Fine Craft

[Pam B]

Pam B

Guess we all fall into the category of not being considered artists.  I hate being juried into shows and  having to check the “craft” box on the applications.  Although glass blowers seem to be treated with more regard, glass fusers with a bit more interest, Jurors really thumb their noses at stained glass artists.  I began glass fusing to get more interest from the jurors although it worked, it was dumb. Now I just do it for the love of glass and IF I get a prize it is the icing on the cake.

My favorite quote is:

“A man who uses his hands is a workman.

A man who uses his hands and his head is a craftsman

A man who uses his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.”

So I don’t care anymore.  I know in my heart I am an artist and my glass art takes as much or more skill, thought, and creativity than the artists who slaps some paint on a canvas.

Pam

PS.  I am on the jury for one of the largest Fine Art  festivals in Florida (350 exhibiting  artists)  To keep the show diverse we had to cap the number of jewelers accepted.  More than 1/2 of the applicants were jewelers. With a cap of 50 jewelers (which was still too many) only the most creative jewelers with the best presentations were accepted.  To put that in perspective, over 100 jewelers had to be rejected.,  There is a lot of competition out there.