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I had my world shaken by one person's images while jurying an art fair. Today was the jury for the art fair that Michael Kifer and I run in Kalamazoo Michigan. Because this is a different type of art fair (the Garage Sale Art Fair), Michael and I jury the show ourselves. It's something I'm very comfortable doing and really enjoy. This time it was even better.
Without permission I can't use the person's name but I will tell you that I wish the images of my own work evoked the strength of the feelings that these did for me. Just when you've seen your fill of overworked, over Photoshopped images, one person's work comes up on the screen and reaches up to grab you by the heart. I caught my breath and just drank it in.
There's a lesson to be learned here for all of us. Make your images speak. Let them tell a story. Don't worry about making those big expensive pieces of your work because you think that's what a jury wants to see. Let the jury feel your work and they will get it. And you'll probably get into more of the shows that you want to do. I know I'm rethinking my own images...
Comments
Kerri, you make some really good points. I personally think that every show needs to have a "street" jeweler on their jury. With jewelry being the largest category for applications these days, you need someone who can point out purchased components, manufactured parts and so on. Since there are people applying now with digital images of pieces that aren't even made, you need someone who will notice that there's no way it's a real piece because the stone isn't held in or whatever else they see. I'll get back to this but I'm leaving for a show now.
Hi Susan,
I'm joining the conversation late - apologies. Your comment is great Bonnie. Being a jeweler though it's hard to see how to manage what you're recommending, but would love to achieve it. I see fabulous work get into good shows and absolute crap too. People who make everything and have outstanding skills and work, and those that make none of their components and have very poor craftsmanship (a teenager with about an hour's tuition could make everything in their booth) and yet they get into good shows, make loads of money and are re-accepted, even winning awards. It's the photos obviously, but where is the quality control during the show? Why do these people get in again? For me, the benchmark, apart from the intangibles of taste and vision is skill. I know of one booth that has a jury photo highlighting a piece of jewelry detail - detail that they DID NOT MAKE. They bought it, drilled a hole (or something similarly unskilled) in it and attached it to the piece. I guess the jurors assume that if it's in the jury photo then the people made it but sadly this isn't always true. The only way to be sure of this is to go around during the show and question the exhibitors. Otherwise, this kind of thing keeps happening.
On another note though Bonnie - what stands out for you in jewelry jury photos? What grabs your attention and makes you think "wow - this is great work"?
LOL... I feel better now.....
Susan Lambert because of your post I will tell you it was a photographer, it was not an image of a piece of art. The image was the art...
personally, I think it's sad when the photography has to be so outstanding, that the product is sometimes ignored. It's all about the pictures. What if someone has great work, but not the best photos? They don't get into a show. It makes it just that more difficult to be juried into a show when you end up paying lots of $$ to get pictures taken, or you have to be a spectacular photographer yourself. I just can't add up all the money I've spent on pictures, photographic equipment, and cameras. I walked through a show last spring I wasn't juried into after being in that particular show for 7 years, and saw substandard jewelry work or booths full of 'cheap stuff' . Also in the show was some outstanding work. How did the poor quality artists get in? Great photos obviously. I try hard not to sound like 'sour grapes' but it is a serious problem for people in jewelry especially. It's sometimes very difficult to not take it personally.
The overall images were just spectacular, singularly and as a group...
Okay, I get it, privacy, etc., Bonnie. But why did these stand out from the others? Was the work outstanding, the body of the images, the presentation and most of all can I be first in line to buy a piece of this work?
The images I'm talking about are from this year's jury and those won't be on the website until December. But there will always be artists that take your breath away in any group. Glad you liked his!
I looked at the images at the fair web site, and I am going to make a guess as to who you are referring to: Daniel Powers.
I am looking forward to the Garage Sale. I have never been before and am excited to see everyone's work! Should be fun day!
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