search  current discussion  categories  events - adjudicating 

jury fees and joy

updated sun 31 mar 96

 

Sue Lily on thu 28 mar 96

Why not a fee if you are accepted?

It does cost to hire jurors - it seems appropriate to help defray that cost.

It's chancey to go to the effort and cost to enter shows, and I don't
bother very often. Let's face it, showing is a mixed bag. But, when you
get in a show, make sure to get press for yourself - newspaper article -
that can be shown when you are approaching galleries or at fairs...People
like to know you are a "career potter" - makes them feel better about
investing with you. I discovered it was necessary to write the article
myself, included the screened photograph of the piece that was accepted,
sent it to my local paper - and they ran it. Then I copied the article
onto the back of business cards, made laminated enlargements for my store
displays. My sales went up because I became "collectable".

Everybody thinks somebody out there is making money. Usually, the
producer - farmer, artist, whatever, puts out more energy per $ - only
producing 100% of one persons time, if you're careful. (Federal agencies
factor in 25% as interruption time!) People who put on shows don't rake
in the bucks either - hoping the fees cover costs - scrambling to find
donors, etc. They do it for love, too. Many gallery owners don't pay
themselves for being there - the sale of their artwork supports them.
Wealth is illusory, and has to do with doing what you love when you feel
like doing it. We all have to be smart and aware, picking our projects
and making our own jo.

If you think about it, there are a lot of folks out there loving clay.

PS. I just read Jean's explanation of the efforts to put together SFPN, (I
got in their show the first 2 years! Yay!) Perhaps another way of jurying
for a National show like that is to open it to local Pottery groups to send
their favorite piece! Imagine if the Portland Pottery Association could
only send one or two pieces! What excruciating competition! But it would
highlight National shows, and educate both artists and the public at home.
Lots of publicity would be generated on every level.

So the show organizers would come up with the methodology outline - groups
would decide amongst themselves how to handle the decision - jurors,
voting, etc. - groups could defray the costs of shipping, insuring -
interesting and unwieldy plan you say? :-) No doubt.

Repeal the Salvage Rider.
Write: president@whitehouse.gov

Ms. Lily
lily@mind.net
Lily's Pots 488-4511