Etsy, Banksies, Regretsy

The day has come for me try an Etsy shop.  It's been a long time coming, getting an online sales presence.  With this, I hope to make my parent's proud and answer the long asked question, "Where can I buy your stuff when you never live near me?"

I must confess, I'm pretty proud of the first batch of piggies making it into the shop.  I've been working with low fire clay and trying all kinds of different surface techniques.  It's been pretty fun.  And now shoppers can enjoy the fruits of my labors.  If the pickins look slim, don't worry, more are on their way.

So here is the link to the shop:  www.etsy.com/shop/Banksies.  About the title.  Other than sounding ridiculously cute, I'm making a little homage to a British street artist, Banksy.  I really like the "work" of this unknown person who remains faceless to the world (literally if you watch Exit Through the Gift Shop, a highly recommended documentary about the money involved in street art).  Really probing stuff that features social or political satire that is both intelligent and darkly hilarious.  So right up my alley.  Here are a couple of examples.  I love the tongue in cheek humor of it all.  At some point I'd like to get a little more action like this on the p-banks.  The way that I make them right now, there is endless opportunity to try different things.

And I'm thinking about incorporating this pointed stuff with the surface techniques of this guy: Bede Clark.  Bede, who is not faceless, did a workshop with the Kansas City Clay Guild recently.  During that time, he and I shared our enthusiasm for well-worked surfaces.  Bede has been making pots for almost 40 years, but likt most of us, he occasionally deviates to create large earthenware tiles and plates that he paints with oxide washes, stains, slips, and glazes.  The surfaces are always unique and have a warm well-worn texture to them.  These types of surfaces may be a great pairing for those graffiti styles on buildings and walls that street artists like Banksy use for their canvases.

So speaking of Etsy...  Have you heard about Regretsy.com yet?  In my probing questions to friends who have already been using Etsy's platform for years, they turned me on to this alternative site.  It's incredibly non-PC and quite funny in that way.  You'll find absurd posts that link to ACTUAL products sold on Etsy.  Looks like everybody's trying make a little cash these days.  At this point, it is unclear to me if I would want to see one of my piggies end up Regretsy or not.  We shall see.