For the sixth year now I will be having a Holiday Sale with Katy Adamson (Fused Glass) and Sandy Visse (Ceramic Sculpture), both of whom have been friends for nearly 20 years.  Needless to say, this is much more than a sale of our work (not to say that sales are unimportant) but a gathering of people who not only appreciate craft in general, but seem to appreciate our work in particular.  Friends, relatives, friends of relatives, long time customers,  people who have recently discovered our work, and curious neighbors are all welcomed (this year to Sandy’s studio) to share conversation and hopefully some Holiday cheer.  This year we have invited a jeweler and feltmaker to join us – the more the merrier.

Planning for the Studio Sales begins months in advance with choosing the dates, designing the postcard, setting the hours, and planning the food.  This latter issue always seems to take on special importance.  We have done the traditional cheese and crackers/cookies & coffee thing, but we do try to switch it up from time to time by offering small cups of soup or candied grapefruit peel and nuts.  This year we have secured an old fashioned popcorn machine with little, traditional red & white popcorn boxes.  Why all this effort you ask?  Because we want our friends, family & customers to know that we appreciate the fact that they took the time to come by.  I must admit that because of the economy sales were considerably down last year and we did have to consider whether or not we should continue.  The decision was made to carry on because we don’t really care if someone buys a $10 piece, a $100 piece or no work at all.  They fact that they continue to show up is the real thing.

In addition to all of the above, the Studio Sale gives us a chance to show off some of our more obscure work and get feedback on some new ideas.   When you are producing work for galleries you have a certain responsibility to send work that will sell because, after all, they are giving us a venue so we need to help pay the rent.  But all bets are off when we call the shots and I can (and have) put some pretty strange stuff on or in my boxes for this Sale.  This year I am introducing boxes with tall, skinny legs and while they make me laugh I do look forward to hearing what those who have followed my work for many years have to say.

Though I haven’t had the photographed yet, watch for the “Leggy Boxes” to show up on this site after the first of the year.

Peaceful Holidays to all.

This entry was posted on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 10:15 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.