On a More Positive Note

I received a concerned note from one of the organizers of the Connecticut Guild retreat, after my most recent posts. It struck me over the last few days, how I had a slew of comments to each of these posts. They must have struck a chord with others out there as well. But there is a danger as soon as something is written down, that it is magnified. So little events, that in no way were under the control of the retreat organizers, take on greater significance and impact. The magnifying glass of examination, apparently also blows things up to larger than life impact.

I don't want to now say, "It was nothing." Things happened that made me pause, and made me think. And those are the things I am prone to write about. The process helps me understand life a bit better, and be better prepared the next time around. Most of what I described comes from a place better known, for lack of a better term, as "human nature". Our innate struggles as we bumble through our lives. I personally have found this type of examination and exploration helps me better navigate through them in the future.

I think the title of my last post was provocative, generating some of the response. Using the word "bully" is something of a red flag. But I am not sure how else to describe how simple requests can feel complicated on the other side. Pressured? Maybe. Neither quite describes the nuance of the sensation.

Overall the retreat was terrific, on many, many levels. First and foremost, seeing people I do not see frequently enough. That face-to-face time, whether across a table in the workroom, or wandering around the workroom, at lunch, or on Saturday night, in the lounge,....it all reinforces the sense of community that draws us to attend retreats in the first place. Inspiration. Laughter. Friendship.

I was making cranes for the Crane Project most of the weekend. It was a great opportunity for people to see first hand what I am working on. Saturday night I had a chance to talk to the whole group about the project, and how it all began. The response was fantastic. I gave a few lessons in paper crane folding. Several people volunteered to help with making the little washers that are just above and below each crane on the cables. There will be over 8000 of those little washers! That is a lot of washers! And I received $100 in donations, for the project. Donations that are sorely needed! But the encouragement was the most wonderful thing. That left me with a rich sense of what a wonderful, sharing, and supportive community this truly is. The connections, contacts and experiences that people in that room had were amazing.

I finally made a video I had been planning for about two weeks. As I told everyone at the retreat on Saturday night, I had folded a crane to represent Bobby a few days prior to the retreat. I never knew Bobby personally, but his story played an important role in shifting how I looked at my cranes, and what they could represent. Once again, the production is far from perfect, but I think it conveys his story, and why I feel compelled to take on this major project. I have titled the video Bobby's Crane. I struggled with my video editing software yesterday, so the title is not on the video itself. Things I could do the last time I made a video suddenly seemed impossible! But the message comes through. Hope you like it.

Origami Convention in New York

Origami USA will hold their 50th annual convention in New York City this weekend, at the Fashion Institute of Technology. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be an exhibit of origami works open to the public. I will have several items in the exhibit. Sadly, I did not take pictures before shipping them off to New York, but, there are several items made from polymer clay, a crane made from felt, held together by needle felting, and a wire mesh flower. If you are in the area, and have the time, pop on over to the exhibit for a look. You will be amazed at what people are folding these days.

I will be in the vendor area on Saturday and Sunday with cranes, happicoats and cicadas. I will also be doing a demonstration of folding polymer clay on Monday morning.

If you come by, be sure to say hello!

Digging a Hole with a Teaspoon

You have heard the expression of a death by a thousand cuts. This idea is similar. Digging a hole with a teaspoon is slow and you don't really see the progress you are making until suddenly you look up one day and wonder, "How did I get here?"

This is a lesson in not doing as I have done. Heed the warnings.

The problem is, you may, like me, not see how bad it is until the hole is much deeper than you intended. I am talking about pricing. Specifically underpricing. The biggest part of the trap for me, was the idea that "people won't pay more than $xx for this." And I let that idea guide my decisions for too long, even while seeing warning signs along the way.

Cranes. Of course. I seem to live and breath cranes. Cranes to sell. Crane to memorialize. And in this case, the intersection of the two was part of what made me wake up. Let me begin by saying I had increased my crane price three times in the last few years. The wholesale price had doubled over that time.

But....and this is a very big but....the product I am selling today is not the same product I was making and selling then. At first the surface design was fairly simple. And they were not sold in any special packaging, But, I added the packaging and informational inserts, and increased the price significantly. Sales took off. I was a happy camper.

Then, I started playing. I started to do more involved canework on the surface of the cranes here and there. And the customers loved it. "Send more of those ones with all the detailed patterns. Everyone loved them!" I would be pleased with the feedback, but also sigh a bit as I realized it would be more work. Soon that was nearly all I was selling. Meanwhile, the price had only gone up by about a dollar, but the labor was about fourfold more. Folding cranes for the Crane Project put into sharp focus for me just how long it was taking me to make these intricately patterned cranes. I saw what I had been trying to ignore.

Initially when I would ship the cranes across country, I could ship to California or Washington state, Priority Mail, for only about $6 or $7. I offered free shipping. I figured I could easily absorb that into the price structure. Last summer though, the Post Office revamped their price structure, and suddenly it was more than double that cost to ship across country. Ouch! This spring, the prices took another big jump. I had added a shipping surcharge to crane orders west of the Mississippi, but it was not going to be enough.

Then, the breakage started. I had shipped for two years with not one crane breaking. Now, changes in clay formulation have presented challenges. I have had to revamp my packaging, adding further costs. Not to mention the credits or re-shipments I had to make each time a broken crane was reported.

Can you feel my pain?

I had no room in my price structure for all of these problems to converge. But converge they did. With six more crane orders still to ship under the old price schedule, I knew I had to take action. It was time to begin to fill in the hole, and the teaspoon was not going to work. It was time to put things back in order quickly.

My prices have nearly doubled for the intricate cranes that everyone wants. If they want to pay the old prices, they will have to purchase the "Elemental cranes". Solid colors, to represent the five "elements", air, water, earth, fire, and metal. In between those prices I have cranes with crackled leaf.

I am now shipping FedEx Ground, at a much better rate. And I seemed to have solved the problem of breakage for now.

The reaction is unclear. But, in the end, I could not continue on the path I had been traveling.

Lessons, summarized:

1. If you add to your product, acknowledge that. It is a different product. Change the price. Rename it if you need to. Not all cranes were created equally, but I was pricing them as if they were. Some of you will be saying, of course. I would never do that. I hope you are right. But sometimes we do things that don't make sense, because they will be "easier".

2. Don't undervalue your labor. I was doing what I hate. I had gotten myself into a place that all I was doing was covering the costs of my materials and overhead, so I could make more cranes. Don't do that. It does not respect you. If you find yourself saying, "people won't pay...." Stop. If half the people will pay the new price, I will have the same dollar business, for half the work. I can definitely live with that. Too many people have also told me stories of raising prices, and losing their "high maintenance" customers. Another potential benefit.

3. Sometimes we need to re-evaluate suppliers. I had gotten comfortable with shipping my work by Priority Mail. I knew the drill. It was convenient. I didn't want to have to research alternatives. But in the end, I have a good service, for a much lower cost. And, my husband has a FedEx center right near where he works. I don't even have to leave home!

4. Things will change. At some point something you depended upon, and thought you knew will change. You will have to figure out a new way of doing things. I tried to avoid dealing with these issues for too long. I wanted them to go away. I did not have time. (Can you hear the two year-old tantrum welling up?) Once I decided on a plan of action, it was actually less stressful than trying to pretend the problem was not there, or that it would go away on it's own accord. It is not easy to own up to it, but I really did not want to have to deal with this. But being in business for yourself, there will be things that you have to do that you do not want to do. Unless you have employees, there is no one to delegate responsibility for these tasks. So buck up, and deal! And remind yourself how much you are happier doing what you are doing now...in spite of these kinds of stresses. And if you are not, then maybe a bigger change is in order......

Too Busy

Have you missed me?

I have missed the time I had been spending writing here, but lately it seems like that is a luxury for which there is no room. I thought I worked a lot before. Now I have had to cut out lots of little "extras", .... like writing in this blog.

So what have I been up to?

First, cleaning out space. A few weeks back I rented a dumpster. Nothing is more satisfying than clearing out lots of clutter, and ending up with space. Our basement was filled to the gills and beyond. It is gratifying to finally have begun to re-establish order where before it was sheer chaos.

Part of the motivation to do this was I was desperate for space. The Crane Project is taking up more and more room. Both storing the cranes, and work space to string cranes up on cables. My work spaces were becoming unworkable. The change has made a large space available to me in the basement, and now I can safely have them out of danger, and more easily do the work I need to do with them.

I also decided it was time I admit that my dining room had stopped being a dining room several years ago when I started selling lots of cranes. It had become my crane packaging and inventory area, and shipping area. But I never fully admitted that. Even though hosting a meal in the room would have been impossible.

So the hutch was cleared out, the table moved to a wall, and a second table brought into the room. My computer came downstairs, along with all my paperwork. Getting an order out the door has become more efficient. It is still chaotic because I have not had the time to organize my office "stuff", but already, it is feeling much better than what existed before. And my husband has taken over the office space upstairs. He has a place to read, to play his guitars, and do yoga.

I have set a tough schedule for myself to complete cranes for the Crane Project. Sixteen cranes a day. Seven days a week. Right now, I am two days behind schedule, or thirty-two cranes. I hope to make eight more before I go to bed tonight so that the deficit shrinks just a little. But it is gratifying to watch the number climb. I just crossed 800 cranes tonight. It is also stunning to see how many that is. And to realize that is it only a year and two months of a war that is already over five years in length.

The motivation for staying on schedule is because it may put me in position to "catch up" at about the time of the inaugural in January of 2009. I like the idea of that deadline. A karma shift of sorts.

The waxed paper cranes are getting folded here and there. I bring a bag with paper squares with me where ever I go. I have folded over 500, and received nearly 100 from other folders. Last night, about 15 to 20 were folded before and during my daughter's band concert. I even taught my dentist and her assistant how to fold cranes last week. I have a new idea that I will be working on in the coming days to recruit more folders.

I still don't know where this project will be installed. It is one of the first questions I get, and all I can say still is "I don't know." All I can do is trust. I am continuing my search for a place, as well as funding options. Filling out applications, and learning.

I have also been dealing with some difficult choices in my business. I will write more about that soon. All I can say for now was once I made the choice it felt better than it did when I was avoiding the inevitable. Once I crossed the dreaded line, answers and solutions seem to fall into place. I don't know how it will work out, but I do know I feel comfortable with my decision, regardless of the outcome.

For the time being, my posts will probably continue to be sporadic. This post is more scattered than I like, but I guess that is a reflection of my state of mind right now. A bit like a pinball bouncing around. Time to bounce back into my studio, and make a few more cranes....

History Lesson

At the recent Synergy Conference, during one of the panel discussions, Elise Winters commented that it would be wonderful if people could see the drawer full of "stuff" that precedes a more fully developed design. Her message was that work does not emerge fully developed. It takes time, trial, error, and a whole lotta ugly sometimes, before a concept reaches a point of "wow".

When I was preparing for my presentation at the conference, I had about 80 artists respond to a survey I put together. One of the comments that stayed with me was about a wish to have kept better records of the development of their work over time. Photos, etc.

Perhaps this is why I felt compelled to spend several hours yesterday, making my own little archive. And as I approach five years of polymer clay addiction, it is probably timely. That, and the fact that I finally had gotten around to setting up a Flickr account.

I highly recommend the journey. While much of the older work is truly cringe worthy, it is also intriguing to me to see patterns emerge. By collecting a selection of images from the hundreds and hundreds on my computer I can see a story. Watching how an idea starts in a rough form, and gradually develops with time. This collection shows some of the development behind my jewelry designs.

When you look at the series of crane pictures, it demonstrate what happens when you do something over and over again. You get better at it. The same can be seen with the vessels.

The earliest work is all over the place. Yet, there are certain things that appealed to me then, and appeal to me still. Who I was as an artist exists within some of that early work. I just couldn't see where I wanted to go with it yet.

In a way it is like any scrapbook of photos. When we look at old pictures of ourselves we cringe at the hairstyles and the fashion. But we also marvel at our youth. Perhaps we looked better than we thought we did at the time. Likewise, I cringed at designs, at finishing, at the photos themselves. But, I also see things there that I still connect with. Or some element that I want to go back and revisit again sometime in the future. Possibilities to still be explored.

I hope, in addition to providing you with a few good laughs, you will also see some of the process of how work emerges and develops. And I hope that you will make your own little archive of your history as an artist. What Elise is doing with her Polymer Art Archives looks at the overall history of the media. Our personal history is full of information as well. Take some time, and look the virtual scrapbook of your work. What patterns emerge? Where have you grown? Is there anything there that you want to revisit and go deeper into?

My Oprah Moment,...or Not??

I saw a message on a discussion board yesterday about my cranes. Someone was posting because she thought she saw my cranes on the Oprah Winfrey show in the bedroom of a home being redone by Nate, the home dec guru of the show. You can imagine the excitement there was in my house for about ten minutes when we thought that my cranes had been on Oprah!

I seldom get a chance to watch her show these days, or much television at all, other than my faithful viewing of Project Runway! And we don't have Tivo, or any other way to record shows. How could I find out if this was indeed true? I went to the website, and poked around. All I could find was a video of the before shots of the house, and there were several paper cranes hanging in one girl's room. Was this the reported crane sighting? Perhaps someone mistook these paper cranes for my polymer clay ones? As far as I know this is the case. the after video doesn't show the girls rooms.

If you saw the show, or better yet recorded the show, maybe you can confirm for me that this is a case of mistaken identity. I have sent off an e-mail to the show, but given the number of emails they recieve, it is unlikely that I will hear from them any time soon. Were any of my polymer clay cranes really on the Oprah show?? I doubt it, but I am holding out for confirmation! Someone out there must have a recording of the show.....

The Mystery Revealed....

I alluded to a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) in my last post. The thing about BHAG's is that they are a bit scary. Big + Hairy = Scary. And Audacious. As in, "What are you thinking?" Or, "Who do you think you are?" So is it any wonder that I was not quite ready to reveal the exact nature of my BHAG?

Well, I have begun to let a few people peak under the covers. I have made a few tentative steps to let a little air around the idea. And in the process I have learned something. As Big, Hairy, (Scary), and Audacious (Bold) as this idea may be, or any BHAG for that matter, without letting it out into the air, it will probably never happen. Trying to protect ourselves by keeping the idea close only makes it less likely that the idea will move forward. Sending those first few e-mails emboldened me. It made me realize that the only way that this idea would happen is if I let the BHAG out of the bag, and let the universe give it some momentum.

If you know anything about me, and my work, you may have suspected that it has something to do with cranes. And you would be right. When this BHAG first started to form in my head, it was the idea that I would love to see 1000 cranes made from polymer clay, all together in an installation. It immediately went into the "Nice idea, as if that would ever happen" file. But every now and then, I would bring it out and reflect on the idea. Yep. It would be cool. Back in the file.

But recently the idea has taken a bit of a turn, and given it some new propulsion. It feels like something I have to do.

My BHAG is this; I want to create a crane for each soldier who has lost their life in Iraq. Each crane will be made from translucent clay, and on each wing their will be a name, the date the soldier died, where in Iraq they died, and how (hostile/non-hostile, IED, mortar, illness, ....). I want to have all these cranes, at least 4000 of them, all together in one space. Ideally a white room. Arranged by date. As you pass through the exhibit, you pass by the lives that have been lost. Each one ennumerated in a crane.

The crane is a powerful symbol for this idea in my mind. As a symbol of peace, and a symbol of long life, it will honor each of these men and woman. Regardless of our feelings about the war, or the soldier's feelings about being there, they are lives that need to be recognized and honored. A decision was made that led to this massive loss of life, which pales in comparison to the loss of Iraqi lives. The war has faded into the background. It goes on in spite of a general sense from many that the continuation of the war makes no sense. I want a visual image of these lives. I want to recognize them, and recognize the price of this political decision.

Some will hate this idea. That is okay. This is just something that I know I need to do. It comes from my heart.

I plan to start a new blog. One that will track this project. The ups and downs and ins and outs. The count of lives. The count of cranes. I will eventually start a way to raise funds to support this project. More will come about that later.

The biggest obstacle, .....aside from making all those cranes!!....is finding a place to install a project like this. This is the universe part. I am making this public so that as this project unfolds, a place may emerge. Perhaps several.

I will still post here.

I know.

"How does she find the time?"

I don't know. I just don't worry about that. The time will take care of itself. I will fold the cranes, as I continue on with my other work and the rest of my life. Stay tuned.....






Pretty Big and Audacious, huh? I think the hairiness diminished a bit by letting it out of the bag. I am more sure I need to do this, and that eventually it will happen.

Facing the Absolute Truth

Fact. We will all die eventually. A woman who has crossed my path in recent days has me thinking about how we come to terms with that fact, may just affect how we live the time we have.

Kimberly is my hero right now. Kimberly will be turning forty in February. In spite of doctor's predictions. I first met Kimberly, in passing, at a retreat last year. This was a day long retreat focused on personal growth and healing. At the time, she was not expected to live another year. Yet, she was spending a day, reflecting, examining, and opening her heart to the possible. Now you might expect given the circumstances that she might have spent that time in agonizing about how unfair it was, and why was this happening to her, and she had so many things she still wanted to do.

Kimberly was there to live her life, long or short, in the fullest way possible. This year when I went to the retreat again, there was Kimberly. I can't tell you how it made my heart lift to see her. Her hair was thin, and her face puffy from the ravages of the medications she has been taking. But her spirit was clearly alive. Her smile lit up her face, and her voice was one of hope and optimism.

We got to talking over lunch, and at one point we began talking about the cranes. I shared a few of the stories I have heard over the years from people about their connections with the cranes. This was when Kimberly exclaimed that I may have just solved her problem. She was planning a birthday party, for herself, in Key West, Florida next month. She and a dozen of her friends would be meeting up to celebrate her life, and the fact that she was still here to celebrate this birthday. She wanted to give a gift to each of her friends. Something that they would have, long after she was gone, that could help them remember her, and what her life was about. The cranes were the answer.

I will be making a dozen cranes for Kimberly in the coming days. They will have her birthdate under the wings. They will be small enough so someone can hold it in their hands, and remember Kimberly....and just how cute, and wonderful, and spiritual she is,... or was.

I have been blessed to have people like Kimberly come into my life. The cranes have brought these stories to me again and again. And each time I am connected to something way bigger than me.

I can only hope that I can face life with the courage, spirit, and joie de vivre that Kimberly does each and every day. I think of her, and I smile. Life is challenging and full of bumps and bruises. But, are we embracing the potential that it has to offer, everyday? Do we embrace life enough to want to work on our personal growth even as we stare down death?

Have you ever wondered what kind of art would you make if you were told you only had six months to live? Have you ever thought, maybe you should not wait until then to begin to make that art? Maybe, you won't get the six months warning.

Send your prayers and thoughts of healing Kimberly's way. The world could use someone like her a while longer. And go make some art like your life depended upon it. The world will be a richer place because of it.

Crane Names

The cranes have been named, thanks to the creative inspiration of many of you. Thank you for your submissions. There were many great ideas, so it was difficult to narrow it down to one name for each group of cranes.

The winning names were "Halo" for the first group of cranes, and "Perfect Prism" for the second group. Kitty and Emma, you will each be receiving a crane. Email me your mailing address and I will get your crane sent out to you.

Never Say Never

Never and Always are dangerous words. There is no wiggle room. And in life we need wiggle room. Room to learn, to adapt, to change our minds a bit if we want. But with absolutes like never and always, there is no room for change.

Back when I decided to make my passion for polymer clay into a business of some sort, I knew I had something with my polymer clay cranes. I knew they were unique, and the political environment of the war helped fuel a demand for them.

But I had this fear. I didn't want to be making cranes all the time. I would go crazy. I could "never" do that. Or so I thought.

Fast forward a few years and now the cranes are a mainstay of my business. They are a good source of cashflow at a time that the craft market is very tight. I have gotten better at folding them, but there are still more rejects and seconds than I would like. I have developed packaging and a product insert that have increased sales significantly. But there still is a certain ambivalence.

Even so, I am getting ready to make a commitment to produce cranes for a catalog. There are no guarantees of the volume this will represent. If they take off, I could be making an awful lot of cranes. And, I will be making them in a few set patterns, not each one different than the last. A few years ago, I would have been horrified at the idea of this. Now, when I look at it, the benefits outweigh any potential tedium.

First, more studio time. As much as I love being in business for myself, what I love even more is being in the studio, working with the clay. Even if it is going to be making a design repeatedly, it will help fund the continued growth of my business. And having less worries about money always does good things for the creative spirit!

Efficiency. I would rather sell a carton of 27 cranes, all in one shot, ....or three cartons, or five......than spend time, money and energy trying to sell those cranes myself at a retail show. Somebody else sells and promotes the work, and I just have to make it and ship it to them to distribute. One large sale, rather than 20, 50 or more small sales.

The window of opportunity does not stay open forever. Eventually the political tide will shift, and the demand for peace cranes will fade. Someone else will copy what I am doing. This is my chance to take advantage of a unique product at a unique time.

Once again, I am about to make a leap of faith. Into the unknown. I don't know if this will be a blip, a boon or a burden. It may be a bust. Or it may lead to me hiring someone to take on some simple tasks. Only time will tell, and I know I will learn alot! Stay tuned.......

Making Choices

When I first started selling my work, I was thrilled to pieces any time anyone.....absolutely anyone....wanted to buy my work. When I started selling wholesale, and I would get an inquiry from someone wanting my catalog, I was jumping for joy. I still am thrilled each time I get an order. Or when I make a sale at a show. But I am starting to make more choices about where and how I sell my work, and where my time gets spent.

The major decision I made recently was to only sell my cranes wholesale. This is as much by necessity as anything. But it also focuses my efforts in preparing for a show, and at the show. It is fairly easy for me to sell a crane. I have stories galore about the symbolism of cranes, and people's connections with the cranes, and all sorts of justifications for buying a crane. But while I am making the crane sale, I am neglecting the rest of my work. And, sometimes I sell the cranes, and "hope" the rest of my work will sell. Not a good strategy. If my energy is focused on cranes, that is where the attention of potential customers will be drawn.

There is plenty of demand for the cranes from my wholesale business. I can sell every crane I make. This has also led me to prioritize where the cranes go. I have not gotten cranes out to my consignment accounts yet. I don't have the back stock to send them. I expect that by the end of November, I will be able to supply them. But if you pay up front, you get to the front of the line. It is that simple.

It used to be that when someone wanted me to send them a catalog, I was thrilled. They liked my work! They might buy it! Well, most of those turned out to be little more than catalog collectors. Some turned into orders. But I do not get quite as excited these days by those inquiries. I still respond, but it is not always the first thing to get done.

When I started out, I had to search out most of my opportunities. Now, I find more and more opportunities come to me directly. People who have seen my work at a show. People who have seen my work on-line. People who saw my work in a magazine. Do you remember when you were entering your senior year in high school, and you started getting all the catalogs from colleges that wanted you to apply to their school. It is not quite as dramatic, but the feeling is similar. People wanting me to apply to their show, or submit samples for their catalog, or design a product exclusively for them. But not all these opportunities may be a good fit for where I see myself heading.


It feels good to have choices. But, it means I need to make choices. Start figuring out in what direction I want my business to be heading. What do I want my business to look like in five years? Will this help you get there? When I was applying to colleges I would look at where a school was located, how big the school was, and how strong they were in my potential major. All the things that helped me to sort through the options. Figuring out what was right for me. A good school is the school that is the best fit for my goals. Likewise a good show or other opportunity is the one that best fits my goals. I have to go through a sorting process. Do I have the time? Does it fit my work? How much will it cost me to do? Does it fit my schedule? Do I want to do it?

Bottom line: We each have to make choices that are right for us. We are the only ones who know what will work the best for us. It doesn't mean we won't make mistakes along the way. Mistakes are a given. They are bound to occur as we try new things out. But if we take manageable risks, they can be information that informs our choices as we move forward. It is essential that we regularly check in. Stopping to figure out where are we going, and are our actions supporting our goals?

Where Have I Been??

I hear quite frequently from readers about how frequently I post to my blog....that is until the last several weeks! Usually people will wonder how I find the time to blog. Nowadays, all the blogging is virtual. Posts written in my head, and never entered into the computer. Thoughts about how I should come up with something to post...it has been awhile..but it has to be fast and easy. Then I realize all that needs to be done, and the days are flying by. Blogging gets put off once more.

So what have I been busy doing? This is the crazy time of year for me. First it is family crazy. Three birthdays in my immediate family of four...and one of them is not mine..all within a month's time. Birthdays are less demanding as my kids get older, but it still requires time and attention. Today we went to the afternoon tea at Cafe Fleuri in Boston to celebrate my older daughter's birthday. Tomorrow she turns 14. She and her friend sat at an adjoining table to my husband, other daughter, and me. We were her posse. Sitting in the background. There to transport and pay the bill. But we got to enjoy a quiet afternoon of indulgence. Tonight, her friend is sleeping over. Movies, music, gossip, and just hanging out.

Amidst all this, cranes have been flying out of my studio. I look in amazement at stacks and stacks of boxes in my dining room. The next thing I know, they have been packed into cartons, and are shipped off to all corners. And bare space again is in view. Dozens and dozens have left, dozens more need to head out this week. In those pauses of wondering what I should do next, invariably I will consider making a few more cranes. This big demand for cranes in the wholesale market has meant a decision to no longer sell them retail. I have more than enough demand from the wholesale market. And it simplifies my life. Make them, box them, ship them.

On our drive into Boston today, I was stickering and stamping postcards. I have added another retail show to my calendar. The Providence Fine Furnishing and Fine Craft Show. There will be several other polymer clay artists in attendance. Elise Winters, Sandra McCaw and Rachel Carren. And perhaps a few more that I do not know about. The show will be October 26th to 28th, at the Providence, RI convention center.

In addition to the Providence show, I will have my work at a few special holiday sales. The Brookfield Craft Center Holiday sale, in Brookfield, CT. Snow Farms in western Massachusetts has a sale for three weekends in November. Several other opportunities to participate in similar sales have come my way in the last few weeks, but I just don't think I have enough inventory to spread around.

I have been trying to build up inventory of the new pod work for the Providence show, and it has been a challenge to keep any in stock. I have brought work out to Serendipity in Hudson, MA, and the Fiber Art Center in Amherst, MA. In addition the Garden of the Gods Trading Post and Gallery in Manitou Springs, CO just recieved a large order of the new work. And Gallery Morada, in Islamorada, FL has a pick box of the new jewelry on its way right now. I have been pulling aside inventory for Five Crows in Natick, MA, and I need to put some together for some of the holiday sales coming up. The work for Brookfield has to go out in the next few days.

And then again, there are the cranes. I have a catalog company who is potentially interested in the cranes. I sent off a dozen samples this weekend. This could push my business into another place if I end up selling them through a catalog. I may need to consider hiring a high school student,...or my daughter??...to do some of the many tasks that could easily be transferred to someone else. But it may not even happen. So, I can put off worrying about that for now.

For now, it continues to be, head down, butt in my studio. Remembering to come up for air every now and then, and to breathe. Just breathe.

I promise I will post part 2 of the How of Wholesale shows soon. But my brain was just not up to the task tonight. Pardon my absence. I hope to be back to blogging on a regular basis sooner rather than later. But for now, it will have to be when I can fit a few coherent (or semi-coherent?) minutes together.

Wholesale Shows; When?

For this third post, we will take a look at "when". When do you decide that it is time to do a wholesale show?

There is no definitive answer to this question. For each person/business/artist the answer will come at different times and different ways. Some artists will jump right into wholesale from the very start of their business. Others may never take that step. What kinds of questions might you want to ask yourself about whether or not you are ready to take this step?

1. Are you interested in selling wholesale? Are you interested in growing your wholesale business? Do you have some reason that you do not want to sell wholesale? Have you made a list of the pros and cons of selling your work wholesale?

2. Do you have a price structure that can support selling your work wholesale? This may seem to be a no-brainer, but I am serious. Have you priced your work so that you can sell it wholesale and still make a profit? It is not unusual for an artist who is starting out to sell their work at a retail show at wholesale prices. These days, many retailers are looking to mark up the wholesale price by more than 2 times. A mark up of 2.1 times or 2.3 times the wholesale price is not uncommon today. Some retailers, in high rent areas, or catalog companies may be looking to price the work at three times wholesale. Can your work sell at those kinds of prices?

3. Have you developed a distinctive style or look to your work? If you are still trying to figure out where you are going with your work, it is probably too soon to jump into wholesale. I was guilty of this. The only work that I still sell from when I first started selling wholesale just four years ago is my polymer clay cranes. These pins were some of what I was making back when I started out selling wholesale. While they are both inspired by collage, that is where the similarity ends. I had not really worked out line before I jumped in. I don't recommend this approach.

4. Do you have the financial resources to do a show? There is the booth fee, potentially shipping and travel expenses, marketing materials, displays, .... You may feel like you are hemorrhaging cash. You've heard the expression, "you have to spend money to make money." When it comes to doing a wholesale show, you will definitely have to spend some money. Are you ready financially and psychologically?

5. Are you ready? Are you ready to take the risk, and the challenge of doing a show? Are you ready to accept whatever outcome may occur? Just as with a retail show, there are no guarantees that you will have a great show. You may do gangbusters. Or, you may not see the response you expected. You may have more competition than you anticipated. You may have priced yourself out of the market. You may have work that takes time to build an audience. Your display may not have worked. And on and on, and on. Are you ready to go into it knowing the risks, and willing to do an honest assessment of why things worked,.... or perhaps did not.

Any time I am faced with making a big change in my business I find I have to look inside myself. Sometimes I make the jump before I am really ready, but I learn and adapt. Or, I sometimes let fear hold me back from taking a step. At times I may want to do something, but just do not have the financial resources to make that move. I usually need some time of thinking, weighing my options, and sleeping on it, before I can come to a decision that feels right for me. I may still have some uncertainty.

Uncertainty is a given anytime you are doing something you have never done before. But, there is the counter balancing cost of hesitating when you know you are ready. Is that something you can comfortably live with? I find that I have more regrets with opportunities missed, than opportunities taken. But we all have to figure out our own comfort level, and do the best and most honest assessment of how ready we truly are. And then, accept our choice as the right one for us. No matter what everyone else chooses. Because in the end, it is our business to run.

Lessons and Adjustments, Part 2

My changes to the booth on day 2 lead to a significant improvement in sales, but still not a great day. So I decided on day three, I had nothing to lose. I had to totally rethink my display and my work.

I had been looking at my work as if it was reflected in a fun house mirror. My perception was distorted. Loretta Lam put it well, "sometimes we fall too much in love with our work." I had been working hard in the previous few weeks, making changes, and new designs. I was excited about the changes and thought I was heading in the right direction. And I still believe that I am. But it takes more than good work to make a show work for you. In today's economy every aspect of presenting and selling your work matters. And I had gotten a lot of things wrong.

I started by moving the tables further forward. I moved everything onto two tables, and moved them as far forward as I possibly could. Seeing my work from the aisle became much easier.

Next, I began looking at the work I had out. I had a necklace that I loved as a focal point on one table. I loved the play of colors, and the way the pods were spaced out on the necklace. But the colors said spring or summer, not fall. And the weather was turning crisp and cool. While I might wear any color, any time of the year, not everyone else will.

So the necklace went back into stock and another piece that had more fall colors was moved into the prime spot. All the pinks, lavenders, and peaches went under the table, and all the earth tones, greens, silvers and greys came out.

I took a look at my prices, and "sharpened my pencil". All this work made a difference. The last day sales were higher than the first two days combined. It was not a good show overall, but I salvaged what I could from it, and learned some lessons in the process.

And today, I got a call from the manager of the gift shop at the Peabody Essex Museum. I had a customer on Sunday who mentioned she worked there. I had been trying for nearly two months to get in there with my polymer clay origami cranes. They have an origami exhibit there now that runs through till June of 2008. I thought my cranes would be a perfect fit for the gift shop. I just could not reach the gift shop manager.

When I found out that this person worked at the museum, and knew the woman I was trying to reach I was thrilled. I had brought some of my small cranes to give to people as gifts or "thank you's." I generally do not sell this size crane. I gave one to this woman to bring to the gift shop manager. It is packaged the same way as the larger cranes, but is quite a bit smaller. I gave one to my new customer, her sister, and one to her mother, while I was at it!! Why not build a little good will...

Today the gift shop manager called, and we talked for a bit about the cranes. And I got a nice size order. My show was salvaged. The order was for more cranes than I would normally sell at a retail show. Even though I missed some sales by not having cranes at the show, in the end, I was better off with this new account that could result in some great sales in the coming months.

As they say, "It ain't over, till it's over"....but even then, it may not be over!

Memorial Day Story

This Memorial Day, I want to take you back to December of 2005, when I received the following e-mail:

“I was doing a web search looking for cranes to use as Christmas ornaments when I happened upon your site. I was wondering what the approximate size of your ornaments were, where I could purchase them and if it would be possible to get them customized with lettering.”

I sent back an email asking for some more information. The next day the following information came:

"I'm looking for 12 cranes and would need them by Wednesday 12/21. I live in ........., Indiana, just outside of Indianapolis.

Regarding the custom lettering, I was looking for them to have "Bobby" and "Believe" printed on each of the wings (either on top or on bottom), preferably in gold lettering."

I agreed to take on the project. I had no galleries carrying the cranes in the area at the time, and the last sentence pulled me in. I finished up the cranes, and contacted him again to find out where they needed to be shipped and payment information.

In the next e-mail, he said he would send me a check and gave me the mailing address. He also included the following:

"P.S. I happened to review your biography on your web site and thought you may, for inspiration or just curiosity, want to know the reason for my request. My nephew, Robert Paul Warns II was a marine killed in Iraq last November (there is an incredible 5-minute video tribute on the website). Since our family tends to be a bit on the spiritual side (kind of Catholics meet Buddha) we celebrate Bobby's life and feel and "believe" that his spirit is still with us. We've adopted the crane as a remembrance of Bobby, both because he used to fold them and give them to children in Iraq (he loved children) and also because of their significance as a symbol of peace. I am really looking forward to passing out your cranes as a special Christmas remembrance.”

I have never been so touched in my life as I was by this story. Some eighteen months later it still brings tears to my eyes. I never cashed the check that was sent, and I sent a few more cranes. So they made a donation to a local charity that supports people who are working but struggling to make ends meet. Bobby Burns came from an amazing family. And there are many, many other families all across this country today who are missing their loved ones. Their brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, nieces and nephews. And each one has a story. Today, on memorial, remember Bobby, and all the other soldiers who have lost their lives in a war.

And the Winner Is....

Patricia R. is the lucky winner of the crane. I want to thank each and every one of you who submitted your pricing suggestions. Over 40 people sent in their thoughts and their prices. And many are curious to learn what I have learned in this process. I am not alone in my dislike of pricing, but this process has actually helped me reach some peace with my prices. I will be sharing what I have learned with you over the next days...or perhaps weeks.....there is that much to talk about in this topic. So stay tuned...

The Discussion Continues

The discussion about copying and teaching other's techniques continues in earnest on Polymer Clay Daily blog, and has spilled over to the Polymer Clay Central discussion board. It is interesting that sites on the internet that celebrate this media that is so alive with innovation have also become the site of a discussion about perhaps reining in that creative energy. I was going to add to the discussion on Polymer Clay Daily, but as my comment grew in length, I decided this might be a better place to post my comments.

It seems to me that it goes back to that book, Everything I Ever Needed To Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It is not nice to copy someone else's work. If you borrow something from someone else, ask first and say thank you if they are willing to let you use it. When you do you own work (even if it involves a technique someone else developed) it feels much better. Think before you react. Ask before you assume. (both ways).
Making lists of what is open and what is off-limits, like policing, is an exercise in futility. When does an idea move from the off-limits list to the open for everyone list? A design is never open to everyone to reproduce and sell. But techniques are open to the exploration of all who are intrigued enough to explore them. If I make some canes that are similar to what Sarah Shriver, or Sandra McCaw makes and use them to decorate the surface of one of my cranes, am I infringing on their designs? I don't think so. I am happy to acknowledge their inspiration in the canework. But, if I make earrings or pins like Sandra's, or a bracelet or necklace like Sarah's and try to sell them as my own....I have crossed a line. And it is a place I am not the least bit interested in going.

I am new to polymer clay. I only really began playing with the clay four years ago. Within a week or two I was wondering if I could make a crane out of clay. I persisted, and figured it out. I then went to the internet to see who else might be making them. I couldn't find a thing. I have since heard from a few people that they had folded cranes from clay years ago, but they did not pursue it much further. But people know I am the one who makes cranes out of clay. Should I be the only one who can make them and sell them? Heavens forbid, no!

Cranes have been made from paper for centuries. People have experimented with using other media for origami techniques for many, many years. I have used wire mesh to make a few pieces, and have thought about using fabric. I heard from a woman in Seattle who makes cranes from fabric and sells them at her local farmer's market.

The thing about cranes is that they represent so many wonderful things. Peace first off. And prosperity, long life and fidelity. We can all use these things in our lives. More people, making more cranes will do more good in the world than my trying to police anyone and everyone who decides they also want to fold cranes out of clay. One of these days, when I have five minutes to breathe, I need to figure out how to make a video to teach others how to do origami with polymer clay. Holding on to what I have learned will not help me or anyone else. Sharing our knowledge can help grow the base.

I look at the work of Celie Fago and Louise Fischer Cozzi . Both have taken what they learned from Gwen Gibson (the tear-away technique) and develop their own distinctive designs.

What if Gwen taught this technique but then imposed limits? Certainly these women are creative enough to find some other technique to express themselves with. But clearly this subtle texture created by this process was something that spoke to both of these women. Yet, what each woman did with the process is unique to them. And both readily acknowledge that Gwen was the person who they learned the tear away technique from.

Before we start building fences and making lists we ought to stop and think. Bush may say he is the "decider"...but do we really want to have a "decider" to say what we can and cannot do with this wonderful media?? Common sense, good manners, and a touch of humor and humility will help all of us grow.

Changing it up

There is a dichotomy that exists between deeply exploring a particular theme, idea or technique in your artwork. This in depth exploration can lead to understanding that never would have been gained if you had not done something again and again, in subtle, but real variations.

A simple example for me is folding the cranes from clay. The first 10 to 20 were less than stellar successes. But they resembled cranes enough that I persisted. Over time, I learned more about what the limits were. How thin, how big, how to best support them during baking, etc, etc, etc. But I also was learning about color and pattern as I came up with more and more ways to decorate the surface of the clay. Understandings that enrich other areas of my work. The 100th crane was more refined than the first. And the 1000th crane more so still. And the learning continues.

But, it is possible to get so caught up in refining how you do something that you can get into a rut of sorts. Missing out on the variation that sits right in front of you. Are you always approaching something the same way? Doing it in the same colors. Or the same shapes. Or the same sizes. Sometimes stepping back enough to look at something in a new light can open the door to new ways of doing the same old thing. And bring a new vitality and vigor to the process.

Right now, I am exploring variations in size. Think Alice in Wonderland. Bigger. Smaller. How far can I go, and what do I have to do differently. I have made cranes that are as big as 12" across in wingspan, and ones as small as about 1.5" Each end of the size spectrum poses different challenges in creating the piece, but by facing those challenges, I can learn more about the limitations of the media, and the design.

The little hot peppers I make are close to life size. Usually about 3 or 4 inches long. Then recently it dawned on me, how about a really big pepper. Could I do it? Would I have to change anything about the way I made it? "Whole Lotta Heat" measures about 10 to 12 " in length. And was actually not too different in process to the smaller ones. It has opened up the door to exploring these variations even further.

I have another idea I am playing with right now, that takes something I have been making for a while and transforms it. Presents it in a different way. I am not ready to show any pictures yet. But I am excited about the new terrain this small change will give me to explore.

Take a look at your work and think about it. What could be different, while still being the same? Not shifting from your inspiration, but shifting the way you are interepreting it. Small changes can be powerful. It feeds the muse, while building skill and confidence.

Good Karma

It is always good to see artists that "play nice" together. Sometimes fear, envy, or other issues get in the way, and artists will have a hard time sharing with others. The fear of being copied is huge.

But with polymer clay and metal clay the opposite is usually true. People are very open and sharing with one another about techniques and ideas. I suppose it is because both are very new media. There is so much to be explored still. And one idea feeds another.

The Metal Clay list on Yahoo is one of the most vital and creative groups I know. They have monthly challenges for the group....trying out a new technique or designing around a theme perhaps. We all grow as artists from this process, even if it is just as an observer.

One of the artists on the group had breast cancer quite a few years ago. She was in remission for about 8 years. But now the cancer is back, and in a more aggressive form. She needs a bone marrow transplant. She cannot work because of her compromised immune system, and thus has no health insurance. Instead she is on Medicare, and unless she has a perfect match, they will not pay for the transplant. But without the transplant, her chances of survival are nil. Sadly, this story is one too many of us can understand. Whether personally, or through friends or neighbors.

But here comes the good karma. The Metal Clay list took their creative energies and applied it to this challenge. How can we raise money for Robin so she can get her bone marrow transplant? An auction has been set up on eBay. Donations are being made to her medical fund. None of this may come close to covering her vast expenses, yet it is so wonderful to see how people will come together for someone they know only through an internet connection, and gather their collectionve energies to help.

An auction has been set up on eBay. If you searchfor "4Robin" you will see the items that are currently up for auction. A holiday gift purchase could help Robin come closer to getting the care she needs. You can read more about Robin's story and make a donation at her website http://www.fightforherlife.org.

I donated an apple vessel and a crane to the auction. The crane was donated for its symbolism....long life and healing. It seemed a natural fit for the cause, and reflected my hopes for Robin.

The apple vessel was one that I made over a year ago. I had loved the way it came out, and it always got an enthusiastic response at shows....yet it never came close to being sold. I was starting to feel badly about the piece. So I decided to donate it to the auction. Do something positive with it. Well today, the karma shifted. The apple was quickly purchased with the "Buy It Now" option. I now love the piece again. It is bringing Robin a little bit of help, and I feel good that someone fell in love with it enough to buy it up right away. I think I will have to revisit this design...perhaps in some other colors. But now the name will have to be "Robin's Apple" or "Robin's Pear".

So to that purchaser....Thank you! And to Robin....I am sending you thoughts of healing.