cost of mugs (not price)
carrie or peter jacobson
At the Mystic, Ct., Outdoor Art Festival last year, I was mostly
disappointed. Dull pottery, and lots of watercolor paintings of white
clapboard houses, with picket fences and flowers growing colorfully around
them, yuck.
However, there was one potter there whose work was amazing: Nancy
Johnson-Mercado. I still have her card.
From her I bought a mug: The mug is sort of pear-shaped, with a relatively
narrow opening, and a wide belly. The inside, lip, and narrow part of the
outside all are glazed with a dark blue, with sort of cloudy streaks in it.
On the outside, the glaze has run, bulged sort of, onto the rounded part of
the mug, which is plain, unglazed brown clay, probably earthenware.
Peeking over the rim of the mug is a lizard, a beautifully crafted,
astonishingly complexly glazed lizard, whose tail wraps around to become
the handle of this mug.
The mug is large, probably holds 14 ounces of coffee.
I paid $35 for it, and frankly, believe it should have cost $50 or more.
And even though I am perpetually broke, I would have done whatever I could
to come up with the $50. And you know what? I use this mug all the time! It
makes me happy, it makes me laugh, and it reminds me how creative and
remarkable it is when beautiful craft, fine art and a sense of humor come
together in one object!
Carrie
Carrie Jacobson
Pawcatuck, CT
mailto:jaco...@brainiac.com
dave morrison
i think that there is a big difference in what one potter will buy from
another, knowing what skills, emotions, and talents were put into the piece.
at art fairs where you may not see the person for another year, it is also a
way to remember that new friend during that wait. most of us who pot
collect mugs from other potters that we admire, i have tons, and because we
admire them for thier ideas, we are willing to pay the price. after all, we
know it is going to a well deserved person. however, many to most regular
patrons do not share the same sentiments or insites. does it match the wall
paper? is it blue? often i think these are the deciding factors. still,
it seems they are willing to pay the 20 bucks as i have been hearing here.
so either i am in the wrong place, or ????