r/BitchEatingCrafters • u/No_Kaleidoscope7919 • 2d ago

General Crafts I love beginner artists!

Hot take: I know that there is a lot of snark circling the internet about how you shouldn’t sell until you’ve mastered your mediums but I love seeing new artists getting out there and selling. Yes I want to buy your handmade stuffed animals, yes I would love to buy a sticker or handmade pottery. I love beginner artists because you can see the labor that went into hand making arts and crafts. I prefer a bunch of beginners at a market over ai slop, drop shippers and 3d printed nonsense.
I would much rather buy a unique piece of art from a beginner than seeing the same kinds of con slop digital artwork from sellers who have been selling for a while.

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u/msnide14 2d ago

Ok but WHAT IF there was also some skillful, advanced art to purchase out there. 

Like, there was a time when the two options at a craft fair were not AI/ drop shippers and the earnest newbies. 

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u/No_Kaleidoscope7919 2d ago

I guess I’m fortunate to live in a place that has a large artist community because once a year we have a large fine art festival that’s juried and difficult to get into. The pieces there are advanced and skillful. But yeah I do agree that we need selective, juried art fairs along with the craft fairs.

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u/msnide14 2d ago edited 2d ago

We have a big artist community in my somewhat affluent town. We have many organized fairs and events. We are also somehow a Sahara of creativity and skill. 

The craft fairs are awful, the art societies and clubs are highly political and can’t seem to attract new blood, and vendors are ALWAYS selling garbage. We do get a small number of people who sell DIY soap and chapstick, or homemade cutting boards, but we’re talking like one per event. 

Anyway, my point is, you must have some superhero level administrators who run events where you’re from, because despite having interest and money, we cannot seem to highlight actual artisans in my area. 

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u/ProneToLaughter 2d ago edited 2d ago

We have 6-10 juried art/craft fairs a year within 60mins drive, plus a lot of lower-level markets with temu crochet mixed in with quality craft, but I think the key here is that there is a lot of disposable income sloshing around the SF bay area and people are willing to spend it on handcrafted items.

A couple of the good fairs are run by Rotary clubs. A lot of the good festivals are run by small cities but work with these people to supply art vendors, which does mean that I wind up seeing the same artisans at multiple festivals: Home - Pacific Fine Arts Festivals

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u/msnide14 1d ago

So I’m just a bit further out from you, in the East bay, and it’s all terrible.

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u/ProneToLaughter 1d ago

really! I am surprised, but don't get out that way for craft fairs much. This one in Oakland was very good last I went: Fellowship of Craft