A blog about not fitting in….
A few months ago, I applied to join the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen. I was invited to attend an interview, that happened on Monday, and yesterday I got a rejection email!
I was given less than one weeks notice about the interview that they described as “informal”, but was actually anything but this! I was sat at one end of the table while four of them passed around my work at the other. They all had their poker faces on and I don’t think any of them said anything positive about my jewellery at all!
All of my best work is always already sold, so I took a selection of what I had, and made a photo slideshow of some of my recent commissions, but clearly this wasn’t good enough.
If I’m honest, the whole process was pretty horrible.
The rejection letter said they wanted to see less commissioned work, and more of what I “really enjoy making”, which I find a little strange, as I absolutely LOVE doing commissions, and feel so humbled when a client chooses me to breathe new life into something that’s so precious to them. They seemed unhappy about the fact that most of the pieces I make are because someone has paid me in advance to do so.
Well, I’m afraid that’s what I do! “Rescuing” old jewellery sitting in drawers, turning precious heirloom pieces that will never be worn in their current form, into something that will be loved, cherished and most importantly, “worn” for (hopefully) generations to come.
Perhaps this doesn’t fit in with what they class as proper “craft”?? But hey ho, I’ll be continuing to do what I love! Continuing to add my “signature” to every piece I make. Continuing to make my number one focus to “reuse” precious metals and gemstones, as I very strongly believe that there’s enough of everything already here!
I’ll be continuing to have a small collection of ready to wear pieces available to buy on my website or at exhibitions such as the wonderful one I’ve just done as part of The Severn Sisters.
I’ve never really “fit in”, so I think I’ll continue doing that too!! ;)
What I won’t be doing, is spending time making lots of speculative elaborate, “exhibition” pieces that nobody will actually ever wear or be able to afford, only for them to end up sat at the bottom of one of my own studio drawers before they eventually go in my recycling pot! I like function…beautiful function…but function!
Finally, maybe I’ll change my mind, but at the moment, I don’t think I actually want to be part of any organisation whose title suggests it’s only for crafts”men” anyway.
