Saturday, May 23, 2009

Make An Impressiv Portfolio Starting at Non-Juried Craft Shows

By Rick Amorey

It's not that easy to get into a juried craft show. In some of the larger and most popular ones, thousands apply but only a few hundred are accepted. Still, that does not mean that you shouldn't get disheartened. If you have belief in your skills, and you hone your craft as often as you can, I have no doubt that you'll eventually get yourself featured in a juried show. Who knows? Maybe you can even win in your respective category.

Until then, however, do not be adamant against joining non-juried shows. They may not draw as much attention, but all you need to join would be a ready set of crafted works and time to call them up and have a booth reserved. Then that's that! You're all set to take on all comers.

But do remember that not all of the non-juried shows are worth going to. Do your research and find feedback regarding the event in the past few years. If you know a fellow craftsperson that says that it's a bad place to show off your stuff, look into it some more so that you are certain. You'd want to be careful, but you wouldn't want to pass up some good opportunities either.

One event that you should attend with great care is the untried and untested craft fairs that are only in their first year. The event organizers in general are going to have a lot on their hands for the first time, and they won't be able to adequately organize their event as much as the more seasoned ones. Simply put, you may just end up as their guinea pig if you go to these kinds of shows. It's not advisable.

So there you have it. Even if you have great confidence in your skills, it is always a good idea to build up your portfolio first. And once you have an impressive array of photographs and booth histories, then you can go on to playing with the big boys. Start building up your portfolio today!

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