Lili Krakowski on mon 27 sep 10
January 2002 Ceramics Monthly published a letter of mine under the heading
"Show Me the Money" I wrote what I have said for years: that juried
shows are the exploitation of vulnerable potters.
A few days ago Nils Lou described in bookkeeper clear terms what it would
cost him to enter a show. He did not mention preparation time. A few days
after that a ClayArter started a discussion of Art Guilds --does one, shoul=
d
one, join?
IMO the two discussions are about same thing. That we want our work seen
by the public, in the hope and prospect of enlarging reputation and sales.
The problem, it seems to me, is that things have gotten out of hand. I do
not look at Facebook, or Etsy or web pages...unless there is a very specifi=
c
reason.
But I know people advertize themselves on these cites, and many others
respond. Which makes shows even more puzzling.
Shows are not a lottery. When buying a lottery ticket you pay exactly wha=
t
I would pay...and have the same exact chance of winning. And if you buy
several tickets, you have several--but equal--chances of winning. As would
I, with several tickets. This is not true of juried shows. The actual
entry fee may be the same for all, but X who makes lovely miniature tea set=
s
that fit into a shoebox, and whose sister is a professional photographer
and Y who makes garden fountains, and has to pay a photographer have very
different costs. And, though "Facebook" etc. may change that , jurors
recognize the work of their buddies, or students, which affects their
selections (Something that does not apply to those pingpong balls in a
tumbler). The saving grace here is that entrants know ahead of time who th=
e
jurors are, and can evaluate their chances of acceptance--by guess and by
golly. I do know that in juried shows the rejected pay steeply for the
honor, and support the accepted in style.
As to Guilds (which go by diverse names.) Most I have known started with
friends forming a buying club for materials (this when there were far
fewer suppliers, and one could not buy less than full bags) and to have
sales. The latter generally were neighborhood affairs, grew into
seasonal events, looked forward to by all. Over time these "private clubs"
have grown, accepting new (more) members, generally by jurying. Here the
applicant knows/can know the jurors, and these guilds take in those they
favor. (Favoritism is a factor here...for good, or bad).
For some guilds the annual show is a real money maker for all. Some guilds
have won national reputations for excellence.
Guilds charge differently, and one must compare what one gets before
selecting one. Some are very informal, casual. Others are more
assertive--advertising their shows with more sophistication than flyers and
word-of-mouth, inviting (i.e.hiring) speakers and workshop givers, and lik=
e
that. Some guilds are more like co-ops--having a permanent sales space, a
shop, really, run by volunteers. I gather some guilds give classes.
Sometimes the dues are just formalities to pay for coffee at meetings and
necessary postage. In other cases the fees pay for utilities and
advertising. If one is not a "joiner" one still may find a guild that
demands little active participation--the active work being done by those wh=
o
like to do it.
More and more I understand less and less about what is going on in the clay
world. "Ceramics Monthly" increasingly features works totally beyond me.
Observation, not complaint. A lot of "that stuff" is splendid, but would
neither "fit" in my home, nor, and this matters here, be shippable without
major, professional hauler investment. I think shows as we know them
will wither. Or radically change in character.
The Internet --whose workings I understand, but whose psychology I do
not--seems be be becoming a showcase of Advertisements for Myself. I think
guilds, small, local, informal, accessible, will survive.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Mary & Wes Handrow on mon 27 sep 10
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Of juried shows I will not comment since some are good and others are bad,
depending on just how "honest" the jurors are when looking for merit. Art
guilds may or may not survive in the area that I am in. One of the guilds
wants a large initiation fee up front, yearly dues and you must use/fire
their kiln to fire your items or they just don't want you. This is a
problem for me since I make wood fired stoneware and they only do gas fire.
They have in a sense made themselves a clique and contrary to their mission
to spread ceramics as an art form they become self limiting. Other guilds
are all about teaching and welcome the artist who uses other methods to mak=
e
their art. Depending on how a guild behaves it may or may not survive. Th=
e
internet helps but you must remember you are part of a large crowd and the
skill is in what and how many search objects or words one puts into your
website welcome page. Just do a search for wood fired pottery to see what =
I
mean, some very, very good potters don't show up until 5 or more search
pages. The point of all this is the same as real-estate, location,
location, location. Pick your spot, fight, or combination of places to mak=
e
yourself known but most importantly you must keep at it, improve your
craft/skill and pay attention to where you and your art are going.
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Subject: Of Juried Shows and Art Guilds
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January 2002 Ceramics Monthly published a letter of mine under the heading
"Show Me the Money" I wrote what I have said for years: that juried
shows are the exploitation of vulnerable potters.
A few days ago Nils Lou described in bookkeeper clear terms what it would
cost him to enter a show. He did not mention preparation time. A few days
after that a ClayArter started a discussion of Art Guilds --does one, shoul=
d
one, join?
IMO the two discussions are about same thing. That we want our work seen
by the public, in the hope and prospect of enlarging reputation and sales.
The problem, it seems to me, is that things have gotten out of hand. I do
not look at Facebook, or Etsy or web pages...unless there is a very specifi=
c
reason.
But I know people advertize themselves on these cites, and many others
respond. Which makes shows even more puzzling.
Shows are not a lottery. When buying a lottery ticket you pay exactly wha=
t
I would pay...and have the same exact chance of winning. And if you buy
several tickets, you have several--but equal--chances of winning. As would
I, with several tickets. This is not true of juried shows. The actual
entry fee may be the same for all, but X who makes lovely miniature tea set=
s
that fit into a shoebox, and whose sister is a professional photographer
and Y who makes garden fountains, and has to pay a photographer have very
different costs. And, though "Facebook" etc. may change that , jurors
recognize the work of their buddies, or students, which affects their
selections (Something that does not apply to those pingpong balls in a
tumbler). The saving grace here is that entrants know ahead of time who th=
e
jurors are, and can evaluate their chances of acceptance--by guess and by
golly. I do know that in juried shows the rejected pay steeply for the
honor, and support the accepted in style.
As to Guilds (which go by diverse names.) Most I have known started with
friends forming a buying club for materials (this when there were far
fewer suppliers, and one could not buy less than full bags) and to have
sales. The latter generally were neighborhood affairs, grew into
seasonal events, looked forward to by all. Over time these "private clubs"
have grown, accepting new (more) members, generally by jurying. Here the
applicant knows/can know the jurors, and these guilds take in those they
favor. (Favoritism is a factor here...for good, or bad).
For some guilds the annual show is a real money maker for all. Some guilds
have won national reputations for excellence.
Guilds charge differently, and one must compare what one gets before
selecting one. Some are very informal, casual. Others are more
assertive--advertising their shows with more sophistication than flyers and
word-of-mouth, inviting (i.e.hiring) speakers and workshop givers, and lik=
e
that. Some guilds are more like co-ops--having a permanent sales space, a
shop, really, run by volunteers. I gather some guilds give classes.
Sometimes the dues are just formalities to pay for coffee at meetings and
necessary postage. In other cases the fees pay for utilities and
advertising. If one is not a "joiner" one still may find a guild that
demands little active participation--the active work being done by those wh=
o
like to do it.
More and more I understand less and less about what is going on in the clay
world. "Ceramics Monthly" increasingly features works totally beyond me.
Observation, not complaint. A lot of "that stuff" is splendid, but would
neither "fit" in my home, nor, and this matters here, be shippable without
major, professional hauler investment. I think shows as we know them
will wither. Or radically change in character.
The Internet --whose workings I understand, but whose psychology I do
not--seems be be becoming a showcase of Advertisements for Myself. I think
guilds, small, local, informal, accessible, will survive.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
------=3D_NextPart_000_0081_01CB5E9C.4C722810--
Lee Love on mon 27 sep 10
On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 9:12 AM, Lili Krakowski w=
=3D
rote:
> A few days ago Nils Lou described in =3DA0 bookkeeper clear terms what it=
w=3D
ould
> cost him to enter a show. =3DA0He did not mention preparation time. =3DA0=
A fe=3D
w days
> after that a ClayArter started a discussion of Art Guilds --does one, sho=
=3D
uld
> one, join?
In my first pay to enter show, the KC Guild
International Tea Bowl Show, I was awarded second runner up ($200.00)
I entered because I respected the Judge, the organization, and it is
a form I specialize in. So I didn't feel like it was the lottery.
You need to choose these competitions with some rational judgment.
It is the same for fair entries. Use some forethought.
If you are applying for non-entry fee awards and
competitions, like the State Arts Board or the Bush, McKnight or
Jerome, most of the work is done for the first entry. After you do
slides, resumes, artist statements, proposals for one, you can use
this material for the others. Talk to folks who do this stuff. It
really isn't as difficult as it may seem.
Most people don't actually advertise shows on Etsy. Think of it as
an easy way to do a shopping cart. You need to advertise otherwise
to bring people to that storefront.
Think of Facebook as an email list in the 3rd dimension. Only,
folks don't tend to be so tight sphinctered there. ;^)
--=3D20
--
=3DA0Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mingeisota.blogspot.com/
=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi
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