Chinese waltzing into the lampwork market?

[Planet Glass]

I received a flier today, with mother's day gift suggestions. I saw this one:

http://the-glass-artist.com/images/lampworkchina.jpg

It's not amazing lampwork, but it's very cheap. Is lampwork another example of a craft where it will become increasingly difficult to compete with importations?

[VickieLee]

Unfortunately, this isn't something new to the glass industry. Having been a lampworker for 36 years I've seen this happen before. The trick is not to compete with the imports.
Laura Rasmussen wrote an article for GlassLine Magazine a few years ago about the Glass Curtain. She talked about how secretive it was back then to learn this craft, where now all someone has to do is turn on their computer and learn anything they want for free. There are definite changes happening in the glass industry as a whole, and it will take more than being able to melt glass to stay in it as a profession. But since quitting isn't an option, I'll forge ahead.
Vickie

[Dennis Brady]

Unfortunately, this isn't something new to the glass industry. Having been a lampworker for 36 years I've seen this happen before. The trick is not to compete with the imports.
Laura Rasmussen wrote an article for GlassLine Magazine a few years ago about the Glass Curtain. She talked about how secretive it was back then to learn this craft, where now all someone has to do is turn on their computer and learn anything they want for free. There are definite changes happening in the glass industry as a whole, and it will take more than being able to melt glass to stay in it as a profession. But since quitting isn't an option, I'll forge ahead.
Vickie

Although many artisans are complaining about poor sales there are also many whose only complaint is they can't keep up with orders.
http://www.glasscampus.com/tutorials/pdf/Future_of_Glass_Art.pdf

Rapid change has created a new market reality. You can adapt to take advantage of that change or you can resist it and be pushed out of the market. There's still a solid market for torchworked glass - it's just moved beyond balls, beads, and bongs.

[Emmett]

If I made work similar to the figures you posted I'd be threatened but my work is different and appeals to a wider audience.
E

[Dennis Brady]

If I made work similar to the figures you posted I'd be threatened but my work is different and appeals to a wider audience.
E

Everyone is threatened. The wider the audience for a product, the greater the likelihood the mass producers will start producing it.

[Emmett]

Everyone is threatened. The wider the audience for a product, the greater the likelihood the mass producers will start producing it.

As soon as somone can make my work better for less than I do then I'll buy it from them but untill then they can go broke trying to copy my older works.
E