Critism it's going to Happen- Response is ok

Anytime that you put yourself out into the world, and try to sell off your wares.... you are open to criticism. That is the scary part. "what if people don't like my stuff? Then they must not like me."

Well, we live in a very critical society. It's definitely going to happen. In art school- you go through these things called "art crits", where the other students give their honest opinion of the work that you just spent 6 weeks making. These are small versions of the "real world" experiences with criticism that come out of the woodwork when you put your name out there. "My 12 year old/sister/ friend can make this for me, where did you get the materials?"  Is a very common comment I receive when I do a public craft fair.

Take time to respond in a way that meaningful to you- well, what on earth does that mean? You can get defensive and reactionary, but it won't teach you anything new. And, usually, this sarcastic quickie comeback, doesn't make any friends. For growth, and bettering your art honing your skills, sometimes, listening to what a client has to say can start a dialog.

So, before you go to your next craft fair, prepare yourself. It's not you- it's them. We are so blessed to receive cheap goods and services. There is no comparing a handmade object to a mass produced item. It is up to you to educate your buyers on what they are actually paying for. How long have you practiced your skills? How long did that thing take you to make it, how do you carefully choose and source your materials, all of these things start a narrative. That's right, they tell your story!

Have your elevator pitch prepared. As soon as you are putting your work out for sale- that might be online, or in a brick in mortar store. Once you have made your product available, be prepared with a positive explanation for what your thing is. Sometimes go into detail on how you made it {barring a few trade secrets, of course ;)}

Creating value, that takes a trick!

Remember, as you are a consumer and evaluating others work... You can choose to treat other artists the way that you would like to be treated. There is power there, and there are choices. You can choose to be an encourager! So Do It!

I feel that there is enough room for everyone in the market. There is room in the market, for as many jewelry artists as there are people that wear jewelry. I'm sure there is room to reach out to those who are new to their craft. If there is a thing that you can offer, do it!