Letting go....

[gus3049]

..I wonder if any of you lot have the same problem that I have.

But, apart from that.............

When I am making anything, if it be a guitar, a toy or a turning, I am trying to make it the best I know how. At least in appearance (I do live in France after all, sod the bits you can't see :twisted: )

This really means that I make something that I would love to own. I am told there is no problem because I can always do it again. But this isn't true of course. Every piece of wood is different, the like of some will never be found again.

I made something today that I know I am going to regret taking to the gallery. ITS MINE - MINE - MINE!! The wood is fantastic, completely rotten, the hardest stuff I have ever tried to make anything from. The colour, grain and general feel is lovely now its done.

But I need the money. I quite like eating. Paying the mortgage helps too. I do this as a job but I really do love what I do and so far, there are only three pieces that I have padlocked to the mantlepiece and two guitars that go with me to the grave. The rest really have to go but I hate it.

Catch 22 I guess

 

[Spindle]

Hi

Let's face facts - by the sound of it noboby will appreciate the work as you do, you would always regret selling it. Why not give it away to someone who YOU feel would appreciate it?

It's only money after all.

Regards Mick

 

[gus3049]

Hi

Let's face facts - by the sound of it noboby will appreciate the work as you do, you would always regret selling it. Why not give it away to someone who YOU feel would appreciate it?

It's only money after all.

Regards Mick

Once its gone its gone, no matter who has it.

 

[Jonzjob]

Mick, I am in the wonderful position where I can do just what you say and give it to someone who will love it, BUT Gordon has got to make cash from what he does. If my stuff was as good as his then I would be chuffed to knuts!

The wine here is VERY good and you don't need a mortgage to get a good bottle like you do North of le Manche, but you still need some cash to get it.

I agree that once it's gone then it's beyond your control as to what happens, so why worry about it.

I too have several things that won't leave here. At one place I was showing stuff, not for sale, but to show what an association we belong to does, a woman wanted to buy a bowl that we, O/H and me, love, I had to be quite strict with her and she bought something else. But she still wanted that bowl.

Good luck Gordon and I hope you have a lot of 'opening days" mate!

 

[jumps]

wine v wood = no contest

however, the real answer must lie in some form of restriction on how many you can 'keep' at any one time ie if you want to keep a new one, an old one has to go!

I really must get down to this place with reasonable wine and, I'm presuming, a little more warmth than we have curretnly been enjoying

 

[gus3049]

wine v wood = no contest
I really must get down to this place with reasonable wine and, I'm presuming, a little more warmth than we have curretnly been enjoying

Not at the moment!! We haven't had the storms but its been raining here for ten days now and I'm sitting here wearing quite a heavy jumper!!

Don't know if down south is the same but its a lot further to travel for a bottle or two.

I don't find it too hard to get rid of the red stuff!! Seem to have a hole in the glass

 

[gus3049]

Good luck Gordon and I hope you have a lot of 'opening days" mate!

Thanks John, I'm delivering some more to them this week - including the one I liked from yesterday!! I will need a drop or two of fortification to keep up this output.

I think I'll stick to wine though, don't much care for Sherry!! 8)

 

[Jonzjob]

wine v wood = no contest

however, the real answer must lie in some form of restriction on how many you can 'keep' at any one time ie if you want to keep a new one, an old one has to go!

I really must get down to this place with reasonable wine and, I'm presuming, a little more warmth than we have curretnly been enjoying

No real restriction on how much we can keep. We have a fair size wine store cupboard and a dedicated booze fridge 8) 8) We are fortunate enough to live in the biggest vinyard in the World. It's called the Languedoc 8) If you have heard of Minervois wines, that's where we live. Luvely stuff. Not cheep though. We pay anything up to almost 5€ a bottle for he good stuff :shock: :shock:

We haven't had too much rain, but the temp has dropped down to 17ºC and the normal wind. When I get chance I'll have to yake the covers off the solar heating tubes for the pool. 8) Water temp is about 21º at the mo. Even if it were up to the norm of 27º I still couldn't get in until I get this splint off me 'and

 

[jumps]

wine v wood = no contest

however, the real answer must lie in some form of restriction on how many you can 'keep' at any one time ie if you want to keep a new one, an old one has to go!

I really must get down to this place with reasonable wine and, I'm presuming, a little more warmth than we have curretnly been enjoying

No real restriction on how much we can keep. We have a fair size wine store cupboard and a dedicated booze fridge 8) 8) We are fortunate enough to live in the biggest vinyard in the World. It's called the Languedoc 8) If you have heard of Minervois wines, that's where we live. Luvely stuff. Not cheep though. We pay anything up to almost 5€ a bottle for he good stuff :shock: :shock:

We haven't had too much rain, but the temp has dropped down to 17ºC and the normal wind. When I get chance I'll have to yake the covers off the solar heating tubes for the pool. 8) Water temp is about 21º at the mo. Even if it were up to the norm of 27º I still couldn't get in until I get this splint off me 'and

"No real restriction on how much we can keep. We have a fair size wine store cupboard and a dedicated booze fridge" you know very well I was referring to Gordon's wooden pieces not wine storage !!!

and I know where you live - but will give you time to sort out the splint before poping down to test this expensive wine...

 

[Jonzjob]

Let us know when you are down this way and we can arrange to be out :mrgreen: :mrgreen: to meet you of course :wink: :wink:

Gordon? Do you think he's discovered your secret of yer wooden bits? I won't tell him about yer leg, 'onest :roll:

 

[gus3049]

Let us know when you are down this way and we can arrange to be out :mrgreen: :mrgreen: to meet you of course :wink: :wink:

Gordon? Do you think he's discovered your secret of yer wooden bits? I won't tell him about yer leg, 'onest :roll:

Don't discourage 'im.

He could call in on the way down and collect all that lovely yew I promised you!!

 

[Jonzjob]

'ooos diskorigin 'ooo?

 

[bogmonster]

Well, I am still learning so my stuff is getting better slowly..... so when I think that I have made something I really like, chances are in a year I will have made something I like more.

However, I made a spalted beech bowl recently that I really was rather proud of. My friend and neighbour took a fancy to it immediately and asked if she could buy it as a present for her father. Sad to let it go but going to a good home no doubt.... so I sold the bowl for 20 quid - she insisted on paying something so I sold it cheaper than I would have done to anybody else, it was certainly worth more than 20 quid to me anyway.

Anyway, her father didn't like it. Too delicate, foot too small, too fussy, not chunky enough, blah, blah, blah...... so I said I would take it back and swap it for something he might prefer. Anyway, I don't do much 'chunky' and didn't have anything to hand and before I made anything he died suddenly. Next thing I know my favourite bowl is sold on to to the friends friend.

Next time I make something like that I am going to KEEP IT FOR ME :evil:

BM

 

[gus3049]

Well, I am still learning so my stuff is getting better slowly..... so when I think that I have made something I really like, chances are in a year I will have made something I like more.

However, I made a spalted beech bowl recently that I really was rather proud of. My friend and neighbour took a fancy to it immediately and asked if she could buy it as a present for her father. Sad to let it go but going to a good home no doubt.... so I sold the bowl for 20 quid - she insisted on paying something so I sold it cheaper than I would have done to anybody else, it was certainly worth more than 20 quid to me anyway.

Anyway, her father didn't like it. Too delicate, foot too small, too fussy, not chunky enough, blah, blah, blah...... so I said I would take it back and swap it for something he might prefer. Anyway, I don't do much 'chunky' and didn't have anything to hand and before I made anything he died suddenly. Next thing I know my favourite bowl is sold on to to the friends friend.

Next time I make something like that I am going to KEEP IT FOR ME :evil:


BM

I think your point about making something you like more is valid but there are some things that have other than just monetary value of course. Last years winning vase is not just one of my favourite pieces but it goes with the winning plaque. That will stay as will my little egg that made the front cover of WOW. Simple stuff but it means something to me, much more than the money I could get for either of them. I sincerely hope that I do make some better things in due course but they won't replace some of the earlier attempts in my affection.

I suspect that those who feel that the money is more important that the 'art' would not understand. I say this in the knowledge that the mortgage has to be paid!!

Good luck with your turning. Many of us here have only been going a year or two so we are all on the learning curve. I hope you continue to like the things you make, it give the impetus to keep going and to try and discover if there is more in there that you haven't discovered yet.

I'm 65 and am still looking and finding wonder.

 

[Jonzjob]

My learning curve is about 16 years old nd growing!!

Hows about a pikkie of said egg Gordie-baby. I didn't

 

[gus3049]

My learning curve is about 16 years old nd growing!!

Hows about a pikkie of said egg Gordie-baby. I didn't

i assume you were going to say you didn't see it. I'm sure you did. Its the one I did following Colin's thread with Phil Streeting providing the inspiration. Pic below anyway.

 

[boysie39]

Gordon ,we say over here that "Needs Must " so if it's a question of sell or starve there is only one thing to do . You may just come on to another piece that turns out to be even better .!! But you have to be living .The egg is a cracking piece and must be very difficult to even think of selling . I wish you luck and good to see you back at the lathe .

 

[gus3049]

Gordon ,we say over here that "Needs Must " so if it's a question of sell or starve there is only one thing to do . You may just come on to another piece that turns out to be even better .!! But you have to be living .The egg is a cracking piece and must be very difficult to even think of selling . I wish you luck and good to see you back at the lathe .

Thanks for your good wishes Eugene.

As you say, living is quite a good idea. Fortunately, my wife runs a rose nursery that lurks in our own garden. That produces all the fruit and vegetables we need plus ducks, chickens and eggs. So we are very lucky foodwise and a second income. I can therefore indulge my possessive streak to a degree but only to a degree.

As so many of us old gits discover I think, costs keep rising and the income remains pretty static. We still need my turning income so most of it is going to have to go. Mind you, the way this new gallery is selling them, I'll be at it 24 hours a day just to keep stuff on their shelves. I rather like the place