Business Matters - What's in a name: Full-time or part-time name?

Last week I mentioned why I thought names for pieces you create are so important. If you want to sell online, every piece really needs a name but I wonder how many of you just give your pieces part-time names?

While you may list the name online, do you also show the name of the piece when you do a show or when your pieces are in a gallery? When the piece is being seen "live" do you take it's name away and leave it untitled?

I think a lot of people do and something is then lost. Maybe it's just the logistics of having these small printed names on display with your art and ensuring they won't blow away - but I encourage you to make your names full-time.

I don't do many shows but when I do, watching people react to the name of a piece is great. They come up and look at the jewelry, but then they notice the words! And then they try to put it all together and see why I named it that way. Then they smile and start talking to me.

So then what about when people buy pieces from you? Do you include a little card with the name of the piece on it? I didn't used to, but I found people would request that I did this. They are buying because the piece and the sentiment behind it means something to them - so why not remind them of it's name as it's all part of it. I don't send names with all my pieces but for those that are more meaningful, I do - like "you are the missing piece" or "special delivery".

A fellow metal clay artist friend Sue McNenly has found a way to name her pieces that always means the name is "full-time". She's just started framing her pieces and the title then is written on the mat. The two of us find we have lots in common in our styles and backgrounds and decided recently that we were twins separated at birth. You'll see the similarity in her work and their names!

Here's the first one: Be Home for Dinner


And Picture Day

"Picture day" was a traumatic day once a year for Sue when she was a little girl. It was the time when she and her sisters would have their "proper" picture taken and meant they had to sleep with hard rollers in their hair the night before!!!!

To see more of her work, go to her blog or website.

So tell us all. Are you a part-time namer or a full-time namer? More on this subject next Wednesday.

If you would like me to feature your work in this series of "naming", please let me know. I'd be happy to show how you approach this.