OK Kieran, Been a few days and I have a coffer full of repair and
custom work to do… The heading on this I changed from working
at home to a store heading due to our subject matter last few
posts…
How to reply to you without writing the Great American Novel and
without talking about myself. Unfortunately my frame of reference
is personal so I’ll try very hard to stay focused. For those
people following this thread I will say it appears the BOHO Dance
continues with the next generation. If you don’t know what the
BOHO dance is Kieran, It would take me a long time to explain,
maybe someone else can…
Lets tackle your comment about commercial jewelry first… If
you reread your own post you will perhaps perceive you waffled (
is waffled a word?) first saying you thought it was crap and then
saying you know some people buy this stuff and feel good about
doing so ? Well , It is junk to me and obviously to you also .
So this is good to be clear about what you like and do not be
concerned about what others like> ( for now )>
Secondly, your comment ,next sentence I think ,about seeing the
$99 dollar special sitting next to the beautiful custom piece…
I have never seen this in any store of quality , although I
have seen it in pawn shops ( no insult intended to the pawn shop
owners ) and yes Kieran it is about money ,and the boho dance
rears its head and cries out. !
I went through the boho dance when I was young and possibly you
must also…who listens to us old folks anyway…except maybe
other old folks…If you are very smart you will collect as much
money as you can so that you may have the time to follow your
dreams. Forget about what people say .The teachers and professors
and schools et al need all the student they can get to stay in
business…You should focus on what you want…This is very hard
because what you want changes as the years go by…and if you
reflect on this Kieran you will see it is true.
Now for the customer who says he (she) can get it cheaper at Wal
mart, I always or usually 1: say nothing , 2: point out the
fine points of what I am selling , 3. tell them they should buy
it there then… ( on this point one must be careful…invariably
you find out that the customer just wants to try to beat down
your price not buy it from a discount house because they know
your piece is better…) How you handle this attitude reflects on
your ability to sell your work…ahhh selling your work, selling
yourself…what every artist hates to do… and the boho dance
continues…
I still produce work for the sheer beauty of it and put my price
on it…If it sits forever so what? If you go into selling your
work with an attitude that you will not get your time or money
out of it then you won’t ! You must focus on your market…any
real estate agent for a few bucks can show you how… in your
area find the houses that sell for 200,000 and over and focus
direct mail to them …They can afford your work…
As for elite snobs…If I have money to spend and I want to pay
for original or one off piece…that is great for you …so be a
snob what ever that means…ah the boho dance rears its head a
cries.
So what do you want Kieran…I keep asking but you don’t
say…listen to this If you want to open a store …this means a
business, a storefront, and by its very nature is a commercial
venture…at least the tax man says it is commercial…how much did
you make or lose ? Money is what they want to know about…
This can lead you down many paths… I will not presume to give
you advice about opening a store…I have done many things wrong
and still came out a success …so far anyway We should probably
do this off list so as not to bore everyone to sleep…
and at last for now…do not let your emotions confuse you about
what you want…so it bothers you that someone doesn’t get
recognition…that is not your problem…you is your problem…And
the boho dance continues
I read this somewhere , badly paraphrased , " expecting the
world to treat you well is about like expecting the angry bull
not to charge because you are a vegetarian "
I’m going to bed.
Terry Parresol