"Pay-it-forward" Is it a business concept that works?

It's kind of funny. It's kind of odd. It took me to drive over a thousand miles to learn, or finally recognize that most business people do not grasp a simple concept of "pay it forward". In fact not only "do not" grasp this concept, but possibly "can not" grasp this concept.

So the question comes down to one of "Are you ready to pay it forward?"

The CAG exists for one main purpose, to "INVITE and EXCITE" people about the wonderful art and craft of ceramics.

The CAG has no ties or loyalties to any ceramic businesses. We love them all equally.

The CAG offers it's membership and subscriptions to our magazines for FREE

The CAG does not solicit or accept paid advertising in it's publications

Some business owners go "What?" But it's true. We want to create a sustainable business climate for the ceramic industry. One that stresses quality and creativity in the art form. This should not be so hard to grasp. But then when last month, a Portland, Oregon businessman, up and gave his multi million dollar business to his employees because he wanted to retire, people couldn't understand why. It was simple, none of his kids were interested, and he wanted it to continue on. The employees built the company, and they would have the most passion to continue it.

Those of us investing our time at the CAG have passion for ceramics. If YOU have passion for ceramics we are certain you will be interested to grasping the concept of "pay it forward" in your ceramic business too.

This summer we will be making a cross country tour, credentialing ceramic judges, and meeting with people where they are. When you hear of the meeting coming to your town, join us in our fireside chats! You wont regret it.

Understanding Concept Marketing - Ceramics

If you want to maximize your selling potential, either in finished goods or supplies (ie greenware, bisque, paint, add-ons), you must stay on top of the concepts in the "immediate" trends. Over the next several months anything and everything "Alice" will be hot.

Just look at the calling points:

It's a Tim Burton production - HOT

Johnny Depp stars in it - HOT

It's emoish-trippy - HOT

It's RETRO-trendy - HOT

This is not really the same Carrol story we grew up, it is, but in a different turn.

Study the imagery, the colors the design concepts, then bring hem forward. Have a shop window offering a special "Alice" night for ceramics. Have lots of inch worms, dressed rabbits, and mushrooms. The 'shroom will be HOT baby. If you do finished goods, style them and be the first on Etsy or e-bay or whom ever you like to deal with.

Think about the possibilities. Combine Arnells's mushroom molds like the sq tile plaques with BI (Bisque Imports large letters to create wall hangings that say "Alice" or "The Mad Hatter" or "Tweedle Dee' or whatever. The phrase "I'm Late" can take on new meanings.

Tone it down a notch and do classic "Alice" stuff too. Dressed dapper bunnies, tea sets, girls in dresses. And the original Cheshire cat is adorable, not so much the one in this new version (scary).

Some of you will read this, and expand your horizons, and fatten your pocket book in profits. Others will say, "It wont work for me", just like you said when Pirates came out, or Twilight or Harry Potter. Yet still shops had sell out ceramic nights because they capitalized on a current concept. Don't overstock, it may only last less than a month, but be creative! Good luck, let us know your stories of conquest and defeat in this matter.

Learning to be "artistic"

The most incredible masterpiece ever created, is the human brain. As I studied for my Masters in Counseling at George Fox University I was called to study many things about the human brain. How I wish today I could visually monitor the brain activity in a ceramicist when they are creating something new. But you don't need trippy modern medical science to show you what's going on. Simply look at their face, watch the expressions as they create. As soon as they are into the rhythm of painting they become absorbed. Watch for the tongue to slowly slip out the corner of their mouth. It's almost like it's a tail that helps them stay balanced. Art is a great tool for relaxation and to relieve stress. True that some people stress about doing a "good job" on their soon to be new masterpiece. A good teacher will remind them to take ownership of their piece, to let it be an extension of you. The danger comes when someone is simply letting down to complete a task, and the art becomes a chore instead of a choice. Encourage your students to be creative, encourage them to do the best they can, and encourage them to take the next piece to the next level whatever that may be!

Special Note: Competitions are great places to learn how to improve yourself and how others feel about your work. Make sure the competition is judged by trained judges who know how to minimize personal likes and dislikes (it's impossible to eliminate these) and are focused on workmanship and creativity. Both the CAG and the AFAA have current judging programs that offer certification. There are other past programs that have also produced quality judges. Just because someone has done ceramics for a few years or even a few decades, does not make them competent judges.

These boots were made for walking . . .

If you were to go to mapquest.com and pull up a 50 mile diameter map, with your shop being the very center point. From that point attache a string equal to 25 miles in scale on the map. Now draw a circle. Inside of this circle is all places within a 25 mile distance, any direction from your shop.

Now go buy yourself a pretty pair of turquoise boots and start walking. OK, so you don't have to buy new boots (though that would be fun) and you can drive instead of walk, though walking is healthier. Begin looking for other shops that offer ceramics. You will need to look around as many are in backrooms and basements with no outside signing to speak of. Most do not have phone numbers in the local phone books or signs on the street advertising their shop. But none the less, they are out there.

Mount your map on a piece of cardboard. Now create a legend (that's cartography lingo for guide). You might use red pins for other ceramic shops, blue pins for other ceramic teachers, yellow pins for places that sell brushes you can use on ceramics, green pins for places that sell paints you can use on ceramics, and so on. Resources are not always where you think they might be. Knowing what is available local is always a good thing.

When you venture out take a stack of business cards ( you can find them free on the Internet almost anytime) and some flyer's or brochures about your business. As you visit them collect their business card and make note of what they offer that you can use in your business. If its something you don't stock, and don't plan too, tell them you will be referring your customers to them when they need "such and such" as you do not carry it. This whole action of visiting and sharing will go a long way in developing relationships. Your competition is not your enemy, they are part of why you stay in business.

So step out, and make the first move.

Christmas "wish-book" page 46

A long standing tradition in my family has always been awaiting the arrival of the JC Penney Christmas catalog. It was our "wish-book" for the entire family. From this we would make our Santa list. For me it was what was the newest and coolest GI Joe accessories. Penney's was always good at having an exclusive item that only they carried. Now mind you GI Joe's were 12" figures, not the little 3" figures of today. So when I got a submarine, it was HUGE! Now how do I bring all this around to ceramics, easy.

By the 70's I was rapidly expanding my interests in ceramics. I could walk into a ceramic shop (The "Patio Shop" in Salem,OR owned by Charlie and Wilda Green was my favorite) and spend literally hours looking at greenware. I could really care less about the finished samples. For me, I saw the greenware finished in my mind, how I would do it. My first ceramic "wish-book" was the Arnel's catalog. It's pages were heavy weight paper with crisp black and white photography of all the items they had. It was not huge by any means. But again, as I looked through each page I could see the pieces finished. My creative imagination was vast, and sometimes I would even see a variety of ways to finish one piece.

I was working on some research for my history of ceramics book and was looking through some old catalogs and issues of ceramic magazines of the early 70's. And there before me was a pristine copy of the Arnel's catalog. As I flipped through, I stopped at this spot(the page pictured above), page 46. I love every piece on this page. Today I would finish them differently then I would have in the 70's . . .I think. That train is awesome, and the tumbling snowmen and Santa's, would make great game pieces for a table top tic-tac-toe!

It's true, today I am the publisher of a ceramics magazine that offers painting techniques and prides itself as being full of color and ideas! But somehow "I" still long for a mold catalog of images done the way Arnel's did with their early editions. They were "the top dog" of all the catalogs. The page was matte black with high resolution shiny grey scale images of the pieces. Now back to reality. Don't worry, CERAKANVAS will always explode with bright vibrant color on every page! Now if only I can find the bisque for some of these pieces, I would get lost in the moment!

Go create something!

CROSSOVER FX - Trains for villages

Well we visited the Model Train Show at the Convention Center yesterday. It was great. Most would never think of all the materials that they sell for model railroading , and that a lot of it works well for ceramic applications. They have miniature people and animals, building accessories, light poles that actually work and so forth. There are also lots of unusual types of media. Moss for buildings, leaves for trees - fall, summer and spring style. Fabulous ground covers and gravels that bring a new dimension to your finished pieces. But most importantly we enjoyed the trains. There is a magic about model trains on HUGE layouts. The intricacy of the little scenes. There was even one of a drug bust. It was hilarious. About 5 police cars and a sports car. We'll be discussing model trains and ceramic Holiday villages in depth in the upcoming Holiday issue of CERAKANVAS. See you there!

BLUEPRINT goes full digital format

With this issue (Volume 1 Issue 4) BLUEPRINT the official newsletter of the Ceramic Artist Guild goes digital format. Prior issues were a singular web page, often running on in length making it very difficult to print on the computer. The format is 4 full pages long. It is being distributed off site. Hope you enjoy the posting.