Comments on: I salute Robert Hodgins http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/ Customized handmade tiles and claywork for architecture and design. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 01:10:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Gerrit Oosthuizen http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-41 Gerrit Oosthuizen Thu, 15 May 2008 16:13:35 +0000 http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-41 Yes, fresh ideas, but these come at a cost, and students must be made aware that, even as artist designers, that they are business entities in themselves, motivated for profit while doing something they are passionate about. Profit is and must be of primary concern, as this will afford you the opportunity to; withstand exploitation, market and brand oneself, invest in R&D ,etc... Any good ceramic idea will come to nothing without realizing a substantial profit for the development of the next dynamic and original "fresh" idea! The platform I would like to share, is based on this very simple and basic requirement of any successful business. It is unfortunate that to many artists AND AMATEURS operate in this market with no regard to real costs involved, and for them I have no time. This platform must open the mind and excite the viewer to a degree where the market will reevaluate the worth of claywork in our environment. Artists and/or designers and/or ceramic artists themselves, creating new ceramic ideas, while sharing a platform with viable and sustainable business objectives as their primary goal, will go from strength to strength. It would be interesting to know how many ceramic artists in South Africa are operating in a viable and sustainable ceramic art/design environment? But this is a post for another time! Yes, fresh ideas, but these come at a cost, and students must be made aware that, even as artist designers, that they are business entities in themselves, motivated for profit while doing something they are passionate about. Profit is and must be of primary concern, as this will afford you the opportunity to; withstand exploitation, market and brand oneself, invest in R&D ,etc…
Any good ceramic idea will come to nothing without realizing a substantial profit for the development of the next dynamic and original “fresh” idea!
The platform I would like to share, is based on this very simple and basic requirement of any successful business.
It is unfortunate that to many artists AND AMATEURS operate in this market with no regard to real costs involved, and for them I have no time.
This platform must open the mind and excite the viewer to a degree where the market will reevaluate the worth of claywork in our environment.
Artists and/or designers and/or ceramic artists themselves, creating new ceramic ideas, while sharing a platform with viable and sustainable business objectives as their primary goal, will go from strength to strength.
It would be interesting to know how many ceramic artists in South Africa are operating in a viable and sustainable ceramic art/design environment? But this is a post for another time!

]]> By: Retief van Wyk http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-40 Retief van Wyk Wed, 14 May 2008 19:23:24 +0000 http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-40 I think your Southern Art Ceramics is indeed the much needed platform for young ceramic artists. I will endevour to inform my students to subscribe and participate. The market does need new young fresh ideas, not derivitive but new. I think your Southern Art Ceramics is indeed the much needed platform for young ceramic artists. I will endevour to inform my students to subscribe and participate. The market does need new young fresh ideas, not derivitive but new.

]]> By: Gerrit Oosthuizen http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-39 Gerrit Oosthuizen Wed, 14 May 2008 15:27:18 +0000 http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-39 I thank you for this post, and yes the stature of Hodgins is a most important point. I am actually stating my firm believe that "talented" ceramic artists find it difficult or impossible to run their career as a viable business in a ceramic environment devoid of personal confidence. The correct ceramic platform will be participants selling for profit, a platform driven by dynamic changes,discarding traditional concepts, a platform where the artist make things happen, a platform where the viewer, agent and artist will be empowered! Besides the stature of Hodgins, the framework of reference created by this high profile exhibition is invaluable considering that respected ceramic artists, operating in the mainstream "ceramic" market, erode all viability as far as making a respectful exsistance, by asking pathetic prices in galleries for work that could have demanded a much higher price! The ceramic artists and associations are their own worst enemy. Due to the lack in knowledge and skill, most galleries will not have the guts to sell, expose or market ceramic art on this format, not even at a fraction of Robert's prices! I do believe that besides Robert's stature, he did and still is considering and managing the stage he created to share his considerable talent. These choices are the most important decisions any ceramic artist must learn to make. I thank you for this post, and yes the stature of Hodgins is a most important point.

I am actually stating my firm believe that “talented” ceramic artists find it difficult or impossible to run their career as a viable business in a ceramic environment devoid of personal confidence. The correct ceramic platform will be participants selling for profit, a platform driven by dynamic changes,discarding traditional concepts, a platform where the artist make things happen, a platform where the viewer, agent and artist will be empowered!

Besides the stature of Hodgins, the framework of reference created by this high profile exhibition is invaluable considering that respected ceramic artists, operating in the mainstream “ceramic” market, erode all viability as far as making a respectful exsistance, by asking pathetic prices in galleries for work that could have demanded a much higher price!

The ceramic artists and associations are their own worst enemy.

Due to the lack in knowledge and skill, most galleries will not have the guts to sell, expose or market ceramic art on this format, not even at a fraction of Robert’s prices!

I do believe that besides Robert’s stature, he did and still is considering and managing the stage he created to share his considerable talent. These choices are the most important decisions any ceramic artist must learn to make.

]]> By: Retief van Wyk http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-37 Retief van Wyk Wed, 14 May 2008 11:59:30 +0000 http://www.southernartceramics.com/blog/i-salute-robert-hodgins/#comment-37 I appreciate the comment on Robert's work and it is amazing to see how the simple plate has been elevated to high art status. The debate is now wheter ceramics as a whole will be elevated or is it the stature of Hodgins and 'art' market that has determined these prices. I believe it to be the latter but it is refreshing to see that the simple vessel or plate could be elevated to this realm. Also seen in the work of Hylton Nel, simple wobbly bowls go for rather high prices. The art work elevates them, I love them. Ceramics has always been a versatile medium! Retief van Wyk Author: The Ceramic Art of Robert Hodgins I appreciate the comment on Robert’s work and it is amazing to see how the simple plate has been elevated to high art status. The debate is now wheter ceramics as a whole will be elevated or is it the stature of Hodgins and ‘art’ market that has determined these prices. I believe it to be the latter but it is refreshing to see that the simple vessel or plate could be elevated to this realm. Also seen in the work of Hylton Nel, simple wobbly bowls go for rather high prices. The art work elevates them, I love them.
Ceramics has always been a versatile medium!

Retief van Wyk
Author: The Ceramic Art of Robert Hodgins

]]>