I worked a full day of retail today, plying my wares at the Hearts and Hands Craft Fair at UVic. I did well; I made back my table fee before lunch so the rest was profit. It’s hard work, and always a little crazy-making to put one’s creations out for people to see and while it took a couple of hours I did eventually hear the dreaded phrase, “I could do that.”
During an afternoon lull, I took the time to post on Facebook,
Cheryl offers this free advice: no artist or crafter wants to hear you say, “oh, I could make that!”
One of my friends replied,
“Most obnoxious, disheartening and generally untrue phrase ever.”
Obnoxious hits the nail on the head, though I doubt any of those who said it today intended it to be taken as such. In fact, most people seem to think that the seller is either deaf or unconnected to the goods being sold — like they’re in a craft-filled Costco.
I’m not under any delusions that my crafts are spectacular or unique (though I do think I have finally dialed in the right pricing for the current market) but I did put time, effort and creative thought into making them. I don’t think it’s out of line to expect people to walk a fair distance from my table before saying any of the following:
- “I/my kid/my mom/that ocelot could do that!”
- “Oh, what a great way to use up my scrap yarn!”
- “Hey, I saw something like this in Martha Stewart/Chatelaine/CRAFT/some magazine in my dentist’s office”
- This gives me great ideas for Christmas/Easter/Grandparent’s Day
Don’t worry though, because when people say those things, I know better. I’ve been on the other side of the crafter table, thinking I could do that (and yes, I may have actually uttered the phrase in the past, but hopefully out of earshot) only to be followed up by craft fails and unfinished objects that eventually end up in the trash.
Back to the idea of appreciating the craft, a while back, I found a website (blog?)* of videos like the one below, each showing 5 minutes, real time, of the crafter at work (knitting, cross-stitch, sewing, whatever) with the idea of showing people how much time really goes in to a handmade item.
There was also a great discussion on CRAFT today about how handmade gifts are received which is basically a home version of the “I could do that” mindset from people who just don’t get it.
*I cannot, after many combinations of search terms, find that site again. If you know where it is, please leave it in the comments. Thanks much.
My Mom was a great crafter. People I worked with would order from her. One co-workers’ husband thought Mom’s stuff was so unique that we should do party shows like Tupperware or Pampered Chef. I asked him how fast he thought one little old lady could knit !
My Grandmother was a power-knitter; she could whip up a sweater inside a few days but she never sold what she knit. I don’t know why.
Maybe your co-worker’s husband thought that your Mom’s designs could be marketed, but I still love your retort. đŸ™‚
This is why retail is such a soul crushing experience. You are in charge of your table and like the shoe-throwing guy, you could flip on them. Or, I could wait in ambush with a video camera. Then, jump out and do a surprise interview with the “ICouldDoThat” crafter when they make themselves known.
“What is your experience?”
“Are you confident to continue in light of your Rafia disaster of 2003?”
Oooh, I like the idea of the video ambush, Mike.
I just finish reading a great chapter on making things in David Rakoff’s “Don’t Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems.”
He’s only talking about the joy of working on things obsessively — not creating things to offer for sale but he makes me howl. He opens by wondering if the world can be divided into two groups: people who make things and people who don’t. Then, he revises this:
“Actually, there is a much clearer marker by which to divide the population: between the people who make things, and the people who receive the things we make. Staying up late exploring one’s obsession of the moment is one thing, foisting the product of these obsessions upon friends and loved ones is something else entirely. Giving someone an art project might appear very generous on the surface, but in another sense it’s an act of bullying. More than a store-bought gift, it’s an attempt to curate someone else’s taste. You’re also consigning them to the task of having to take care of your work. It’s a bit like leaving a baby on their doorstep. After the initial amazement at its profound beauty, it simply becomes a liability.”
It goes on from there and includes his description of a visit to the craft department at Martha Stewart Living. Hilarious. But the end point is that there is an invisible power struggle at play. The crafter has the power during the creation and presentation of wares. But the receiver (or in your case, the buyer) has the power once you are done. They can keep it, they can toss it — you have no say or control. I would say, then, that your flippant non-buyers are doning the robes of the super-bully because there you sit surrounded by the physical manifestations of your power and they are freaking out. It’s all bravado, like a dog peeing in the corner except they’ve got no pee at hand so they bark instead.
Heh. I totally get the bullying thing and I have received things that I think, “What the heck am I going to do with this?” but I was not strong-arming anyone to buy what was on that table. I’m actually pretty careful about giving handmade. I know it’s not to everyone’s taste and I have no wish to invite that forced smile of thanks.
Thanks for the reading tip, I may check out that title if I ever make a dent in my to-be-read pile.
Cheryl – was the website with the videos http://thisishandmade.tumblr.com/
Susan
Yes!! That’s it!! Thanks, Susan.
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