Wow!
I am so impressed with the caliber of the artists at this art fair. There were a couple of questionable booths, but all in all I really enjoyed this trip. I am disabled and so it not too often that we get to attend a show as visitors. This was a wonderful outing.
It was very surprising how comfortable the site was with the breeze coming in off Lake Michigan. There was handicapped parking available and so we were able to have an easy time getting from the parking to the walkway.
IDENTITY CRISIS
Yep, in addition to enjoying all the beautiful pieces ... I discovered that I have a serious identity crisis -- I don't know who I am as a artist. I usually talk about wire wrap because I do a lot of that. I don't use just one technique. I don't just do one thing. Who am I? All these folks had a clear focus. My focus is all over the place. I do religious jewelry and rosaries, but what is my style? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm? My work style is eclectic. I love working with melted art. I love working with resin. I love silversmithing. I love glass fusion. I love lampworking. I love elements of design and stringing. I love creating beads with paper, fiber, and cardboard. And so on ... soooooo what am I. Multi-media? However, I don't really fit that category as it defined by the art fairs.
Someone said in a different post ... something like ... "I wonder how many art fair insiders are ADD." Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I guess I would have to say ... all of them. :-) I know that I am ADD. I think that is one of the reasons I use so many techniques. When I am tired of wire wrap ... I move to melted art and when I want more stimulation ... I'm onto lampworking ... and so forth and so on. Sooooooooooooo, again ... what am I ... who am I ... what should I put down on a jury application .... who am I ... what am I.
It is funny ... until I went to this show today ... I was not so confused about how to define myself for shows. I am a Religious Jewelry and Rosary artist, but as I look at the higher level art shows ... suddenly ... I don't know who I am.
HELP!
Comments and thoughts please.
Lois
Replies
I was there too, Lois. It was pretty nice, wasn't it? As to your conclusions about your own work, this is specifically why I tell people to get out and attend the events. Usually, the higher ranked the show is, the better the work, the more money people are earning so aiming high is the key to earning a living in this business. Yes, each of the jewelers (others too) have a focus in style and materials and many of them are specialists in their chosen media. The glass bead jeweler doesn't have fused glass or gold and silver jewelry there also. How do you find your focus? Keep going, keep looking, follow your inclination. I was speaking with a jeweler, Patricia McCleery, and she said she took an online class last winter with someone who helped her focus more directly on her goals and what she really wanted to express in her jewelry.
ADD and moving from media to another is fine in some situations, but not if you want to participate in the big shows. Finding an identity and developing your personal style puts you many steps ahead of the competition.
I think its something a lot of us struggle with Lois - finding our little niche. I keep going back to what I know and what I love and whilst I still don't know if I have refined that niche sufficiently, I keep working on that vision.
Perhaps get some acquaintances or even clients to describe your work may point you in the right direction?