Comments on: Clueless People? Or Is It Just Me?? https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/ Art and life by and about Joy Alyssa Day of Spherical Magic Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:17:24 +0000 hourly 1 By: Andrea https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-133 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:47:28 +0000 http://glassnebula.spherical.org/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-133 I get the same kinds of questions when I am selling glass lampwork beads, even at bead shows. "How do you get the hole in the bead?" "Can you change the color of this particular bead for me?" "I dropped my bead/bracelet/fan pull/etc. on the concrete and it broke." (ummm, what part of made fo GLASS do you not get ... ?" "Why are these more expensive / not exactly uniform than the ones I bought at Michael's?" My business partner and I saw these as an opportunity to educate people about small crafters, glass working in general, and the like. We have handouts, a sign in plexiglas about buying from artisans rather than buying beads made in sweatshop conditions, etc.

It's a pity that you're getting the sort of condescending remarks you do, though. I do think people tend to associate art as "craft" defined by preschool ideas of craft. You know, what Mom does in her "spare time" for fun. Craft tends to be gendered female, art--which is museum quality and not at trade shows--is male. *eyeroll* So when people with that sort of vague notion see your booth, it is "craft" and therefore "out of place" at a "serious event."

Good luck educating people! Let us know if the next show is better!

]]>
By: Joy Alyssa Day https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-53 Wed, 27 May 2009 18:13:02 +0000 http://glassnebula.spherical.org/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-53 In reply to Jay Sheckley.

Jay, You're quite right. Most people do NOT know that art is a profession. They believe we're doing it for the fun of it, not that we actually strive to make a living by it. It seems like we're not an educational exhibit, but a sideshow. An anomaly. It just gets so frustrating that we're not seen as having any use. If the question was sincere wondering how we relate, that's one thing, but it's usually with a snide "oh look, the cute little artists wandered into the adult peoples show by mistake" tone, which is what really torques my chickens.

As to why we're not at SF cons, we show our stuff there occasionally, but the big space industry companies are our market - we build huge installations for them. An SF con attendee is not going to purchase a $75,000 mobile. Heck, they rarely purchase a $60 print!

You have a very good suggestion though, in that we should have a little area that explains why we relate and we can direct them to that, leaving us free to engage the people that DO understand and are interested in our services.

Thank you for your comments! Peace, Joy

]]>
By: Jay Sheckley https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-52 Wed, 27 May 2009 05:12:22 +0000 http://glassnebula.spherical.org/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-52 Here's your chance to give people a clue. like you say in your rant about education, many people _don't_ know art is a profession.
So, this can matter.

I'd think this question is why you're there, instead of at the World Science Fiction Convention. If the question is giving you burnout, you could arrange a little video for them to see, just direct em to the portfolio, or bring along a talented kid who wants to learn what you do [no trouble to find such a one!] and let the youngster answer the question.

But maybe this is not why you're there. Maybe you're just an advertisement for your services, tired to the point of anger being mistaken for an educational exhibit.

"Clueless People?" you ask "Or is it me?"
The answer is yes. Both.

]]>
By: Matt colborn https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-50 Tue, 19 May 2009 09:46:52 +0000 http://glassnebula.spherical.org/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-50 Yeah, I was listening to the Space Show about a conference in Florida (could have been the same one) with an art stand and they were commenting that one wouldn't normally associate artists with space....

I mean to say! I think one could make the case that without the likes of Bonestall's painting in Colliers we would HAVE a space program!

Matt.

]]>
By: Mitch Bentley https://joysblog.glassnebula.com/art/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-32 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:04:00 +0000 http://glassnebula.spherical.org/clueless-people-or-is-it-just-me/#comment-32 Hi Joy... Art is just simply out of the box for most people. They think they are there to be entertained, so the brain is just not engaged. Many folks just don't think art has a use or purpose until they need some, then they don't value it because it is such an after thought.

We did it to ourselves as a culture - art is the first school program to be cut. After all, it's not really a CAREER, now is it? Nor is it particularly important... I mean KIDS do art, not rational adults, right? Except those "frilly, pinko, artsy types... this is even more true for men BTW - men shouldn't be wasting their time when they could be doing SPORTS.

Sigh. Our society just doesn't get the importance, despite how saturated we are with it. You would think even the average Joe Sixpack could make the connection between ads, marketing, design plans and TV commercials... and ART. Not so. Sad but true.

We all have this particular cross to bear, as artists.

]]>