Having two mediums in my booth...any comments on the subject?

Hello...I'm a newbie to the forum...

I've been doing shows now for about 3 years, and the jury process is still frustrating and confusing to me. And if that isn't a wide open subject for discussion, I don't know what is! But I have a particular issue I'd like to bring up for discussion, and I hope to get some good feedback. My question is...is it possible to display and sell two related mediums within one booth space? I am a lost wax artist, and my primary medium is jewelry. But I also do some bronze sculpture which I would like to show as well.

I've done some inquiring, and was told by one promoter that I'd have to jury in separately and buy two booth spaces. But that doesn't seem doable since I can't man two booths at once. I've seen many booths that show jewelry along with mixed media or glass. I don't know what steps they may have taken to be permitted to do this, if any.

Also, I wonder if the jury might actually be more receptive to a jeweler who has other media to add to the show. So many jewelers applying to each show, maybe this is a good way to stand out? Any ideas?

I really don't have any problem with jurying in with two separate applications if I can put both in the same booth. And I'm sure I'm not the first person to look at this option.

Thanks,

Dawn

Hi there. I'm new to the forum, and as luck would have it I have a little bit of experience with this issue. I make minature silver sculpture that I frame (tiny dresses, shoes, flowers, etc.), and I also have a line of pendants with the same dresses as in my sculpture. What may have done it for me is that when I filled out my initial application for the One of a Kind Show, I ticked the sculpture box, but my last photo was of my pendant, and I made it clear on the app that I only intend to have 5% of my display used for jewelry. They accepted it, and it's now what I do on all apps. No, for jewelry, I'm sure they wouldn't do 50/50 but If you choose a piece that completely complements your other medium, they will see that they really are different media, same esthetic.

I tried to attach photo's to show how the jewelry and framed mini's complement each other, but I didn't work for me. You could see on the main page of my website www.suemcnenly.ca . Of course, this wouldn't work if your two mediums had a completely different style, but perhaps you can cull something from your jewelry art that will complement the other, just to get your foot in the door.

I'm also big on branding for a cohesive look, so in your booth shot, make sure that the 2 mediums are displayed in a complementary manner. I know this wasn't all necessarily what you were asking, but I think if you can convince the jury that it will not look hodge/podge, you have a shot.

Sue

Replies

Art on the Lawn: Barbara Berney July 3, 2011 at 10:00pm

As a show director, I require a separate application and images for each individual category, but an artist need only have one booth. Because we are a smaller show, we do allow two different media in one booth if both are juried in. Any jewelry at all, regardless of what it is, must be juried in. If I find jewelry that has not been juried in, I make the artist remove it immediately, just as I would any other medium exhibited that has not been juried in.

I do both digital collage and make jewelry, and have shown both in the same booth with good results. It's a complex setup, but has worked for me.
- CM Fox > Art on the Lawn: Barbara Berney July 3, 2011 at 10:54pm
  
  I am a show director as well, and I second all that Barbara said.
  
  Suzanne what you may not understand is that only a few years ago every artist (it seemed) thought they could increase their bottom line by adding jewelry to their booth. And one found jewelry in almost every booth. The jewelers howled (its already the most competitive category), the public complained, and most shows now have a rule....it you want to show jewelry---jury it in.
  
  Carla
  
  also a show jeweler
  - Suzanne McNenly > CM Fox July 4, 2011 at 10:07am
    
    Yes, I understood that, that's why I told my little story. I'm trying to help the artist appeal to the jury. My jewelry still has to be juried in, but if the organizers see that it is actually an extension/ complement to your other art, you may have a chance. That's why my ONLY jewelry juried in is the little dress pendants (again, only 5% of display area allowed), which are the same dresses that normally reside in my frames. A jury member came around once and told me they let them in cause they could see that they were a complement. Some people just don't 'understand' my framed stuff:), but they understand it (and can afford it more easily) on a chain.
    
    Yes, I am in TOTAL agreement with jurying it in, just trying to let people know that they have a better chance of a successful jury outcome this way. If I had my framed mini dresses, then art deco style jewelry, that would make no sense at all and I can totally see a rejection would be coming my way.
    
    If a leather purse maker wanted to get some jewelry juried in TOGETHER with their purses, they would have a better chance if they were selling tiny leather purse earrings and pendants than even beautiful glass creations that could stand on their own. I would assume organizers want to avoid a 'general store' look to a booth, however beautiful all items may be individually. I don't think there is any way to make 2 completely different styles ever fly in the same booth.....but.....even p.j's could be sold with modern art if the p.j.'s were made of fabric that is screen printed from the 'patterns' of the modern art.....hmmmmmmm.......now there's an idea:)........NOT!
    - Kevin Williamson > Suzanne McNenly July 4, 2011 at 4:21pm
      
      I do decorative, sculpted, artistic boxes and wooden jewelry. I view them as very much integrated in terms of style and look. I see both sides of it. One part of me says "why should I have to pay a double jury fee and double jury when it is no different than someone with large and small paintings in the same medium and style?" I also understand that it can be unfair to those doing primarily jewelry if others have some jewelry that complements their product line. On the other hand, I don't see my work as competing at all with traditional jewelry work as it is so different. I don't know that their is a fair way for everyone, but the current situation sort of seems unfair in my case, but such is life. I took both to a show last year not knowing any better, but there was a clear statement in the same shows application this year so I won't take any jewelry. I just hope the organizers will scrupulously enforce the rules or it handicaps someone like me who is trying to be conscientious and rewards others who will skirt the rules.
      - Ruth Finkenbiner > Kevin Williamson July 12, 2011 at 1:08am
        
        As a jewelry artist I have to agree with Carla.
        
        Above is an example of where it is very frustrating for a jewelry artist to deal with other artists who have just a "little bit" of jewelry in their booth. Here's a real example that I saw at one of our springs shows. 2 artists, both of whom have been booth neighbors of ours in the past and have become friends of ours, one is a wood artist making games, business card holders, etc. The other is a jewelry artist who happens to make all his items from reclaimed wood. The first artist decided to add a small display of wooden earrings, the show director inadvertantly placed them 3 booths apart. The jewelry artist got comments all day about the "other wood earrings" people had seen, etc. He also lost a few sales to the wood artist selling products in the jewelry category. Do you think I gave the artist who juried in with wood a hard time about his extra media? You bet I did, and I wasn't the only jeweler who gave him a hard time, I know at least 3 others who commented on it to him personally, most of us tried to be humorous about it, but inside we weren't really laughing.
        
        My opinion, if you think you're jewelry it is so different, jury with it and see if you get accepted, otherwise leave it at home, give it as gifts, whatever, don't bring it to a show and sell it at the expense of other artists because you are not the only one selling unique or different jewelry.
        
        Kevin Williamson > Ruth Finkenbiner July 12, 2011 at 10:43am
        
        I don't have just a "little bit" of jewelry. When I started doing this a few years ago both developed together. It handicaps me quite a bit to only have only boxes or only have jewelry. Maybe the jeweler who does jewelry with reclaimed wood should have to jury into the wood category as well? What if a multi media artist adds some wood to their painting? Do they then have to jury into the wood category? At any rate, I have gotten past my newbie didn't know any better status and will abide by the rules, but they still seems less than equitable at times.
        
        Larry Berman > Ruth Finkenbiner July 12, 2011 at 8:42am
        
        I'd be wary of shows that don't enforce what you can sell in your booth.
        
        Larry Berman
        412-401-8100
Suzanne McNenly July 3, 2011 at 9:35pm

Hi there. I'm new to the forum, and as luck would have it I have a little bit of experience with this issue. I make minature silver sculpture that I frame (tiny dresses, shoes, flowers, etc.), and I also have a line of pendants with the same dresses as in my sculpture. What may have done it for me is that when I filled out my initial application for the One of a Kind Show, I ticked the sculpture box, but my last photo was of my pendant, and I made it clear on the app that I only intend to have 5% of my display used for jewelry. They accepted it, and it's now what I do on all apps. No, for jewelry, I'm sure they wouldn't do 50/50 but If you choose a piece that completely complements your other medium, they will see that they really are different media, same esthetic.

I tried to attach photo's to show how the jewelry and framed mini's complement each other, but I didn't work for me. You could see on the main page of my website www.suemcnenly.ca . Of course, this wouldn't work if your two mediums had a completely different style, but perhaps you can cull something from your jewelry art that will complement the other, just to get your foot in the door.

I'm also big on branding for a cohesive look, so in your booth shot, make sure that the 2 mediums are displayed in a complementary manner. I know this wasn't all necessarily what you were asking, but I think if you can convince the jury that it will not look hodge/podge, you have a shot.

Sue
- Suzanne McNenly > Suzanne McNenly July 3, 2011 at 9:36pm
  
  ...was going to correct something, but just noticed the edit feature on my previous post. Sorry.
Leslie Turner July 3, 2011 at 8:58pm

I'd be interested in hearing how you fare with the double applications, as I do fused glass jewelry and fused glass wall hangings and mobiles. I have been applying to shows with just jewelry and not taking the other glass work, but jewelry is so over represented at some shows I am tempted to apply with just the other glass and leave the jewelry at home. It's frustrating to have to choose one over the other when they work so well together. Maybe some day they will have applications provide for artists who have more than one specialty. For now I guess we stick with one or pay double app fees and hope both get accepted.

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