10 -12 June 2022 came round very quickly! That was the date for the Ceramic Wales weekend. Although I have been involved in exhibitions in the past, I have no experience of being involved in such a prestigious ceramic fair. I concluded early on that I would not be distracted from my degree work by this event and that whatever was finished by this date could potentially accompany me on the trip. Basically I would not be making items specifically for the fair or try to commercialise my project for selling to potential customers. In hindsight I think this was the correct decision for me.
Midway through Practice 3 I decided I wanted to challenge myself to make the biggest piece I could make given the limitations of the kilns at university. I had already identified 3-4 pieces that were finished that could potentially go to the event so felt safe that I had something to show regardless of what else happened. Amazingly the large piece "Nurture" survived the bisque and glaze firings and therefore could be added to the potential selection list. I also made a second large piece "Shield" however time ran out due to a collapse halfway through the build so it didn't make the final cut.
I felt as a group of students we were abit late to the party in terms of organisation. As we are rarely altogether in the workshop at the same time it made it difficult to have constructive conversations about how our stand would be displayed, who would be going where, what payment methods we would use and how we would work as a team to prepare for the event. A lot of elements were done last minute which probably added to everybody's stress levels on the day. I couldn't help notice how the two other group stands seemed to be more prepared beforehand and worked smoothly as a team. Perhaps something to learn going forward in the future.
Despite the challenges in the run up and the weekend itself, I did think our stand looked really good and we had many compliments from fellow ceramicists and public to confirm this. All the way through my degree I have been concerned with how my work will be received by potential customers and how I could make a living from this chosen career. My work is probably quite niche and unusual therefore I believed I would have a limited market. Having exhibited my project work at Ceramic Wales these concerns have been put to bed. I now believe following comments I received whilst manning the stand, that my strength does lie in the uniqueness of my work.
Display stands need consideration. Plinths are heavy to move and difficult to transport. Physically its demanding to set up plus what goes up must come down. I liked the idea of moving work outside the perimeter of the stand to bring people in. Helen brought a foldable trolley to move items around which I have found something similar which will be a huge help going forward. You can load it up and move it around with less effort than carrying things by hand. Varied plinth heights provide interest on a flat table plus a backdrop provides a professional finish. Painted boards can be joined together using mini Klem Clamps which brings flexibility to the stand. Boards would need to be primed before painting thin layers using a roller rather than painting with a brush as paint may flake off when dried if thick layers are applied.
Pricing can be challenging. Advised to charge £400 per day as a guide price. If you price too low, customers may worry about quality but if you charge too much you will price yourself out of the market. Using paper based labels can be problematic if weather conditions deteriorate. I am not a big fan of the plastic number systems as they look as if they have come out of a shop and do not fit with my handmade ethos. I have seen people use ceramic pebbles as price labels which is something I may explore further.
Previously when I have sold my work at events, I have not been confident to approach potential customers or been able to talk about my work to people. As an introvert I am quite reserved which maybe a disadvantage when trying to put my salesperson hat on. However a benefit to this personality trait is that I am very reflective which allows me to act and then build in improvements. I was inspired by my fellow student Andrea who beckoned people into our stand in such a charming and charismatic way that I had to try to follow her lead. I will be trying this new technique at a couple of future events in the next few weeks.
I learnt much from this experience, especially having to drive home on the Sunday night after the event. Living far away from the main ceramic fairs will add a further challenge for me but one worth pursuing.
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