Kieth looking at the item that you have on Ebay you are doing work that most
nonturners would think was excellent. Some of the pieces that I take into
work to show my coworkers are pieces that I think tend to be not the best
that I can do but others think are fantastic. I tend to be more critical of
my work this just makes me want to do better work. In the few years that I
have been turning I have seen vast improvment in my work. The more you turn
the better your work will become.

What other turners think of your work is not allways important. What the
customer thinks is.

Steven Raphael
Ithaca MI (U.S.A.)
http://www.geocities.com/steven_raph...turnings1.html
"Keith Young" wrote in message
...
It is with some interest that i have read comments concerning exacting
specifications for turning projects. At least where I live , to have there
work sold in craft council sponsered stores, one has to pass the minimum
specifications. I certainly have no quarrel with that. I also agree with
the writer that said quote " let them tell me what they expect and i will
forfill it." As far as I am concerned, Thats what should be done! However
there are establishments that don,t nescessarily recconize these
standards. And I have no problem with that either. Some of the public like
thick walled vessels and some don,t. etc.
In my opinion there is room for everybody as there should be.
An intereting comment was made to me at the local craft council
establishment a few years back when I was bring in some of my stuff for
jurying. I really didn,t think my projects where that good as i must have
made a derrogatory comment about them. The young lady said to me quote "
never critize your own work " . Interesting comment as i now believe the
answer may very well that there are plenty of others that will do that for
you.

Now comes the crux of the problem. When attending local woodturning club
meeting , I noticed that at all the show and tells that the products, art,
or whatever that were being displayed seemed alot better than mine.It
takes considerable stamina to stand up and display a product that at least
on the surface seems inferior to most others displayed.

One can develop an inferior complex while attending such meetings and
never believe that the things that he,s spending hours on is worth
anything.I must clarify and positively state that no single person there
said anything negative about my stuff but incouragement was not offered
much either.It was at this point I simply asked for the floor and stated
that in over a year attending these meetings I was having a difficult time
getting quality info from the group.It was as the expression goes " like
trying to pull teeth " At that point one of the woodturners ask me to come
to his house and it was then that i saw the beal system.
I have given away maybe a hundred or so projects and finally sold one over
xmas. I currently have one on Ebay Item # 8156335032. Its certainly not
for profit that i have done this but as another step to see if real people
appreciate what one spends many long hour doing.

For example there are collectors that collect art and other thing and
there main pleasure is to place these away from many people and just
admire them themselves.No problem if that what turns them on.

Turning for one self can get very boring at times. Everyone needs
encouragement

Sincerely
Keith