2

figures, now available, that indicate the
following. In December there were 100
ceramics artists juried in to the Gallery of
B.C. Ceramics. During the month, the
Gallery had on hand and on display, work
from 77 of these artists, In this month,
normally the busiest of the year, 3] of the
artists sold no work at all, In percentage
terms, this means that fully 40% of the
artists showing in the Gallery had no sales.
It also means that a great deal of space in
the Gallery was devoted to either the
display or storage of work that did not
contribute to the operation in a measurable

way.

In addition to these factors, we have found
that the Gallery needs to have on hand at
least ten items of an artist's work to be able
to display the work in a way that attracts
sufficient interest. The Gallery visitor needs
to be able to view a range of work,
displayed professionally, before the visitor
can decide whether or not to purchase. In
many cases, the quantity of work on hand
for a particular artist is too small to enable
the development of an effective display.
This forces Gallery personnel to mix the
work of artist’s doing similar work together
on displays and in turn “looses” the work in

It also appears that it is necessary for the
artist to provide the Gallery with work that
is available in a range of different prices.
Too much work in the low end limits the
overall income available to the artist while
too much high end work prevents many
potential purchasers from coming forward.
The end result is the same, poor sales
performance and low levels of interest in
the works.

While it may seem that this discussion is
strongly oriented toward the commercial
side of Gallery operations, it is not
particularly meant to be. These factors
have a significant influence on our ability
to achieve the goal of presenting the best
ceramics being produced by our artisans. It
is crucial that the Gallery continue to
present innovative work that represents new

directions. In order for this to be possible,
however, the Gallery must be able to
support the inclusion of such work in its
array of offerings with a stable base of more
standard works. It is necessary to achieve a
successful balance of relatively high sales of
sought after works that market in a
moderate price range to carry works that
market in higher price ranges or that reach
specialized buyers.

These are not impossible goals nor are they
insurmountable problems. We can
overcome competition from subsidized
competitors with high quality works, and
high quality service coupled with a far
greater depth of knowledge of our works
than is generally available in competitive
outlets. We can work with artists to ensure
that the work they deliver to the Gallery is
appealing and of interest to the ceramics
buyer. We can also work with the artist to
ensure that the quantity of work available
does truly enable the set up of effective

displays.

I hope that by presenting some of these
issues, there are many more, that you will
be moved to enter a dialogue with us on
the issues that confront the Guild and the
Gallery of B.C, Ceramics, I look forward to
your input on these and other matters that
you wish to raise.

Jan Krueger

POTS AND PEOPLE

AMY HUPPLER-POLIAK

Every thing I ever dreamed of was right
here when I came to B.C. to be with my
new found love - the open landscape, the
beautiful clean water and air and a
wonderful rural lifestyle. I still feel that way
after ten years, but not all of the time.

As a potter trying to make a living in a
tural area, | have found myself faced with
many unforseen and unthinkable problems
that never crossed my mind as a "city"