Potter's Guild Sale

[morgaina]

Was a success. We made enough money to finish the MFT kiln and a start on bringing a workshop presenter in. This is very good. The Farmer's Market itself was so excellent, wonderful weather. I held myself back and just bought arugula, basil, challa, lunch at a Turkish booth, and a wonderful Larzac from a new artisan cheesery in Dayton, WA. It is so delicious I can't think about it sitting there in the refrigerator beckoning. The cheesemakers traveled to France to learn how to make cheese and use their own goat and sheep milk. If anyone does the Walla Walla winery tour, add Monteillet Fromagerie!

The only less than excellent aspect of our sale is how locals are more than happy to snap up handmade pottery at Wall Mart prices. We only can do this once a year as a fundraiser. Making a living, or even paying for our materials, is out of the question. *sigh* We all have to know our target market and that isn't mine, even though it is a lovely time.

Comments

[not-justagirl.livejournal.com]

good to hear you had a good time... and you're right about the market thing which is unfortunate. I had a jeweler friend of mine make a tie clip for a friends birthday... I had pictures of what sort of design I wanted and just let her go to town... it's stunning and perfect. Another (non-sca) friend saw it and asked how much and when I told them they were shocked... "you can get a tie-clip in WalMart for like $15 bucks!!"... I gaped at them for a second and then reminded them that this was a one of a kind work of art created specifically for someone by a professional jeweler... so no, I cannot pick something like it up at Wal-fu***ng-Mart for $15 bucks... and that I _know_ that she gave me a fabulous deal on the price as it was...

I just wish people, even SCA types, would realize the value of people's work... nobody minds paying $5 for a Starbucks Latte or $7 for a beer at a restaurant... but when it's someones hand made pottery or embroidery or weaving or sewing or whatever they want to haggle to the point of not even covering supplies, never mind time!

sorry... /(unintentional) rant...

did I mention I'm happy you had a lovely time! How often are the Markets and where? I'm in the states about every other weekend it seems lately and I love Farmers Markets! I'd just have to be careful about food stuffs *pout*

[copper-oxide.livejournal.com]

Always good to hear when people know & support the difference.
I live in Moscow Idaho, quite a ways away. It's Saturday mornings and a very nice community experience.
(Not so much for the selling of one's art though, the organizers keep trying to attract artists, but they don't show up after the first time or two. Great vegetables though, and with costs rising, I am seeing some things at Farmer's Market for less than the supermarkets.)