Since getting involved with Tracy making pots it has opened up a whole new world of um, well, not sure how to describe it but "people who are very particular" (read obsessive) about pots/shapes/sizes etc. This has lead me to look at pots in a whole new light. I have come come to the conclusion that potters should make what works for their style and sell to people who appreciate that. I have trees in rocks that I have carved out and I get a lot of comments from people about them. Some say they are stupid and I have no idea what I'm doing and others love them. Thankfully I don't do this to please others, I do it to enjoyed myself and if I like then stuff everyone else.
As a potter you make a round pot, 20cm across, 3cm deep in a brown clay.
The responses you'll get to are:
1. If it was 1cm bigger it would be perfect
2. if it was just a bit smaller I'd buy it.
3. If it was a lighter colour.
4. If it was darker it would suit my tree.
5. If the feet were bigger.
6. If the feet were smaller
7. Can you make an oval one.
8. It's not deep enough.
9. Can you make more shallow.
10. Can you do one in a blue glaze.
11. Red Glaze.
12. Green glaze
13. Needs more drainage holes
14. The drainages holes are to big
15. The wire holes are in the wrong place for my tree
16. I love the pot, just don't have a tree that would suit it.
17. Is that the best price you can do, I can't really afford that much.
Tracy and I spent a lot of time talking to a number of very experienced bonsai people to work out what shapes, sizes, dimensions, colours, glazes, shades ets pots should be. EVERYONE had a different opinion. Therefore I think potters need to make what they think will work and someone will buy it (eventually

). Someone posted a pic of a pot on here recently and my first thought was what an ugly pot, why would you buy that. They loved as did many others. I honestly believe a pot can make or break a tree so choosing the right one is very important and therefore people will be fussy. I think as a potter you have to accept that, ignore it (don't take it personally) and just keep doing what you're doing. At the end of the day if people are buying your pots your doing something right. You're a very talented potter Joann so keep doing what you're doing, that fact that all your pots sold speaks volumes.
Josh.