I took a great deal of yesterday to 'recover' from an exciting weekend where most every waking moment was filled with fabulousness...even fabulous can take it's toll and I was tired.
But today I'm back, and I'm working on The Dallas Bead Society collaboration for Bead Dreams, the Bead and Button Show competition. I had a discussion with some other bead artists and teachers regarding competition pieces which brought up a view point I hadn't considered. The question was this 'Should teachers not enter the competition with the reasoning being it is intimidating to other entrants?'
I hadn't considered this at all and here is why. I've made a choice to make my living at being a Bead Artist, but that does not make me a better or more competent bead artist then the many incredibly accomplished bead artists who are not teachers.
I do however respect the opinions of my colleagues and am wondering if this is a widely held belief. Your thoughts?
In my case I am doing a collaboration. The piece is coming together with the contribution of a number of artists which I love. And I'm thrilled with the outcome...sorry for the tease but I won't be posting pictures until later.
And hopefully with my newly developed photo skills they will be stellar pictures.
10 comments:
I'm working on my Bead Dreams entries right now too. I'm a relatively new beading instructor struggling to make a living as a bead artist. Competitions are important to me because to make a living you can actually live on, people need to know who you are and what you're doing so they want to buy your work, your kits or take a class. Some competitions do have professional and amateur categories but the professional category isn't for those who make a living from it, it's for anyone who has become an accomplished beader. I'm entering Bead Dreams for the first time and it is daunting the level of talent one is up against...but if you don't enter you can't win.
Those contests are about concept as much as execution, and I love it that they are open to everyone at all skill and professional levels.
I think you should enter whatever contests will encourage you to push yourself to excel.
The competition is fierce, just the way it should be!
I'm glad the contests are open to anyone. I like seeing work from current and aspiring teachers included. It helps us get a better idea of what everyone can do.
As someone who only makes a very small portion of their living from anything bead-related, I think it is very important that those who enter major bead artist competitions are extremely accomplished. It is a great thing for all of us, teachers and students alike to be utterly inspired by entrants in these competitions - I want to look at Bead Dreams and think - 'how the hell did they do that?!" Please keep entering Marcia!!
For me, I can't stand teaching, but does that make me any more or less a bead artist? no. So whether one teaches or not is not an issue.
I have to admit I can be intimidated by those beaders who are far more talented and experienced tha myself but this is only a self-esteem issue within myself. I have never let this discourage me from entering any competitions in the past and if anything it makes me push me out of my comfort zone in terms of my beading - trying to create that special piece.
I think it is wonderful that competitions such as Bead Dreams are open to all beading levels. There are so many talented beaders and I don't think it should matter if you are a well known beader who is lucky enough to teach or a relatively new beader. The final result is what matters.
I think if anyone is feeling intimidated by another's skills it is their problem not the person with the greater skills problem.
Everyone should strive for greater learning and we all need that extra push and who better to push us than someone with more skill.
I think that it is wonderful that professional teachers and bead artists enter these competitions as well as talented amatures. Keep entering, Marcia.
I am one of those who are intimidated by the thought of competing against well known and extremely talented artists. However it would be a shame to enter against competition that you could just stomp all over artistically. Furthermore, I think it only encourages more growth and artistry from those who teach, are experienced and/or those who are not. It would be a shame if the competitions were biased because of the name of the entrant, but I feel that this is not the case with Bead Dreams.
Entering expert pieces really creates and environment for "art" to be shown. Thank you for your contributions (and the collaborations with us)- I hope to be named on top too... one day.
Here is my "thing" with professional artiest competing, I love seeing your work and others, but I think that the judges have gotten to the point that they are no longer objective. You, Laura McCabe, Virginia Blakelock, Diane Fitzgerald, and others do have a recognizable style. I don't think that they mean to but the "blind judging" knows who it is that they see, and that this does effect how the work is excepted and judged. This does make it harder for new artist to get in and show there work, because b&b does need to show and sell magazines, and they do know who butters there bread.
I love your work and Diane, Laura, Virginia and the rest....If it wasn't for you I would not have learned what it is that I could do with beads, how ever there does come a point that b&b judges need to step aside and let someone else judge (look) at the entry's with new eyes.
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