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One Hit Wonders.

Posted by Larry Berman on January 7, 2011 at 8:54am in Business of Art Fairs

One Hit Wonders. The term usually refers to a music group that has only had a single hit record.

I'm currently consulting with a crafts person who only has one item, which is available in multiple colors. Over the past few years, the person has applied to and been rejected from over 50 shows on ZAPP but has been able to get into some shows not using ZAPP.

Is this a ZAPP issue? The crafts person obviously thinks so. But there seems to be a disconnect between the understanding of how competitive applying to ZAPP shows are and not changing your product or growing in your medium for over 20 years.

Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

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Replies

  • Robin Miller February 16, 2011 at 8:37pm
    While it's discouraging to get rejected, if i were that crafts person I would be asking myself, "why NOT riff on the original item, alter it a bit, stretch it, make another version of it. " Use your craftsmanship. Listen to what the jurors are saying and try to change it up a bit.
  • Larry Jelf February 16, 2011 at 1:07pm

    I thought we were in the field of art for the love of it and always wanted to grow. Being different is imperative and that even means being different from yourself.

    • Larry Berman > Larry Jelf February 16, 2011 at 1:21pm
      Actually there are many people in this field only to make money, not necessarily to make art or even grow within what they've chosen to do.

      Larry Berman
      http://BermanGraphics.com
      412-401-8100
  • Robert Szabo January 9, 2011 at 10:04pm
    I am a photographer and have only applied for 6 shows so far.  No rejections yet. Have applied to Longs Park PA, Winter Park FL, Clayton MO, Prairie Village KS, Austin TX, Dunedin FL.  All on ZAPP.
    • Pat Sorbini > Robert Szabo January 10, 2011 at 6:51pm
      I know your work. Of course you have no rejections :)
      • Robert Szabo > Pat Sorbini January 10, 2011 at 7:18pm
        Well Thank You Pat! :)
  • Connie Mettler January 8, 2011 at 10:44am
    It's definitely not a Zapp issue. A jury wants to see a "body of work"--one product done multiply in different colors tells the jurors that the creator only has one idea. They want to see more. Yep, sounds more like manufacturing than art. No way will this get through a jury that wants to see multiple examples of a person's work.
    • Sabine Chadborn > Connie Mettler January 8, 2011 at 8:39pm

      On the other hand though, we are supposed to show consistency in the zapp pics all the same idea rather then a variaty of work.

      If someone only makes one and the same item they don't have a chance to get into any online application show. If that person makes one item in various colors and sizes, it seems to me this is what jurors are looking for,

       consistency.

      • Larry Berman > Sabine Chadborn January 8, 2011 at 8:53pm

        repetitiveness is not consistency in a body of work. Actually all one item isn't a body of work at all, it's a single item.

        I know  people on the circuit with one item but the variations are more complex and they can get away with it.

        There are levels of shows for all types of work and presentations.

        Larry Berman
        Digital Jury Services
        http://BermanGraphics.com
        412-401-8100

        • Sabine Chadborn > Larry Berman January 8, 2011 at 9:17pm

          This is realy what it comes down to, to find the right show for your work and presentation.

          The one item crafter should after never being accepted into any zappshows change up the work or find different venues

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