As of late ...

Where, oh where, have I been, o blog?

At the studio:
I had been subletting part of my studio (hence the crowded busy mess) for the past few months to a former summer intern of mine while she prepared for an exhibition here in Vancouver, so things at the studio got pretty crazy crowded especially in the last month or so.  Lots of work was made in this 340 sq ft space.  So much work, so little space, but it all got made (more or less!) and fired and Kelly's show has been a near sell-out so I'm so pleased she was able to have a place to make. 

As for the work that I make, I sent off about 5 early spring orders to shops and galleries, and am on another 3 that are estimated to be finished later this month and into May.  My online sales have tapered off after I scrambled to keep up with teapot sales when my teapot was featured in Bon Appetit magazine.  It's always a bit hard to predict how busy one will get with features.  It feels really hit and miss these days so I try to keep my expectations pretty low-key and feel really blessed when something does turn into a sale after being featured.  Anyone else feel the same way?

The website is getting an overhaul!  Still in the initial stages, but I met with my friend and graphic designer, Tyler Payne a week ago and we got the ball rolling.  It's hard to imagine that in 2007, we sat down to design my current site with my concept of what 'dahlhaus' would be, and 1 round of photography from work I made with the launch of dahlhaus in mind.  So much has changed online in the last 6 years- how people use websites, what devices they are using to look stuff up online, and also the function of websites has really changed over the last few years.  Initially we designed my website as a portfolio and now people have come to expect to be able to purchase the work from images that they see on a website, so it will have a shop focus, with a link to my portfolio.  I'm really looking forward to a fresh look so stay tuned!!

Work/life balance, anyone?  I think when you work for yourself, and you do something you truly do enjoy doing, a person can get really busy and wrapped up in making pretty much all the time.  Or instagramming, twittering,  facebooking, emailing, texting, pinteresting, and, oh, yeah, blogging.  It's gotten a bit much and I was really starting to crave some real face-time with other artists, makers, friends and family, instead of just slaving away in the studio or being online.  It's been really good to connect for real and there are still a few people I've been meaning to see.  On that front, it has also been somewhat comforting to know that I'm not alone in some of the struggles I face as a full-time maker.  There are a lot of us in the same boat, all trying to sort out a way to create viable and sustainable small businesses based on our creative endeavors and talents.  It's not as easy as it sounds.

So I probably won't be here much in the next month or so, just piping in to let you know about a few up-coming events that will be happening in May.  We are in open house mode at our house where our landlord is currently selling our place.  We've been here for the past 7 years, so it has felt very much like home to us.  It will be hard to leave, but we have had a good run of this house as renters.  Can't complain too much.

Gnomes in the neighbour's yard

 I imagine these little guys looking up at my elderly neighbour on the balcony, cheering her on!  She fell a few weeks ago and mildly chipped a hip bone- thank goodness it was a soft grassy landing. 

***

 Thank you for the feedback on my previous post on Craft Fairs!  Maybe it's just me, but I wonder whether there's been a bit of over-saturation in the 'craft show' department.  From my perspective, craft show organizers jumped on the band-wagon and just let nearly everything and anything into their shows over the past few years, not really doing the kind of curating that perhaps really needed to be done to make sure that everything in the show represented the best of. 

Perhaps too, the larger craft shows that have existed for a few decades have started to feel like a mall for those of us who are used to going to more intimate, smaller shows.  This was one of the reasons I had decided not to participate in the One of a Kind Show at Christmas- I just felt as though it was over-whelming people- this massive trade show style building with no natural light and no character.  It hardly seems in line with the slow craft movement.

It's also interesting to hear a little feedback on pricing.   There are a lot of great articles for craft/art people on how to price one's work.  Personally, I have always felt that the assumed value of ceramics was low compared to other art mediums.  Factor in the time spent to learn the craft of ceramics (years in school + workshops + community center courses + years of professional practice- for me this adds up to 18 years), include the time it takes me to turn around a full kiln-load of new work (2 weeks to make the wet work, 1 week to dry out and bisque, 1 week to glaze/glaze fire), plus add the cost of supplies, the cost of renting a studio, the cost of hiring occasional help to up-date the website/photograph the work/be a summer studio intern/make my production molds, plus the cost of the kilns, the cost of doing shows/travel to do shows, plus the biggest cost of all: wholesale, where the shop takes 50% of the retail price and now my $40 mug is actually only a $20 mug that I have to pay all those things with.  Not to mention bank/internet fees, business licenses and shipping/packaging costs, which always seem to ring in a little more then what I charge.  Did I mention that I like to pay myself sometimes?  Interestingly enough, I very rarely have extra stock- especially mugs in the studio- they sell out faster then I can make them.

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!

green to yellow

I'm trying to get myself geared up for my 2 up-coming shows, and I must admit that it's hard to think about Christmas and holidays with this kind of weather. We are probably due in for a bunch of rain soon, but in the meantime, it's been lovely during the days, colder at night, with only a hint of frost.  The apples are starting to turn sweet, and we are going to have to get a hold of some more soon. 

I always find that fall feels like a good time to hash out new designs and ideas that have been stirring while all the other production has been going on.  Although this year my designs are getting more complicated and less efficient in the glazing department.  Glazing a kiln-load of work is taking me a whole week, when it used to take about 3 days, partly because I'm working through design ideas, but also because my process is just that- slow.  This does not bode well for me when it comes to wholesale orders.  I feel the pressure of needing to get the work out faster and smarter, and even cheaper.  It's an interesting thing to think through- how much wholesale (ie double the amount of work) can my business sustain.  I'm sure there are some good formulas out there for how much direct sales/wholesale/e-sales is a good mix- it would be interesting to know what that should look like. I guess finding the 'perfect formula' is somewhat subjective, but it would be at least nice to know.

Walking the Line: thoughts on creating a Line Sheet

Ok so I'm going to start this post by saying that in no way am I an expert in creating a Line Sheet.  'A line sheet?', you might ask?   Yes, you know, a line sheet.  Not a sheet with lines on it, a sheet with your Lines on it.   Your Lines of ceramics, or cards, or knitted things, or silk-screened t-shirts, or hand-bags or jewelry... you know.  The Line Sheet you send to shops and retailers who are interested in carrying your work for wholesale.

(Insert footnote here:  There is a difference (I feel) between Galleries and Shops.  Most Galleries don't need Line Sheets to have your work in their Gallery. They might just contact you a few times a year and say we need a bunch of mugs and a couple of Teapots, some bowls.  You invoice them or it's consignment and you get a cheque a month later.  Shops and boutiques are essentially retailers.  There are some great independent shops out there that carry a variety of handmade work as well as perhaps manufactured products.  They are used to ordering through a Line Sheet.  If you make work that fits in with their aesthetic, they may want to see your Line Sheet.  This is how I came to have to make my own Line Sheet.  End note)

There is a lot of information that they don't tell you at art school about the actual business of making and selling your craft.  I've read a number of books about starting up a craft-based business, but feel as though Line Sheets were one thing that wasn't really covered.  I started asking around the studio building- hey, do you have a Line Sheet?  What's on it?  And most of the responses I got were a little vague, and, in fact, no one was really willing to show me their actual Line Sheet, which had me a little confused about the whole subject.  So needless to say, I've gone and done a little research, feel that I've made some pretty big mistakes in the process, probably turned away a few shops and shop owners because of my lack of knowledge and professionalism on this one, but perhaps could help you or even you could help me sort out the whole Line Sheet phenomenon. 

Now maybe you think I am over-complicating something that's quite basic.  Perhaps if I'd had a background in retail I would really know what I'm doing in this department.  But, if you're like me, and you've been in the Art sector or have worked in Social Work, or in Education, or were an Apple Picker, and merely spent 5 dreadful months working at a jeans and work wear store, you will not really know what the hello a Line Sheet is supposed to clarify for a potential shop owner.

A Line Sheet is quite simply a list of the items you wish to wholesale, the prices (wholesale and possibly suggested retail) that each item is, and a description of size/colour/materials.  In addition to the Line Sheet you would need to include your ordering information such as your wholesale order minimum, the shipping and handling costs that might be on top of the order cost, your 'lead time'- estimation of time to make the work, and any other considerations the shop might have before they order from you- ie, your item is hand-made and so some variation within the 'Lines' may occur.  There might be a few more things here worth noting, but for the moment, I believe that's a pretty big chunk to swallow.

The complication in making a Line Sheet that works for the shop owner is that you have to leave out all the guess work.  This is where I made most of my mistakes- it often felt like too much work to create an actual page full of images of each piece that I was prepared to wholesale and I merely wrote down a list of items with meager descriptions expecting the shop owner to go back to my website and sort through which piece fit with which description.  Not that I got any feedback from shop owners about this, but I sort of figured out after a few seemingly good-fitting shops didn't end up ordering from me after their first email of "I love your work and think it would make a great fit for my shop!".   Essentially, what you don't have time for as an independent artist and maker is also what a shop or gallery owner doesn't have time for either.  However, in this case, your the one that loses out.  Instead of the general public being your customer, the shop owner is your customer.  Just as you don't want your booth at a craft show looking shoddy, your Line Sheet is intended to 'sell' your work and get a potential shop owner excited about selling your work in his/her shop. 

Now I must say here, that people out there a little more business savvy than I would also include product number codes, and ordering sheets with style codes, amounts, and prices so that a shop owner can be checking off boxes while they are browsing your Line Sheet.  This feels a little to 'product-ish' for me.  I know that may not make sense, but as someone who makes everything with my 2 hands, by hand, I'm not super-keen on the whole 'code' idea.  The Line Sheet in itself is a bit of a stretch.  I mean, there is really a limited amount of this work I want to produce over and over again before moving onto other ideas.  Which is why it's good to up-date one's Line Sheet. Some would say seasonally, but for myself, I would say yearly.

Last, but not least, it might be a good idea to put in a plug for order minimums.  Look at the pieces you wish to wholesale.  Are they worth wholesaling to the shop owner and to you- are you both benefiting enough from the sale of your work?  What is the price range (lowest-highest) of your items?  How much of those items for wholesale dollars would fill what you would expect a shop owner would want in their store at one time.  Most shops I know are fairly small. They may not want everything in every Line that you make.  They may also want to sell your work quite fast so that their displays are always rotating and changing to catch their customers' eye.  Have your minimum order not be too high so that they feel like they have to order everything on the list in order to fill that.  For example, my minimum order is $250.  But yours might be $400.  It really depends what you make and what the average price of your work is.  I'm sure there is an equation out there somewhere for the math inclined.

So let me know what you think- perhaps I've missed something here! As an independent artist/maker, I feel that the best way for me to actually make a living doing what I love to do, means that I have to have a few different ways to sell my work.  Whether that be doing shows, selling through shops and Galleries, selling online, or even doing studio sales, all of those things together are what could carry me from January through to the rest of the year.  Perhaps one day I'll just be able to do one of those and make a living, but for now, I guess I'm willing to give it all a go to see what will work best.

Ceramic career path for the directionally challenged

I've had a number of chats with my studio assistant about career directions in Ceramics.  She's entering her last year for her undergrad with a major in ceramics and has had the summer seeing me at work to think about what might come after school for her.  Of course this has meant that I've had a few critiques about the route I've taken.  I don't mind, I remember being at Art School and being critical of artists and makers that were making a go of it.  It's hard not to have an opinion about what someone else is doing when you are thinking really about how you want to do something.

So I've been occasionally thinking about which direction I've taken in clay, what kind of work I make and what kind of work I might make if my direction would change.  Lots has changed for me since I first embarked on this venture of 'making a living making pots'.  I no longer have the initial desperation that I first had about applying for shows that I once did.  I no longer feel like I have to prove my work to anyone, be it clients or galleries or peers. Without those initial drivers that seemed to plot a course for me, I've been asking myself which route I might take.

I guess I feel as though navigating one's way through a career as an artist, or specifically a ceramic artists, is confusing and at times difficult.  It's like a 'choose your own adventure' book with a number of different outcomes, none actually guaranteeing that you will be able to make a living at making pots.  Sometimes I feel like I'm directionally challenged.   Which adventure do I want to take?  The production potter adventure or the one of a kind adventure?  Selling directly to my customer base or selling through a gallery or shop? Selling consignment or wholesale? Custom orders?  Get my Masters and teach?  Do I think like a business woman or like an artist?  Should I make more work, up my sales, raise my prices to finally pay myself a decent wage?

I know that it takes a number of decisions within this to make a go of it.  Nearly every day I get to make a decision about it and frankly, at the moment I'm just glad to be on that road.  The road where I get to choose my own adventure...

It's Tuesday!

April is flying by and I finally got a hold of those photos I took over the Easter weekend that we had lost on my sister's computer!  I had really wanted to share some of them on my blog, so I'll be posting a few in the coming days. 

A little link love for starters... Maria from Hold has an interview on Scout Magazine and she was kind enough to do a little mention of my blog at the end of her interview! You can check out Maria's felted bowls on her Etsy shop- I featured her work on my blog when she first set it up!  I'm looking forward to meeting Maria in person at the Blim Community Market this Sunday (11-4 at Heritage Hall).  Always great to put a face to a name!

On a business note, I finally filed my taxes for 2009.  As a 'small business owner' filing taxes can be a challenge. I think the most frustrating part of the book-keeping end of things is figuring out which expenses go under which category on the actual tax form and sorting out what my 'cost of goods sold' really is.  I'm not really a numbers kind of gal and to try to sort out roughly the cost of the material and the cost of selling an item... well let's just say I get a little dizzy thinking about those things.  Every year when I do all the math I get a bit depressed.  I know that it's best for me to pay as little tax as possible, however it is hard not to let the after-expenses take-home amount get to me. I've been reminded though that at least the number wasn't in the minus. Hmmm.

With that positive frame of mind, I will say that my Canadian House & Home feature has been a great way to re-connect with people I haven't been in touch with in YEARS!  It's amazing how every few days I get an email or even a letter or phone call from an old friend who saw me in the magazine and wanted to say hi again!  It's brought me back to remembering why I do what I do and how my original concept of connection in art and life has come full circle.  I think originally I felt as though I was the one reaching out to connect the two, now it's the other way around.  I'm very thank full to still be on this journey of making work. It's a labour of love, that's for sure! 

Wild Ride

The wild ride of the Olympics is now over.  It's been years in planning and anticipation, and while it has been fun and exciting, I'm kind of glad it's over.  I know we have the Paralympics yet to come but we are nearing the return of our city back to 'normal'.
Today I'm working on my tax stuff.  I'm not much for accounting and book-keeping and it's a little disturbing to add up the monthly expenses at the end of the year and realize how much certain things have been costing.  I keep wondering how to improve on my 'profit' rate so I can pay myself regularly.  I have theories about attempting to cut some of my expenses down, possibly raise some of my prices, limit my wholesale and only doing shows that have trusted track records for good sales.  All in all I am realizing that I have to produce a lot more work in the meantime and again have been looking at ways that could be possible.   Business advice would come in handy about now...

The Pumpkin Patch Economy

We had a great weekend in Vernon BC this past week visiting great friends and the highlight of our trip was going to the Davison Family Farm to pick pumpkins and buy fresh apples and pears. We picked the best day to go with the weather glorious and fall-like and, as you can see by the pictures, we even tried to squeek in some family photos- which got a little crazy after about the 3rd shot. We tasted their fresh squeezed apple juice, had a hot apple donut made on site and thought about how a farm like this one, owned and operated for almost a century by the Davison family, has re-invented themselves so they could stay alive and well all these years. The tractor ride with old apple crates as a train buggy drove everyone through the orchard to the pumpkin patch- for $3 a person, $6 if you picked a pumpkin too. With old grandpa Davison driving the tractor, and a line of 6 apple crates holding 4 people each, we figured they were probably making roughly over $100 a ride up to the pumpkin patch. Every 15 minutes from 10:15-5pm, well, you do the math, not too shabby for grandpa Davison.
Well, all I can say is that when you see a local place like that hopping full of people on a saturday, enjoying what the locals have to offer, all this global economy stuff feels a little far off in la-la land. I know it's going to affect the little guys- that being me as well. I've already had people reconsider their Christmas orders because they have more to consider economically. I can appreciate that. I believe in meaningful giving- not necessarily giving more, but giving well. Hand-made and local always means more to me- I appreciate the thought and care that goes into something made by hand as opposed to something mass produced. I can only hope others can appreciate that as much as I do.