“Unlike a painting or sculpture, this work will be handled and mishandled, washed, and scraped with eating utensils. If a pot cannot withstand such treatment, it fails no matter how exciting it may appear to the eye.”
– Warren Mackenzie, “Minnesota Pottery: A Potter’s View” Ceramics Monthly, pg. 29, May 1981.
The Local Blend coffee shop in Saint Joseph, MN lets customers eat and drink from my pottery everyday. Community members are drawn there for the gourmet coffee, soup and sandwiches. They are then surprised by artwork- their entire meal is served from pottery. All of the pottery is also available for sale. The restaurant uses my pots for free and takes 25% of sales, while paying for any breakage. This has been a sustainable business model, as well as an interactive art installation.
Check out this Web Exclusive published by American Craft Council:
Eat, Pay, Love: A Potter’s Business Model
Also enjoy this 4 page magazine article that I wrote for Ceramics TECHNICAL Magazine:
Ceramics TECHNICAL: Handmade Ground
Photos by Doug Jenkins- Check out his website here:
What great idea. As a business owner I am curious if this is a good way for you to keep the cash flow going. It sounds like a big up front cost for you, but has good long term potential. Thanks for posting. I am a fan.