thoughts on the Studio Magazine article, working with large retailers, and 'craft' becoming mainstream

Back when I was in art school I had a favourite inspiration go-to book in the school library- it was an Arts and Crafts Movement book - I think it's the same as this Phiadon book, but it had a different cover back when I was looking at it, so it's hard to tell.  The book was literally filled with drawings of designs for teapots, mugs, textiles, rugs, china patterns, and glassware from this period.  While I was preparing for my talk at the Gardiner Museum in June I found these slides I had taken from portions of the book as a reminder of how much I had been inspired by the drawings of designers from this period.  I can't help but think of this book and these drawings when I see Molly Hatch's work, especially the teacups from the Mimesis Series.  I absolutely love how she drew teacups from this period onto a simple wheel-thrown mug.  I just had to buy one- a real one, hand-thrown, mishima incised and hand-painted, by Molly herself.  Imagine my surprise when I saw her designed version available in Anthropologie Stores a few months later, just as I had finished and was about to ship off my very large 450 vase Anthropologie order!

Which leads me to the article that was recently written in Studio Magazine, an Ontario Crafts Council publication geared towards professional crafts people within Canada.  I was approached to be included (along with a couple of other amazing artists) in an article about Anthropologie buying Craft and agreed to share part of my experience of filling a couple of small orders (the article says 1 small order, but it was 2), and then a really large order of 450 vases for them last year.  The premise for the article came out of a curiousness about what happens when a retailer gets behind a craft aesthetic, both by purchasing directly from artists and designers, or from creating designs in collaboration with an artist.  I think more opportunities have opened up to work with retailers over the past few years then perhaps previously, and while I myself have jumped on this band-wagon, I also recognize that it's a hard path to navigate as it's relatively new territory.  As artists we understand the role and commitment a gallery plays in our career, but the role of retail is something entirely different.  Many artists and makers that I talk to are wondering whether working with a retailer is right for them, and I guess I saw the article as an opportunity to explain a little bit about what's involved.

In the article I shared how the work load for an order of this size was really much larger then my studio of mostly myself can manage (although I did manage to do it!) and that, over the months it took me to fill the order, I didn't have the space or the ability to work on any other creative work.  I felt that it was important to share the reality of production when the work is created 'in house', as opposed to if the work was designed by an artist but produced over-seas.

 Since finishing the Anthropologie order last fall, I have had a lot of time to think through whether I would ever do an order like that again.  While I was really learning on the fly (ie steep learning curve!!), I very quickly realized that I am an artist and maker of small batches, not a ceramic manufacturer.  I have appreciated the ability of a retailer to promote my work the way Anthropologie did, but understand too well the limitations of my ability to produce a volume of work consistently for a retailer of that magnitude. While I have some misgivings and am frustrated by the lack of North American ceramic based manufacturing options for retailers, I would likely opt to design if this kind of opportunity ever came up again.

I think the article brings up some positives and negatives of retailers at large jumping on the 'craft bandwagon'.  It's not just Anthropologie who is working with artists and makers- there are many other large retailers doing the same.  I too have noticed terms like 'handmade', 'woven', 'knit', and 'hand-painted' being added to manufactured items as a way to add value and somehow increase sales based on the addition of a crafty term.  These are words that were once used by us as makers as a way to distinguish their work as being of more value (and thus more $) then manufactured items, but now everyone seems to be using these terms and it's become confusing to the average consumer.  Clearly hand made is a trend that is becoming more mainstream and we as professional makers aren't quite sure what to do with this kind of "success".  Sometimes I compare it to the rise of Skateboarding- which started out as really small sub-culture and then blew up into mainstream proportions.  A lot of hard-core skaters I know went underground when it all became so mainstream- that or just kept trying to do bigger and better tricks while they rode the wave of popularity.  Not to say that the hand-made movement is exactly the same, or that we have to have the same response, but just that I find it kind of interesting considering a few years ago someone made the comment about my work- that it was a 'bit too handmade looking', and now that's what everyone seems to be looking for.

Spotted: my mug in the West Elm Catalogue...

Since Vancouver doesn't have a West Elm (yet...) I made sure to visit the West Elm in Toronto.  It's always interesting who they have designing their ceramics- Michelle Michael of Elephant Ceramics has recently designed a line of vases for them that are quite lovely so I had wanted to see some in person.   And looky look, what I found in their catalogue...one of my mugs! Hmmm. Don't see any credit near by, just the details on that great yellow side table.

So what's going on here.  Yes, I'd like to know too.  Larger retailers are certainly jumping on the hand-made train.  And so should they!  Independent designers have a lot of creative appeal right now- we aren't at a desk all day with deadlines and bottom lines like many retail designers would be.  We make the work from scratch, designing as we make, and testing with many many kiln-loads of work before the work gets noticed.  Clearly retailers are starting to notice though. 

After my order with Anthropologie last summer I have to admit that I wasn't quite sure what the next step would be for me as far as working with a larger retailer.  My hands felt a bit tied (and tired!)- there was no way, with the current conditions, that I could take on a larger order then 450 vases.  But for a retailer with several stores and an online shop, this was a really small run.  The designing aspect seem like it would be promising, but on checking in with a few designers, the price of giving these designs over just doesn't add up, unless you produce multiple designs (ie give a wack load of work over to the retailer).  Factor in the whole idea that everything would be made in China and I feel like the whole point of my work would be lost.

The idea of controlling production either by outsourcing my work on my own or expanding my studio both have their pros and cons, but in the end, the financials just weren't matching up.  I think it's the whole idea of wholesale that kills this system.  There's a really good reason why there are very few (if any) ceramic manufacturers left in Canada and the US.  It's because the cost of production, labour, and rent are too high for wholesaling ceramics.  And in the end, retailers want to buy ceramics for cheap.  So we get used to buying ceramics for cheap and assume that it can be made cheaply.

One last little point to this rant.  I dropped off my work at the Gallery of BC Ceramics the other day and there is an amazing show of Salt-fired pottery going on.  I started looking around- it's a real 'potter's' show- only potters would understand what it means to stoke a wood-fire kiln for 40 hours, adding hand-chopped wood sometimes every 3 minutes to get the kiln to a cone 10 temperature.  Even if the work was fired in a gas kiln with salt introduced at just the right time, it's still a 12-14 hour firing schedule that needs constant attention from someone to turn up or down the gas dials just at the right time.  So this work was laboured over- seriously stunning work that these days, most people just don't quite understand.  And the prices!!! People, when the price of a jug is $60 and the gallery takes $30, it's not even paying for the cost of materials.  Maybe some potters can afford to make work for nothing, but I certainly can't.   And if the constant perception out there in the world is that making pottery is cheap? Oi. This is going to be a really hard run. 


***Incidentally, if you like the orange striped mug in the West Elm Catalogue, you might be able to find a few more over at the Curiousity Shoppe. I made a run of these mugs for a pop-up shop they did in San Fransisco last fall- which is likely where the West Elm stylists bought the mug, seeing as I haven't made the orange stripes since.  *update* apparently orange has sold out- guess I should make a few more;)!

dahlhaus at Anthropologie Vancouver

So I guess I was under the impression my vases have been in Anthropologie Stores all over North America since November.  I was wrong.  They only just arrived in December- so no, they are not sold out in Arizona like my friend was thinking because she couldn't find any when she went to check in November, they just hadn't arrived yet. 
I did manage to get to the Vancouver Anthropologie store yesterday to buy a present for my sister-in-law, so I took a few photos of their display.  So pretty! There is one lonely grey striped vase left from one of the first orders back in July (with the original $40 price on it! As opposed to the new price of $58 in Canadian stores and $48 in US stores...).  It took me an hour to do my shopping, much to Dean's dismay, but there really is so much to look at.  And really, a lot of lovely stuff including Molly Hatch's new dishes that she designed for Anthro, which I now want a whole set of.  But if you are looking for a little dahlhaus over the holidays- please do snatch up a vase or 2.  I'm a little in love with the yellow myself.

Hope you have a great weekend! Someone has a birthday here in our house, so he's wanting a bit of a party to celebrate, and then I'll be a bit sporatic with blogging next week.  All my studio work is finished for the year but my good friends at the Mergatroid building are having a last kick at the can studio sale on Saturday if you are in town and need a last minute gift.  It's from 11-6 on Saturday upstairs in the Mergatroid building (On the corner of Vernon Drive and Parker Street off of Venables and Clark in Vancouver).

OOAK Vancouver 2011

First off- THANK YOU to those of you who came and visited me at the One of a Kind Show Vancouver this year! I appreciate the support I've felt locally this year and am so grateful for how many people came by to visit my booth and purchase my pottery this year! Once again I'm ending the year with a pretty bare studio and the last bit of work that I do have will end up at the Gallery of BC Ceramics on Granville Island (so if you're in a pinch head over there) and there will probably be a bit to put online but not to arrive in time for Christmas. 

I'd also like to send out a big thank you to my good friend Kat who has been helping me out in the studio and at my shows on and off this fall! Kat comes from a fashion design and retail background and was able to help me pack and ship out the large Anthropologie order this fall.  She's oh so stylish around the studio and has a great laugh too.  Love her!

Otherwise it was amazing to meet some really talented people at the show.  I came home with some amazing work- a little art, some amazing jewelry from here and here, a great jacket and shirt while I coveted this jacket (so want it..)!  And of course, some pottery by the lovely April Gates!

Harper's Bazaar Gift Guide

It came to my attention this past weekend the my Striped Bottle Vases that are being sold through Anthropologie are part of Harper Bazaar's Stylish Gifts under $100 guide!  Although I'm not sure I would call them 'Retro Rose Holders', it's pretty exciting to see my hand-made all by me vases on their site beside all these big-name designers with made in china stuff.  CRAZY!!

Now available at Anthropologie

 Well it's kind of remarkable to see my work up on the Anthropologie website!  From start to finish this has taken months of work, with everything handmade by me in my little studio in Vancouver (huge sigh of relief that it's all done!!).
Besides my Striped Bottle Vases, there are 2 of my paintings available for purchase through the Anthropologie website!  It's exciting for me to see a new painting from this year, entitled 'Train Tower', along with one of my favourite paintings from a few years ago called 'Red Stairwells' on their site.  

Please do have a look on their site to check out the work.  The vases should be available at an Anthropologie store near you soon!

I'm ending the week on a positive note- I finally tackled a few more things that have been hanging over my head (namely accounting), and got caught up, thanks to help from a friend.  It was seriously a daunting task.  I know that this is something that's supposed to happen weekly or monthly, but sorting receipts has been the very last thing on my to do list, never to be crossed off.  And then it got out of hand.  Mounds and mounds of shipping receipts that I couldn't even imagine trying to record and sort through.  Mental block hit, and this last week I had the brainwave idea to get Kat to come in for help.  She helped me pack all the boxes to send to Anthropologie (they have arrived! not online yet) and she really is a wiz at being organized.   So, along with finishing up all my local shop orders, I feel as if I have a handle on things once again.  More or less, that is.  Until I realize that I don't actually have anything ready for my holiday shows... all in due time. 

I'll be in the studio this weekend with a bunch of 14 year old girls.  Our niece is celebrating her birthday and I offered for them to come to the studio while it's still bare, to do some making.  I have a feeling it's going to be full of laughs and giggles.

Have a great weekend!

Making sense of Anthropologie...

Is there anyone else out there that gets depressed when they look through the serving/kitchen section of the Anthropologie online shop?  Seriously- that mug is $12 Canadian? Are you sure about that? It looks pretty 'handmade' to me with that seam on the side, fired 3 times- 1 bisque, 1 glaze and 1 decal covering the entire exterior of the mug.  That's a whole lotta work... the mark-up on this stuff has to be at least 50% if not more- it is retail after all. So, let's say, to be generous, that whoever is actually making this mug is getting $6 a mug to cover for labour and supplies and the firings, not to mention all the overhead of actually running a business.  It says 'Imported'.  Hmmm... 
The bowl, looks like a steal at $14 but is also imported.  Then there's these vases- hand-made in a studio in New York by Potter Judy Jackson for $28-37.  So she's getting a maximum of $14-18.50 per vase to wheel-throw and glaze each one by hand?  I mean, this stuff is really lovely.  And cheap.  How is it possible?  Who is making the imported wares and how much are they getting paid?  This doesn't even account for the designer fees- someone had to design the mug or the bowl and get paid for that too. 

 

And then there are these bowls, designed by Australian ceramic artist Samantha Robinson (based on her award-winning watermelon bowl series- her work is beautiful- do check it out), that are made and glazed and decaled, by hand, out of porcelain- get this- in China (it says 'Imported' but if you read the 1 not-so-nice review, the person says they were made in China).  The smaller bowl is $598.00 and the large bowl is $168.00.  What?!? 

All this to say that I don't understand.  How some people are making money at this.  And other's obviously are not.  How one artist is getting (from my very speculative knowledge of this contract) $299 for a bowl she designed and another artist is getting $14 for one she designed and made by hand. And finally, how can a ceramic artist possibly compete with these prices?