What do you do will all the pieces you make?

So, you’ve made all the things! Now what do you do with them?!?!?!? Selling, not selling, and donating? It’s a lot to consider.

Do you want to sell? If so, how do you price it? If you don’t want to sell, what do you do with everything you make? I can only speak from my experiences so far. Pricing is a topic discussed over and over again in the art world and not just for beginners. Experienced artists can also struggle with pricing but they have the knowledge of the past to help guide them. You’ll make mistakes, that’s inevitable and that’s ok. Just learn from them. We’ll get to pricing another day. It’s a whole post of its own!

When do you start selling? I knew that I would have to do something with what I was making. Full disclosure, I do fall in love with many of my pieces. I suppose each one is a little part of me. Almost everything I make has a little story. I realize I can’t fill my whole house with everything I make, lol. I mean I could but I would have no space and I would rather have other people enjoy it as well. I love opening the cupboard to see/use a bowl or mug that I’ve made. Or in my work area I have some of my creatures and critters to look at. It always puts a smile on my face after a tough call.  

I started sharing some of my pieces on my Facebook page. Mostly because I was excited about a piece I was making or a piece that was just finished. I love sharing before it’s glazed because let’s face it, glaze can make or break a beautiful piece. People started asking if they could buy a specific piece or asking if I sold my work, did commissions, etc. In the beginning I wasn’t very comfortable selling anything. So, I didn’t.

I think there is a certain level of responsibility to make sure your product is safe for the public and yourself! In that I mean testing your pieces for absorption, making sure the piece is vitrified (so your mug/bowl doesn’t leak) and making sure your glazes are food safe, etc. It's also ok to tell people that you can’t do x, y and z at this time. I know that if you plan on selling you feel like you are turning away a potential buyer but honestly, they appreciate you being up front and honest.

 If you feel like it’s something you’d do in the future you can let them know. I began a list of things people had requested. I’m happy to say every now and then I can knock something off the list hanging in the studio. I’m the type of person who probably gives too much info but I say if you have no expectations of time, I’ll will get to it eventually but it might be a while. If they say that’s ok, I put them on the list. I just feel like the people who are truly interested will still potentially reach out in the future if they do like your work.

The worst thing that happens is you make a piece and the person no longer wants it. Ok, kind of a bummer depending on the time and effort but at the end of the day, you know that’s an awesome piece. You can give it away or sell it to someone else! I guess I wouldn’t make something extremely time consuming without contacting the person first to see if they are still interested.

Timing is everything but with clay you can’t rush it. Well, you can but the process can be painful and potentially very costly. I think what is hard for me to convey is that I am a hobby potter. I do not fire at a community studio. That can be great by the way! You make the pieces; drop them off, they fire and you pick them up as soon as they are ready.

I fire at my home. That means that I have to produce enough pieces to successfully fire a kiln load. With cost I wouldn’t fire just one shelf and for so many reasons. I’m also extremely careful because I need to respect the process. If you have any extra moisture in your clay when you fire it, it will explode like a mini bomb in your kiln and can cause a lot of lost work and potential kiln damage.

If you DON’T want to sell here are some ideas:

·        Give away your pieces! Pass them on to friends and family. Gifting things can be really fun!

·        Donating to a place like a local nonprofit. There is a thrift store in my area that works with adults with disabilities to teach social/emotional skills and transferable employment skills in a retail environment. They offer clothing, accessories, household goods, furniture, etc. I’ve shopped there and I feel good that’s it’s going to a local company.

·        Donating to a silent auction. Find a local cause or group. You can always reach out and see if they need items for a silent auction.  If you aren’t sure what to donate, I would just ask what they may be interested in. It’s a great way to give to the cause that you support and care about.

·        Giveaways. I suppose if you are trying to be an influencer you could do social media giveaways. We see this sort of thing all the time. You usually have to like, subscribe and share content to qualify. Then you do a drawing and ship said piece to the winner. Personally, right now that’s not my thing. I have also recently seen artists leave pieces in public spaces that have a note that basically says free art with a small description. Very cool concept.

·        Any other ideas?!?!? Please comment on this post! I’d love to hear what people do with their pottery.

I should say this because I think it is really important. You do NOT have to monetize your hobby. You really don’t, you can just make and enjoy. Most of us can’t really afford to do that and that is why we end up selling. That’s why I’m selling, selling so I can make more!

I’m going to do another post about selling and pricing. I have ADD and this post is long enough for me, LOL. Have a great day and happy potting if you play with clay today!