My 200th Day....

Day; 200!!!! I finally made it!
Temperature on outside kiln; 55 degrees
kilns firings; none
music in the studio; Tales of a Redclay Rambler; various interviews with ceramic artists around the country..

 I finally got to my 200th blog day. I didn't think it would ever come stranded in the 100 numbers as I was for so very, very long. But here it is and I feel like maybe some day I will get to my 365th....

Today as I was finishing up the pieces I really should have finished yesterday for Saturday's bisque firing, I continued to binge-watch (listen..) to both the Potters Cast and Tales of a RedClay Rambler. I am so thankful to Potter  Miya Endo for reminding me that these two ceramic-oriented Pod Casts exists; I am now fascinated by what other potters are doing/making/thinking/marketing and I cannot stop listening. It has really made me think about my own business in both deeper and different ways then I had previously...

 I ask myself questions like;
 Do I have the stomach for production? In other words if the large retailer Anthropologie orders 2,000 breakfast plates, can I make it through that ordeal without shooting myself in the head? Not so sure.... And how would I have to change my studio practices to make this work for myself?
As I am about to meet with one of the largest, most popular hotels in Santa Fe to talk about selling my work in their gift store, I am really trying to do the sane thing and not over-commit and under-price myself. What can I make that would still make sense at 60% of the retail price for myself?

Will my customers flee my booth in droves if my mugs are suddenly over the $40. mark? Listening to a potter from Canada who was asked on average how much should a mug be, answering $125.00, I gasped. She went on to lament how under-priced American ceramics were. She thought hobbyist should sell their mugs for the price I am currently thinking about but too afraid to implement, but that ceramicist with a 20-year career span should ask well over a hundred dollars.  Hmmm.... makes a girl think....

Could I do retail again? Could I sell my work and other potters in a brick and mortar storefront? Would I again, want to run off a cliff from boredom, repetition, having to deal with the public?

How can I use social media to up my presence and get my work and "brand" more recognizable? (Do I really have to re-open my Facebook account or can I just limp along with Instagram which I vastly prefer?)

How can I get on the workshop circuit more regularly so that I can, in effect, sell my experience instead of all that inventory? (How long until my knees and wrists give way?!)

These are just a few of things that ran through my head today as I listened to other potters relate their histories, experiences, studio practices, marketing strategies.. I'm not sure I came up with any solid  solutions for myself but I do feel like starting to ask these and similar  questions is movement in the right direction....