about me

Practically imperfect in every way. Start with a lot of silliness. Mix in some insecurities and a handful of awkwardness. Add a pound of naivety, innocence, and child-like wonderings. Blend well. Half-bake and top off with a sprinkle of imagination and dollop of dreams. It’s the recipe for me!

(more...)

just play

quote of the day

  • "Moral of the story: Do not look at the gap. The gap is the mind-killer. Remember how Wile E. Coyote never fell down until he saw the chasm? It’s just like that." --Taylor "Tei" Lindstrom, Rogue Ink

dumbass quote

  • "I think we have come to find out that the Education system, run by Liberal Hippies that really couldn't find any other job that allowed them so much time off, the ability to do drugs, and to spout their rhetoric is alive and well. It is teaching out kids things like 'Abortion is Good,' 'Government is Bad.' We have educators that, for the most part, don't teach to the subject, they teach to their beliefs. It is really sad, and even sadder when you see highly intelligent children buying into it." --Kelli

kids say...

  • Jacob: "I need to operate on my frog, but first he needs some amnesia."

copyright

Copyright © 2004-2004 Kerrie Lee. All rights reserved.

Momentary Lapse of Confidence

June 18, 2004

I visited a local craft fair today. I didn’t expect to find anything truly spectacular, and I seldom do at these small shows made up of hobbyists. There were only about twenty exhibitors. One was exhibiting stained glass. Another had wooden wall hangings. Still another was selling what seemed to be batik linen garments, which were clearly the highlight of the show. There was the token musician selling her CDs. There were the non-craft exhibits that alway rent booths for these types of things when they’re really more interested in home parties for their own business. And, of course, there were the booths of assorted junk. This particular craft fair had so many of these junky booths, that I can’t recall a single one. Not a one stood out as the best of the worst.

Then there was the beaded jewelry. This show had three exhibitors of handmade beaded jewelry. I always take notice of these booths since I do this professionally myself, and besides that, jewelry is just fun.

Booth #1 was run by someone’s grandmother. I don’t have anything against grandmothers making beaded jewelry. I did, however, find it a little strange that the business was advertised as “Grandma’s Happy Place.” (Note: I’ve changed the name slightly, but you get the idea.) I could maybe see using the grandmother image if her wares were vintage pieces, or heirloom pieces, or… something. But this wasn’t the case. The small table was scattered with unimaginative pieces that could have been designed by a six year old. I don’t mean to sound overly cruel, but the designs were no more complex than a basic five item repeating pattern. The chosen materials were low quality (which isn’t always a bad thing) and the pieces lacked the finishing touches that one would expect from a more professional piece. The price range for her items was between $5 and $10. She was clearly a hobbyist. Which, again, isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Booth #2 was a hodgepodge of things. Amidst the beaded jewelry, were loose beads and hair ribbons. The proprietor offered a service of wrapping hair in colored thread and weaving beads throughout. Hair wrapping, I think it’s called. The table was a mess. Items were haphazardly tossed about with no clear reasoning behind their placement. I couldn’t find prices on any of the items I picked up, but I did find a few with a business card attached. The cash box was a cigar box that they pulled out and laid on top of their products whenever they made a transaction. The booth seemed to be run by a group of young girls. They seemed to be in their late teens to early 20’s and had a lack of good common sense when it came to business.

Booth #3 was well organized, though lacked any definition of different lines. The pieces were only slightly more original than Grandma’s pieces, though this girl used high quality materials and finished her pieces off professionally. Her price range was a bit higher too, averaging between $20 and $35. I would guess that she won’t sell many pieces this weekend for a couple of reasons. First, the location of the craft show doesn’t attract people looking for high quality items. This area is very charming and quaint, but tends to lack in culture. Second, her pieces don’t look that much different than Grandma’s pieces, yet they cost twice as much. And last, Grandma was over there talking up a storm, while this girl just sat in her corner, eyes downcast, while potential customers mingled in her booth.

I initially came away from this show feeling a little discouraged. Everyone and their grandma (literally!) can and do make beaded jewelry. Why would they buy my designs, when they can make their own? Plus, there’s no way I can sell my designs at Grandma’s prices and expect to make a living as an artist.

Now that I’ve written my thoughts here, I actually feel a bit better. I’ve realized that I can’t compare myself to these crafters because what we do is very different. We have different goals. Our target consumer is different. We use different materials and offer a different quality of product. We sell in different areas. We have different marketing strategies. (Not a single one of these booths, by the way, had any literature about the artist, or the product, or the materials, or… anything!)

I apologize if this entry comes off sounding a bit self-righteous. I don’t begrudge the hobbyists who want to make a few bucks to support their hobby. Really. In fact, I encourage them to continue to pursue happiness through art and design. It’s what WhimsyChick.com is all about. I guess I just needed to reassure myself that my plan is a good one.

CATEGORY: Biz Buzz, Creativity

2 Responses to “Momentary Lapse of Confidence”

  1. Oz Says:
    June 21st, 2004 at 11:42 am

    Your post makes me think about the annual Manayunk Craft Fair here in Philadelphia this weekend (Manayunk is a Philly neighborhood). Of course, the Manayunk Craft Fair has over a hundred booths with lots and lots of high quality, wonderful artists. But also some over-priced junk (sometimes any price is over-priced!) My favorite regular at MCF is a guy who creates scupltures from scrap metal and electronics. I’m excited to see what he has this year.

    Your post also makes want to see your work. Do you have any images online?

  2. Whimsy Chick Says:
    June 21st, 2004 at 11:58 am

    Gah, no online images yet. I know… what kind of artist puts together a website without having her online gallery ready, right? I’m very bad at taking photographs of my work, but I’m working on it. :)

Leave a Reply

about this blog

It’s the spark of an idea that hits me unexpectedly. It’s the silly wonderings I have after a whirlwind of thoughts. It’s about creativity, inspiration, and imagination. But sometimes, it’s just about eating noodles.

(more...)
(more ratings...)

search


favorite categories


(complete category list...)

archives