Take The Plunge - Graeme Smith - Bog

1. Think outside the square!You've probably heard statements like 'thinking outside the square'?I write on the assumption that most readers are painters.But I have had one or two potters, subscribe to the newsletter I write.The potters were looking for new ideas.They could get information from within potting circles.There's more of a chance of a breakthrough if a search is made elsewhere.That's thinking outside the square.To get something really useful the potter will need to translate what is written.So it becomes something that suits their own situation.We all translate what is read into something useful or nothing happens.I remember reading, quite a long time ago, about Picasso.He decided that he'd like to work with clay and sought out some potters.All were keen to demonstrate to the famous artist what to do and techniques.Picasso would have none of this.He shut himself in a shed for a week or so.When he re-appeared the potters were amazed.He developed new ways of working with clay and created new forms.They could only have come about through Picasso's unique vision.He did not want to be side-tracked by working in the way of others.Before he'd had a chance to develop his own approach.He was really stepping outside the (ceramic) square.Picasso made discoveries that were unlikely had this not been done.Let's stay with the potting idea a bit more.Because clay can be turned on a wheel it's possible to make similar pieces.Selling similar pieces is a common problem for potters, but not painters.But reproduction prints are a parallel.Many potters produce two lines, production pieces and one-off works.Production pieces are often utilitarian, such as mugs, cups, saucers or jugs.They're "bread and butter‟ for a potter, and most time is spent making them.Many are the same so it's possible to make them quickly in large quantities.This is of course essential as they're mostly sold for quite low prices.The more creative work is the artistic output of the potter.This takes less total time, but considerably more than a production piece.These "one-off‟ items are also more highly priced.Some potters' artistic work is sought after and they sell in galleries like artists.In my gallery-owing days, I promoted painters, but had one potter.In his case in my gallery, the one-offs easily outsold the production pieces.We only sold a few of the production pieces, and they were always cheap.With one potter my experience is limited and may not apply elsewhere.This suggests a potter have different outlets for different kinds of work.Production pieces at places where there was a likelihood of many sales.Tourist resorts, shopping centres, markets, where many people congregate.One-offs at prestige locations with exclusiveness, status and higher price.Perhaps potters do this but artists can do the same as well!Have production artworks and your creative works too, just like the potter.There are well-known and successful artists who've gone down this pathway.They're looked down on for this, but they are laughing all the way to the bank.Recently I met a printmaker, whom I hadn't seen for several years.He is technically superb and images complex and charged with symbolism.He is very serious about his art and "making it‟ critically.In fact he has already achieved quite a deal in this regard.So I naturally asked him how his career was progressing.He's still doing the style of work I knew as in the previous paragraph.But he and a friend have been producing prints for sale to hotels and motels.They're quick and easy to make, sold cheaply AND he finds them fun to do.An aspect of this is the artist and friend; often collaborate on the same work.They use a nom-de-plume so there's no worry about who actually did a work.This also means there are no repercussions where his normal work is sold.