I dreamt last night that it was day one of my pottery classes at Cornell and I had my plan, but everything was going wrong and everybody was chaotic, esp. Denis who was taking the class. YES, that Denis.
So, looking at the cups above, when others are thinking Santas and the rest, I am thinking piggy and experiments. I have made piggy banks for about 20 years. I have put wee little pigs onto mugs for about 10 years. BUT, I am working on some ideas here, like a circular loop handle with zig zags etched on AND to make this sort of foot. How do I describe the foot here? I wanted to whack the bottom of the cup then add a foot in that recess.
I can explain something to you now that Christmas is past, as I explained this to Farmer's wife who owondered why I didn't make Santas and ornaments all season long (I made some, but didn't post it here). I find that as a self-employed person what keeps me excited, happy and hard working every day is variety. I am fortunate not to be a wage slave in China or India, and what I do every day and every hour varies, and I can follow my ideas, like a zebra mug in December. People joked about it and I noticed indeed, where were the Santas? Where were the ornaments? I am making some (for next year!!!!!) and I do have ideas for Santa mugs and such that I havn't gotten to yet, and in years past I have made and sold cute snowman candle holders and such. But I find that if I am busy with a lot of ideas, and I always am, I have a hard time with repetition. Sort of like it is easy to make 30 different items in one day, but feels like back breaking work to make 10 of the same. So what I tend to do is make seasonal stuff all year long, and maybe never enough. I just probably would have gone nuts if I got into a lot of Christmas stuff this fall--because then people would have asked for it and more and more, when I wanted to just make a variety instead, and all of it sold well. I am more in the mood NOW to make Christmas stuff than I was a month ago-----because now the pressure is off
(pottery by Gary Rith)
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13 comments:
Apparently, you didn't need Santas to help sell your stuff! ;-) That's a good thing.
Way to not fall prey to the masses of marketing (and me) LOL!
I'm waiting to see that new foot thingie!
Variety is what keeps me going at work as well, Gary. In five years, I haven't had teh same day twice. Repetition = tedious.
Hmm ... Piggies with Santa hats? A sleigh pulled by 8 tiny piggies?
I was thinking the same thing as Gordo. Piggies with reindeer horns? And one with a red cork nose?
well, those feet up there on the bottoms of the cups--this was a windy post for me, need to put up something fluffy and stupid to make up for it....
I really like the feet on the cups, Gary. I also like the sleekness of the cup on the left. Sharp. Classy.
Nah, wonderful stuff, both your posts and your pots, etc. I was thinking how very clever you are to NOT make hundreds of any of these charmingly delightful creations of yours, and plan on instructing my heirs as to the prospective increase in value of the Gary Rith creations they will one day be inheriting! And my eldest son very cleverly gifted me for Christmas with a small table I'm now using to display my G. Rith creations! I'll try to get 'em to take a picture or two to share with you, as well.
Re: denis - would you like me to slap him for you?
Now I feel a little guilty about all those plates and bowls!
I adore my little piggy ornament, and those tiny piggy banks in the pic above are too cute for words.
Gary, you can just call it all an artist's prerogative to do what you like!
The magic words are--
Are you listening?
closely?
paying attention?
LIMITED EDITIONS
I am sooooo relating to your discourse on repetition. It's just no fun. At all. Might as well go back to work in the widget factory.... Hey, I just took a good look at the feet on these mugs. LIKE THEM A LOT!
How wonderful that you can do it your way. One of the things that appeals to me about teaching is that every day is different.
Your pigs are pretty sweet too! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
I like the little feet on the mugs.
and the zebra one is hilarious.
I totally get that. The repetition would drive me nuts too.
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