Who has the right to know.

Greyangel said:
"My own opinion on people in general is
such that I don't believe more than one individual in in a hundred has the
commitment to put knowlege to the workbench and true craftsmen by nature are
statistically few and far between. "

Dear Greyangel- this sentence says it all. I have always shared my
techniques with anyone who wanted to learn.If anyone wants to take that
knowledge and compete with me, go right ahead. The only threat to my
livelihood is me.
If they are willing to work 6 days a week at a regular job, stay up half the
night making jewelry, living on 4 hours of sleep, join the club. Why do I do
it? When I'm making a necklace it's the only part of the day that I own
100%. I am totally engrossed in the project . I feel like it's the only time
I am doing what I was meant to do, whether or not it is a financial success.
I feel successful just by the act of making it.

Having said that, people who choose not to share their knowledge for free
are entitled to do so. Most other professions don't share knowledge without
a fee and artists are often shortchanged in terms of perceived value as it
is. It's funny when I hear customers at my artist's co-op looking at a piece
and saying "How did the DO that?"
If that element helps a piece to sell faster at a higher price, good for the
artist.

--
Knitted Wire Treasure Necklaces
Created with knitted copper wire, found objects and beads.
Most sell for less than $60.
http://www.stores.ebay.com/treasurenecklaces

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "B Becker"
:

]I have always shared my
]techniques with anyone who wanted to learn.If anyone wants to take that
]knowledge and compete with me, go right ahead. The only threat to my
]livelihood is me.

indeed. and it generally means that i've got to do something to stay 'ahead
of the curve'.

] It's funny when I hear customers at my artist's co-op looking at a piece
]and saying "How did the DO that?"
]If that element helps a piece to sell faster at a higher price, good for the
]artist.

i seem to spend 3/4 of my sales time explaining how things are done. to
people at the bank, the post office, the grocery store, the art fair -
where ever someone comments on the latest piece i'm wearing - whatever.
ESPECIALLY when someone says, "well, it's plated, right?" "WRONG!"

whether it's lampworking, casting, whatever. the more i can educate people
regarding processes as i go, the more they appreciate what they are seeing.
at least, i hope!

i've taken on two 'assistants' . . . sort of . . . not only are they
learning as fast as they can, but because we can bounce ideas off of each
other -- we all wind up with new products and ideas.

every class i teach free at the rock/gem club - i learn as much as i teach.


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
-----------
vj -- pounds metal, mother of three "Js", lives in Paradise,*
and is generally considered a smarta$$.
Yahoo ID: *vjean95967

"vj" wrote in message
...
vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "B Becker"
:

]I have always shared my
]techniques with anyone who wanted to learn.If anyone wants to take that
]knowledge and compete with me, go right ahead. The only threat to my
]livelihood is me.

indeed. and it generally means that i've got to do something to stay
'ahead
of the curve'.

If you weren't doing something new all the time it would not be art. Still,
if you teach 20 people how to do something and they teach 20 and so on, you
still are not likely to hit market saturation any time soon. There are a
lot more people buying jewelry than that. In fact people will tend to buy
what they have already admired at another time. Familiarity IS a marketing
stratagy. Totally new will sell to some folks but "my
sister/brother/friend/etc had one of those and it was so cool" will sell to
a greater crowd. The only real danger to the craftsman/artist is mass
produced reproductions and some things are just not that easy to mass
produce. By that time you probably started looking for something new out of
boredom anyway.


] It's funny when I hear customers at my artist's co-op looking at a piece
]and saying "How did the DO that?"
]If that element helps a piece to sell faster at a higher price, good for
the
]artist.

i seem to spend 3/4 of my sales time explaining how things are done. to
people at the bank, the post office, the grocery store, the art fair -
where ever someone comments on the latest piece i'm wearing - whatever.
ESPECIALLY when someone says, "well, it's plated, right?" "WRONG!"

whether it's lampworking, casting, whatever. the more i can educate
people
regarding processes as i go, the more they appreciate what they are
seeing.
at least, i hope!

i've taken on two 'assistants' . . . sort of . . . not only are they
learning as fast as they can, but because we can bounce ideas off of each
other -- we all wind up with new products and ideas.
every class i teach free at the rock/gem club - i learn as much as i
teach.

And THAT is the beauty of free association and the sharing of knowlege. Our
society wasn't built on ignorance but the development and evolution of
knowlege... Then again, maybe we've go too far... ;-)

GA

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "Greyangel"
:

]The only real danger to the craftsman/artist is mass
]produced reproductions and some things are just not that easy to mass
]produce. By that time you probably started looking for something new out of
]boredom anyway.

**sigh**
tell me about it!

i have major ADD problems to start with.

--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
-----------
vj -- pounds metal, mother of three "Js", lives in Paradise,*
and is generally considered a smarta$$.
Yahoo ID: *vjean95967

vj found this in rec.crafts.jewelry, from "Greyangel"
:

]And THAT is the beauty of free association and the sharing of knowlege. Our
]society wasn't built on ignorance but the development and evolution of
]knowlege... Then again, maybe we've go too far... ;-)

**grin**
you wouldn't believe what we're coming up with from magnolia trees!

and it's a bit disconcerting to 'the master'.


--
@vicki [SnuggleWench]
(Books) http://www.booksnbytes.com
(Jewelry) http://www.vickijean.com
(Metalsmithing) http://www.snugglewench.com
[it's a Callahan's thing]
-----------
vj -- pounds metal, mother of three "Js", lives in Paradise,*
and is generally considered a smarta$$.
Yahoo ID: *vjean95967