The Eternal Question: Did I Make Enough? (The Artist's Inventory Balancing Act)
It's a question that dances in the back of every artist's mind, especially as show season looms: Did I make enough work? Do we ever truly feel like we have enough?
Some days, my studio feels like a burgeoning landscape of clay, shelves overflowing with pieces in various stages of completion. I look around and think, "Wow, I've been busy! I have so much to get out there and share." The upcoming events on my calendar feel less daunting, more like opportunities to finally find homes for these creations.
Then, the pendulum swings. The calendar gets closer, the booth displays start taking shape in my mind, and suddenly I feel like if I sell a lot at this show, what will I have for the next? I know I have at least 2 more glaze firings ready to go but it still feels… sparse. Panic whispers, "Is this it? Will I even have enough to fill my space? Will people walk by and see bare shelves?" It's a constant push and pull, this internal inventory tightrope walk.
And let's be honest, for those of us who primarily rely on in-person shows (that's about 95% of my sales!), the stakes feel even higher. Each show is an investment – the booth fee, which can sometimes be a significant chunk of change, the hours spent packing and unpacking, the potential for travel, hotel stays for those out-of-town gems that are just too far to commute. There's a real uncertainty baked into the equation. How many shows do I sign up for? Am I spreading myself too thin?
The winter months are supposed to be prime making time, the quiet season where the hum of the wheel or the slap of the slabs replaces the bustle of the crowds. Did I work hard enough? Did I maximize those studio hours? It's a post-winter reckoning that many of us face.
This year, I tried to be more strategic. I actually took the time (yes, I know, groundbreaking!) to delve into my sales data from last year. I meticulously tracked what my best-selling items were. Then, I did some calculations, figuring out roughly how much inventory I'd need if I participated in X number of shows. My goal was to aim for the higher end of that range, to hopefully avoid that "bare shelves" anxiety.
And you know what? I actually think I did a pretty decent job of trying to reach those numbers. But then reality sets in: I am one person. Just one pair of hands shaping, glazing, and firing all these little (and sometimes not-so-little) pieces. And oh boy, do I love the details! Lots of intricate work, a whole lotta brushstrokes on each item. It adds up, time-wise.
I have a sneaking suspicion that this inventory balancing act is a pretty universal struggle for artists who primarily sell in person and don't have the constant flow of online sales to gauge demand and move pieces regularly. It's a different kind of pressure, this build-up for those concentrated bursts of selling.
So, as show season kicks into high gear, I'll be heading out there with what I've made, hoping it's "enough." Maybe it will be, maybe it won't. But one thing's for sure: the making never truly stops. And maybe, just maybe, that constant creation is the closest we ever get to answering that eternal question.
#artistlife #inpersonevents #inventory #makingprocess #potterybusiness #ceramicart
