Welcome to the Clementine Porcelain Blog! First of all, I’d like to give everyone an overview of our mission.
On August first we expect to launch the complete clementineporcelain.com, this will be a “store” where you will be able to purchase one of a kind objects or place orders for production items. Your transaction will take place online and we will fill and ship the order to you in a timely fashion. We are also preparing an application for the Handmade division of the New York International Gift Fair to take place next February.
This project has been in the works for some time but this winter Tracy and I formulated a business plan that motivated us to make the final push to launch. Here are the highlights:
The central facet of our mission is not personal profit, it is service:
- 25% of net profits will be donated directly to the Backpack Program administered by the Food Bank of the Heartland. This initial percentage is the minimum, as profits increase so will percentage of profits earmarked for donation.
- Youth mentorship opportunities will eventually be made available at a range of levels from pre-teens learning the basics of the ceramic process to young professionals receiving a complete apprenticeship in the design, production, and sale of finely crafted ceramic objects.
- A experiential course cycle during which students prototype their own designs and apply to wholesale shows during the first semester, then, contingent on show performance, fill orders during the second semester
- A line of work produced by Tracy and myself and glazed by children. The idea is to create a context in which kids can learn about and participate directly in community service. 100% of the net profits generated through this line will be donated to the Food Bank.
So, hopefully this gives you a better idea of what we’re trying to do and if you have any ideas, questions, or thoughts please let me know.
Thanks,
Jesse
P.S. If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to “like” the Clementine Porcelain Facebook page.