Options: Printable view
20 pages of Original Tips and Thoughts on Retail Buy/Sell at Claimed and Advertised Hand-Made Jurried Arts & Crafts Shows from 500 Artists and Crafters - Organized by Topic - Not Condensed By Louis Marquette - a CraftLister.com Craft Expert about page personal website  based on 35 ratings Viewed 28304 times Printed 27 times
Original Tips and Thoughts on Retail Buy/Sell at Claimed and Advertised Hand-Made Juried Arts & Crafts Shows from 500 Artists and Crafters - Organized by Topic - Not Condensed
Contents:
PROMOTERS DO MORE HARM BY LYING TO ARTISTS about the competition they will face at their event:
CRAFT CUSTOMERS DO NOT WANT RETAIL JUNK - Your show will die if you go that route.
MANY ARTISTS FEEL THEY CAN NOT COMPETE OR SURVIVE WITH MIXING IN RETAIL.
MANY SHOWS OF PAST HIGH QUALITY ARE EVEN DECLINING
FAKES ARE IMPROVING - Fakes are getting better in appearance, Frauds are becoming more skilled at pulling wool, and Retail Manufactures further help the perpetration of this fraud by sending their customers, your vendors or your competition, tips on getting their items past your juries. This sounds like conspiracy to perpetrate a fraud to me, isn't that criminal? Hello, anyone home? Ahh, no, everyone one the payroll is sitting on the side of the road.
WHY RETAIL OR BUY/SELL IS BAD
MOST RETAIL & Buy/Sell IS USUALLY BLATENTLY OBVIOUS, to those that Care to Look - though usually to only other merchants and customers.
Many PROMOTERS DO NOT ENFORCE their own RULES or make good on their promises
RETAIL AT JURRIED SHOWS IS LEADING TO THE SHOWS OWN DEMISE; not only taking sales away from artists, but causing harm to the shows and industry that true craftsmen RELY on.
CRAFTSMEN WILL BOYCOTT EVEN 'GOOD' juried shows that allow retail! These shows will be on a slippery slope to ruin... as it is almost impossible to bring a show back without a new, trusted promoter coming in, taking it over, changing the name and restoring the quality. Many artisans will usually not do a show they know to contain retail, so once you allow some in, you will loose more artists, necessitating MORE retail. Ad infinitum Don't start the cycle!
CRAFTSMEN WILL SEEK OUT TRUSTWORTHY PROMOTERS AND FOLLOW THEM LOYALLY, doing multiple shows with them, even tolerating the few not so good ones, if still new and being built up, as long as the promoter is reputable and is keeping the retail out, and the number of artists in each craft categories limited.
FRAUD IS A CRIME
SOME RETAIL IS VERY HARD TO IDENTIFY - JURRORS MUST BE EDUCATED IN HAND-MADE IDENTIFICATION! They must research buy/sell trends via retail sales catalogs, wholesale shows, and Juried and Non-Juried craft shows! They should also be artists themselves from DIFFERENT and diverse categories.
BOOTHS AND MERCHANDISE MUST BE INSPECTED before, during, or after setup, and AGAIN after the show has started. ( frauds often put out items after setup inspection ends ) Retail MUST be removed from display or the vendor MUST be forced to LEAVE. Call the poe-lease!
QUESTION ARTISANS THAT ARE SUSPECT
BE WARY OF HUGE INVENTORIES, little product variations, and LOW prices.
BE WARY OF INTRICATE, detailed, labor intensive work selling for peanuts.
Be Wary of 'TOO PERFECT' PRODUCTS with NO VARIATION. Too consistently painted faces, etc.
LOOK FOR CHINA RETAIL PACKAGING OR 'MADE IN P.R.C.' or 'MADE IN CHINA' STICKERS! - Be Wary of vendors that are unpacking from China boxes and pulling finished items out of sealed plastic bags in form fitted coushioning.
INSPECT FOR REMOVED TAGS or STICKERS, etc.
BE WARY OF wide ranges in products types, with little variation in each product type.
Demonstrating is not a guarantee but does say allot; certainly, other factors must also taken into account.
MAKE YOUR APPLICATION, JURY, & ACCEPTANCE PROCESS MORE STINGENT IN MULTIPLE WAYS!
* Some shows HAVE APPLICANTS APPEAR BEFORE THE JURY IN PERSON with products before you are ever even accepted. SOME ASPECT SHOULD BE DEMONSTRATED or ITEMS IN MULTIPLE UNFINISHED STAGES SHOULD BE BROUGHT.
* HAVE A MEMBER OF THE JURY CALL ALL APPLICANTS. These conversations are recorded so not only do they have a signed form stating your product is custom crafted, they now also have a verbal confirmation.
* Ask for a WRITTEN DESCRIPTION of their item production process.
* If you suspect the validity of a vendor, ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFO AND PHOTOS, etc.
* GOOGLE EVERY CRAFT APPLICATION'S PRODUCT - A search done using a description of an item will often come up with a site selling that item for a fraction of what the "crafter" is selling it for.
* Ask for an ARTIST STATEMENT and a REFUND statement.
* The event application needs to specifically Ask for a LIST OF ALL ITEM TYPES THAT WILL BE SOLD. They also need to let the vendor know that they will be ejected from the show if they bring items that are not listed or not handmade. Period.
* Require new applicants to actually SEND IN PIECES OF THEIR WORK IN VERIOUS STAGES. A snapshot does not actually do just any good.
* INCLUDE VERBAGE ON YOUR APPLICATION TO DETER RETAILERS FROM EVEN TRYING TO SNEAK IN - SAY that you would like all seller to look around and report any items to the promoter that might not be hand crafted, and that you will remove folks with only retail, and have folks remove any items from their booth that was not itemized on their application. THEN - DO WHAT YOU SAY!
* DO NOT ONLY RELY ON LUCK FOR NEW APPLICANTS - ACTIVLY INVITE ARTISTS TO APPLY IN PERSON THAT YOU SEE AND LIMITEDLY APPROVE OF AT OTHER SHOWS - I spend all year visiting almost every craft show in our area that I find out about and "scout" for prospective vendors. Finding quality artists is NOT hard, if you actively try, and have not already created a bad reputation for yourself.
* PROMOTERS NEED TO TAKE SUSPECT RETAIL AND JURYING SERIOUSLY There needs in-person or on-site jurying. Questions of artist intent and statement, process and inspiration, education and skill need to be asked.
* The only thing to make sure that the artist is doing his product by hand is to VISIT THEIR WORKSHOP. Some European promoters do it when they suspect a problem. Of course here in America the distances are far greater and they might have no money to go around.
LIMIT BY CATEGORY! Too many in one category is BAD!
TOO MUCH JEWELRY
DO NOT INVITE RETAIL
Require MULTIPLE WORKSHOP PHOTOS of supplies, tools, items being made in Multiple Steps, and the artist and workshop itself.
Promoters would be wise to suggest or even REQUIRE ARTISTS TO DISPLAY A PHOTO ALBUM in their booth of them manufacturing their work. Whoever has ears ought to listen.
Require COPIES of RECENT SUPPLY INVOICES.
Fine Frauds
Craftsmen should EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT THEIR ITEMS ARE HAND-MADE and WHY A HAND-MADE ... IS BETTER THAN A MASS-PRODUCED ....., QUALITATIVELY
Artists and crafters should HELP PROMOTERS IDENTIFY AND REMOVE RETAIL fraud. Even if not asked! - Promoters should ask for reports of who or what should be looked at more closely under suspicion of it being non-hand-made; but if a promoter doesn't - offer advice anyway, this is your livelihood and you are not 'complaining' by bringing such info to a promoters attention.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS AND CLAIMS WILL BE MADE - DO NOT TRUST VENDOR STATEMENTS AS GOSPEL TRUTH - USE THEM AS AN ALERT ONLY THAT YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER
Craft Category Specific Tips
----------------------------------------------------
PROMOTERS DO MORE HARM BY LYING TO ARTISTS about the competition they will face at their event:
* 'Retail' is fine at even juried shows, as long as it is stated so. All vendors, artists, etc., should know what to expect.
* Jury even the resell stuff and you won't wind up with junk. I have found this simple solution frustratingly overlooked. Event organizers sometimes think that they must allow all or nothing when it comes to buy/ sell merchandise, while they can easily hand pick imported merchandise if they wish to allow it in their event.
* I've been to shows where they promised I'd be the only soap vendor, only to be put across the hall from someone with retail mass-marketed brand soap.
* Our application letter explains how it all works and we do sometimes get turn-downs from artists that do not believe you can mix these, but, for the most part, everyone at our shows does OK all around. I find that the Crafters still do the best, are the ones that follow the trends and really watch the Wholesale Shows.
* I once had a promoter call me twice before accepting me into the show to ask if I really made my items. On the last call she ask me to send a letter describing step by step how I made one of my items. When I got the show there was a booth across from me selling plastic items with made in Twain stamped right on them. When I griped to the promoter I was told that this might not be the right show for me! Right… I will never return.
* Why insist that it will be all handcrafted to begin with? Why not admit that you are going to allow retail? Instead of having the handcraft vendors and the customers totally fed up?
* Say: "We are NOT an art show; we are a village street fair."
* When I call to inquire about the show, I ask "do you allow resale, retail, or home show items?" If the answer is "yes" I politely explain I am a crafter, called because your event said "craft show" and I will not put myself in the position of competing with those items, and suggest if they want to have a "bazaar or flea market" please call it that.
* One event will now be allowing "fine hand-craftables from other countries" in an effort to add diversity, etc. But still claiming that their high standards for quality is still intact!
* I address the problem by vocally letting the promoter or sponsor of the show, know of my disapproval and question why they even had me incur the monetary and time expense of sending in a Portfolio for 'Jury'.
* I was at one show recently where I brought one such culprit to the attention of the promoter, who then proceeded to defend the vendor by saying 1) she was using the items for display purposes (not with a price tag on them!) or 2) she must have done something to "alter" them in some way to make them her own (not the pieces I saw-- I had just seen them in a wholesale catalog I was looking at from the outfit whose sticker was still on the piece!).
CRAFT CUSTOMERS DO NOT WANT RETAIL JUNK - Your show will die if you go that route.
* I used to be a promoter for a Christmas boutique and some of the other promoters in our business wanted to add imported stuff so they could make more money. Eventually we lost all our legitimate crafters and our customers got tired of the same stuff they could buy at ....
* Sad thing is that many of the people coming to the shows recognize this and go home wandering if they can trust anyone at that show. I know I do. The vendors are lying and so are the promoters.
* This is how shows end up going downhill, until the organizers/promoters start caring as much about the show as they do they money generated this will be a problem. What they do not realize is that the show then ends up dying from all the retail and then they lose money anyway, So why not turn away the retail and keep the show alive and well for years instead of killing it just to fill spaces.
* I hear so many times from customers that there is a lack of quality at craft shows recently.
* Multiple customers have passed my booth this year at various shows and commented out loud, even if walking alone, 'Look! MORE jewelry!'. Yeah, they will come back next year and buy from me or even another jeweler this one. Thanks!
* If a show gets a reputation for being low quality or overloaded in one or two categories, no amount of advertising will get the crowds to continue to come out year after year. Reputation makes or breaks shows, not advertising.
MANY ARTISTS FEEL THEY CAN NOT COMPETE OR SURVIVE WITH MIXING IN RETAIL.
* I even talked with vendors who had retail and they said they wouldn't be able to compete and survive if they only had stuff they made by hand.
* Crafters see others adding retail to their booths at shows will feel more justified in trying it themselves at those shows.
MANY SHOWS OF PAST HIGH QUALITY ARE EVEN DECLINING
* Over the last twenty or so years that I have been crafting and selling my wares, I have DEFINATELY noticed an increase in retail items at JURIED shows.
FAKES ARE IMPROVING - Fakes are getting better in appearance, Frauds are becoming more skilled at pulling wool, and Retail Manufactures further help the perpetration of this fraud by sending their customers, your vendors or your competition, tips on getting their items past your juries. This sounds like conspiracy to perpetrate a fraud to me, isn't that criminal? Hello, anyone home? Ahh, no, everyone one the payroll is sitting on the side of the road.
* The problem is not in the Jury selection I know that the people that sell the retail items do a good job at faking handmade goods to get into the show.
* What I see in import catalogs, etc. are not factory -made so much, as they really ARE handmade -- but in sweatshops in China or the Third World and the women forced to do these things are being paid a pitiful amount to do it. Therefore, the sellers/retailers can undersell us every time.
* When I read "Retail at juried shows is a still growing and already pandemic problem," I'm bothered. Almost every event we sell at is juried, yet we are obviously an import company (the word 'imports' is the second half of our business name). I certainly don't see it as a "pandemic problem" to have buy/sell merchandise at juried shows; in fact, it is our very livelihood. According to your statement, my very business is a "growing and pandemic problem."
WHY RETAIL OR BUY/SELL IS BAD
* If the beads are not kiln annealed properly, they will break when dropped, or if they bump up against something. For a jewelry designer, this is the worst possible thing that could happen, so as a designer, I do not want to be purchasing beads that will break. Chinese beads do break because they are not properly annealed.
* There are also unscrupulous dealers marketing the Chinese beads. I say unscrupulous because they lie in their marketing practices, and also they copy the designs of self-representing artists and then pass them off as their own.
* Junk jewelry coming from India and other countries is not fully backed. The pendants are mounted without cushion and the back of the piece is open not being covered with silver. You pay for what you get....
MOST RETAIL & Buy/Sell IS USUALLY BLATENTLY OBVIOUS, to those that Care to Look - though usually to only other merchants and customers.
* Learn to recognize the mass-produced stuff, the retail stuff, the (what we artists call) buy-and-sell stuff, and don't let it in. Its really not all that difficult if you want to see it.
* Ask trusted return vendors to take a walk around and give you alerts.. Most true crafters can recognize a handmade product from a retail, manufactured product from a mile away.
* If the jury truly applies set standards, most non-hand-made items will not pass muster
* Often, I walk shows and see more than one vendor with the same item or design. What?
* 4 vendors with identical bags, items from South America (I have been told on complaining that the family makes it and sends it here),
* It is my opinion that most do not do this for economic reasons, not an inability to spot the imports. If they don't see it even after told, something is WRONG with them.
* The thing that bugs me most about retail is seeing the exact same item (Same size, color, trim) in many booths at the same show. An example would be a "Home Sweet Home" sign on a green board 8" x 12" with red letters with a yellow border around each letter. No way on earth five or six different crafters at the same show are going to make that sign in the exact same way. I boils down to many of the crafters are not crafters at all. But they are crooks and liars.
Many PROMOTERS DO NOT ENFORCE their own RULES or make good on their promises
* The problem is promoters do not enforce the rules.
* I also believe any vendor once they are set up, if their work in any way does not look 100% handmade should be asked to leave, we have to get rid of the franchise type vendors.
RETAIL AT JURRIED SHOWS IS LEADING TO THE SHOWS OWN DEMISE; not only taking sales away from artists, but causing harm to the shows and industry that true craftsmen RELY on.
* The amount of resale at shows is getting to be a serious problem and it is absolutely ruining art/craft shows.
* The last show I visited that had resale was so bad, I left. There was handmade mixed in but there was so much resale it wasn't worth it to walk the show and look for it.
CRAFTSMEN WILL BOYCOTT EVEN 'GOOD' juried shows that allow retail! These shows will be on a slippery slope to ruin... as it is almost impossible to bring a show back without a new, trusted promoter coming in, taking it over, changing the name and restoring the quality. Many artisans will usually not do a show they know to contain retail, so once you allow some in, you will loose more artists, necessitating MORE retail. Ad infinitum Don't start the cycle!
* I think what promoters forget is this....me and many other GOOD QUALITY artists will NOT BE BACK NEXT YEAR. Therefore, in only a matter of a couple of years they will have a full blown flea market.
* Show organizers need to understand that good quality hand crafters who actually do their own work will/can/do walk away from a show that allows import and commercially made products in because the more of that there is in a show, the less money the hand crafter can expect to make.
* At the time of set-up, I do not have any qualms about asking for retail items to be removed, or leave if they aren't removed.
* those of us who truly hand craft our product do not want to be associated these fake juried shows
* I would not like to work hard and get to a show where there may be someone there selling similar items that were imported in from another country.
* Artists are frustrated by shows claiming to be hand-made, but that are not. They will spread the word to others and not return themselves.
* We have paid high money for booths & spaces at shows and when we got there, there were home party type booths filling the area along with Philippine and Hispanic people with snakes, etc - made from fancy cloth - definitely not made by the sellers, but imported.
* Many retail brands are starting to be boycotted by many crafters, if they know one of the brands is doing the show they will not participate
* I will not knowingly go to those shows anymore.
* I believe that the ones of us that produce all our own work deserve to make the money that is being spent on that stuff. If I have offended anyone than take the hint and stay out of our art shows, there are plenty of places for you to sell you items.
* I feel that the "retailers" have hurt my sales
* I REALLY resent being charged a jury fee and find that when I get to the show, two booths away the plastic airplane whirligig guy is setting up, still ripping the tape away from the boxes he just received from the Orient.
* it was our 1st time to to that show and we will not be back
* Fairs that do not follow the rules they spell out in there contract my husband and I do not return to. If the fair says crafts only and they let people sell resale we do not go back. I have exhibited at a number of "high-end" shows with plenty of retail items...intricate silver earring with a huge booth sign "Everything $5!" I did bring it to that promoter's attention (in a courteous, professional manner) and nothing was said or done.
* I agree this is a serious problem, and nothing makes me madder than to see retail at a craft show.
* I am now getting to the point I do not even want to do anymore shows. Then promoters keep upping the application fees and letting more out of country items in.
* I am a woodworker, I will attend art and craft shows which only have handmade items made and sold by the person at the booth. If I spot an item at a booth that is not handmade I will not attend the show again AND I will alert other artists to the fact that the promoter or organization allow this type of work in the show. If the person responsible for running the show does not make the person remove the item or remove the offending person from the show, I will make sure I will notify every artist I am able to contact. It is not my responsibility to walk around and police the show, it is the promoter's responsibility, and if they do not live up to it, then I will not attend one of their shows again, period.
* One thing I can guarantee, is I will never apply to a show a second time that knowingly allows retail items despite saying handmade only.
* I think the country craft stuff is the worst offender for retail. I have seen shows where I would question almost all of it. I know where they buy it. We are trying to avoid all shows where there is lots of it.
* Shows with allot of junk are removed from my list and I request to be withdrawn from their mailing list. I've learned that a phone conversation with the Promoter or Sponsor will often tip-you-off to the quality of a show.
* What I dislike seeing at a craft fair are people selling home mortgages, real estate agents, chiropractors setting up appointments, insurance agents and obviously non-craft stuff like ..., ... and ....
* With only a few exceptions, I will attend ONLY juried shows and will report anyone who is not compliant. If the vendor is not dealt with, I will not put that show on my "next year" list. - fred
* (this blind eye happens all too often, and is one of the reasons I'm not returning to two shows I participated in last year)
CRAFTSMEN WILL SEEK OUT TRUSTWORTHY PROMOTERS AND FOLLOW THEM LOYALLY, doing multiple shows with them, even tolerating the few not so good ones, if still new and being built up, as long as the promoter is reputable and is keeping the retail out, and the number of artists in each craft categories limited.
* I will always do her shows because I make GOOD money at them. She also juries and allows NO manufactured items. She chooses artists and crafters carefully and closes categories before there is a glut of any one product type.
* In my opinion the reason the buy/sell is perpetuated is that there is a difference in shows that present artists and "fine crafts" to those that present crafters. Hate to say it but that's what I believe. I am a glass blower and NONE of the shows that I do have buy/sell work in them.
* I only do a limited number of shows a year, and I do pick and choose those ones that do have quality, hand made products. I have done several shows that obvious retail things and if the promoter doesn't ask them to pack up and leave, then I don't do that show again. On the other hand, I am loyal to promoters who are professional and reliable, and always encourage the public to attend these.
* The booth space is expensive, compared to other shows in this area, but it is worth the price.
FRAUD IS A CRIME
* Artists and Crafters need to file class action suits to get their money back from promoters that say one thing then do another. Do this several times and things will tighten up
* This is to answer the question regarding imports noted as craft items. This is becoming a major problem. I sell native American jewelry. We work with the families as well as trading post in the southwest and then bring the merchandising to new England to sell. If we knowingly sell non Native as Native it is a federal offense. We let our suppliers know that if they slip any import into our orders that we will report them.
* Louis, it is my understanding that you cannot pull the "Made in . . . " stickers off retail products. Like mattress tags, only the end consumer can remove a "Made in ..." sticker.
SOME RETAIL IS VERY HARD TO IDENTIFY - JURRORS MUST BE EDUCATED IN HAND-MADE IDENTIFICATION! They must research buy/sell trends via retail sales catalogs, wholesale shows, and Juried and Non-Juried craft shows! They should also be artists themselves from DIFFERENT and diverse categories.
* As a juror, you cannot just look at something and say it's great without knowing something about how it is made etc. ASK QUESTIONS.
* the promoter must be vigilant if they want a quality show.
* select your jurors carefully!
* I strongly suggest that a promoter hire a panel of "scouts" to tour wholesale stores, ex: Flower Factory, etc… prior to their shows, and subscribe to wholesale catalogs. This will make them aware of what products are out there that are mass produced. These scouts then also need to monitor the products exhibited at shows. You will easily note similar products from booth to booth.
* we get the same Wholesaler magazines as the vendors so we can recognize a lot of their stuff
* Promoters also need to EDUCATE themselves by attending known high quality juried art and craft shows and lower quality craft shows with lots of known retail - Notice what you see at each. Talk with artists about identification techniques for their product type. Ask - 'If someone were to apply to my show with a product like yours, what should I look for ti identify if it is hand-made or not.'
* Know your trade journals!
* suggesting to promoters that they go to the wholesale shows themselves, so that they can see exactly what goods are available
* Most of the time you don't even need a biz license or reseller cert to get the catalog.
* Actual trusted Craftsman for each category should be assigned to the jury.
* AND if the craftsman / artists don't want retailers under selling them and cheaping out markets and festivals / events they will provide this service to the jury for free.
* We have two (2) jurors who are jewelers. They are very familiar with many websites selling jewelry wholesale and have many, many catalogs.
* I spend a fortune on traveling to wholesale shows across the country to keep up with retail. If I did not do this, my shows would not be able to be kept hand-made. Products are changing that fast and look that good. You must have SEEN it as known retail to tell!
* The show organizer was encouraged first off to set standards in various categories...ie fluff and hang versus start from scratch floral arranging. Once a set of standards were set, photos of work were scanned into the computer and emailed to me...no names, no other information supplied. I and a couple of other crafters offered their input and the decision was left to the show organizer. Following years results were measurably higher.
BOOTHS AND MERCHANDISE MUST BE INSPECTED before, during, or after setup, and AGAIN after the show has started. ( frauds often put out items after setup inspection ends ) Retail MUST be removed from display or the vendor MUST be forced to LEAVE. Call the poe-lease!
* if it wasn't in your pics it cant be at the show, they say they come around and check your display against the pics.
* The application should state that this is a contract and once signed and returned they can be told to leave if it is found that they have be untruthful. This protects the promoters and the true crafters.
* Certainly make it clear in the contract that vendors sign that "resale items" are NOT acceptable, that there will be observers checking ALL booths at the actual show, and should they be found to have non-artist made items they WILL be evicted from the show with NO refund of their booth fees. Then the promoter must stick to this and DO IT!
* a list of what is being sold and have the crafters sign it in order for the crafter to be held liable if they slip other things in the show.
* "Retail Police" - Assign craftsman / artists or Jury members to (like you said) actually walk around - clipboard in hand with staff event jacket or shirt to survey each booth.
* Make the artists that break rule #1 leave. Period. Make them leave the show, and do not allow them to do the show again. Even if they have already set up. Letting them stay just makes it worse the next year.
* I have on numerous occasions pointed various vendors out to the ones who run some of these more prominent shows and nothing ever comes our of these.
* that person NEEDS TO HAVE THE BALLS TO REMOVE THE RETAILER FROM THE FAIR!
* You can even inspect AS folks arrive and check in. Inspect a few items before giving them their spot number and welcome packet.
* There must be someone who checks the booths at the fair and ejects those who are in violations of the rules.
* any exhibitor that has unjuried or "retail" merchandise should be asked to put away the merchandise or leave the show.
* Once it is discovered that the item is retail not hand made PUT THE PERSON OUT OF THE SHOW. IF THEY CAN'T FOLLOW THE RULES THEY DON'T NEED TO BE THERE. Once the word gets out that its not tolerated it might just stop.
* Insist anyone suspect of having buy/sell products leave immediately. Insist anyone who's product is not as portrayed in their photos or described on their application leave immediately. C.Y.A in your applications and emphatically state this will happen.
* Another way to prevent this from happening is that on the day of the sale, as you enter the area in your vehicle, perhaps those who check that you've registered might also ask you to exhibit an item or two that you've brought along right at the entrance, and exclude those who have items to sell which are clearly imported junk.
* I still believe if you throw them out during the show it will make a huge statement.
* but they also do a walk through BEFORE opening their doors to the public, and they often do force the vendor to remove the item(s), or make them leave entirely.
* most of them (promoters) spend more time worrying about finances than taking care of their bread and butter.
* Also, it would be a very good idea to have a representative of each genre do a walk through of the show looking at each booth to spot mass production. As a decorative painter, 90-97% of the time I can spot a mass produced piece.
* If they (the promoters) don't want to upset anyone or make a scene, they could just use their list of violators as a reference for the next year.
* My point being, I went directly to the promoter at the show and let her know as nicely as I could that I've noticed something wrong. She made the other vendor move, but according to the CONTACT that we all had to sign, the vendor should have been TOLD TO LEAVE.
* When was the last time you saw a promoter do what they promised to do and run out dishonest vendors. I never have, they always say "we will not let them come next year. Guess what, next year they will be back!
QUESTION ARTISANS THAT ARE SUSPECT
* real craft people are passionate, people selling retail items posing as craft item just want you to go away when you start asking questions.
* We know the history of each of the lighthouses we represent. We know the legends, the myths, and even the ghost stories. When I stop at a booth and ask if the person makes their own product and after a few questions realize that they do not know the basics of how the craft is produced, I get the same patent story, "Oh, my Mom,sister, aunt, Dad, Grandpa is the crafter. I'm just sitting in for him/her today, this week-end,whatever." What are we to do?
* I'm a wood turner and some questions that I might could be asked would be: 1. How do you finish your product? to get at some of the details of how they get the look that they are after, most will have a process. I prefer 2-3 coats of lacquer, steel wool the item, final coat of lacquer, and buff using the Beall Buffing System. 2.How do you prefer to secure your wood to the lathe and what type of chuck do you use? Live center then move to a chuck or use a screw chuck. I prefer a screw chuck rather than a live center if I can but I will use both, depending on what the wood looks like. Is the wood already square, or half-log. I use a Barracuda chuck by PSI, but other chucks might be a Nova or a One Way.
* Ask them how they created a specific effect seen in the work. Ask for more verification until you are CONVINCED they make their products, no earlier slacking is acceptable!
BE WARY OF HUGE INVENTORIES, little product variations, and LOW prices.
* If the vendor has a slew of the same item displayed that is surely retail or they have a very large family helping out.
* Somehow this seems a bit more production automated than hand made crafts which is what we ask for.
* I thought possibly packing material, but I also purchase some of my supplies from people who also sell completed items so that is not much help. Personally I tend to look first at booths that just seem to have too much product.
* They are the Root Baskets and Wood Roses. Any fool could find these items on the Internet. The result regarding the Root Baskets was not only were they still in those shows, at one there were 3 people selling them!! The wood roses are still out there but getting scarcer at the shows.
* If the person is practically giving away the item, they didn't make it. When a vendor is selling 40 hand-carved wooden roses for $10, question it!
* Real artists don't display 15 of the same bracelet at one show at one time, not even their best sellers.
* If there are many of the exact same design and color. I don't know about everyone, but I can't stand to make the same thing over and over.
* When I see trays and trays or boxes and boxes of items brought in by a vendor, I have my doubts that the crafter/vendor actually put together or made the items themselves. Most of the commercially made items have no uniqueness--everything is pretty much the same style.
* Also if a vendor has 100 items exactly alike, it is very possible they are retail.
* Even with an item that is a great seller, I tend to change the colors, or put in some type of variation.
* the cost of the bracelet alone would exceed $20. So price is definitely a clue.
BE WARY OF INTRICATE, detailed, labor intensive work selling for peanuts.
* For jewelry, and especially with earrings, if a promoter is seeing chandelier type earrings with lots of beading components selling for $10 or $15 you can pretty much bet they are not custom crafted. The amount of time it takes to make these items far exceeds that price range.
* THERE IS A CRAFTIER WHO SAYS SHE DOES BY HAND. JUST GO AND SEE THE DETAIL WORK ON HER ORNAMENTS. THEY ARE ACTUALLY BEAUTIFUL BUT NOT HAND PAINTED BY HER. SOME OF HER WORK SHOULD TAKE HOURS TO PAINT. AND YET SHE CHARGES SO LITTLE.
Be Wary of 'TOO PERFECT' PRODUCTS with NO VARIATION. Too consistently painted faces, etc.
* we sell hand-made handbags and have to compete with retail handbags all of the time. One hint to tell the difference is "too perfect" stitching.
* I can tell fake tie dye because it is too regular, several shirts of the same pattern and if you look on the inside of the shirt, it's paler than the outside.
* I look for differences between items. If the crafter has 10 of an item, handcrafted items are usually all slightly different.
* I have been doing glass for over 10 years and there is no way I can get it exact.
* Anything that looks too perfect is usually retail. A handcrafted item should have some "flaw" to show that it is handcrafted.
* IT IS HARD FOR US PAINTERS TO MATCH EXACTLY THE COLORS AND SIZES OF THE SUBJECT.
* ORNAMENTS ARE ALSO HARD TO PAINT WHEN YOU TRY TO PAINT A STRAIGHT LINE OR A SENARY.
* Most painters have a style and you can tell only one person has designed and painted what they are displaying at a show.
LOOK FOR CHINA RETAIL PACKAGING OR 'MADE IN P.R.C.' or 'MADE IN CHINA' STICKERS! - Be Wary of vendors that are unpacking from China boxes and pulling finished items out of sealed plastic bags in form fitted coushining.
* Promoters need to watch for vendors who are moving boxes that say "made in China" on them.
* I have been next to a vendor who flagrantly opened his "made in China" stamped boxes and put the items on his tables. The boxes were then placed behind his booth in plain view.
* The one that gets me are the boxes that say "Made in China" shoved under their tables.
* If all promoters would take 10 minutes and do a trailer walk most of them would be shocked at how much of the merchandise comes right out of the made in china boxes.
INSPECT FOR REMOVED TAGS or STICKERS, etc.
* Look on the back and bottom of items. Can you physically see or feel where the "Made in China" sticker was removed. There is often an oval or rectangular glue residue! Removal of sticker by them is illegal! Call the police if they give ANY gruff about packing it up and LEAVING your JURRIED SHOW!
BE WARY OF wide ranges in products types, with little variation in each product type.
* If someone has 1 type of scarf, all pretty much the same style, then handbags of an entirely different but again consistent style, you should investigate them further as they are likely not making one of both items.
Demonstrating is not a guarantee but does say allot; certainly, other factors must also taken into account.
* They also ask that crafters demonstrate their craft during the show so that people can see that it is truly hand made.
* If they are not working on anything -- or for that matter, repairing items they make, that is a tattle-tale sign that they most likely just sell.
MAKE YOUR APPLICATION, JURY, & ACCEPTANCE PROCESS MORE STINGENT IN MULTIPLE WAYS!
* Some shows HAVE APPLICANTS APPEAR BEFORE THE JURY IN PERSON with products before you are ever even accepted. SOME ASPECT SHOULD BE DEMONSTRATED or ITEMS IN MULTIPLE UNFINISHED STAGES SHOULD BE BROUGHT.
* HAVE A MEMBER OF THE JURY CALL ALL APPLICANTS. These conversations are recorded so not only do they have a signed form stating your product is custom crafted, they now also have a verbal confirmation.
* Ask for a WRITTEN DESCRIPTION of their item production process.
* If you suspect the validity of a vendor, ASK FOR ADDITIONAL INFO AND PHOTOS, etc.
* GOOGLE EVERY CRAFT APPLICATION'S PRODUCT - A search done using a description of an item will often come up with a site selling that item for a fraction of what the "crafter" is selling it for.
* Ask for an ARTIST STATEMENT and a REFUND statement.
* The event application needs to specifically Ask for a LIST OF ALL ITEM TYPES THAT WILL BE SOLD. They also need to let the vendor know that they will be ejected from the show if they bring items that are not listed or not handmade. Period.
* Require new applicants to actually SEND IN PIECES OF THEIR WORK IN VERIOUS STAGES. A snapshot does not actually do just any good.
* INCLUDE VERBAGE ON YOUR APPLICATION TO DETER RETAILERS FROM EVEN TRYING TO SNEAK IN - SAY that you would like all seller to look around and report any items to the promoter that might not be hand crafted, and that you will remove folks with only retail, and have folks remove any items from their booth that was not itemized on their application. THEN - DO WHAT YOU SAY!
* DO NOT ONLY RELY ON LUCK FOR NEW APPLICANTS - ACTIVLY INVITE ARTISTS TO APPLY IN PERSON THAT YOU SEE AND LIMITEDLY APPROVE OF AT OTHER SHOWS - I spend all year visiting almost every craft show in our area that I find out about and "scout" for prospective vendors. Finding quality artists is NOT hard, if you actively try, and have not already created a bad reputation for yourself.
* PROMOTERS NEED TO TAKE SUSPECT RETAIL AND JURYING SERIOUSLY There needs in-person or on-site jurying. Questions of artist intent and statement, process and inspiration, education and skill need to be asked.
* The only thing to make sure that the artist is doing his product by hand is to VISIT THEIR WORKSHOP. Some European promoters do it when they suspect a problem. Of course here in America the distances are far greater and they might have no money to go around.
LIMIT BY CATEGORY! Too many in one category is BAD!
* there were 19 jewelry vendors out of a total of 110 exhibitors; that festival was the 6th year it done and the organizers should use common sense
* Show size up to 50 crafters 1 of each type of vendor if not 2. Show size up to 100 crafters 2 of each if not 3 Show size up to 250 crafters 4 of each type.
TOO MUCH JEWELRY
*Each year promoters allow more and more jewelers into their shows, which has resulted in TOO many comments at EACH show that "this is nothing but a jewelry show" or "more jewelry,I've never seen so much jewelry at this show before" and then customers don't even stop to browse. This hurts all the craft vendors (not just Jewelers).
DO NOT INVITE RETAIL
* One retail vendor said they were handed an application for a juried show by it's promoter, while at another show, so she felt it OK to apply even though she was retail - as the promoter must obviously be OK with that fact.
Require MULTIPLE WORKSHOP PHOTOS of supplies, tools, items being made in Multiple Steps, and the artist and workshop itself.
* Some of my best shows that are holding true to "arts & crafts" are requiring a photo not only of you set up but also some of you making your craft.
* Every promoter advertising a hand crafted only show should require pictures. Pictures of work space, pictures of materials used for making the products, pictures of work in progress.
* One fair had a great idea--you not only did had to send a picture of your booth and crafting, but also a picture of your WORKSPACE
* Maybe several pictures of the work room ,area ,different times . Also storage of product [lose inventory].
* require specific pictures with the application 1. of the artist at work 2. of the items be sold in various stages of production. For example, a fused glass artist would be required to show a picture of the "raw" glass, picture of a piece assembled prior to firing and a picture of the piece after firing. For a beaded jewelry artist, they would be required to show a picture of the beads prior to assembly, the piece in progress (which would also include the artist) and finally the finished piece. 3. of the tools used in production
* pictures producing the products. And, not just with a paint brush in your hand.
* maybe request a photo album at each table with pictures of the crafter doing their creations.
* I'm sick to death of going thou the hassle of pictures/websites/etc to make sure my promoters know my items are ORIGINAL and HAND MADE by me , only to get to the show and be set up in the middle of people with 'bead work' made by Cambodian slave labor, chip and dip crocks (who makes them, really?) or doormats printed with college logos?
* They asked for 10 pictures of us doing the production of our product.
* I have found recently that many retail vendors are hand making some jewelry, enough to take pictures and use for juried events.
* For those of us who lived further afield we were allowed to jury in with pictures but we had to present the real stuff to the jurying committee BEFORE we were allowed to set up.
* As far as the imports some shows require a photo of the workspace and the artist actually in the workspace doing the work, along with a description of the process. Also many shows require picture ID of the artist to assure it is the artist and not the representative showing the work.
* One show in which I participate each year requires that you send them a picture of me making my items, including my raw materials, tools, partially assembled items, as well as finished items. They are obviously serious about getting hand-made items but they also have a quality show each year.
* LL and in do mean ALL shows should require pictures of the work in progress. Maybe also a recommendation from a known artist or group? All work!!! ALL WORK should be inspected as the artists sign in or are setting up.
* How about having artists send pictures of their studios/work spaces along with pics of their "work". Chances are, if there are tools of their trade, including raw materials, machinery, tools, etc, the artist probably makes their stuff.
* I crochet so I have many pictures of the items and some of me actually putting things together. I hope this helps.
* I think that all shows should require multiple pictures showing the items being produced by the crafter.
* Although these pictures could be faked, it would take a bit of work for a reseller to fake that.
* I think one way that vendors that create their own product... Me included ...should fight back by displaying pictures of work in process...pictures of their studio... pictures of them working.Put a sign in your booth ...........ALL ITEMS HAND CRAFTED BY ME.
* I know of one juried event that asks for electronic pictures that they will be posting ( after your acceptance) on their website where the craft fair is advertised. She said it seemed to help promote the fair because people can see the quality.
* I was once at a show where someone claimed to make their birdhouses. They brought a little bit of moss to glue on the birdhouses and called that demonstrating. The promoter called his bluff and asked for pictures of him making the birdhouses which he could not produce. So they asked to see the supplies and he could not produce any of that either but another vendor could prove that it was buy sell because she had the catalog that it came from. So if any of the vendors go to market and get the catalogs it would help the handmade artist to keep copies of where the buy sell can be bought so you can show the promoters.
* I think that the best way to identify imports and non-handmade items is to require a photo of the artist in the process of making each item and probably not more than half-way finished. IF they sell more than one type of item, then they should have to send a photo of them making each and every type of item.
* I think all shows should REQUIRE PHOTOS of everything vendor will be selling.
* process photos of a piece with a description of creation from start to finish.
* requires 24 SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT photos of WIP.
* They follow the rules they establish. Juried process is intense and they require photos of every product you include in your booth, other items will be removed or you will have to leave the show.
* make sure the application is clear that ONLY JURIED items will be accepted and require a photo with applications. (I know many promoters already do this.) What may also help at the actual event is to have a check-in/screener at registration who verifies that all items to be displayed are juried.
* If not, the vendor is not allowed in, forfeits his space fees and is not allowed to participate at the same event in the future.
* You also had to send into photos of your work....so how did they get in...$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Promoters would be wise to suggest or even REQUIRE ARTISTS TO DISPLAY A PHOTO ALBUM in their booth of them manufacturing their work. Whoever has ears ought to listen.
* It also is a good marketing tool, almost a demonstration of my work.
* Album and photos sent in with application should be then used DAY OF during walk around inspections.
Require COPIES of RECENT SUPPLY INVOICES.
* Some promoters ask for material invoices and/or a list of suppliers that the artist deals with.
* About a year ago, shows started requesting recent and multiple receipts/invoices of the components I purchase to make my jewelry. At first I thought this was a huge hassle but did it anyway. Because of this, I have noticed an increase in the quality of the products at these shows.
* Is it possible for promoters to ask to see receipts for components of the items in question at the jurying stage? It would be obvious to the promoter that the items are not handmade if the vendor balks at producing receipts.
* I do like the idea of promoters requesting invoices or receipts for actual materials used in the making of such arts & crafts. This may seem extreme and has been pooh-poohed by some promoters as not necessary, but I say what\'s the harm in asking? I\'m not suggesting that artist/crafters should disclose any secret ingredients here, simply provide proof that we actually are making our arts/crafts from some sort of parts or supplies. Even those crafters that take recycled material, ex: wood, glass or metal products, and make something wholly unique must use some sort of part or paint or glue, etc. to create their work of art. I have made this suggestion to some of the promoters of shows that I do, and will continue to do so as long as I continue to do shows!
* I have found that crafters that buy/sell items from China are not able to produce receipts for fabric's or other supplies that you would use in hand making an item much less be able to explain the process that they used to make them.
* For me I have spices, paper for labels, bags, etc. If you aren't buying your supplies and making your product, you will not have these receipts.
* Suppliers names can be blanked out as well as the prices if the crafter so chooses
* Also, I have had shows ask for billing, receipts etc. for rough rock, silver etc. How much silver jewelry can you make if you don't buy the silver sheet??
Fine Frauds
* Charge an extremely high admission fee to the crafters. Eg: if the event would normally charge $100.00 charge $400.00 with the understanding, if you met the criteria, you would be reimbursed $300.00 the day of the show. If you did not meet the criteria the $400.00 stands.
* 2) The crafter could write two checks..The $100.00 deposited the $300.00 check returned to them that day.
* where retail is accepted along with crafts, we are charged more money than crafters
Craftsmen should EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT THEIR ITEMS ARE HAND-MADE and WHY A HAND-MADE ... IS BETTER THAN A MASS-PRODUCED ....., QUALITATIVELY
* Educate your customers as to the difference! SELL the quality of your product, make them see that your product is worth the price!
* Your booth should have a sign stating that all items are handmade by you.
* I make it a point to tell my customers that my product is proudly made by me in Illinois in the US! Ive had many people thank me for telling them - it helps strike up a conversation, and a sale.
* Your booth should have a photo album of your workshop and pieces in progress.
* Have photos comparing your manufacturing methods to other retail items you photograph being taken apart.
* Allot of us are actually doing our craft while the crowd is there. I have photos of myself in my shop to show people that I do it myself. We constantly let people know it is from artisans. My first line is "Its handmade by me, not from china - ho ho ha ha" I guess what I would like to say to maybe help you is, the more that vendors can show and prove that they do it, and actually be required to prove it, the show quality is high. Thats what happens here, all of us respect each other to the highest because we know its by us, the craftsmen.
* I've been fighting imports for years, I design and sew doll clothes. What I find helpful is to bring the wholesale import catalogs with me to shows and then show the catalog to the promoter, this way the promoter has the "crafter" red handed. What I expect is that crafter to be shut down then and there , usually they are allowed to stay . I also have been accused of buying imports by other crafters just because of the volume of doll clothes I carry. When this happens I gladly let the promoter inspect my outfits for labels.
* I once saw a sign at a booth at a craft fair that said, "If it's perfect, it's not handmade."
* Make the juried vendors work at their booth. Recently I did a craft show and the lady next to me had miniatures (flowers, cakes, animals). I thought for sure that she was importing them. I started talking to her during a lull in the show and low and behold, she was making these beautiful creations from clay. She was indeed an artist and I felt guilty for thinking that she was buying them.
* Always offer to custom make, paint, etc. an object
Artists and crafters should HELP PROMOTERS IDENTIFY AND REMOVE RETAIL fraud. Even if not asked! - Promoters should ask for reports of who or what should be looked at more closely under suspicion of it being non-hand-made; but if a promoter doesn't - offer advice anyway, this is your livelihood and you are not 'complaining' by bringing such info to a promoters attention.
* I have talked with promoters. Many of them tell me they didn't know they were letting in "China junk".
* When I saw them again at a juried show I promptly found the promoter. They weren't invited back.
* I don't feel it's my job to *police* a craft fair.
* I have been to many shows and the only way to have known that some things were not authentically made was because it was in a category to which i was familiar and new that some things came from catalogs. Therefore, it is important that the artist take on some responsibility and bring forward any questions they may have regarding authenticity (retail goods).
* And if it takes the crafters policing the show then maybe we should. It might make the promoters a little more selective when filling those spaces.
* I don't want to be the *dirty rat bastard* that outed someone.
* It's offensive to have some one go through the market place and single out what they don't like to have to sell against.
* Allow the artists to bring ONLY what has been juried.
* As always, vendors need to do their part. When seeing buy/sell items at a "handcrafted only show" the organizers need to be alerted. Buy/sell at a hand crafted show means a booth was lost to a true artisan.
* promoters need to do is encourage vendor policing of each other and have a police that they actually enforce that allows for vendors to say "so and so" is selling retail items and verify it with more than one vendor then kick that person out of the show
* The best way to catch vendors that are selling retail products would be to ask other vendors to jury each other. Hand out a questionnaire to each vendor, and ask them to turn it in before the show starts.
* Promoters should ask a competent vendor to quietly and discreetly peruse each booth to spot buy/sell.
* Promoters need to enlist more help to monitor what is being sold during the show and how.
* I like the idea of several people walking around at shows and informing the people running the show those who are offering to sell anything that was not handmade. I would hope that these people would be asked to close up shop and have to leave.
* I don\'t think people want to "police" other dealers because they may be good friends with a lot of them.
* Most show organizers I have worked with think that disrupting the show and leaving an empty spot is not the way to go...what they don't understand is that by allowing the vendor to stay, they are a) taking money away from the real hand crafters, b) acknowledging that they are helpless to prevent fakes c) damaging the reputation of the show to both crafters and the buying public. All it would take is for one or two 'made in anywhere' vendors to be removed mid show (preferably within a couple of hours of the start of the show) to show the real crafters that the organizers meant business. They'd probably have a waiting list (other things being good as well) for the next show....and yes, we'd help with the packing and lugging and give the organizers a standing ovation...well at least I would...lol.
* As the saying goes these days, if you see something, say something.
* When I brought this up, her response was, "Well, I figured if others were selling non-crafted items, I could too!" How does that solve any problem?
* As for retail at juried shows... An absolute NO NO!! Come on promoters.. you are just making yourself look bad.. Make them remove them or you remove the vendor...
* They say they don't want to make a seen by making the retailers leave or remove the items or flat out making them leave. They just say they won't allow then back. That response does no good at all because the damage is already being done.
* Have a box where we check in to drop off a note on who we think are retailers.
* I don't think it should be up to the the crafters to police the shows, that is what we are paying the promoters to do!
* My work goes from raw wood to finished product right here in my home. I do get upset when I'm told it will be hand crafted only show and then I see market items. If their are going to be market items please let me know. I may choose to do a different show.
* I have complained at shows and then the next year the buy and sell vendor is back and I am not.
* As a vendor, I normally am alone and can’t leave my booth to inspect around me.
* The problem is that many promoters are too "chicken" to tell people who are obviously selling retail to leave the show.
* I would be very wary of "making notes" on other crafters after I set up and handing them over to the promoter. The last thing I need is to have another crafter bad mouthing me because the promoter told them I reported them. I don't know the promoters well enough to trust they would take the responsibility..
* IT IS UP TO YOU TO LET THE EVENT PLANNERS KNOW YOUR IDEAS, YOUR COMPLAINTS AND THAT YOU WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THEIR NEXT ANNUAL EVENT IF THEY WILL NOT CORRECT CERTAIN PROBLEMS.
* It really gets down to whether a Promoter/Jury is serious enough about eradicating Retail items from their Shows and if we, as Crafters/Artists, are committed enough to protecting our hand made Industry. Simply, its going to be more time consuming and theres going to be more effort required from both parties, to make any Show Retail free.
* I am a one person show and don't have time to walk around at shows. However , I have a dozen or so friends that are more than happy to walk the show. They make notes and then find the event organizer and complain about the retail crap at an arts & crafts show.
* I think that the crafters need to complain a little more and that the promoters definitely need to follow by the contracts they issued.
* I love the idea of having the show's participants scanning for imports. That would be great.
* I wholeheartedly agree, however, it shouldn’t be the responsibility of the crafter. I strongly suggest someone who is impartial as mentioned above. I have one promoter who has approached me several times in the past and asked if I would review and monitor items at a particular show. For a discount for my booth space, I have accepted this responsibility.
* know that there are vendors who see whats going on, but feel they have no right to call out another vendor they know is selling crap from the dollar store at 10 times the price.
* info packet include a card that is to be filled out before the show starts with an area to write in suspected resellers.
FALSE ACCUSATIONS AND CLAIMS WILL BE MADE - DO NOT TRUST VENDOR STATEMENTS AS GOSPEL TRUTH - USE THEM AS AN ALERT ONLY THAT YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER
* We make beaded gemstone jewelry and do 100% of the beading as a husband wife team. We have photos of inventory supplies and us in action, receipts as recent as yesterday, and can demonstrate on site (but will not if not required as we prefer to SELL at shows - if we find a slow show where we are not always with customer, we probably won't go back... We can always stay home and make more! ) Yet, multiple times we have been rejected from shows we've done for years - promoters usually just say that 'another jeweler told us you don't make your stuff'. They have all refused to hear a defense, but instead rely wholeheartedly on the false slander. They have washed their hands of us - thereby taking bread out of ours, and probably giving it to an actual retailer....
* Accusers should be asked WHAT items are not hand-made, weather they think or KNOW, and HOW they know. They should be able to tell you what about the item makes it questionable, then YOU should apply that standard after running it past other artists in that category. Ideally, if someone has a booth filled with retail, there would be lists worth of identification methods that they should be able to give you - a 'I just know they didn't make it all' should NOT suffice!
* I design, cut and paint personalized Christmas ornaments, family plagues and yard signs all made from wood....Two times I was turned down because they thought it was resell so I sent (at my expense) items in different stages of completion. I was then excepted into the shows.
* while it's important to keep the quality of shows up, it's equally important not to create witch-hunts...especially if you don't know what you're looking at. We need to do this in a respectful manner and remember that it's people's livelihoods we are potentially effecting.
* I know I make everything, since I am making it all, yet this year I have been juried out of some shows we have done for several years and when I check to see who got in I can plainly see that even the buy & sell got by the jury committee.
Misc Comments:
* AND SOME OF THE CRAFT SHOWS I ATTEND THE HOMEMADE ITEMS ARE JUNK!
* Some comments from promoters are "If I don't have buy/sell I don't have a show."
* some shows that I do will allow only 10% of your items to be wholesale.
* This seems to be what the customers want anyway. Every crafter I know mixes some retail in with their hand crafted pieces anymore.
* We had to ask the promoter at a local annual municipal event to stop referring to us on her hand mike as vendors
* So please consider tempering the advocation that all buy/sell at juried shows must be stopped. This creates disharmony at events where art and buy/sell is allowed. The detail here is that "juried events" can jury in whatever they like, including buy/sell merchandise.
* If China wood is cheaper and similar to the quality of your woodwork, it behooves you to develop some new techniques! Develop new techniques that are envied by others.
Craft Category Specific Tips:
One last warning - being hand-made does not mean the item is not made in China. Many craft retail items from ARE MADE BY HAND, BUT IN CHINA, IN FACTORIES, IN MASS QUANTITY. Verifying items as hand-made is one thing, but if the oil paintings they have stacked on their tables and have even signed are made by them or not is entirely another. Yes, even authentic oil paintings can be bought wholesale unsigned from China - by the truckload preferably even!
STAINED GLASS - Look closely at the way the piece has been foiled. A true crafter will have the foil around their glass match at the joint. We use very sharp blades to ensure that this happens. This makes for an even overlap and a sturdier piece.
STAINED GLASS - It is hard to machine make stained glass items, but these would look too polished, too even, no flaws at all! Some people use plastic instead of glass and the lead/copper lines make unbelievable curves that are not possible if glass is being used. Flaws are impossible on hand made stained glass, in fact most artisans in stained glass can tell from the solder work who made the piece and when.
PHOTOGRAPHY - The photograph must be signed by the photographer/vendor, if it is not - it is suspect. The photo vendor should have the same photo in a variety of sizes and forms - cards, matted prints, matted and framed, etc. When submitting for review and responding to describe items, the Photographer should indicate the variety. Be diligent in looking at quality of the photograph. Mass produced photos have a look to them that you will not see in original art-photography. Ask vendors for website addresses. If they have one, take a few minutes to log on and the validity of the application should be clear after viewing their website. Most photographers that show, have their work on a website someplace - be it their own or on a group photography site. With photographs - if there is a obvious sameness to how was they are matted or framed - look on the front for a signature - and on back to see if there is a label attached identifying the vendor as the photographer.
FUSED / BLOWN GLASS - Jewelry or other - I sign and date the back of all my pieces.
POTTERY - I sign and date the bottom.
HATS - The easiest way to tell if someone's reselling hats is the quantity they have and that they're all pretty much the same size with many of exactly the same style, color and form. Factory hats are also much stiffer than handmade.
PAINTINGS - If you brush your finger across the painting, you should be able to feel the brush strokes , not completely smooth.
TYE-DYE - I can tell fake tie-dye because it is too regular, several shirts of the same pattern and if you look on the inside of the shirt, it's paler than the outside.
RINGS - JEWELRY - the silver rings you see so much of. Ask the vendor if they do it with wax relief and what their process is like, how long it takes to make one, etc. You can tell by their answer if they do not have a clue.
DICHROIC GLASS - There is a product out there called Faux Dichro. I don't know what it is but it is not true dichroic glass. The stuff is "fused" in a conventional oven and of course no real glass would melt at conventional oven temperatures. Dichroic glass is fused in a kiln at 1480 degrees and the whole fusing process takes about 11 hours. The faux product does not have the color brilliance, depth or shine that true dichroic glass has, and of course it is a lot cheaper to make. People are passing this stuff off as real dichroic and it is pretty easy to see the difference especially in the sunlight.
SEWN ITEMS - For sewn items, ask to see an unfinished item and turn the item inside out. It is easy to see if a button is sewn on by hand or machine. Tags are often cut off but the remnants are viseable, stitching may be damaged even if none of the tag remains.
SHAWLS - I certainly wouldn't sell a handwoven hand spun alpaca shawl for less than $125.00....
KNITTING / WEAVING - Simple weaving looks the same whether done by hand or by machine; there are a number of hand-manipulated weave structures that can't be done by an automatic loom, but they can be done by hand, by cheap labor. Knitting is the same way. My thought is, if the woven or knitted shawl, blanket, stole, etc. of "hand spun" (may or may not be) natural fiber yarn is extraordinarily cheap, the odds are the seller didn't make it herself. If the seller can't explain what dyes she / he used, or what weaving pattern that is, might be another indication.
POWDER-COATED METAL - Powder-coated metal is not handcrafted 90% of the time. The facilities for powder coating metal are generally not available to the average artist/crafter.
Soldered non-precious metal is usually not handcrafted unless it's a work of stained glass or wrought iron outdoor art.
They might have only some imported items. These will usually be low-cost items that have a different "look" to them from what the rest of their stuff is.
wooden roses, the chenille puppets, mahogany wood airplanes/cars, recycled plastic woven baskets, of course jewelery that's not hand strung/wrapped (the magnetic stuff is rampant right now), powder coated spinners for the yard, a lot of the wrought iron work, south american imports and the CD's of 'native' music. Oh and Russian imports (nesting dolls/eggs). And how could I ever forget those awful croaking frogs..lol.
View Article in Printable format ->
Rate it! Would your recommend this article to others?
Don't rate articles highly if they aren't GREAT, else the ratings become worthless...
|
w Links