So what is a pottery commission?
On occasion a customer may contact me and say “I love the mug you shared on Instagram the other day. Is it possible to have it in a different colour with a different image?” Sounds simple enough and often I already have it in stock and can meet the customers requirements quickly. However sometimes it’s something I’ve never created before and that’s when the fun begins. Conversations will take place to discuss their specific requirements and preferences and before you know it, if the kiln gods are playing nicely, between us we create something unique, which showcases my skills and ticks all the customers boxes.
Just recently a lady contacted me after she had seen some new work I had shared on social media. She purchased the vessel and loved it so much that she asked if I could create a pair of vessels in the same form but with some alterations that suited their taste. The vessels would be used for a cacao ceremony with her friend and they had an idea of what they would like them to look like. I shared my catalogue of decals with them and the images were chosen.
Form, Size & Image Decisions!
The form, size and images were chosen and now the final decision had to be made, what colour glaze? If you are familiar with my range of work you will know I have a range of 5 colours which are turquoise, pink, lilac, navy blue and cream speckled. I asked what colours they had in mind, one lady considered pink and the other was hoping for a dark green. I was honest and said the green wasn’t something I had done before and this could take some time with experimentation as it is rare you get a perfect outcome first go in the pottery world! With the best will in the world, once that kiln lid is closed its down to the kiln gods and even tried and tested formulas can throw you a curve ball from time to time!
Glaze Colour!
I considered other glazes I had used in the past and the purpose of the new vessel I was creating and realised I had two glazes that could potentially be the perfect option. I sent a video of a previous piece I’d created in the past. Videos are a much better option when making these important choices, as I can rotate the vessel so they get to see all angles. They can get a true indication of the depth of colour and any special details that a photo may not capture. I advised the customer that I expected the vessels to be ready in 2 weeks but depending on the weather it could be 3.
Did you know that the weather has a big impact on my processing times? If its very hot vessels can dry too quickly and crack and if it’s raining and cold; then pieces can take several days even weeks to dry enough for the next stage. Now we all know what the British weather can be like, but I don’t think any of us were prepared for the amount of rain we have had lately!
Ability to make changes!
I kept regular contact with my customer, sending images to show the progress and making sure they were happy. It is so important not to just run with the initial idea. What the customer is anticipating can be a different interpretation to yours, so regular check ins allow for any tweaks to be made and also builds anticipation for the customer, enabling them to be part of the creation too. It also encourages me to be accountable, not to be distracted by other work and to ensure I meet my deadlines. I am proud to say I have 100% completion on all my deadlines ahead of the agreed date, I hope I haven’t just jinxed myself!
Once the work is complete, as with all my products, the vessels are inspected, quality checked and then images are taken for the customers approval. Once I am sure the customer is happy, we agree a delivery date and payment is made. If a customer is local, I will hand deliver. It really is quite a special moment when they unwrap the packaging and can hold and explore the vessel in person for the first time. They often have lots of questions to ask and getting their feedback helps me for future work too.
Final outcome!
I always ensure the customer is given care instructions. Oh and another thing I always ask my customers is if they mind me sharing images of the product on my social media. As the creator I cannot assume that this is ok for me to do, so far everyone eagerly says yes please do, but its always best to check.
And that’s that really. Plenty of communication to have a clear understanding on both parts for the design, the materials, the cost and the production time. Be prepared that customers may change their mind. I always have a backup, so in this case created two more vessels with the decals on just in case the glaze didn’t come out as we hoped, but the kiln gods were on my side and I hope you agree that they came out perfect, exactly what the customer wanted.