When an artist goes from rags to riches to rags again. . .

What a beautiful contemporary headquarters this company called ENESCO has. So a few questions to you as ceramicists. . .

1. Do you know what ENESCO does?

2. Do you know what artists ENESCO has represented?

3. Do you understand the concept rags to riches to rags again?

OK, enough quizzing. As a artist/craftsman your greatest dream might be to have your designs in stores across the globe. A very noble aspiration. In toady's marketplace it is almost impossible for you to be able to pull something that off on your own. Unless of course you just won the POWERBALL lottery for like 100 million dollars. But let's say your Sam Butcher in 1989 a company comes along and spins your humble world of artistic rendering into a multi-million dollar industry, literally overnight. In case you don't know Sam Butcher is the artist responsible for Precious Moments.

In our upcoming issue of BLUEPRINT Volume2 Issue 2 March 15th, 2010. We will be talking with the marketing people at ENESCO and have some special interviews with some of the past artists who went from Saturday market vendors, to world wide celebrities with the aid of ENESCO. But what happened next? Join us and learn how this "tidal wave" process of fame can help or hinder the long term relationships developed by the artist/crafter.

"Artist Discovery Tour" - reaching out for hidden talent!

So let's think outside the box for a moment. I understand what I am proposing here is a little to extreme for many, in fact most of you, but the results could be insanely positive.

Pack up a table, a couple folding chairs, an odd assortment of paints (you should only take non-firing product for this experiment, as immediate results is an integral part of it) an assortment of brushes, and an assortment of enhancers like Sharpie markers, colored pencils, chalks, and stuff to be creative with. Then take an assortment of bisque. Perhaps that's a bunch of tiles, discs or plates. It could be a grouping of plain ornaments or small containers. You want the items to have plain surfaces, as opposed to heavily detailed surfaces.

Make sure to take a digital camera with extra batteries with you when you go.

Then simply set up "shop" somewhere there are a lot of people. Make sure to ask for permission so as not to draw the "wrong" kind of attention. Good places might be a busy downtown sidewalk, a transit mall, a youth sporting event, outside a Gospel Mission. DO NOT SELL ANYTHING. Invite people to come and create a piece of art. Ask before they start if it's OK for you to take some pictures as they work and then of their finished product. Give limited instruction, as to allow them to freely explore their creativity. Then when you begin to see amazing works of art come from things you would have never thought of, invite them to your studio. If you happen to draw positive attention from the media they may do a story about your "Artist Discovery Tour". You can't buy that kind of advertising.

If you can see yourself doing this, and it will have amazing effect, share your stories and pictures with us, we may publish them in an upcoming issue of CERAKANVAS.

GO CREATE SOMETHING!