Art or Craft?

Well, the summer fair stall was a washout. Rain forced the event indoors and meant that stalls were down corridors rather than as a nice market in the walled garden. I was encouraged when I was told my spot was just inside the entrance; one of the very first stalls. But what this actually means is that people come in and head straight past you at speed in order to get to "the action", ie tea, cake, beer, Pimms, bouncy castle etc.. The next time they pass is on their way out when they've spent all their money. It also means the traffic is mostly limited to the first and last 30 minutes of the event. I made 2 WHOLE SALES and a loss :-(

By contrast, one of my friends had a very successful afternoon at a different craft fair. She almost sold out of one entire range of products. And it got me thinking. The main criticism I have received from other stallholders/fair organisers is that my stall is not focussed enough. I don't have a product, I have a range of things, and customers don't like this. They like to look at a stall and say "ah, plants", or " jewellery", or "cushions", whereas mine they look at and go "ooo stuff", or "gosh aren't you creative" and then they shuffle on by because it's all too bewildering. They aren't there to see an exhibition, they're there to shop and they like it to be easy and clear. But that's just not how I work. I have one or two things I make repeatedly, but on the whole each piece of work is a one off. And I think, for me, that's possibly the difference between art and craft. If I were happy to be a crafter, where the making and selling is the main focus, then I should be able to happily reproduce a technique or product over and over because it sells. But I just can't do it.

I can't do it partially because my boredom threshold is too low, partially because the materials I work with (sometimes) are vintage watch and clock pieces, so it's unlikely I could reproduce the same thing even if I wanted to. But I suspect these are excuses. The simple fact is I don't want to be a production line. For me the thrill is the design, the putting together of bits and pieces into a new whole, starting with a blank space and filling it with ideas. I love to try new techniques and mediums, to have a go at something different and see where it takes me. And I guess that makes me an artist, of sorts.

Rings and things

I have been chained to my work-table again today. This time it has been rings:

Steampunk rings

(the one on the left I can't bring myself to sell ... it's mine, all mine ... mwah ha ha)

Bead rings 

 Button Rings

On a more serious note, I've been looking for craft fairs locally to sell at but they are really thin on the ground this year. Yet another sad indication of the state of the economy and people's personal finance. When money is scarce, people don't buy art and craft items. It's all pound shops and pawnbrokers. So I've started up my Folksy page again. But anything you see on here, my facebook page, or Flickr account is available to purchase. Any items that catch your fancy, just send me a message.

Lots of creative stuff

So to balance out all the writing in the last posts, this one is mainly pictures :-)

Gluten, wheat and dairy free baking

As Meg is still on a restricted diet (and now looks as though she may have become sensitive to soya too!) we do lots of home baking: bread, gorgeous shortbread biscuits from Ariana Bundy's book Sweet Alternative, and an almond & polenta lemon drizzle cake.

I am a member of an ATC trading group called Mixed Media ATC and suddenly remembered I was supposed to be making some green textile postcards (4" x 6"), so this is the work in progress ...

... and this is the end result :-)

 

 And the rest are pics of some pieces I've made for my next craft fair.

A charm necklace

           

   

     A brass button bracelet

 This piece is a vintage watch face, coloured with alcohol inks and embellished. The reverse is polymer clay.

Standard watchpiece cufflinks. Nothing fancy, but quite pleasing none the less.







And a watchpiece ring.

Pick 'n' Mix

People have often used the word eclectic about me and my life, and it's not often that I take a step back to see what they mean. But the last few days probably give a good snapshot of what I'm talking about.

Friday - book club: eating cake, drinking red wine and chatting (very occasionally about the book, which some of us may have read)
Saturday - 'cello practise; drawing practise; Rubyfruit Lesbian disco at Revolution in Leicester. The beauty of the lesbian disco is ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY DANCES ... regardless. It's an extraordinary thing to witness, and a really enjoyable atmosphere despite the occasional well-meaning friend trying to set me up!
Sunday - Rigging lights in Rugby Theatre which involved climbing a fully extended 3-section ladder up goodness knows how many feet holding a medium sized lantern (as those in the trade call them) and attaching it to a scaffolding pole; then went back to Leicester to see Avengers Assemble with friends. If you love your superheros, GO AND SEE THIS FILM. It was sooo funny and loads of great action.
Monday - Orthodontist trip with Meg, coffee and natter with a friend
Tuesday - Ryton Organic Gardens with my sketch book. If you're in the UK Midlands and haven't been, it's an absolute oasis of garden loveliness. Nothing too formal, but lots of great ideas for normal gardens and gardeners. Oh, and a fab restaurant and cafe too.
Wednesday - Jewellery making workshop for children, lunch date (!), Rubyfruit Pool Tournament - which nobody was expecting me to last beyond the first round (mostly because I'd told everyone how terrible I am at pool), and I ended up in the final and down to the last 2 balls! Now they're claiming I'm a hustler.
Thursday - Craft day with my best friend and her daughters.

In between all of this I have been practising the first movement of the Brahms E Minor 'cello sonata, Bruck Kol Nidrei, some Bach, Beethoven, Popper and other classical works.

And today, Friday, is my birthday. Both girls stayed last night so I was treated to presents in bed and a bacon and egg bap cooked by Rachel.

Back to the drawing board

Those of you who know me, know that I love to create. I make jewellery, steampunk creations, paint stuff etc. etc. But I've never got comfortable with drawing. Friends tell me it's not important, and I guess they're right. But coming from a musical background I know that I play 'cello better because I learnt my scales.

I have occasionally done some representative stuff that I'm not too ashamed of, and drawing is one of those things I have been reliably informed anyone can learn ...

There's a really interesting youtube feed that I'm planning to use http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDE90A0B005052EFB so tomorrow I start. Expect to see my exercises and experiments soon :-)