[Jewelry making - Article 00524] - Re: [Orchid] Wholesaling one-offs

[Noel]

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Hi, Michael,

    Thank you for your thoughtful reply about wholesaling. I've given
    myself a few days to mull it over, but I'm still not sure I
    understand what you're trying to say. Are you saying that because my
    work is "art", it's hopeless to try to sell it?? Yes, I think of it
    as art, and sculpture, but (most of) it IS also jewelry. And I'm far
    from the only one whose stuff isn't designed for production. 

    Are you saying that production work is what one needs in order to
    wholesale, i.e., one of a kinds will not work in a wholesale market?
    That could be... I guess I would hope that the uniqueness would
    raise the perceived value in the eyes of the buyers, as it ideally
    does with customers. 

    Yes, I suppose I could dig down and come up with some castable
    designs. But I still need to find the right way to market the pieces
    I make because my soul demands it. If I did not *need* to create, I
    would just have a job of some sort. For what it is worth, I do make
    other work, some of it quite repeatable, and lower in cost. But if I
    am ever going to "do well", it will be on the basis of my "signature
    work", so I need to get that work into venues where it will be
    seen/bought, and I have trouble doing all that many retail shows.
    Currently, my work is in NO galleries, and I need to find the ones
    that want my kind of work. So wholesale shows seem like an efficient
    way, maybe. 

    Unfortunately, it has not been my experience that "sincere retailers
    who like your work will tell you what they need." Mostly, they just
    tell me yes or no. And when "no", I don't get an explanation of why.
    Mobilia, which accepted and sold my "Just My Cup of Tea" teapot
    piece (subject of the "Flashy Tea" thread a couple of years ago) has
    not been willing to display anything else of mine, and I have no
    idea why. I was turned down by ACC Baltimore -- and St Paul! 

    So, evidently I do have something to prove. If anyone has insight as
    to what the problem is, I hope you will share it with me. Some
    things are obvious to everybody except oneself. Regardless, I will
    keep plugging away-- it's the only game in town! 

--Noel

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