© 2010 BJ Parady
Last week we went to sail on a Tall Ship at Navy Pier in Chicago. We sailed on the Roseway, which spends its winters in St. Croix teaching local children science. The ride was pretty cool.
But while waiting for the ride, I noticed one of the crew members mending the sail. Every job has drudgery.
My drudgery is paperwork. I hate it so much I would rather vacuum then do it–which would be a meaningful statement if you could see the state of my floors right now. But today, the last day of the month, I buckled down and did some. It’s not done, but writing a blog entry is on the list…
Part of what I’m doing is preparing entries for some shows. I haven’t entered many shows in the last couple of years, for various reasons. Moving 250 miles cost me a year in getting my act together. And I’ve gotten more selective over the years in what I will and will not enter.
For instance, there is a major art quilt show that shall not be named that charges what I feel to be an exorbitant entry fee–$75. In addition to this fee, if one is accepted, one has to pay the shipping of one’s art to and fro–which is usually a minimum of $50. For this one gets the prestige of being in the show.
While prestige is good, I am tired of artists bearing the burden of the costs of the show–we’ve already spent the time and money to make the art, when is enough enough?
So I’m picky about what I enter these days, choosing ones that I have a hope of getting into. This limits my exposure, I’m sure. But until (if, when) my bigger pieces start selling, it’s what I can afford to do–financially and psychologically.
Except for Quilt National. I’m considering my entry fee there a donation. Maybe one fine day I’ll have a piece accepted there.
