Creative Competition?

[KarolinaMoon]

Hello all.....just thought I'd share my recent experience, and would be interested to hear what you all think. I sell my work in a few different galleries throughout the UK.....as we all know, there are many different artists work in each gallery, I've never even thought about other work as being 'competition'. A (not so close) friend whom I met on a jewellery course recently put her work into a particular art center. This art centre later contacted me via my website to ask if I would be interested in having my work on display there. I think that perhaps they had come across my facebook page via this girls page. Out of politeness, I told my friend that they had been in contact and asked would she mind if I has my work on display there (completely expecting her to be fine with it). She reacted really badly, and said that the reason she had picked this particular outlet was because there were no other silver jewellery on display there. She also said that I was direct competition to her. I didnt want to get into an argument with her, but having helped her out so much over the past year with tips and advise on stone setting etc, it was a bit galling if I am honest.

What do other people think about this? Should I avoid taking up this opportunity?

[medusa]

is your work and hers similar in terms of price point and design? If no, then there is no competition, just variety.

If yes, then there is competition for her I suppose, but since the gallery obviously wants a range of designers there, if not you, then it would be someone else. After all they approached you.

Maybe they realise that her work isn't to the standard they expect and yours is.

[KarolinaMoon]

It would be similar in terms of price range, as for design, she says ours is similar, whereas I would beg to differ. Surely it is up to the gallery what they put in it, and should I be put off by someone worried about competition? Im not sure....
The way I have always seen it, if a customer likes your work they will buy it....as simple as that.

[CJ57]

It's quite unusual for a gallery to just have one jeweller unless they are new so I would imagine they are trying to build up their artists and like your work. She may not like it but that's the way it is I'm afraid. Have they asked you to provide work for normal stock or is it for say an autumn show in which your work will have centre stage above hers. I know it's irrelevant really because as Liz said the gallery have asked you and not the other way round. I'm just curious to know what her problem is.
The new gallery that invited me to show in their opening exhibition brought in another jeweller from my home town that wasn't named in the invite. Our work now sits in separate cases although I'm a bit put out at having their friends ceramic pins in my case and not in the other one! She has ended up without all this highly decorated ceramic 'fun' jewellery in her case and her work gets to speak for itself. Ho hum

[medusa]

It would be similar in terms of price range, as for design, she says ours is similar, whereas I would beg to differ. Surely it is up to the gallery what they put in it, and should I be put off by someone worried about competition? Im not sure....
The way I have always seen it, if a customer likes your work they will buy it....as simple as that.

Strikes me as though the gallery think your work is also distinct from hers and they just want some variety at the same price point. She should get over herself.

<snip> I'm a bit put out at having their friends ceramic pins in my case and not in the other one! She has ended up without all this highly decorated ceramic 'fun' jewellery in her case and her work gets to speak for itself. Ho hum

That does seem a bit unfair. Maybe the 'fun' stuff will get folks looking at your work who might not otherwise look? silver linings etc?

[CJ57]

No Liz first time gallery owners, she's in PR and they have a vision for a high end gallery but no idea about craft. Their gallery is full of friends and relation work and the potters real work is spread all over the place she just didn't know what to do with the badges so she stuck them on the top shelf of mine, there are a lot and difficult to display so it's a bit of a distraction especially when they are also really cheap and in a bespoke case. Ho hum

[EmmaC]

I'd have thought a decent friend, or someone you'd helped out, would be happy for you? Or maybe that's just me!

If she's worried about competition she needs to get over herself because it is competitive out there, and it will only get worse. When I started with beads 20 or so years ago there were no magazines about jewellery making in the newsagents, supplies were expensive and harder to get, no 24hr TV channels selling supplies, it was an unusual hobby that was really a bit special. All that's changed now, lots of people do it and more than ever people are urged to sell what they make, so they will approach anywhere. As has been pointed out above if it's not your jewellery someone else will have theirs in there. Please don't lose out if you think it's a good opportunity for you because it's someone else's issue, not yours, they asked you so they must feel they can sell your work

[caroleallen]

The way I look at it is, the more choice, the more people will be attracted to the shop. It's a win,win.

[Lucie]

If you say no, they'll probably only ask someone else. They might have even approached half a dozen folk already if they're trying to attract more customers into the gallery?
At the end of the day more customers would benefit both of you.
About 10 years ago now, I approached a local photographer to see if he would be interested in some reciprocal advertising.
His attitude was "well if someone has £100 in their pocket, they'll only spend it on one of us, so why would I help you".
Some folk are REALLY short sighted.

[KarolinaMoon]

I'd have thought a decent friend, or someone you'd helped out, would be happy for you? Or maybe that's just me!

If she's worried about competition she needs to get over herself because it is competitive out there, and it will only get worse. When I started with beads 20 or so years ago there were no magazines about jewellery making in the newsagents, supplies were expensive and harder to get, no 24hr TV channels selling supplies, it was an unusual hobby that was really a bit special. All that's changed now, lots of people do it and more than ever people are urged to sell what they make, so they will approach anywhere. As has been pointed out above if it's not your jewellery someone else will have theirs in there. Please don't lose out if you think it's a good opportunity for you because it's someone else's issue, not yours, they asked you so they must feel they can sell your work

Exactly what I was thinking....I thought she was being rather unrealistic and perhaps rather naive to think that hers will be the only work at the art centre. They are clearly looking for a range of work. I didn't expect her reaction to be so unsupportive and negative, and if anything it has been very revealing. I don't mind helping anyone out with advise, and help on technique etc.....but when someone is all about take and no give then it does become rather draining. I think to turn down the opportunity would be a shame too, they are even willing to wait a few weeks while I build up my stock and even mentioned that she has spotted some things she would like herself for presents. The more I go along my journey in the jewellery world....the more I am seeing how competitive it really is...or rather, how competitive people seem to make it. I don't think it has to be that way. Even if two artists have a similar style, I find that no two people ever will make the same piece the same way....we are all unique and that shows through in our work.