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I have a theory that Vincent Van Gogh actually cut off his own ear, not because he was love sick, but because he had to do an Art Show. 😂😂😂

I have a very much love/hate relationship with Art Shows and I have been doing them a very long time so I feel like I know what I am talking about and can justify my feelings with observations. Post Covid, Art Shows have begun getting shot down with a huge number of flying arrows, taking aim at vital organs. Some of the wounds are self inflicted others are just ‘how the times change.’ I do encourage you to do Art Shows if you are an Artist and attend them if you are not an Artist. They are marvelous if the weather is marvelous. You get to meet your customers. You get to meet random people of interest. You get to meet other Artists and see what they do with their minds and hands. You get to see your customer interact with your Art. That is fascinating. You get to sell your Art to people who love and appreciate Art and Artists.

Recently, I did not get into an Art Show that I had been in for 15 years. So, how does that work? How do Art Shows work and how do you get in? Why would you not get in? What is going on? This is one of the reasons Van Gogh cut off his ear…. He didn’t get in…

Art Shows typically have 2 fees and you pay them both up front with your Art Show Submission/Application. One fee is a ‘jury’ fee and you do not get it back. The other fee is for the actual Art Show… it’s ‘rent’ for your tent. If you do not get in they simply do not cash your check or take your money electronically, but the jury fee they keep. The jury fee is paid to them so they can ‘pay’ panel of ‘qualified’ artistic eyed persons to make the decision based on whatever photos you sent that you are or are not in… They also read your Bio. It is suppose to be anonymous. (It’s hard to be anonymous when you are Vincent Van Gogh! Everyone knows his work just by looking at it so… there’s that. Is it anonymous?) Remember I said Art Shows are taking on arrows… this is an arrow. The people that have ran these shows for 20+ years retired during Covid. They have been replaced by fresh new faces with little experience. The shows I have been in and the one I was denied in were full of things you can buy in bulk on Ebay. The Bios of the artists are real fancy though…fancy and politically correct. This lack of jurying, kills a show for several years. The customer won’t be back and good Artists won’t return either. The Art Followers, your customer, know what they are seeing and buying. They are not at an Art Show for things that are made overseas in a factory. They did not read the Bios either, they could care less about your fancy Bio… they are there for cool art…. handmade stuff that cannot be found at Target. They are their to meet the person making what they are buying.

A wonderful person said to me, ‘Don’t let that Art Show decision make you feel sad about your art.” I am not sad. I am Mad. I did not get ~ Not because someone did not like my art ~ I did not get in because someone did not do their job and I paid them to jury me and they didn’t know what they were doing or just didn’t do it at all. Meanwhile, I cannot meet my customers of 15 years at this show (who we mutually love and look forward to seeing one another) and someone not doing their job is literally taking food off my table and smiles off faces. If I did not get into a show because I did not qualify to get in, then that is fine. But to go to the show and see factory made items in several spaces…. that makes me mad… so I cut off my ear…Just kidding ya… that is just one piece of my love/hate relationship with Art Shows. (There is one particular woman I see at this Art Show that is 90 years old. I have been through many things with her, including the passing of her husband. She no longer drives. She has purchased or I have made her a special piece every year… sigh… I hope I can see her next year.)

Art Shows are not run, planned, paid for, or organized by Artists. This is comical. They are planned by marketing promoters who have an agenda to get big sponsorships. They don’t even ask Artists what would work best. It’s like an oxymoron. However, if they are run well, they are fun and festive and great. If they are not run well they are still fun, festive and great… it just gives you extra hassle somewhere, like unloading, setting up, being too crowded, ridiculous rules, etc.. One show I have to have a No Smoking sign displayed in my tent (which is outside on a city street 🤦‍♀️) What??? As if that is a problem or a priority? and you can smoke in the street… just not in my tent and all the tents have to have the sign displayed? I was in tornado one time at an Art Show, never saw it coming. Was busy as hell and then saw a lady running with her baby stroller and I got a clue really fast… tent next me smashed to the ground… not one single Art Show person gave warning. Seriously. I couldn’t see it coming. I was behind a huge building. Sure glad I had that No Smoking sign up… really a life saver. 😂 That night I cut off my other ear. 😂😂😂 (Just kidding again of course.)

I do love Art Shows regardless of their flaws. Besides Covid killing Art Shows for almost 2 years… other things killing them are the flood of Farmers Markets which seem to be held every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday all over the place. The population got very use to buying things online but I think that is actually coming back around. Maybe Art Shows will rally with that. The young Artist doesn’t even do shows which is such a loss for them. I find that most of the Artists doing Art Shows are older… not 18-35 years old but 45-70+ years old. The young ones are missing out on some very interesting experiences of people, places and art. Well they do miss all the stress of cutting off their own ears, so there is that. If Art Shows die I completely understand why. If Art Shows make a come back, I completely understand why. 😂

That being said my next Art Show is a good one. It is in Wausau Wisconsin. Sept 8th and 9th. See you there. Booth number 426 http://www.wausaufoa.org

The following weekend I will be in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin for Harvest Fest… it is Saturday only and it is a Festival not an Art Show…Carmel Apples, Beer, Cool Cars (Hot Rods) and Music. You can always visit my events page on my website https://www.wildprairiesilver.com

My daughter, Savannah, got engaged I was happy to make this ring for her. She wanted a Celtic weave. This is in Platinum. I have not worked with Platinum very much. There is a learning curve and I have not figured that out yet. I have some books but most of it’s just learning the flame = super hot.

Above: Myself and daughter, Savannah

Below: This couple came for a visit from Germany!!!! What the heck! That is a long ways to travel to ‘The Prairie.’

I hope you enjoy ‘Bringing The Blog Back: BTBB” It’s all for fun and laughs and whatever is happening in life and making jewelry. I couldn’t love ya more and hope to see you soon. Have a great Sunday evening. 🙂 joy