I made a decision about the ACC wait list. First of all, thank you to everyone who provided such thoughtful comments about this, both on the blog and elsewhere. There were some angles that I wasn't looking at before. I've also received more information from ACC, which is clarifying my thoughts too. 

I now think it is very much a long shot to get off the wait list. It turns out there were only 29 ceramics artists accepted into the "retail-only" section of the show. Most of the names I recognize, and all are fabulous! Lots of "oooh!" and no "eeeww!" But numerically, it doesn't make sense that the 29th person on the ceramics wait list will get one of the 29 spots in the show. That's ok. In fact, knowing I got the 58th highest score amongst this class of artists makes me feel pretty good. 

ACC has changed some of its policies since I last worked with them in 2008. Back then, in order to reserve your spot on a wait list, you had to pay a deposit. And if you cancelled your commitment later, you forfeited that deposit (this is just one of several policies that made me raise my eyebrows back then). But it's different now, I only need to say "yes" without sending money. And they made it clear that this does not obligate me to say "yes" again if my number comes up. It's like they now understand the crux of my dilemma, that it's hard to prepare for a big show when you are on a wait list. 

So I said "yes" to the wait list. But I'm not going to kill myself making inventory for the show. I will work on it if I have time, without pressuring myself. If I get a spot in the show and I have enough inventory for it, there is good potential for long-term gain, by exposing my work to an audience that is mostly new to me. If I don't get a spot in the show, having the extra inventory is not a bad thing, as pointed out by Jonathan and Ray. And if my wait list number comes up, and I don't think I have enough pots, I am comfortable with the idea of saying "no" then. After all, the show will come around again next year, as pointed out by Jim. 

Thanks again to everyone who helped me sort this out. I can put this decision behind me, and go back to concentrating on the Bethesda Row Festival, coming up next month.

I was juried onto the wait list for the 2012 ACC Baltimore Show. I'm talking about the "retail-only" section of the show, which is the most desirable and competitive. I'm happy to have scored so well, the "retail-only" section used to be impossible to get into. (I've only done "wholesale-retail" and "wholesale-only" in the past, which are much less competitive.) This year they expanded the number of spaces in "retail-only" so I thought I'd give it a shot. Now I have to decide whether to accept or not. 

The pros have to do with profitability and prestige. In an effort to lower my wholesale workload next year, I am not going to the Buyers Market trade show in February. I'd like to add a few more retail events instead, and ACC Baltimore would be a good start. This is a very active show, it could be my largest gross sales event of the year. It's still one of the most prestigious venues for craft artists. And it's close to home, it makes sense to take advantage if I can.

The cons have to do with cost and workload. It's a very expensive show (about $1700) so the risk is higher, and even if sales are good, the cost:sales ratio is actually worse than a lot of other shows. And in order to have worthwhile sales for the cost, I need to make an awful lot of inventory. I'd have to start now, in between preparing for my other fall shows and remaining wholesale orders. So much for the time off I've been dreaming of since March. And then there's the inconvenience of a wait list, meaning I might not get a spot in the show until the last minute. Or I might even prepare all that inventory and never get a spot. 

My wait list number is 29. Back in 2007, I was wait list number 25 for the "wholesale-retail" section, and I got in. In more recent years, I know that much higher wait list numbers have gotten in, as more and more artists dropped out of these high-end shows due to the cost. 

What do you think, should I accept or not? I'm taking opinions here and on my Facebook page. 

This is the sculpture that greets you when you visit Annmarie Sculpture Garden in Solomons, MD. It's an oyster tonger, a tribute to the traditional Chesapeake Bay lifestyles and industries. You can see in the background all the setup going on for Artsfest. I love this show, and the park, and the people who run this park. I had to miss it last year and I was really glad to be back. Though the weather was nice on setup day, the rest of the weekend was chilly and drizzly. Sales were off from my usual expectations, but still pretty good. Not a record-breaker, but worthwhile. Weather happens. It's one of those things you can't control, so I try not to worry about it. Ok, I admit I watch the Weather Channel a lot in the days before a show. But I try to focus on things I can control, like recognizing shows that can still draw a decent crowd in bad weather (like this one), and my own marketing efforts towards my regular customers. And having enough shows to do, knowing some of them will be impacted by weather. There will always be those sparkling days that make up for the gloomy ones, if you think of it as a long game. The oyster man looks like bad weather doesn't bother him at all. 

This weekend is Artsfest 2011, taking place at Annmarie Sculpture Garden in scenic southern Maryland. My pottery and I will be indoors in the Arts Building. I had to miss this show last year, and I'm excited to be back! Visit the event's website to plan your visit, and to download a $1 off admission coupon. Here are some new pots I'll have with me. And as usual, all of these new designs grew out of class projects.

Large Pitcher with Herons. Very comfortable handle and an excellent pour. Large capacity, holds about 90 oz. 12 inches tall. $210
 

Three Part Condiment Server. Softly squared bowls on a rectangular tray. My obsession with multi-functionality is over the moon for these. 13 inches across. $70 for the set.
 

"Clouds" Bowl. An exercise in cutting and carving. This bowl is not glazed in my usual gray tones, but in one of the classroom glazes, a dark olive green. I'll have a few other pots in this glaze too. 6 inches across. $68
 

Soap/Lotion Pump. 7 inches tall. Kind-of large for a soap pump, I think this one is best suited for dish soap next to the kitchen sink. $48

Hope to see you there!

If you only knew what potters wear to work everyday. It is not pretty. This is what counts as an advancement in fashion for us: new Crocs! And yes, I am really stoked about them! Tickled orange, you could say. The salesperson at the Crocs store talked me into these "Bistro" Crocs. They were designed, with help from famed orange-clog-wearer Mario Batali, for restaurant workers. They are less squishy, and more supportive, than standard Crocs. And they have a high-traction sole. I got them last week, and so far my feet like them better than the standard Crocs I used to wear.