There's been a lot of discussion amongst jewlery artists, as well as other media, about where different types of artists belong. Do "stringers" and wire workers belong in a fine art fair? Fine crafts? or "simply" Arts and Crafts? Ordinarily, I would not apply to a show advertised and titled "fine art". I design beautiful, affordable pieces of jewelry, but I know I do not create fine art.
So, if I don't apply to a fine art fair and then discover that there are accepted artists with work similar to mine, should I apply in the future? Is it wrong for me to take a chance? Or is it wrong for the jury and the promoter to accept me?
Replies
Jeanne - This is a big case of knowing your audience too! After you do shows for a while (let's face it, the first few years we all fumble around and do a show or two that we then comment "Never again!"...), you begin to see where your work does better and who your audience is in general. Jewelry at its core is a FINE CRAFT, but that does not mean everyone's work belongs at a CRAFT SHOW! I did a few venues as a favor to the organizer or out of some kooky sense of obligation, and my work just did NOT fit in with the feel of the show, nor did it fit in with the price points. Guess what? My really nice stuff sat as I could not compete with Betty Sue and her strung bracelets at $10 each. However, I'm sure if I were to set up at a venue next to a metalsmith who sets their own gems and does their own lapidary work, they'd roll their eyes... So, when I do shows that have a common level of quality and audience, I do quite well. I have found in general that I do better in larger metropolitan areas, so I've been looking at shows 3-4 hours away since I'm hitting a couple of bigger markets in that drive range. To me, it's better to hit one show 4 hours away and do very, very well than do 4 or 5 shows in my smaller market and just do... meh. "Meh" is depressing and causes one to rip out one's hair and eat excessive amounts of ice cream and bad stuff... (wait... maybe that's just me... TMI!) My advice, then, is if you see work similar to yours at a show, apply to it. However, every "fine art fair" may not be like the one you're applying to so do your homework, look at who's been accepted in the past and see if you "see" yourself in that venue.
As to stringing/components versus original handiwork, there have been several sets of knickers that have gotten twisted AND bunched regarding that conversation. I would wager that the vast majority of folks probably started out as a stringer in one way or another but most soon find that they need to expand upon their skill set IF they desire to do bigger/better shows. If your ultimate goal is to do the top tier shows, what do you have to do to get yourself to be comparable in skill and style? I can assure you, there won't be stringers at the "big dog shows", so either get "bigger" to compete or enjoy where you are and what you do! There's nothing wrong being a stringer at lots of mid-level shows... Lots of folks do it and are very profitable at it. So, be true to what you want to do!
Thanks so much for this lengthy reply, Amy. At the moment, I'm definitely not striving for top tier. But I would like to go a step or so above where I've been. I've also learned that there are many different levels of craft shows. No more small school or church fairs or car shows that have a lot of buy/sell. Too much work for too little net. I'm not Betty Sue and I don't want to be next to her any more.
I would like to attract a more affluent clientele that won't haggle over price. I exhibited at a small craft guild show in Bridgehampton last weekend and it was wonderful that no one quibbled over the price tag. For a while I started to use more silver plate and am now going back to sterling. i'm finding that folks are willing to pay for it, if I'm in the right neighborhood.
I'm also learning to be more comfortable charging more for my designs. I used to be apologetic if something was more expensive. I'm getting over it.
And I do enjoy what I do. I enjoy taking someone else's lampwork or polymer clay bead and finding just the right stones to complement it. I enjoy the compliments I get and the custom orders. I like to think that do have a small local following. I'm not making a killing, but I don't need to just yet. I think when the time comes, I'll be ready to step it up.
So what happens if you do a mixture of work - what if you have a small range of strung work (eg. pearls/gems) as well? Do you leave them at home? Take them just in case but not display them? Or put them out with your other work?
Perhaps some people are getting juried in to these shows without showing their strung work but turning up with them?
I'd be interested to hear what you do if you find that you have a range that crosses the stringer/non-stringer divide (whether in a small or large way).
That's when the show needs to step in an ask the artist to pull the work. When an artist does this in "defiance" of the rules is when other artist's get miffed at them.
Now if the strung work has a significant amount of the artists hand-made (by artist) work, (like a fancy pendent) no its functioning as a fancy chain for the hand made work.
Its a grey area with no clear cut answer depending on the show rules.
C
So if the focus of the piece is a handmade item (eg. a pendant), the strung work is acceptable as a 'chain' - but if the focus of the item is strung gems/pearls/non handmade beads, with just say a handmade clasp then that's not acceptable?
What are the customers buying? The chain or the pendent?
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