Yep, I got a bit of a shock at some of the negativity.
I should point out that I did get some positive comments from unexpected quarters, winning $500 and my division as a maiden starter in the (slightly competitive) local arts & crafts show was not something that anyone in my community would of ever considered.
I only entered it for a giggle and the opportunity to chat with my MIL as a fellow Bohemian type (Doris was unhappy from the start, she new I was entering as a wind up on her mum).
My theory as to why my entering and jagging a prize polarised a small group of my community took a long time to formulate, due to the fact that it took a long time for the good/bad comments to get back to me.
Small town syndrome means that us country types rub shoulders with all types, get to know bucket loads more than urban types ever do because of the lack of opportunities to dodge/ignore people outside of our social position.
As Humans when we have spent years/decades with the “rock solid “ knowledge of where each local sits in our community it can be a bit distressing ( to some) when someone steps out of their box
Only a couple of weeks back a business owner commented that in his opinion, I was the most unlikely resident to “go crafty”.
He had won the division that I jagged just about every year that they had run the festival, he was also my “go to person” as I fumbled my way through my table making.
As it’s about a month before the next Arts & Craft Festival, people are hitting me up with questions like are you entering, are you going to retain your crown, what weirdo rubbish have you got this time and many more positive/negative comments.
It’s a bit like chatting on a company thread here, most people take a position and stick with it.
My only real concern is how do I decide what to enter,
should I go with my more conservative pieces or put in some of the more abstract pieces?
I asked Doris and the kids to pick the 3 bits that they think I should enter and a couple of other people, no bloody help at all it turns out.
They all went for different pieces.
My fault I suppose, over 50 pot plant receptacles I’ve made since the last festival, 6 coffee table/outdoors 1-2 person stools and then there’s the sculpture type thingos ( I should do a count of how many one day
).
PS I’m drifting towards the abstract sculpture pieces
as I’m going to go to the opening night this time and the weird stuff should give me a better chance of a giggle
I still have 3 weeks to decide and I’ll narrow it down to 6 or so then ask for you lot to rate them ( since a few of you lot are partly responsible for my addiction of oiling wood and twisting wire).
