I'm Eddie Osborne, a new member and, for the past 30-odd years, a crafter of African/African-American musical instruments, a conductor of instrument-making workshops, and a cultural presenter (lectures, lecture-demonstrations). Long active on the craft show and festival circuit, I've only recently begun to do art shows, so I'm certain that there's much that I could learn from those of you who are art show veterans. In short, I feel that I'm in good company.
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Greetings, Annette!
Thanx for your warm words of welcome. The AFI community is one of which I'm honored to be a part, and I am encouraging others in my circle of friends/colleagues to be become members as well. Again, thanx for reaching out, and I wish you much success in your endeavors in the "Land Down Under."
Hi Eddie,
How long have you been doing the shows? It seems to me that people who make traditional crafts run into some problems with juries because if they are really true to the authentic nature of the craft their work looks like something someone else has made, or gets questioned that it is buy/sell... have you run into any of these problems?
BTW, glad to have you here!
Greetings Connie!
To answer your question, I've been doing craft shows, festivals, and other special events, off and on, since the early 1980s but have only done a few "art" shows (juried and non-juried) over the past three years. The point that you make about self-crafted items made in a traditional manner possibly being taken for buy/sell items is a valid one; however, so far I haven't experienced such a problem as I'm able to offer proof of authorship (e.g., photos of works-in-progress) and other documentation to allay such suspicions. Conversely, consider this: Many of the musical instruments that are based on traditional African models which I've seen tend to be so de-Africanized (i.e., polished, refined) that they appear to have been mass-produced or assembled from kits.
Welcome Eddie to our group. We are glad to have you here. What a unique art form. I don't think we have anyone else here that that is making African/African-American musical instruments. You must have the corner on that when you are selling your art at art shows.
I hope to see you around the forums.
Jacki B
Greetings, Jacki!
Thanx for your kind comments; I'm already appreciating having joined the group. The insights offered in the Forum area are amazing. As for my having the corner on crafting African/African-American musical instruments, that's not quite so as others also are involved in this area. What sets me apart from some other crafters, though, is that I try to remain faithful to tradition, ever mindful that "traditional" arts are communal -- i.e., ownership being shared collectively -- and as such cannot rightfully be claimed as one's own creations that must, selfishly, be protected from encroachment in the "free enterprise" arena by means of patents and other exploitative devices.