It's good to see a catagory for the "other" exhibitors.
Not everyone here is a fine artist. Many of us do craft shows. And there are all levels of shows out there, from small shows to Craftsmen's fairs, to shows featuring fine crafts.
BMAC www.buyersmarketofamericancraft.com/ and Smithsonian www.smithsoniancraftshow.org come to mind. Not to mention the oldest show in the nation, The League Of new Hampshire Craftsman's Fair. www.nhcrafts.org These shows are the cream of the crop. Definitely not the norm.
This catagory will start off slow, but will build as time goes by. Maybe it can get rid of a lot of snobbery that crafts are just a notch above flea markets.
I've read where some are upset because there were "country crafts" at a show they were doing. But country crafts are still selling in many parts of this country. Here in New England it's primitive crafts. Colonial work sells in the Mid Atlantic. Floorcloths are very popular.
Are we artists? No. But we work just as hard on our product as anyone else. And professional crafters make every bit the same money as artists. Just in a different market, that's all.
We encounter the same problems as artists do for the most part. Canopies, good/bad promoters, traveling, rejections, wait lists, B/S, (a major problem at craft shows!) placement at the show, etc.
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Thank you, Annette.
Diana Ferguson, who exhibited for the first time, wrote a review that gives a good idea of the show. See her review here.
As a jewelry designer (and anything else to which beads and things can be attached), I'm delighted to have a forum for crafts.
From my show director perspective, all I can say is that I've had to do a LOT of educating my juries and judges to understand that fine crafts are a legitimate art form, and that a good mix of fine art and fine craft makes a beautiful, appealing show for our demographic. To give some idea of what Art on the Lawn looks like, here's the grid from the poster, with participating artists' work featured. This year's lineup includes ceramics, digital art, drawing, fiber, furniture, glass, gourds, jewelry, mixed media, mixed media glass and steel, pastels, photography, photography mixed media, printmaking, painting (oils, acrylic, watercolor), raku, sculpture (metal, wood, other). While the lineup and show makeup varies from year to year, I always go for the best mix of beautiful work.
Thank You for that Barbara!!
I consider myself a craftsman- not an Artist. Because I am making a usable, wearable items. So to finally have a forum for the craftsmen here is good. And just because we craftsmen aren't considered "Artists" doesn't mean we shouldn't be included. I come from a family of "craftsmen" and "Artists" - woodworkers, Chefs, confectioners, painting, drawing, ceramics, dressmakers, quilters, needle arts, etc, and got my "training" from my toddler years on up. I create beaded jewelry and personal items, and even though it's not considered ART, it's still something I create. It's my vision and composition, my design, even though I haven't created the beads, or other materials I use in my jewelry. Some are purchased, some are found, or re-purposed items, but the way they are put together is MY vision. We do all have our place! Even here....
What do you mean, "even here", Karole? Of course, you have a place here, no matter what we call this site. The members here are from the very beginnerest beginners to people who participate in the fanciest of the shows... this is a very broad umbrella and we share so many things and have so many common situations. Of course you belong.
ArtFairInsiders.com originated in the Midwest where most of these events are called "art fairs". In Midwest parlance a "craft show" is a church basement bazaar kind of event. What might be called "loving hands" work. So we're talking terminology. When we first went to the East to do shows we found many events were called "craft shows", and the events in the East are more craft oriented - 3D as opposed to 2D which predominates in this part of the country. Well, maybe not predominates, but you do find more painting, drawing, etching, photography in the Midwest than the East.
If you look at Barbara's promotional piece above you'll see that out of 19 images at least half of them are 2D. Probably not as much would be 2D, say at the Maine Craftsmen's shows.
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