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I've been a potter for 31 years. Back then, doing business was simple-you rented a space, brought in the pots, sold them for cash, wrapped them in whatever newspaper was handy, stuck them in a brown paper bag, and that was that. The East Village at that time was a pretty funky place, and Clayworks was like an outpost of civilization on East Ninth Street. Now, the East Village is a sophisticated, commercially developed and culturally diverse area. Having a business here has become more competitive and complicated, requiring elaborate store displays, fancy packaging, ad campaigns, marketing strategies, and Internet sales. Sometimes hype and image become more important than the product itself. Clayworks, however, has remained as simple as I can keep it. The values that I held then are the same ones I hold now. Here is what we sell at Clayworks: well-conceived pottery, thoughtfully crafted, expertly executed, subtly detailed, richly glazed, stylish and yet eminently functional. Pottery that warms to your daily routine and fits right into your hand, so that you can't start your day without it. Like comfort food, ours are the mugs you reach for, the bowls you carry from room to room, the plates you use to serve your favorite foods. Clayworks pots are made to last and made to please. When customers asked if I had a website, and when friends and business associates insisted it was a necessity to have a Web presence, I resisted. For me, the essential nature of pottery is tactile. The ability to feel the heft and curve of a bowl, the balance of a handle, the thick richness of a fat glaze or the pleasing texture of a mat finish is not only pleasurable, but critical to selecting the right piece. Would people really buy pottery on the Web without being able to handle it? Did I want to sell my work on the Web in that way? Was I willing to speed up the pace of my work, in order to produce greater quantities? After much consideration, I realized that the things that make my work special to me and my clients-- the care and individual attention to the details of each piece, and the one-of -a- kind nature of many of the pieces --are exactly the things that would prevent me from selling either wholesale or retail on the Web. But I could design a site that would allow clients past, present and future to reach me here, as well as see a sampling of my work, and thus get a sense of what Clayworks has to offer. So that is what this website is for-for you to find me, communicate with me, and come here to Clayworks. It's a little store with a lot of heart and history, where the pottery always takes center stage. Come and visit! |
