May 1994 1 William Hunt..................................Editor Ruth C. Butler................Associate Editor Kim Nagorski ................ Assistant Editor Randy Wax.............................. Art Director Mary Rushley...............Circulation Manager Mary E. Beaver.... Assistant Circulation Manager Connie Belcher........... Advertising Manager Spencer L. Davis........................ Publisher Editorial, Advertising and Circulation Offices 1609 Northwest Boulevard Post Office Box 12788 Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788 (614) 488-8236 FAX (614) 488-4561 Ceramics Monthly (ISSN 0009-0328) is published monthly except July and August by Professional Publications, Inc., 1609 Northwest Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio 43212-0788. Second Class post­ age paid at Columbus, Ohio. Subscription Rates: One year $22, two years $40, three years $55. Add $10 per year for subscrip­ tions outside the U.S.A. In Canada, add GST (registration number R123994618). 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All rights reserved 2 CERAMICS MONTHLY Letters When I said “If you can’t afford to play, shows a year. They are more concerned with stay away,” I meant you should be aware of pushing them through than quality. (Does the rules and risks. Sure, every time we enter, the term “puppy mill” come to mind?) we are at the mercy of a subjective jury. 3. Look at the award money. Little or no Position on Show Funding Clarified There is no guarantee that you’ll get in no money can only mean bad things. I would like to apologize to Barbara matter how good you are. Andy Warhol said 4. Look at the percent for sales. Most Owens for appearing arrogant in my last that his criteria for jurying an art show were quality shows take 10% to 30%. letter [January CM]. I’m afraid she missed to let his friends in first, then to award them 5. Hesitate entering shows that cost over my point. I would like to take this opportu­ the prizes. Who knows what the other jurors $25. Usually, I set a limit of $20, except for nity to expand on my meaning. use as their criteria? We have to believe they well-known shows I can’t pass up. (I have My position on this show-funding debate will be more punctilious. seen some shows with a $50 fee—a sure sign was amazement that there was an issue being And now I will tackle the argument that of a major scam.) debated. We live in a country based on capi­ those who get in should pay the expenses and 6. Stay away from shows run by non-art talism, free-market enterprise and economic those who don’t should get refunded. Dick related organizations; i.e., the Jaycees, the laws. These museums, art centers, galleries, Lehman’s solution (March 1994): “Assigning Rotary, etc. (Go with the professionals.) etc., are businesses rendering us a service. We a price-per-piece for the exhibition” cost and 7.1 also stay away from shows that have buy into that service because we have decided refunding fees to the rejected sounds great— esoteric themes like “clouds in the sky” or it is appropriate to our needs. Not all in the in a perfect world. But why stop there? In a “red roses for a blue lady.” (I made those up, creative clay field need their services. Surely perfect world everyone would get accepted but there are a lot of them like that out the production people could care less; nor do and everyone would win first-place award there.) Some might be good. I just don’t the biggies in our field use this service. But money. I don’t mean to get down on you, understand them. for the young college graduates (of both Dick, but if they assigned a “price-per-piece,” These aren’t hard-and-fast rules to live by, bachelor’s and master’s programs) these my guess would put it anywhere between and I am sure there are more you can look shows are a chance to build resumes; to the $150 and $300. Who would want to spend out for. If we can avoid the so-called scam university professor, they are needed for $200 to show a $300 piece? Obviously, few shows and drum them out of existence, we tenure and promotion; and a whole host of people would come up with this money and will all benefit. others use them for the many and varied then where are you? It wouldn’t be a juried Jim Connell, Rock Hill, S.C. reasons too numerous to mention. show. It would be a show of those who have All businesses that render a service expect a lot of money and no cents (sic). Expand Coverage to make a profit. Why should we expect the The cost of mailings, printing, shipping, I think it is terribly inaccurate for a maga­ juried-art-show people to do anything less? packing, catalogs, awards, salaries, physical zine to project itself as the information stan­ We don’t expect McDonalds to sell ham­ space, overhead, etc., is expensive. Unfortu­ dard of a field when it ignores a large portion burgers for cost! Why are we questioning nately, the present system is the only realistic of the professionals (people who make a whether a museum or art center makes some way I can see of running the juried show living from ceramics). money? As artists, we should want to support business. If those who are rejected don’t Ceramics is the most universal hobby I art organizations, especially if all of us benefit. subsidize the shows, there will be no more have ever heard of (other than music and Even if we don’t get juried in, we still benefit shows, or at least a whole lot fewer. And if dancing) and is the oldest means of produc­ from clay’s wider exposure. I see all this the art organizations make a buck in the ing tools, and yet 99.9% of CM coverage is fighting and arguing as a classical example of process, what is wrong with that? We all about how to produce and sell an “objet biting the hand that feeds us. know they are traditionally underfunded, d’art.” The prospectus we fill out almost always undermanned and generally misunderstood. Leeta Rapson, Glenpool, Okla. says, “All fees nonrefiindable.” You sign the I went back and checked the juried shows application and it becomes a contract. How I have applied to since 1987 and found the Unedited Prose can you complain if you don’t get accepted average application fee was $17.47 (65 shows The newly appointed head of the Na­ and expect to get your money back? Surely, ranging from $5 to $30). I find that afford­ tional Endowment for the Arts, the actress you must know it’s a contest, not a lottery. able. Some of you may not. We each have to Jane Alexander, refers to herself on official There is a big difference: a lottery is a blind make up our own mind. I need the shows as stationery as “Chairman.” In televised con­ chance; a contest, such as a juried art show, a university professor, and I don’t like the gressional hearings, I listen to elected officials states that you are holding up your best work idea of fewer shows to apply to. I am going to addressing female colleagues as “Madam to be judged by a juror(s). You are taking a keep buying the service because I find it Chairman.” I conclude that the issue of chance of acceptance andlor rejection, but it affordable and good business. The vast ma­ gender and language is far from settled. isn’t a blind chance. I find those who expect jority of juried shows that I have been in have In my manuscript for Comment (Febru­ their money back a bit arrogant. Do we been professional, well organized and highly ary 1994), I discussed briefly the ongoing expect our money back at a ball game if our reputable. I don’t think any quality art orga­ debate in the field of craft as to what we want team doesn’t win? Do we expect our money nization is getting rich off our entry fees.