So where were we? Ah yes, we were halfway through the big government order and pushing to get it done…..we did! Here is the photographic proof.
120 assorted plates, platters, and bowls in Mountain mist with wild rose glaze, ready to be packed up and picked up. At noon on Friday the client arrived and took delivery. He seemed very happy and later in the day we got a phone call to confirm that fact. Sometimes you can push and succeed!
We did use the new 16 cu ft kiln again and decided it had to go away. Major brick and lid problems. The hypothesis is it got dropped somewhere in transit. Shimpo is taking it back.
The next week we worked at getting the VIP bowls ready for the Win House Empty Bowls fund raiser. We bisqued them all, after finally getting signatures on most of them, and then glazed them in the Mountain Mist with Wild Rose glaze pattern that is proving so popular. We also glazed an order of mugs to ship out to Lake Louise and we shipped some internet orders.
The big luncheon at Sutton House was a success for Win House. The silent auction brought in around $6000, with $900 of the total coming from the VIP bowls and a large serving bowl we donated. We were listed as a major sponsor in the program and got numerous mentions during the course of the event. The big news though was that $900 we raised for the Women’s Shelter. Although there were several “name” potters in the auction, our large bowl brought the biggest price. We felt very good about the whole thing and we will do it again if we are able. Here is the big bowl on the bid table.
Here are the three tables featuring the VIP bowls:
The mayor’s two bowls brought the biggest price one for $100 and one for $70!
So that brings us up to date. We continue to make pottery in the studio to fill the orders from the August wholesale show. Images of Canada has reordered Belly Mugs, and we continue to get internet orders. We are even getting some walk in purchases and have been doing some custom firing. Now if we only didnt have to pay rent and utilities life would be good!
I read today where the Pfaltzgraf Company in the US has been bought by Lifetime Brands. They bought the name, the stock, the intellectual property rights, but not the factory. The oldest producing pottery company in the United States is now going to be an outlet for Chinese tableware. Bottom line drives another company under. The problem as we see it is no one gives a hoot about buying American made or Canadian made goods anymore or hand crafted quality. No one seems to care that a factory in a foreign country with people working for menial wages with questionable materials and production methods are taking the food off their neighbour’s tables. The WalMarting of North America and the world continues to steamroller art, craft, and quality to sell crap for a lower and lower price.
One of our contacts in California mentioned that in the 1970s there were around 600 potteries in the state of California alone. Now there are 25.
If this trend continues, soon everyone will have their genuine Chinese imitation stoneware Americana and Canadiana pots and furniture and clothes, and cars, and can sit around on their imported imitation furniture wondering what ever happened to all the Craftspeople. They sure don’t make it like they used to.
nite