Last month, in the section titled Semi-
Annual Guild Exhibitions: Feedback, [
mentioned a letter encouraging the Guild
to publish detailed information about the
Gallery; how to include work in an open
Guild exhibition; what the Gallery books
like; and to give detailed descriptions of
exhibitions as well as other relevant infor-
mation. The recommendation suggested
that this would probably have a positive
outcome by encouraging members who
are not already in the Gallery of BC Ce.
ramics to subenit their work to these exhi-
bitions, See below in the section Partici-
pating in Open Guild Exhibitions for
further details about submitting your work
tothe Decemberexhibit Stems and Steins,

The Communications Committee
brainstormed and developed the idea of
including a Gallery insert in the newsletter
two or three times a year, This informative
sheet has much marketing potential and
could be mailed to our customer database.
The insert, a four-page section, is pro-
jected to feature informative materials in-
cluding photographs of the Gallery, text
and images about new work, upcoming
exhibits, investment potentials for collec-
tors, historical and technical information.
The Gallery Committee is working hard to
put the inaugural edition together. Look
for it later this fall!

GALLERY SALES

This summer has not been as busy a we
had hoped and planned, The downward
trend beginning in May continues. June
sales fell far below our projection, record-
ing a decrease of 26%, the lowest sales
figure in five years. It was an extremely
weird month because although the dread-
ful weather kept the number way below
normal, several artists experienced very
good sales of mainly larger items. Al-
though no significant analysis has been
done, this suggests that we didn't see the
casual visitor, the ones who purchase the
multitudes of stnaller items, Rather we
attracted the dedicated ceramic lover who
came despite the rain! July sales were a
little brighter than June"s, yet we still did
not achieve our target by 18%, again a
record low in five years, Approximately
halfway through the month of August, we
are at 3% of our target; we can only hope
that the buying continues, Something we

“

GALLERY NEWS

hive just instivated is extending our hours
slighily. Instead of being open 10:30 am -
5:30 pm seven days a week, we now open
at 10:00 am everyday and stay open until
7:00 pm on Thursday and Friday nights.
During the first week, the sales on the two
everings have definitely proven worth-
while with atwo-day average of aver 40%
of the day's total sales made in the extra
hour and a half!

PARTICIPATING LIN OPEN
GUILD EXHIBITIONS

These are guild-wide events, open to all
members of the Guild. We refer to the
display area ofthe Gallery where this work
is showeased as an exhibit to indicate that
this area ts something other than the ongo-
ing retail displays. It is a temporary, spe-
cial display of work that we do not usually
carry, and it changes on a monthly basis.
The word exhibit is not intended to dis-
courage Of exclude (hose members who
feel their work is not up to ‘gallery" stand-
ards; you do not need to be, or classify
yourself as a professional potter to partici-
pate, The only rules of thumb to follow
are: the work does what itis intended todo,
for example a functional teapot must be
able to hold hot liquid and pour well and a
salt shaker should hold and shake salt;
items should not draw blood when han-
dled and should have a stable base. Each
open guild exhibit is based on a theme to
allow for a cohesive display. For Decem-
ber, the utle is Stems and Steins. [t in-
cludes goblets and beer tankards, which
have been very popular gift purchases in
previous years, and indeed year round, If
you make either, please think about in-
cluding them in this year’s exhibit.

Once you've decided, there are a few de-
tails and logistics that need to be sorted
out. The Gallery will need the following
from you: statement about yourself, list of
works with retail prices and labels, and
shipping/delivery. In the information about
you, consider this as an artist's statement.
This can include any but notnecessarily all
of the following: resume and/or curricu-
jum vitae meaning a more claborate sum-
mary of your activities and education, in-
formation such as ceramic-related educa-
tion, exhibitions, workshop/teaching po-
sitions and publications. Do not feel you
need to make more than asimple statement

Potters Guild of British Columbia

but it should be interesting to our custom
ers and our staff. [f you're nat sure where
to begin, think how you would introduce
yourself to someone interested in your
work; why you de what you do; how you
came to be a potter; what are your influ-
ences and inspirations, Ii is nvost impor-
lant to ensune the reaxder has a sense of you
and your personality. After all, they are
purchasing one of your creations, a piece
of you. Having some further knowledge of
the maker greatly enhances the sale.

Please include an inventory list with your
work, Lf you are sending in more than one
of a particular item, same description and
same price, just indicate the quantity rather
than listing it two or twelve times. It is
important that the information describes
the item in enough detail for the Gallery
staff to identify it. Please include the retail
price of the itern: keep in mind that our
commission split is MV'S0. On the actual
pieces, we require that you label them with
the code for the exhibit ‘'SHOWL ___’.
leaving enough room after for three num-
bers and the retail price. The labels should
be no larger than 3/4 1/2", If your work
needs further identification, please use a
separate label and beginning with the
number 1, and corresponding to your in-
ventory list, label thern as such. This label
is removed once we have numbered it in
our inventory system. When you are think-
ing about the number of pieces to submit,
anticipate that there will be perhaps one to
three on display depending on the number
of members participating and works sub-
mitted, You should include enough for the
same amount in overstock. If you have
experienced great sales with a particular
item, it may be prudent to plan sending
more.

SHIPPING AND DELIVERY

The dates for delivery of work are Decem-
ber | to 3. We cannot receive work any
earlier because there isan exhibition. Setup
is on Friday, December 3, If you are able
to deliver the work by hand, I anticipate
that we will ask you to leave the work
packed in the boxes rather than you need-
ing to unpack them. Those members who
do not live in the immediate urea are espe-
cially encouraged to submit work and not
to he overwhelmed by shipping. Many

Please see GALLERY NEWS page 6
September 1999