American Bonsai Potters

Owen Reich · Mar 30, 2021

thams said:
I'd have to really look into that. Wordpress functionality might not allow for that kind of thing without sharing admin rights to the whole site. Plus using Wordpress isn't all that intuitive, so potters would have to learn the ropes to editing their pages on top of maintaining their sales and inventory.

BUT! I hate coming up with excuses about why something won't work - I'm sure there's a solution, I just have to find it. There could be a separate, but linked sales page that visitors can hop over to for purchasing. It would have to figure out taxes and likely register as a business at that point, but it's doable with a little leg work. I imagine it would be a lot like drop shipping since I wouldn't be maintaining the inventory or doing the actual shipping.

I like the idea of gathering very curated pots that are unique or high end to sell that really showcases potters' talents. Like maybe do special write-ups on pots that are unique creations.

The consistent promotion of the potters via articles, posts and especially interviews would be ideal imo. Peacelovebonsai is doing some nice contests where you have to refer a friend to boost followers. The interviews he does are also good. Getting their “artist statements” out there will help customers find potters they jive with. The style they use and shapes they generally make would be easy with feedback from the active potters.

The E.B.P.C. is worth hitting up; why reinvent the wheel? In a perfect world, potters could have a commission submission form (and also note which potters actually want to do commissions) with required fields like root flare, current container size, etc so they don’t have to email a potential commissioner 12 times back and forth. Another thing to consider is having potters provide a shortlist of bonsai professionals they have worked with in the past successfully to be involved in container design. I do this often both with existing clients and random folks who hit me up in process of finding a pot. A lot of people want guidance; especially first time commissioners.

Agreed on the American containers in use photo section, which would be wonderful. Joe Noga and Bill Valavanis have tons of exhibition photos, and could likely Have fun

ing submissions if you ask publicly

. I can cover Nick Lenz pretty well after the 2019 D.C. retrospective.

thams · Mar 30, 2021

Owen Reich said:
The consistent promotion of the potters via articles, posts and especially interviews would be ideal imo. Peacelovebonsai is doing some nice contests where you have to refer a friend to boost followers. The interviews he does are also good. Getting their “artist statements” out there will help customers find potters they jive with. The style they use and shapes they generally make would be easy with feedback from the active potters.

The E.B.P.C. is worth hitting up; why reinvent the wheel? In a perfect world, potters could have a commission submission form (and also note which potters actually want to do commissions) with required fields like root flare, current container size, etc so they don’t have to email a potential commissioner 12 times back and forth. Another thing to consider is having potters provide a shortlist of bonsai professionals they have worked with in the past successfully to be involved in container design. I do this often both with existing clients and random folks who hit me up in process of finding a pot. A lot of people want guidance; especially first time commissioners.

Agreed on the American containers in use photo section, which would be wonderful. Joe Noga and Bill Valavanis have tons of exhibition photos, and could likely Have fun ing submissions if you ask publicly . I can cover Nick Lenz pretty well after the 2019 D.C. retrospective.

Agreed - thanks again for your suggestions, it's really appreciated. I've been thinking a lot about how I can improve the value of the site to both users and potters. When I first created the site, I saw it as an informational repository of American potters. There's nothing wrong with that, but information for information's sake has limited usefulness. I've realized now that most folks visit the site with the intention of scouting pots for sale or to find potential potters to do commissions (love the commission form idea). Potters on the other hand want to promote their pots and ultimately make sales. I want to be of value to both sides!

I think some of the problem currently is distinguishing between active potters and those that are retired or make pots for personal use only. If site visitors can easy distinguish active potters and quickly get a sense of their styles and shapes, then it would help drive sales for the potters. I've had a few people comment that they get overwhelmed with the volume of info and pictures on the site, so I need to do a better job of organizing everything based on site user needs.

Some definite content I plan to add are interviews and potter studio tours with lots of pictures. I think @PeaceLoveBonsai's interviews are awesome and something like that would be great for the site. I'm considering some giveaways and whatnot in the future once I give the site a facelift and begin a social presence. But before I do any of that I need to make sure the vision for the site is set and I have a clear path forward with quality content to follow.

thams · Apr 3, 2021

A shot in the dark, but if anyone has any info, pot/signature pics of any of these potters that they're willing to share with me to include on the American bonsai potter website, I would forever grateful. Just PM me - I can provide my email address or phone # if texting pictures is easier.

I realize some of these potters are on facebook or have their own websites. In many cases I've reached out already, but haven't gotten a response, or they've responded that they would get back to me, but haven't.

Robert Charles Potts (Rough Cut Pottery)
Justine Stelmech
Herr Lyn
Millard Balfrey
Andy Sandberg
Aron Beckly
Bill Sample
Bob Kelenjian
Brett Thomas
Chris Staley
Cindy Day
Cliff Pottberg
Dan Finnegan
Darrell Walker
Dave Giorgi
David Gozinski
Frank Valadez
Fred Aufschlage
Fred Tarnow
Girard Eckhoff
Jake Oxnard
Jamie Kirkpatrick
Jan Rentenaar
Jason Turner
John Hill
John Menzel
Josh Jeram
Karen Schuman
Ken Vavrek
Kevin Thompson
Larry Ragle
Lyn Baker
Marianne Thomasson
Mark Goodman
Martha Goff
Masako Miyata
Pat Luck Morris
Patrick Timothy Caughy
Paul Dresang
Paula Winokur
Preston Tolbert
Ray Chen
Rhonda Schone
Richard Notkin
Robert Winokur
Sandi McFarland
Stacy Allen Muse
Terry Whye
Tyler Johnson
Vicki Chamberlain
William Bodenhamer
William Smith
Yih-Wen Kuo

LittleDingus · Apr 3, 2021

thams said:
A shot in the dark, but if anyone has any info, pot/signature pics of any of these potters that they're willing to share with me to include on the American bonsai potter website, I would forever grateful. Just PM me - I can provide my email address or phone # if texting pictures is easier.

I realize some of these potters are on facebook or have their own websites. In many cases I've reached out already, but haven't gotten a response, or they've responded that they would get back to me, but haven't.

Robert Charles Potts (Rough Cut Pottery)
Justine Stelmech
Herr Lyn
Millard Balfrey
Andy Sandberg
Aron Beckly
Bill Sample
Bob Kelenjian
Brett Thomas
Chris Staley
Cindy Day
Cliff Pottberg
Dan Finnegan
Darrell Walker
Dave Giorgi
David Gozinski
Frank Valadez
Fred Aufschlage
Fred Tarnow
Girard Eckhoff
Jake Oxnard
Jamie Kirkpatrick
Jan Rentenaar
Jason Turner
John Hill
John Menzel
Josh Jeram
Karen Schuman
Ken Vavrek
Kevin Thompson
Larry Ragle
Lyn Baker
Marianne Thomasson
Mark Goodman
Martha Goff
Masako Miyata
Pat Luck Morris
Patrick Timothy Caughy
Paul Dresang
Paula Winokur
Preston Tolbert
Ray Chen
Rhonda Schone
Richard Notkin
Robert Winokur
Sandi McFarland
Stacy Allen Muse
Terry Whye
Tyler Johnson
Vicki Chamberlain
William Bodenhamer
William Smith
Yih-Wen Kuo

Justine Stelmech is on BNut as @ForestInnPottery. I have a few of her pots and have a few more on commission. Her website is:

Forest Inn Pottery Bonsai Pots and Accent Planters

Selling handmade pottery specializing in bonsai pots. Unique custom planters and pots for bonsai trees. High fired, frost resistant bonsai pots and planters. Located In northeast Pennsylvania. Also selling ceramic pottery such as high quality coffee mugs, ceramic whiskey cups, ceramic wine mugs.

forestinnpottery.com

Her chop:

thams · Apr 3, 2021

LittleDingus said:
Justine Stelmech is on BNut as @ForestInnPottery. I have a few of her pots and have a few more on commission. Her website is:

Forest Inn Pottery Bonsai Pots and Accent Planters

Selling handmade pottery specializing in bonsai pots. Unique custom planters and pots for bonsai trees. High fired, frost resistant bonsai pots and planters. Located In northeast Pennsylvania. Also selling ceramic pottery such as high quality coffee mugs, ceramic whiskey cups, ceramic wine mugs.

forestinnpottery.com

Her chop:

View attachment 365363

I really really appreciate the info!!!!

LittleDingus · Apr 3, 2021

Out of curiosity, who do you consider an "American bonsai potter"? Seems that list could be quite large if you try to include every potter in America. I've bought pots for bonsai from people I don't see in your list but I'm not sure they would be considered "bonsai potters". A lot of people market themselves as succulent potters although being typically low profile (succulent don't need a ton of root space) they can work for bonsai as well.

thams · Apr 3, 2021

LittleDingus said:
Out of curiosity, who do you consider an "American bonsai potter"? Seems that list could be quite large if you try to include every potter in America. I've bought pots for bonsai from people I don't see in your list but I'm not sure they would be considered "bonsai potters". A lot of people market themselves as succulent potters although being typically low profile (succulent don't need a ton of root space) they can work for bonsai as well.

That's an interesting question - for the site purposes I'm considering anyone who has made pottery intended for bonsai. Yes, it's an overwhelming amount of people to catalogue. I'm doing this so that anyone who stumbles upon a pot with an unknown signature, they can visit the site to find more info.

Going forward I'm designing the site so that folks can easy find current production potters versus those that maybe only produced a handful of pots. I realize it's overwhelming to sift through hundreds of potters, so I'm trying to find a way for site users to more easily navigate through all the names.

sorce · Apr 3, 2021

I'm quite interested in helping you with this project.

I'm big on outlines. This is how I transferred it into a schematic for my designer.

It can communicate better, may have to for your site.

To accommodate visitors wishes, I think it would be best to categorize potters via, deceased, part-time bonsai potter, artful bonsai potter, full production bonsai potter, lost and unfound.

This signifies availability easiest. Perhaps color coding these can allow your alphabetical list to remain the first Division.

From there I believe Divisions of type (traditional or untraditional and shape) and typical sizes would be most welcome.

This is where I believe allowing artists to have control over some aspects will allow you the most freedom, and the most accurate information.

Those who care enough to utilize your platform, will trickle in, allowing you time to set them up.

I believe you have to chose to be a host or a slave.
Don't choose slave.

You can set individuals up to have password protected access to their page link's administration.
That will relieve you of much burden, allowing them to keep pictures new, etc.

See glazy.com for a useful platform idea.
Color coding is great, a forum where every new post comes up in is great to see who's active.

I would probably "patreon" your site.

It has much value.

This unquoted quote line is borderline racist.........

Kanehiro Hamajima was born in Okehazama Nagoya city in Japan. He came to the United States in 1972 and settled in the San Francisco Bay area.I came to US in 1972. Kanehiro’s interest in bonsai eventually inspired him to begin making shohin bonsai pottery.

I would like to see more uniformity in this information format.

Sorce

thams · Apr 3, 2021

sorce said:
I'm quite interested in helping you with this project.

I'm big on outlines. This is how I transferred it into a schematic for my designer.

View attachment 365364

It can communicate better, may have to for your site.

To accommodate visitors wishes, I think it would be best to categorize potters via, deceased, part-time bonsai potter, artful bonsai potter, full production bonsai potter, lost and unfound.

This signifies availability easiest. Perhaps color coding these can allow your alphabetical list to remain the first Division.

From there I believe Divisions of type (traditional or untraditional and shape) and typical sizes would be most welcome.

This is where I believe allowing artists to have control over some aspects will allow you the most freedom, and the most accurate information.

Those who care enough to utilize your platform, will trickle in, allowing you time to set them up.

I believe you have to chose to be a host or a slave.
Don't choose slave.

You can set individuals up to have password protected access to their page link's administration.
That will relieve you of much burden, allowing them to keep pictures new, etc.

See glazy.com for a useful platform idea.
Color coding is great, a forum where every new post comes up in is great to see who's active.

I would probably "patreon" your site.

It has much value.

This unquoted quote line is borderline racist.........

Kanehiro Hamajima was born in Okehazama Nagoya city in Japan. He came to the United States in 1972 and settled in the San Francisco Bay area.I came to US in 1972. Kanehiro’s interest in bonsai eventually inspired him to begin making shohin bonsai pottery.

I would like to see more uniformity in this information format.

Sorce

This is all good stuff - I appreciate the site mapping. That's what I'm currently working on now so that artists profiles are organized better and are tidy. I plan to make incremental updates so that I can make steady improvements a little at a time. If I wait to update the site until I have every little idea I have implemented, it'll be another year before I get to it.

I think the members access and potential patreon additions are good, but secondary until I get the site more user friendly.

CasAH · Apr 3, 2021

Karen Schuman

thams · Apr 3, 2021

CasAH said:
Karen Schuman

Yes!! Thank you!

PiñonJ · Apr 3, 2021

thams said:
In many cases I've reached out already, but haven't gotten a response

Do you only list them with their permission? I noticed that the potter you asked me for information on isn’t listed on your website.

thams · Apr 3, 2021

PiñonJ said:
Do you only list them with their permission? I noticed that the potter you asked me for information on isn’t listed on your website.

I make every attempt to get their permission to be listed. If I don't get their permission, I rely on crowdsourced pottery pics and info to build the profile. That way I'm not "stealing" the potter's pictures or information off their website/FB/IG.

If a potter explicitly says they do not want to be included (which hasn't happened yet), then I would respect their wishes and not include them. I have a ton of potter profiles in draft right now that I plan to publish once I have enough useful info. I some cases I might have a few photos, but no bio or signature info or a sig photo, but nothing else. Since I'm trying to make each potter profile as useful as possible, I try to gather at least a bare minimum amount of info before publishing.

PiñonJ · Apr 3, 2021

thams said:
I make every attempt to get their permission to be listed. If I don't get their permission, I rely on crowdsourced pottery pics and info to build the profile. That way I'm not "stealing" the potter's pictures or information off their website/FB/IG.

If a potter explicitly says they do not want to be included (which hasn't happened yet), then I would respect their wishes and not include them. I have a ton of potter profiles in draft right now that I plan to publish once I have enough useful info. I some cases I might have a few photos, but no bio or signature info or a sig photo, but nothing else. Since I'm trying to make each potter profile as useful as possible, I try to gather at least a bare minimum amount of info before publishing.

I have a new Giorgi pot. Will send photos.

Pitoon · Oct 12, 2021

Any updates?

mwar15 · Oct 12, 2021

I think including chop or signature is a good idea, I went away from a chop and just sign and date it

Pitoon · Oct 12, 2021

mwar15 said:
I think including chop or signature is a good idea, I went away from a chop and just sign and date it

Why you dropped the chop?

PA_Penjing · Oct 12, 2021

thams said:
That's an interesting question - for the site purposes I'm considering anyone who has made pottery intended for bonsai. Yes, it's an overwhelming amount of people to catalogue. I'm doing this so that anyone who stumbles upon a pot with an unknown signature, they can visit the site to find more info.

Going forward I'm designing the site so that folks can easy find current production potters versus those that maybe only produced a handful of pots. I realize it's overwhelming to sift through hundreds of potters, so I'm trying to find a way for site users to more easily navigate through all the names.

The community really appreciates this kind of work. Thanks for adding to American bonsai

mwar15 · Oct 12, 2021

I didn’t like it and I figured a signature would be at least readable somewhat.

American Bonsai Potters

Shohin

Omono

Omono

Omono

Omono

Omono

Omono

Nonsense Rascal

Omono

Chumono

Attachments

Omono

Omono

Omono

Omono

Imperial Masterpiece

Omono

Imperial Masterpiece

Chumono

Omono

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