17 Years Is a Long Time....

Day; 198. Sunny and sorta warm, a beautiful fall day in the Southwest.

Temperature on outside kiln; 65 degrees
Kiln firings; none
Music in the studio; varied assortment of favorites on my Ipod.

I had a phone call from a woodworker today who has just recently moved to New Mexico. She had all kinds of questions about selling work in the area; what worked, what didn't, what show was worth it, what wasn't, galleries vs. selling it yourself, etc.... In the process of answering her queries, I came to appreciate how many selling strategies I have developed since relocating to Santa Fe from Colorado in 1998.

Wow, I really gave her an earful, but I guess that was what she was asking for...!  I spoke about the Creative Tourism website, both it's history and how it is working today. I gave her a rundown on how the Artists Market started with a handful of potters and how it has evolved into a weekly market with artists from diverse disciplines. I told her about the shows in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and surrounding areas/states. I mentioned the Clay Fair and how it started/evolved over the last decade. We also spoke a lot about teaching, something she has been very involved in previously. I ended up summarizing my numerous teaching experiences in the area from the Community College, to Santa Fe Clay, to one-on-one in my own studio. I almost launched into the issue of Open Studio Tours but she is 15 miles south of Galisteo where currently there is none. The strange part too is that we both have college degrees in Urban/Land Use Planning... an odd co-inkydink.

I also came to realize how many bodies of work I have made... Hundreds?  From tiled walled pieces to tableware to porcelain jewelry.... I have really run the gamut. The other thing I came to appreciate about myself as an artist in Santa Fe is how many of these shows/venues/ exhibits I have been instrumental in either starting myself or with a group of others. A lot of them in fact. It feels good to know I have pushed/pulled the art scene in Santa Fe along not just for myself but for many other potters as well.  So after hanging up the phone and walking back into the studio from the front garden I had a  good feeling for Magpie Pottery and all that I have  done for both myself and all potters/artists living and working  in New Mexico...