A lot to learn...

No wonder more people don't import ceramics from around the world. Man is it complicated! First you have to find the artisans you want to work with, which is by all means the most fun part of the process. For me this step required traveling around Europe, visiting friends and meeting people in some of the most beautiful places imaginable. All of these pottery-makers seem reliable and professional (enough) when you meet them and see all the beautiful pieces they're creating. However, trying to communicate with them from California is another thing altogether. They have email, they just choose not to use it. I honestly don't think they're ignoring me (at least I hope not) or trying to drive me crazy... I think the real answer is that they're Spanish, French, and Italian. Yes, I'm stereotyping, but from my experience with those three countries, people are so laid-back and unconcerned with increasing sales, they can tend to frustrate those of us Americans who are accustomed to a more uptight, anxiety-ridden working atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, this is the exact reason I love people from these countries and have chosen to import their artwork. But at this point in my business' infancy, it can be quite frustrating. Or maybe I'm just bitter, because I know they all just took the entire month of August off!

So back to the other obstacles an importer must face. I've researched and compared the costs/services of multiple shipping companies and customs brokers. Lead content is also a scary issue that has to be dealt with. If there's any lead present in the glaze of any piece I will be held responsible and the entire shipment will be sent back (at my expense, of course). I'd be less worried if my artisans were emailing and/or calling to insist there will be no lead in their glaze... but again, the email silence is less than reassuring.

But with every stage of the process I'm getting more excited and more committed to seeing it through. I've decided not to hold my breath on these first shipments, but just let the process unfold at its own pace. And then of course, when I look at the pieces I've found and ordered I cannot help my excitement... I love this stuff!

Trip Recap

My pottery adventure was, for the most part, a huge success. I met with pottery-makers throughout Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. When I wasn't looking at pottery, I was talking about it -- with friends (new and old) at almost every bar and restaurant I went to along the way. I had a 3 hour "business meeting" over tapas at my favorite bar in Sevilla and discussed French pottery with a Parisian couple at a great wine bar in Marseille.

Besides pottery, I found many other subjects to "research" -- I tasted Port in its namesake Porto, Portugal. I sampled pate at a French bar in Spain and discussed it with a Belgian pate-maker outside Brussels. I did my best to support the wine and cheese industry in Spain. And I sampled all the classic Italian flavors I could manage -- deciding my all-time favorites are pesto sauce, cappuccinos, and chianti (none of which seem to taste nearly as good in the US). I know that doesn't all seem directly related to my business goals, but in my mind wine, food, and pottery are closely linked in the care and tradition that go into crafting perfection.

But to talk concrete outcomes... by the end of my pottery extravaganza, I had decided to definitely work with 4 of the potters I had met: 2 in Italy, 1 in Spain and 1 in France. Portugal will have to wait for now -- and I continue to look for additional sources from France, Spain, and Italy.