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Trophy life
Oct. 13th, 2021 07:37 pmGot another one in the inbox today, the second (or maybe third) inquiry of this sort.
Frank:
I am the trophy chairman for the 2022 [breed redacted] National Specialty Dog Show being held at the fairgrounds in [also redacted] next May. I would love to be able to use a local artisan for our trophies and I think that your style of artwork fits the personality of our breed.
We would need 500 pieces for the class placements. I'm thinking 5"-6" tiles or plates (depending on cost) with different designs. I can provide you with inspiration photos. Our logo for the show incorporates a carousel...
Et cetera, et cetera.
In the past, it was goats. Also horses, once, I think. One of them had a one-month turnaround--the previous awards chair had dropped the ball, which was impossibility-squared.
There are so many reasons I wouldn't touch this project for love nor money.
1. Making tiles is a specialized occupation. You need a slab roller or tile press (I do have the former, I admit), tile-cutting dies, a huge amount of dry-wall or hardi-backer squares to dry things on, and enough shelving and ventilation to do it with.
2. Then there's firing. A kiln-load of tile has almost as many shelves and posts as it does product. The only way around this is if you buy tile-setters, short-legged mini-shelves you can stack up, a tile on each level. Last time I checked, they run about twenty bucks apiece, and you'd need at least fifty for a job this big. Which also means multiple firings, probably in an electric kiln, for consistency, and my 12-sided electric kiln is really the wrong shape for efficiently packing 6" square tiles.
3. And another thing: I don't do stencils, decals, or other mechanical reproductions. I hand-paint all my work. 500 paintings--more, actually, to account for firing loss--I shiver even thinking about it. Also? Quite honestly, they can't afford me.
If this had showed up on my doorstep 20 years ago... honestly, I probably would have still turned it down. The only way to handle this project would be to hire help, buy equipment, and go aggressively after more of this business. Become another Slippery Bank Pottery, a little factory where the potter is the face of the business, but most of the work is done by the staff while he's away selling at trade shows.
I probably have enough business experience at this point to make that happen, but why would I? It doesn't sound interesting, doesn't sound fun, and even if it were profitable, that's not enough of a draw. I'm doing fine right now, selling much of what I make, turning down wholesale offers so I can stay a friendly little one-man pottery.
Frank:
I am the trophy chairman for the 2022 [breed redacted] National Specialty Dog Show being held at the fairgrounds in [also redacted] next May. I would love to be able to use a local artisan for our trophies and I think that your style of artwork fits the personality of our breed.
We would need 500 pieces for the class placements. I'm thinking 5"-6" tiles or plates (depending on cost) with different designs. I can provide you with inspiration photos. Our logo for the show incorporates a carousel...
Et cetera, et cetera.
In the past, it was goats. Also horses, once, I think. One of them had a one-month turnaround--the previous awards chair had dropped the ball, which was impossibility-squared.
There are so many reasons I wouldn't touch this project for love nor money.
1. Making tiles is a specialized occupation. You need a slab roller or tile press (I do have the former, I admit), tile-cutting dies, a huge amount of dry-wall or hardi-backer squares to dry things on, and enough shelving and ventilation to do it with.
2. Then there's firing. A kiln-load of tile has almost as many shelves and posts as it does product. The only way around this is if you buy tile-setters, short-legged mini-shelves you can stack up, a tile on each level. Last time I checked, they run about twenty bucks apiece, and you'd need at least fifty for a job this big. Which also means multiple firings, probably in an electric kiln, for consistency, and my 12-sided electric kiln is really the wrong shape for efficiently packing 6" square tiles.
3. And another thing: I don't do stencils, decals, or other mechanical reproductions. I hand-paint all my work. 500 paintings--more, actually, to account for firing loss--I shiver even thinking about it. Also? Quite honestly, they can't afford me.
If this had showed up on my doorstep 20 years ago... honestly, I probably would have still turned it down. The only way to handle this project would be to hire help, buy equipment, and go aggressively after more of this business. Become another Slippery Bank Pottery, a little factory where the potter is the face of the business, but most of the work is done by the staff while he's away selling at trade shows.
I probably have enough business experience at this point to make that happen, but why would I? It doesn't sound interesting, doesn't sound fun, and even if it were profitable, that's not enough of a draw. I'm doing fine right now, selling much of what I make, turning down wholesale offers so I can stay a friendly little one-man pottery.