What are your thoughts about judging at art festivals?
BlackTree Studio Pottery just completed a weekend at the Lakeshore Arts Festival in Michigan City, Indiana, organized by the Lubeznik Center for the Arts.
I'm always perplexed by this art fair's categories which are:2-dimenisional | Fine Craft | Jewelry | Photography | Sculptural Objects | Wearable Art. I don't understand the logic behind their categories when judging the best works in this show. Here's why...with 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place in each category, there are 6 winners representing 2-d and photographer. While they distinguish these mediums, as well as jewelry, and wearable art, the "fine craft" category packs in pottery, glass, wood, metal and any medium that does not fit into the other categories.
As a result, some years there may be not pottery or glass for example, but no matter what the quality there will always be 3 photographers who are awarded a prize.
What's the best way to judge an art festival? Do you think judges should have specific qualifications? Please share your opinion.
Comments
Well, they clearly don't care if someone knows what they're doing, and that's not fair to the artists. Some shows pay the judges, and I wonder what difference that makes. I was just at a show where the majority of the awards were given to "locals," no matter the quality of the work. I've also walked shows and been slackjawed by the amazing creativity of the winning artisans, and the depth of their skills. Last year at the Festival of the Masters at Disney they gave out dozens of awards. (Nice money, too.) It seemed like almost everyone got one! I was very hurt that I didn't because, truly, it seemed like 20% of the exhibitors won at least an "Honorable Mention." Since ANY award involved a photo op with Mickey, I was a little peeved. I would have milked that baby for years. Seriously, though, that was one show where I felt the judges spent respectable time with each artist. They were accompanied by the show personnel who alerted the artists they were coming. Our area helper suggested I take a few pieces down until after the judging because they weren't strictly "painting" (mixed media) and might affect my score.
Thanks, Carol... it's taken a while, but I no longer emotionally react to the awards. I certainly NEVER judge the success of a show in relation to winning or losing. The judges are all over the map, and my husband and I stop ourselves from reacting to them. But why oh why do art shows continue to choose judges who are not qualified in the medium they are asked to judge -- as I said above, the category of FINE CRAFTS at the show we attended included pottery, wood, glass, and more. Who can have an expertise in all of those? One can have an opinion as to what you like or not... fair enough, but such judging, I believe, is a reflection of the quality of the art show.
And, congrats on wining People's Choice award.
If I had to base my self-esteem on awards, I'd be sunk. I got a "Best of Show" in Piedmont Park a few years ago. I hadn't had any sales and I was disgusted with the whole show. I was routing around in my storage bins and stood up to see the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol collected in my tent, with cameras and envelopes and a dog show size ribbon. It made me a little happier, and, sadly, it actually increased my sales. I say "sadly" because it shouldn't take a ribbon for people to appreciate your work. There wasn't much money, but I still have the ribbon in my studio. Recently I won a People's Choice award in Maine, which was pretty funny because, as far as I could see, there weren't any people at the show! My experience with judges is just like with show sales: they are all over the map. Sometimes they are experts and so full of themselves they can't be bothered to even see the artists they are judging. Other times, they seem very overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. And then there are those who seem to waft through, oblivious to everything, and yet they pick really fine artisans for the prizes. I just want to win one prize at one of the festivals where the prizes are four figures. A $7K first prize would make any show great!
I fully agree with Craig Henry. In fact there is an art show promoter in the Chicago area that for one show asked the art commissioners in the town to be judges. They wanted three but only two volunteered, so there were only two judges. No pre qualifications necessary. The one commissioner admitted that they were not familiar with certain categories. So the judging is more the good old boys hand shake. I firmly believe that if you win, it will not be your turn next year. A recent show in Chicago area gave an award to a buy/sell photographer.
Ditto for leather Craig Henry. Lots of production stuff gets into "handmade shows".
As a woodworker I always feel like we are given short shrift. Most of the judges hand you a card and move on, if that. They have no idea the variety of skills it takes to produce some pieces. Most of the judges give the impression that they are high school or university art teachers and if your work does not fit their predetmined narrow interpreation of "art", they ignore you.
Craig Henry
Fountainhead Woods
The best way to judge the way that particular show is run is to give out awards of merit not specific to any category. Maybe with one first, second, and third place award based on all exhibitors.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
There are so many ways. Sometimes I like it divided into just 2D and 3D and the awards divvied up according to how many people fit into each of the two. When I was running shows we did the awards regardless of category and gave the prizes to the top 10 or so artists according to judges scores. I always felt that by dividing it by category, especially the smaller events, wasn't quite fair, as there might be 20 jewelers in a show, 22 painters and maybe two printmakers. Know what I mean?
Reading this it looks like fine craft is way too big a category. Have to agree.
Here is a good article about the event from the local paper and it talks some about the awards, which might give us all some more info: http://www.laportecountylife.com/entertainment/arts/44811-artists-n...
and here is another one that focuses on the judging: http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/news/article_f080f79c-2666-11e4-9256...