Monday, September 26, 2011

beauty and function

That's the potter's dilemma...to be able to supply our homes with functional wares which are beautiful.  Lately I'm only supplying my own home.

So if nothing is sellling for me, I have to think why.  I won't lay all the cause upon economic marketplace reasons.  After all, other potters are making sales.

So I go back to my inner cause...that which is the only thing I really have any control over.  My own creative process.

Am I creating to sell?   Perhaps not.  I keep moving away from marketing mentality into "artistic" endeavors.

I could make more of the triple spiral labyrinths, as well as the Chartres Cathedral labyrinths.  I could start carving and painting the mountain scenery again on the sides of vases, or on tile forms.  I know these are things I can do.

But they aren't necessarily moving me forward into being a better artist.

So the question becomes, do I spend my time, my precious time that is limited in working in clay to only a certain number of hours, in making marketable items, or to stretching myself to do something that makes me feel wonderful, because I am trying to make something wonderful?

Yep, that's where I'm sitting right now.

What do you think?

2 comments:

  1. Why not do both. Dedicate a percentage of your time to things you love to make & things that make you money.

    Everyone needs to have balance.
    Balance doesn't always mean that 100% of the time - you get to make things "for arts sake."

    In my world I work my technology job so I can do my hobbies (jewelry, stained glass & pottery). That is my balance. If I every wanted to switch to doing more pottery - I would need to make some things that sell & and other things I make for me.

    Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh wise advisor...thanks so much for putting this into a simple division of time/labor. That is a very interesting way to approach my life. I'll give it a try. Let you know in a week how it works! OK?

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for making this a more personal connection by saying what you think. I'll post your comments for others to see soon!