The quote I use in my header is not intended to compare me to Picasso. Obviously. But I love how it speaks to inspiration and how the creative mind works.
I was browsing the sites of some high end art and craft shows, the ones that show images of the artists' work. I am drawn to collage, assemblage and, of course, book arts. I saw some amazing work in all of those categories. Now, I do not place myself in the category of exhibitors at shows like the Smithsonian. But the artfulness of that level of craft is humbling and inspiring. I can absorb the vision even through my petty jealousy of the talent it took to realize it.
Anyway, I saw some wonderful books utilizing collage and assemblage and it brought me back to my first love..book arts. So, I am dumping the lamp idea and re-focusing. This is where my heart is, after all.
There is a tendency in this business to keep trying to add "stuff" to your booth. It's all about money, of course. It is not easy to earn a living this way. You have to make tough choices, balance your heart with your head with your checkbook. when you are sitting in your booth on a day when sales are slow and you see crowds around the jewelry booths, you want to make jewelry. If you are at a show with a lot of traditional craft and every 3rd person seems to be carrying a cute doodad on a stick, you want to make doodads on a stick. That's human nature, I guess. At some point, though, you need to take a step back and remember why you do this for a living instead of sitting at a desk and earning a steady paycheck.
So, I am going to stay with what is true for me. Books, frames, mirrors of cast paper. These things utilize what I understand and respond to. Paper. Pages. Bindings. Nature. "a scrap of paper..a spider's web" feels right.
And on we go.
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2 comments:
Love your blog. Found it through a google search on craft business.
I'm a long time crafter and it seems harder to find the types of blogs re: crafts that I am looking for. I'll be back often.
I am in PA. I also have a blog focusing on the up and downs of a craft business, especially shows. (done 47 of them last year). Have had a blog for about a month now with 14 posts so far, and feel like I could write about the things I've experienced forever!!!
Come check it out at:
http://www.crafterbs.blogspot.com/
Maybe we can do a story on each other in our blogs. Let me know if interested.
Enjoyed your reference to do-dads on a stick. Over here we call them SOS...and I wrote about it just the other day. Hope you enjoy reading it.
Theresa :-)
I had a similar series of thoughts and actions while I was showing photography and paintings in a Seattle gallery. I realized that I had begun to focus on “what will people buy?” instead of “what do I really like to do? What sets me on fire?”
I believe the fire communicates through the work – if you are doing what you really love, it will communicate to others and you will eventually motivate folks to part with green in order to share your experience.
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