art show we have to make the call by April or early May for a September show.I have some doubts that we can make a yes call that early for the show to go on as show planning takes a long time-the jury-the permits etc , it all take many months I would suggest being extra picky on signing up for show this year as ita c--p shoot for sure until we get ahead of this thing. as to the somethiong better its the markets and bagel shops and galleries that carried me in 2020 and I will again focus on those outlets -wholesale and consighnment. They came thru for me and they always do no matter what the weather or how the show turns out. I have said tbis many times a diversified market is best for any potter. Its the same advice for investing you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted December 26, 2020 Report Share Posted December 26, 2020 An interesting thing happened the other day. I had a man message me a few days before Christmas because the original gift he'd ordered online for his wife hadn't arrived yet, and he knew his wife also was a big fan of my pottery. (plus ten points to this guy!) What was originally supposed to be a quick pickup of a single noodle bowl turned into three noodle bowls and my last leftover stein. He considered the $200-odd bucks in pottery a casual purchase, because they are a double income no kids household, and are used to flying from Calgary to Newfoundland for Christmas. Because there's no travel this year, he had budget and then some to work with. The gift stuck in the mail was still appreciated by him, and he was just looking for something for her to unwrap the day of. There's been a bunch of that for me this year: people having budget that would have normally gone to dinners out, or weekends away, or even bigger trips that they were now inclined to spend on things to spiff their houses up, since they were spending so much time there. I've got one $200 deposit on a spring show floating around out there and another for the same one in the fall, but I'm not sure I expect the spring one to go ahead. I'll be applying to my summer farmer's market again, as it was lucrative before covid, last year was great money for me, and most importantly, it was beautifully handled in terms of safety. I think where I'm at, economic recovery will begin in the fall. The Canadian government is saying they expect to have everyone vaccinated by September. I rather think that next Christmas needs to be in the planning right now if I don't want to wind up burnt out again. My shelves are stripped, and I think the only mugs I have left are the handful that are still listed online. Normally I'd give myself time off the week after Christmas and into January when the kids go back to school. But the studio is already cleaned up and that feels really unnatural, so I need to get back down there and start making pots. I want to try an online sale of things like more mugs, yarn jars and candle lanterns that play into a romantic winter coziness theme at the end of January, so that things can be shipped in time to arrive for Valentine's. I have a consignment outlet that needs restocking, and her sister wants to place a wholesale purchase. Time to get back at it. I have grown up in an area that has had major boom bust economic cycles my entire life. If you think the "buy local" sentiment is strong now, just wait until people are able to work and be out and about again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted December 27, 2020 Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 I’m not applying for (or paying for) any spring shows. I am open to possible summer shows, but want to see how the landscape looks in March or so before making any decisions. I have more confidence about fall shows, but again I’m going to wait and see how things look in the spring. Until then, I’m taking a couple of months off, then I’ll do some “home delivery” and “small pots online” sales in the spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta12 Posted December 27, 2020 Report Share Posted December 27, 2020 We were talking about this very topic at dinner tonight. Will there be summer shows?? Will I even want to consider it? Should I just concentrate on Fall and Holiday shows? I think I will just focus on filling some orders and focusing on fall and holiday sales and shows. I have had some interesting and fun orders. Some of my Christmas orders have already reached out for additional pieces. Interesting! Yes, time to get back to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliagoolia Posted December 28, 2020 Report Share Posted December 28, 2020 Our local arts centre expands from 1 room of retail to 3 for the month before christmas. Work from 35 artisans, limited entry, 1 artist overseeing a room at a time, and central cash. It was off the hook! The potters (including me) could barely keep mugs in the displays. Platters, bowls, spoon rests, functional pottery was flying out of there. The weavers were running out of dish towels, the handmade bath and body vendor was constantly out of different products. People were craving local, handmade, home and body luxury. Half the folks I spoke to were regulars, the other half had never been. Here's hoping the new folks are coming back next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Things got busy this fall as noted . I was just doing some counter top cleaning in Kitchen in a catch all area of my stuff and found a nice 5,800.00 dollar check from November 3rd whole sale to a distant gallery. I must clean up more often . Now its a 2021 deposit so I'm starting out well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 There’s a nice little something from the new year already. Fingers crossed it’s a sign of things to come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted January 2, 2021 Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 gosh, mark, my messy kitchen only has dead fruit hiding in the corners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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