I’ve added the latest kiln load to my shop. They’ll go live on Thursday AM. Next kiln load will be available sometime at the end of January. I’ll have some more large boxes along with a few small and some medium sized boxes as well. Small sculptures will be coming up in February.

In other news, poor Sage injured himself at the dog park. One foot under the dog park fence, a very slight yelp, and he kept on running. He’s a tough one.

Damn you, Dog Park Fence. Thankfully only stitches.

You’ll find the double/heart pendant shown above, here.

The merchant account, through my bank, was killing me with fees. I don’t do events every month. Most of my online payments are made via paypal. My bank charged a monthly “no use” fee and these fees were adding up. Then I added the cost of the terminal lease, the increasing number of miscellaneous fees here and there, and the extra fees to accept various cards. I did the big math. Ugh. Then figured out the percentage I was paying after all was said and done, and cancelled my account that day.

I was apprehensive about cancelling the account. I know that my sales have increased double digits since I began to accept credit cards at events. I needed an alternative. Did a bunch of research and a bunch more math. I signed up for Square.

What is it? It’s this funky little credit card reader that plugs into the audio jack on a smartphone. I used my iPad. Just like a traditional merchant account, the company takes a percentage of your sales (2.75% for swiped sales). Their website has all the gritty details.

Because what was I out if it didn’t work? The reader was free. (I have seen the black reader in Walmart for $10). I already had an iPad so I thought I’d try it.

Here’s a note about the iPad I used. It’s an iPad 2 with 32GB – 3G version with Verizon service price $729. Overkill. The 16GB, $629 version would work great for this but I wanted more GB. I pay $30 per month for 3G internet, but turn this off when I don’t have an event since I’ve already got wi-fi in the studio.

I could write another post and all the ways I use the iPad in my artist practice. So not just for processing credit cards. I liked that I can use a multi-use device – not pay for a credit card terminal that does just one thing.

Okay… So back to square.

The Greyhounds Reach the Beach event at Dewey Beach, Delaware was the first big event where I’ve used this set up. This is my biggest event of the year. This is the event where I take the most credit cards. Did square work? Yes.

Really, really well.

My favorite thing was that I could enter my artwork into the Square app along with price the art work, description, and photo of the work. This made keeping track of sales easy and my tile inventory seamless!

Many people commented on the iPad verses smartphone. They loved the bigger screen and often followed along as I went through the steps. Only thing I would do differently is purchase a stylus for the customer to use to sign their name. The signing with finger worked okay – think the comfort level would be greater with a stylus.

The money appeared in my bank account quickly with no limit of the amount each day.

Very good experience.

Been a long time, eh?

Here’s the short of it: had an open schedule, then a full schedule. Trip to Helena, Montana for Archie Bray Foundation’s 60th anniversary celebration/symposium then preparation and trip to Dewey Beach, Delaware for Greyhounds Reach the Beach 2011. All good and much to write about.

So, for those who’ve asked, all is well. Hounds are good. I’m good. Art is good.

But enough with the weather report. My email inbox is full with inquiries about prices of my work and how to obtain the pieces. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate these emails. I read them and am working my way through replying, but thought I would respond here in case there are others who are curious but have not made inquiries.

Currently heres how it works. Smaller pieces like tiles, porcelain & sterling pendants, memory boxes and smaller sculptures are on my etsy store as they are available. Larger pieces like table top size and bigger rarely make it to the etsy store. Those pieces usually are sold at events like Greyhounds Reach the Beach in Dewey Beach, Delaware or the Greyhound Gathering in Kanab, Utah. Two reasons for that – I like to meet the people who are interested in my work and the pieces can be challenging to ship.

Prices for tiles range from $4 for the smallest tiles to $150 for the large tile sets – priced by size, # of tiles, and glazing complexity.

Prices for porcelain pendants are $18 for simple, single glazed pendants up to $25 for pendants with more complex glazing or strung with precious stones, etc.

Prices for Sterling pendants are currently at $65 but with the price of sterling going up, up, up I might be writing about a price increase soon.

Prices for memory boxes range from $125 for the smallest boxes to $350 for the largest like the one above.

Prices for smaller sculptures like the smoke-fired piece (above) are $100 each.

Then there are the larger sculptures. How to describe them accurately? This one about was 16″H x 7″W x 17 1/2″L – I consider that a larger piece (but it really is mid-sized). Pieces in this range are around $650-$750. Prices are based on size and difficulty because, well, bigger pieces require more materials, more tile, more resources.

As for obtaining these “larger” pieces, I’m working on amassing a collection of pieces to have an exhibition at Dickinson State University in March 2011. The “winter hat” bust will be there, as will the “Faith in My Lucky Rabbit’s Foot” piece and “Frank” and others. Those pieces do not have homes as I write this. One reason why is that I don’t like to sell work before they are 100% finished – fully dried, fully fired, fully finished. ‘Cause things go wrong and I hate to disappoint people who have fallen in love with a piece. I want people to love the work, but I also have to be true to my vision of the piece. The best way for me to do this is to wait to sell the piece until the piece is fully complete.

The DSU show is an unusual circumstance. In the past I’ve sold work as it was completed, never wishing to keep a large collection for exhibition. But the DSU exhibition is different. For some time I’ve wanted to see all my work in a gallery environment displayed as a collection rather than a smaller selection like it is in an art-fair/booth environment. I wrote a grant based on this desire. This important goal is finally happening.

So… wow this post is long and if you’re still reading, thank you…

I have more goals. One of those goals is to have work for sale on this site. Tiles, small sculptures, memory boxes, and larger work too. Finished larger clay work with prices and links to a secure shopping cart. Now there will always be pieces that I would never feel comfortable shipping, but there are many that could be shipped safely.

And the other option is bronze…. But that’s a whole new ball of wax.

I fired them in my kiln then wrapped them in various combustibles and set them on fire along with sawdust and other goodies. Their surface is a result of the smoke and combustibles. No glaze at all.

I was very pleased with this batch of “smoke fired” work. Lots of rich blacks and vivid pinks (the pink is from Old Roy dog food burned next to the piece – lots of copper in Old Roy).

To my etsy store these guys will go. Order early if you’d like them in time for the holidays.

So I want my morning coffee to be an Experience. Part of my Morning Coffee Experience is reaching into the cupboard and pulling out a handmade mug. Bypass those Made in China factory vessels – I want something created one at a time by a fine craftsman. Because it makes my morning better.

Now not all mugs are created equal, but that is part of the experience. How does the handle feel in your hand? How does the lip of the mug feel on your lips? Does the mug radiate just enough warmth from the coffee inside? Is the balance just so? Do you hold it without thinking about it?

Here is my new favorite mug:

I love this mug! Made by potter, Tama Smith – Prairie Fire Pottery, in Beach, North Dakota – this mug is the best. The way it fits in my hand, the balance, the handle, the beautiful rich color. I”ve washed it over and over in the week that I have had it – bypassing the other mugs in the cupboard for this baby. Happy morning! Now go and get yourself one!

#18  ssorca19! Email your address to me and I’ll get the Run tile set on its way!

Boy, that was fun. We should do more of this…

Because you leave inspiring and invigorating comments on this blog and my studio on facebook. 71o Fans on Facebook! Way cool!

Because Annie ate some raw beef today without shaking it thoroughly, then guarding it from Sage before she decided to stop torturing the other dogs and just eat it.

A little giveaway.

A set of my Run tiles in buckskin fawn glaze. These are a set of four 4×4 inch tiles with three running Greyhounds. Use ‘em as coasters. Or hang ‘em on the wall. Or grout and frame them.

To enter the contest, answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post or comment on this post on my studio’s page on facebook.

“What is your favorite summer activity to do with your dogs?”

Please, one entry per person. No entries after 9:00 pm Pacific Time Monday, May 31. Winner will be chosen at random. I’ll announce the winner on Tuesday morning. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

I can’t tell you how cool it is to talk with everyone and to send pieces of my work to their new homes. Really cool. Makes the long drive home fly by and makes me want to get right back in the studio and make more work. Thank you!!!

This is one of the pieces that I took to Kanab. Afghan Hound is the title. Fun to watch as people attempted to lift the blanket and peek under, only to find that the blanket is clay.

I took my camera with me, but didn’t take any outside photos. No photos of the elegant Hounds surrounded by the beautiful red rock cliffs! What was I thinking! <G> This one above is Winchester and I at a previous Greyhound Gathering.

So much fun.