Sorry so long...

I sell ok considering the economy, by selling online,but it's getting harder.I seriously think the few shows I've gotten into were a fluke,considering the high rejection rates.

Gotten into three shows, 1- made expenses plus, on one show, 2- lost my arse on another , it was really bad, loads of Buy/Sell and 3- I sold a couple things at one plus award saved my bacon, mostly due to ,long drive $800 in gas , and high hotel costs...Stayed at a cheaper hotel,as cheap as you can get in Orlando in Nov...

I got an award on my freakiest piece,my octopus hand flower, people of all ages, not just kids, loved it,surprisingly..

I like what I make,I make what is in me to make and my customers love it,but judges don't seem to...One show,I had to show a picture tutorial of how I make my jewellery for them to get it...Which actually I didn't mind, if they did more of that it might cut down on Buy/Sell. The bad part was none of the judges knew a thing about jewellery creation...

One of my pieces was a hand made pair of  sterling eye glasses, they didn't know people could make their own eyeglasses...so I did a picture tutorial of myself making eye glasses from frame to lense cutting , beginning to end.

Rarely I do get a response as to what they see wrong, or that I can improve.. Mostly I see that it's style...

The most common response I get is it's too representational,we're looking for minimal clean gallery , high art pieces.

It's not what we're looking for, or doesn't fit into the show... it's too different,we want a cohesive show.

Too busy,too weird was one. Considering I've seen pieces made from drywall screws wired together in a necklace.

Not creative was another..Lord of the Rings and Star Wars and should be in Comic Con was another...

From the responses I got, it must be my work...

I looked at a well known show, they do Jan, Feb,March, looked at the jewellery for all three months and for previous two years,all the same artists,all three months and both previous years... all the jury piccies were the same...for each show...

A lot of the jewellery styles were similar to each other,nothing at all like mine...

Isn't it about diversity?

I had a friend who made ornate fabulous pieces for years, no problem jurying, and always great sales...then she ran into the brick wall of minimalist tastes at jury...So she began doing what they liked to get in, jury,minimalist type pieces would just sit there... and the gorgeous ornate tribal pieces that sold like hot cakes.  The judges would praise her minimalist pieces when they  judge her booth  but chastized her it not being the bulk of her inventory..

I can understand the rational.

She told them, "my ornate work sells, the juried stuff that got me in, doesn't...if it did, I'd make more of it! They told her shows were about promoting fine art, she told them ...then don't charge so much for booth fees, artists can't afford to be a traveling art  exhibit... She never won an award at a show, but made her money in sales...

I'm about ready to give up. I can't make what I think will get juried in. It's not what's in my soul...I wouldn't be an artist just a jewellery maker.

I had to do that to get through college,it was all about abstract and minimalist, non representational art..anything else wasn't considered creative... So I fell into line, did what they liked,they loved it,they thought I had an epiphany... Had a highly praised senior show, sold nothing,melted it all down after the show, made what I loved and sold most of it...

I don't see a lot of representational realism in jewellery,I do in sculpture but not so much in jewellery...

I like making pieces that will keep the person interested, they find something different each time they look at it...

Granted some of my work as a fantasy component, but also nature and other elements. The octopus hand flower isn't everyone's cup of tea. But one older lady liked it enough to have it done in gold! Which I'm working on now...

I just don't have the money to make jewellery and have photographed, keep submitting to shows, that isn't going to get past jury and the economy isn't getting better and online only goes so far.. plus I like shows you get to meet people, see what they like and how they respond to your pieces. You don't get that sitting in studio and selling online...

Maybe what I do isn't art,so juried art shows aren't my venue..

octo bracelet email sized hjkd.jpg

levis mermaid ring 1.jpg

frog pond.jpg

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  • noobie here, i might not have the answers to your jury problems,  I just wanted to write & tell you that i think your work is phenomenal. 

    I'm having a hard time deciding if i should show your work to my wife because i know she would also love it (specifically the octopus bracelet), but i also know i couldn't afford it! (hence the conundrum!) 

    With the amount of money you spend on expenses + your husbands time off work to go to a weekend show, could possibly be around the same expense for rent on a storefront studio for a month. It's a risky adventure (what isn't?) but i believe your work is definitely worth exploring that option.
    If you can't afford that, find another artist on your caliber for a share-space partnership.
    If that isn't an option, try soliciting jewelry stores for consignment space.
    Reach out to your local artist guild & see if there are any events they throw that you could participate in. seek out the support of your community & community events, attend your local chamber of commerce meetings & see what opportunities that may lead you to, etc.
    Do whatever it takes to get your work seen by as many people as possible until you get
    to the point in elevating yourself to where you want to be with your art and your sales.
    The point i'm trying to make is that there are other options.
    Don't feel like you & your art aren't worthy because of some cookie cutter judges want cookie cutter art pieces at their cookie cutter weekend art fair. 
    Quitting isn't an option. once you're an artist, you're an artist for life.
    sure you can *try* to quit, but that only leads to depression until you kick yourself in the rear & get back to doing the thing you love doing the most: being an Artist.

    you're an extremely talented Fine Artist.

    Don't give up. 



  • I think the work is great. Thinking outside the box. The problem is most of the juries are stuck in the box in my opinion. We want a well balanced show is what they say. In other words we are not familiar with that so we will take the safe bet and take the same work over again. I work in my own medium. I don't even know what to apply in some times.If I apply in metal they seem to be looking for a 3D sculpture. If i apply in mixed media I am up against so many others that are mixing media.In my opinion balance is not that exciting.I like new ideas. Not that you don't see any out there, but canvas prints are not new and exciting.And people wonder why the shows don't attract younger buyers.They see great work online all the time.Over the top and new exciting and different.And I hear artists tell me they have been doing some shows for over 10 years.So no other artist has come up with anything new and different in that time?I doubt it.Just the juries take the safe bet because they are not familiar with the new work.Perfect example, I applied to a top show in metal.I looked at the past artists in metal over 5 years.Most of them were the same people.This show had over 1200 applications.One of the artists work is something I have seen from others.With that many apps how do the same ones get in year after year?

  • Michelle, I do shows by myself, I don't hesitate to "borrow" someones husband for the 3 minutes it takes to pop and EZ up. You can do it one person, but it's much easier and less stressful on the tent to use two. Also I bought a kit from ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/24-Large-New-Photo-Softbox-Light-Tent-Cube-...

    Then I bought a graduated background from someone Larry recomended. I did the photos myself. I have a background in photography but honestly it was no big deal. I downloaded a 30 day free photoshop trial to do the photos. Don't quit. You have too much talent. It takes about 3 years to find your shows and then you will always be adjusting.

  • Michelle

    I am sorry to hear of the discouragement you are feeling and receiving. You make beautiful ART Jewelry. Unfortunately, with the economy in the mess it is currently in, in my little corner of the world, (and admittedly, a very different corner) if it isn't practical it won't sell. It is very difficult to balance on the thin line...creating what your inner self NEEDS to create, and creating what the public wants to buy. IMHO, I would still create those amazingly gorgeous creations....because they will sell. But I would have them as my statement pieces. But for jurying and for the sales...it's supply and demand. To get into the shows, make your JURY pieces...the ones that probably wont sell, but will get you into the shows. And create what the buyers want. If you have what they want, they will EVENTUALLY open their eyes and see the absolute beauty, precision and wonder in YOUR pieces...the ones that have a piece of you in them. Be blatant about it too. Price all the pieces they want....but DON'T price the ones from your heart.  That is a BIG attention grabber. It makes them ask....piques their interest in those pieces. When they do ask, smile , blush, and tell them that THAT piece is has a part of YOU in it, so you hadn't really considered selling.....it's a balancing act. To sell you have to get in, once your in, you have to have something the public thinks it wants (see the usual, humdrum), once they are there, they will FINALLY  see YOUR gorgeous Art. "But ya gotta get in the door and get buyers into the booth first"  It's Psychology. Nasty, but true. If the normal venues are giving you fits and starts... try the unusual ones. Renfairs, Pirate Fests....even in Maine we have them, and yes I have done them. I will do ANY show that gets my jewelry out there to the public. I do the Harley Fest. You know why? Limited number of booths, not many jewellers at all, and THEY LIKE TO SPEND. I do MANY music fests too...why? Because that's where the people ARE. And they are prepared to spend. Check out the other festivals in your area...it just might be a way for you to fill in some empty weekens...and a lot expensively than the juried ARTFAIR. There are many ways, and venues out there. BUT don't let them get you discouraged.

    • I thought about Harley Fests, I sell a lot of jewellery to bikers... I set up at a mermaid convention and sold a few things, Ren faires I set up at, not many bought since you can get cheap crystal jewellery there with big bling.. I thought I'd do better since these people put a lot of money and time into the correctness of the costumes and them buy overglorified crystal prom jewellery...

      I did do pretty well at a re-inactor's weekend, since I make eyeglasses and there aren't any repros of 1700's eyewear and the real deal costs thousands...

      Just so hard because I watched my friend go through this. Only she was established in the shows and sold for years, no problem getting in, and then the "minimalist" movement took over in judging and it kept her out of shows. She made jury pieces and pieces for sale, but when judges came through, they saw what she juried in with and what she was selling and told her put her "selling pieces" away or leave...

      After trying to get into shows with "jury" stuff", getting in fewer shows,then eventually none. She quit making jewellery after that, went into a depression, eventual breakdown and died. It literally killed her, the jewellery was "in her soul"  but she didn't have a reason to "let it out" to create it.. sounds extreme but I felt her pain then and I feel it now...

      • I think anything Harley Davidson would be great for you.  You might even try Bike Week or Biketoberfest in Daytona.  There will be lots of cheap jewelry there but there is also a lot of really nice expensive jewelry.  I used to go to Bike Week just for the jewelry.

        • I'll have checked it out, I'll try going to a bike fest and see what they have. I got rejected yet again with the latest series of shows...

          Looked at their past years, same people again,for the most part...all on a circuit of shows,one after the other,so I can't even break in to one show,can't afford to do one show so far away... I'm fighting a loosing battle, my work doesn't fit the "formula minimalist, abstract expressionism, gallery style". They're not looking at it, if it will sell at the show,it doesn't fit into their "box".

          I just don't have the money to waste any more,on jury fees which add up after a while...I got wait listed on one show but if they don't let me know with enough time,I can't do it. My husband doesn't get week-ends off so he has to use vacation time and he has to put in for it,at the least two weeks notice,preferably longer. I can't do it by myself. No guarantee he will get the time off..He looses $200 per day by taking time off. I can't set up by myself either , health issues and I have no family or friends nearby to help.

          I think it's pointless,can't even get into lesser known shows...

          I don't have the luxury of doing local shows,they're mostly crafty shows,I did one show $25 booth fee, sat all day, sold nothing, no orders and my husband lost $200 by taking a day off.It was a local crafty show , lots of buy sell,assembled items but not art... there's no real venues for art in this area.. Woman next to me had stung beads,nothing over $20, sold almost nothing either...

          Gold is at a good price, silver too, I'm seriously considering scrapping . Trying Ebay  first. Ebay doesn't charge listing fees now so I can afford to list,if it sells I can cover final value fees and so on. What doesn't sell will be scrapped..

          You can't fight the system and I haven't got anything left anymore...it's not the economy..I can't get past the jury.. The 3 shows,I got into last year, one was a bust but if I'd known the area,I wouldn't have applied....

          The other two,both in Florida one spring,one fall, sold enough to break even considering I had to drive 1200 miles, one way, 2400 both ways , gas,hotels and food and booth fees, wasn't bad...would have made money if I could string a couple back to back... the one in November, sold enough to pay expenses, the show in Florida 1200 mile drive ,one way drive, 2400 both ways, and all the expenses it entails..plus won an award...

          Unseen is unsold and I can't get my foot in the door...

          I visited one show that rejected me,after we finished doing Winter Park,we used to live there so we visited friends and stopped at the show... wore my jewellery, sold a couple pieces at the hotel to patrons who were staying there, to see the show, they saw my work plus staff at the hotel told them about my jewellery. I walked the show in a couple pieces, and actually got a couple orders for pieces, got orders off the people walking the show..maybe I should haunt the shows that reject me for street orders...

          Maybe I should do trunk shows following the art shows.. mean I know..I know artists who used to do that in NY during the art shows...they'd set up and advertise a trunk show in a hotel at the same time ...

          • Okay, here's a few sugestions for shows to try. The first is Funky Ferndale in the Detroit area. Your work would be a good fit for that one. Art off Pike in Covington , KY, which is right across from Cincinatti is a nice low cost venue that draws an eclectic mix of patrons. There's one fairly close to you in Ft. Wayne, IN at Freimann Square. I've not done it for years, but it's not terribly expensive to do and you could probably drive back home each night.

            Some of these shows can also assign a volunteer to you to assist in getting the tent up. I don't know what your tent is, but given the physical constraints, an EZ-Up from Sam's club may be the best for you. The trick on those is to get underneath them and lift on the center post which will spread the feet out with a lot less effort.

            You're sounding very discouraged right now, and your thinking is going negative. Focus on what you can do, and how to get that done. Consider how your artist statement sounds and see what can be done to polish that up. What that says can greatly influence how your work is viewed, so don't neglect that part of the puzzle.

            • Funky Ferndale sounds interesting,I know the area, very artsy.

              I have an EZ Up, can't do it myself, tried, it doesn't have a center post.....but maybe I can get a helper at the show...

              I

              ll check out Ferndale and Ft.Wayne.Ferndale is about 3.5 hours, Ft Wayne, about 1.5 hours...

              • I can do everything to set up and break down except put the roof on my Craft Hut.  There has always been someone there to help me.

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