koch&james

„Joe Krasean Handmade“

100 handmade ceramic mugs

joe-krasean_handmade_ceramic-mugs4

JK: „I am selling pottery mugs as part of my project, “JOE KRASEAN HANDMADE.” The mugs are handmade by me, in durable stoneware with glaze. They are microwave and dishwasher safe, and unless they are broken, the mugs should last for thousands of years. To outline the project briefly: I hired Deneen Pottery to produce a series of custom mugs for me. Deneen has a small factory in St. Paul where skilled artisans produce pottery by hand. I worked with Deneen to design my mug shape, color, and custom logo medallion. I signed the order contract and put a deposit down, and the mugs went into production. At that point, Deneen hired me as the potter to produce this order. Using wheel-throwing and other hand skills, I produced the “JOE KRASEAN HANDMADE” mugs at their factory. This process was a way for me to examine some of the different roles I inhabit: student, artist, craftsman, businessman, designer, potter, etc. I essentially contracted myself to make mugs for my fictional company, with Deneen pottery as the ‘middle man.’ These mugs are hand-thrown and “Made in America,” by me. My signature appears on each one. Additionally, Deneen Pottery founder and president Peter Deneen has signed and numbered each mug. This is a very limited edition of 100 mugs, and two were dismissed as ‘2nds,’ so there are only 98 remaining. The mugs are now finished, and I would like to share them with my friends and family. An important part of this project is the relationship of art and economy, and I have given careful consideration as to how to set the price of each mug. The production costs amounted to around $15 per mug, which, by coincidence, is approximately 0.1% of my pay as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Minnesota ($7722 per semester). As such, I am setting a ‘suggested price’ of whatever is 0.1% of your annual salary. If you made $100,000 last year, your suggested price would be $100/mug. If you made $10,000 last year, your suggested price would be $10/mug. If you didn’t make any money, then I suppose I have to give you a mug—you deserve it! If you are interested in purchasing a mug, I hope that this sliding scale seems equitable and congruent with the aims of the overall project. I hope you will not be made too uncomfortable by me knowing how much money you made last year, and please rest assured that your information will not be shared with anyone. Of course, this pricing model is only a suggestion, and you are welcome to pay more or less than 0.1% of your salary. Shipping and credit card processing will be added to your order (if you need to use either), and I am accepting cash and checks. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to make a purchase of some very affordable contemporary art.“