Getting ready for On and Off

The clock is running and I'm chasing it. I see my studio tour in the near future.  On and Off Fredericksburg Road Studio Tour. Mark your calendars for February 18th and 19th. Last year was my first year on the tour and I hardly knew anyone. Now I've got friends up and down the road. I'm excited to see how many have jumped on board. The tour allows the public to come to your studio and see your work and go home with an original piece of work.  Last year I had just my studio open to the public. I'm planning to use my living room and dining room as my display area. Ceramics need to be seen in a real world situation. I'll have a "discount" section. I'm thinking of creating an "Arty Party" for those two days. I better start working on pottery and less on fibers!

San Antonio Clay Festival and Sale

I am excited to be participating in San Antonio Potters Guild annual sale. It is called San Anton Clay Festival and Sale. I will be sharing a booth with Taaffe Caton. There will be 25+ potters from around San Antonio at the Pear Brewery open market. The Guild is excited by the prospect of increase foot traffic from the Saturday open market. This will be the third time I have participated in the Guild's annual sale. This I will be able to do credit card sales!

New Sawdust Kiln

I made another attempt at building a sawdust kiln. I will try it out on Monday

Working and working

I am back at school. Two weeks of trying to do classwork during the day and artwork during the night. I really need to create a schedule. I can't work on art every night. I went through my calendar and saw how much work I need to do for each and every show. The biggest event I have coming is San Antonio Clay Festival. I need to produce some high quality work for that event. I also have little events in between. I'm grateful for all the people who have asked me to participate in their events. Very different from last year. I next goal is Friday September 9th on St. Mary's Strip. Third month at El Milagrito. I hope things go well.

Busy morning

I have to say having deadlines can keep a person busy. I have an art show next weekend. I need to deliver new work tomorrow. Labor Day weekend also has a show I'm participating in. This too will needs new work. So today I decided to build the sawdust kiln I've been thinking about. It is based on the idea of the downdraft barrel kiln I used this summer at Southwest School of Art. Only I wanted to use my kiln brick.

Found an old furnace base and used it as my platform. I suppose I could have made it bigger off the concrete, but I kind of liked the idea so I'm trying it. I used kiln shelves and built the walls using kiln brick from my pit fire box. I felt a bit like the Egyptians when they stole brick from the pyramids to build there homes.

I'll fire it up tomorrow to see if it works. I tried using clay I got from a brick yard to help seal up the chimney area. It probably will flake off. But who knows?

Yesterday I presented to the Potters Guild what I learned from the Alternative Firing Techniques class I took at Southwest School of Art. I received a scholarship for the class through the Guild. Taking this class allowed to learn so much this summer. The class conducted different types of raku: Horse Hair, traditional raku and naked raku. We did a saggar and downdraft barrel firings. Each created unique surface textures. I began using porcelain clay for the first time. Saggar and barrel firings created similar results from my pit fires. Barrel is so much easier!

I also took a wheel throwing class. Things finally started to click at creating the form. I'm throwing more upright to help save my back. I am pleased with the forms I got in porcelain.

Selling

Last night I was with "SA Artists" at Woodlawn and St. Marys. This is a meet up group that got together to sell work. This was the second time we met, and had twice as many artists at this location. No one really made any money last night. It is always a disappointment when I don't sell something. But...


I think this will work out in the end. Just in most relationships in business or personal, there is that awkward time. Each time I show in these mobile selling situations, I try learn as much as I can. Most have similar problems. Each time I work through them. Here are a few:

• Quick set up. I no longer bring a table. I use a wooden portable shelves I made earlier this month. 4 Shelves and it folds up.
• Pricing. Currently I price depending on the situation. I maybe pricing too low. This is something I need to work through better.
• Connections: Lately I'm being asked to show at future craft shows. I'm not seeking them out (although I need a few more BIG ones). I'm getting a few repeat customers too.
• Packing up work. I pull work from my shelves for each show instead of keeping them in the boxes. It keeps me aware of what I have and what I need to make.
  

My new car has been a real trooper. I'm able to fit quite a bit it. I do need to find similar sized plastic boxes that will be easily packed and stacked. Once I get a canopy I'll need to use my space in the car better.

My next official show is at La Gallaria Balleza on August 27th. I may take some stuff to school for a bit of pocket money.