Textile artist Ptolemy Mann was been in business for 12 years, working on large-scale commissions, and diversifying into architectural colour consultancy some while before the current recession set in. Noting that challenge and imagination go with the territory for a maker, she talks about adapting to your skills, sharing resources and the potential of social enterprise.
Ptolemy Mann in the studio, Photo: Eva Vermandel, 2005
'Interlocking Blue 1' (60x60cm) by Ptolemy Mann; Photo: Ptolemy Mann, 2007
How long have you been in business?
I have worked for 12 years as a textile artist, hand-dyeing and hand-weaving one-off art works. Since finishing at the RCA in 1997, I've worked consistently and quite prolifically on large-scale public, domestic and corporate commissions, and more recently as an architectural colour consultant.
Have you experienced challenging financial times during your career?
Anyone in the creative field will tell you it's always challenging, it's just one of the things about being an artist. You have to be incredibly driven and incredibly focused. Probably anyone who has been in business for any length of time will say the same thing. It's hard to get by because this business is by nature irregular. Sometimes things go very well, sometimes it's very quiet. It's always like that.
What strategies did you adopt?
I think people who work in the way that I do are quite well prepared already for this kind of recession, in a funny way - there's a predisposed ability to adapt to fluctuations.
Have you recommendations for makers to diversify?
I decided that I had to diversify four years ago, before the recession hit. You have to adapt your business to suit the economic climate, and I am a good illustration. I invented a whole new way of working for myself: architectural colour consultant. A job I didn't even know existed a few years ago. I have also designed rugs, ceramics and glass. I've been a journalist, I teach, I even recently did a collaboration with a milliner. It's important to be ambitious and think of the strategies you can adopt to apply the skills you have.
How can one cut costs when running a small business?
This is probably a good time to combine with other makers and sharing costs. If you're doing a trade fair, share a stand with somebody sympathetic to how you work. Travel to trade fairs together and cut the costs that way. Or share studio space. Barter: find ways to avoid the financial transaction by exchanging skills. Be diligent: look on Ebay for materials, go the library, or better, start a shared library. If you subscribe to magazines, share the subscription with someone in your building. There are lots of ways of being inventive. It comes down to sharing, which sounds silly but we have all got into this very individualistic culture. It is time to be more generous in the way we do business, and towards each other.
Any words of advice and encouragement for new makers?
The news seems very bad just now, but in some ways this is an inspiring and creative time. As a maker, you are what you do, and the way you feel about your work is very close to the reality, so it's very important to try and employ certain principles so that you can keep yourself inspired. I think the way to get through this is by social enterprise, the one area where things are booming, and designers and makers are in a good position to take advantage of money being made available by the government or other sources. It amounts to giving something back. The people who pick up on this sooner will weather this experience better than those who don't.
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