Everyone else's stuff looks better than mine, too. I can see the mistakes
in mine, but strangely, others can't.

"Keith Young" wrote in message
...

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.

Hear, hear!

Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that having others look at your
work is to give an objective eye, so you know how to do better next
time.

For me, each work is an individual creation. If it was just
cookie-cutter production, there would be no point. I'm always looking
to improve. I agree with what the gal said about criticizing your own
work: that smells of false humility. However, I think it's really
cool when someone show a work, then explain what he or she learned from
that piece, and explain what they would do differently next time.
That's a sign of a growing artisan (oops, I used that word... let the
arguments begin!).

Quite honestly, if all turnings had walls exactly 0.0835 thick, with
exactly a 1/e aspect ratio, and perfectly aligned grain, I'd get bored
and go away.

John
Make of Fine Wood Chips and Sawdust

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 08:02:50 -0500, "George" george@least wrote:

Common occurrence, George, be it turning, cabinet work, car repair,
painting a wall, etc...
You KNOW what to look for and focus on that, others see the whole
thing as a completed item..

Everyone else's stuff looks better than mine, too. I can see the mistakes
in mine, but strangely, others can't.

"Keith Young" wrote in message
...

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.





mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

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

I tend to believe there is something out there for everybody.

A few years ago, in the town I live in, there was a guy, actually a close
friend of my family, who made grandfather clocks........lots of them. Most
everybody in town had one and raved about it. "Just beautiful", they said.
Then, I saw one of his clocks one day.........up close! That was the
roughest grandfather clock I had ever seen. Miter joints with mismatched
wood filler. Mill marks and planer marks all over. Cracks along glue
joints. Screw holes with no screws or a broken off stub. And, to top it
all off, a brushed on finish with dust specks and runs. Generally, his
clocks looked like an elementary school wood shop project gone bad. And,
the guy had a 6 month long waiting list for his clocks. Go figure!

Barry




"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

Keith

Your post is one that gives me the impression that you are reaching a point
of frustration in your effort as a turner and marketer. May I offer you a
bit of support by telling you about my experience?!

Personally, I love the items that I turn - I remember almost everyone of
them - probably over 1000. I keep a pretty good record of them by
photographing my work and I personally do all of the work on every piece.
(There are some turners and wood artists that receive help form their
spouses, children or hired hands.) The personal knowledge of every piece is
important to me. I have gone into people's homes who own one of my pieces,
that did not know that I made the item and was able to tell them my
experience in cutting up the tree and making the piece - it added to their
appreciation of the item. I even showed them my signature on the bottom!

I have been fortunate in my endeavor to sell my work by positioning myself
in many charity oriented venues. By doing the charity sales - where I
either donate a piece for the auction and have a sales booth, or have a
piece prominantly displayed in the auction (with my name and contact info),
it can be a way to make my work receive attention from the people who have
the discretionary income to spend on works of art or function. The
charitable events are also fulfilling in that I am using my work and passion
to bless others who may not be as fortunate as me. I have donated pieces to
local benefits for AIDS, Hemophelia, and Children services. In each case,
the pieces have brought a pretty sum and in one case, I am invited every
year to not only offer a piece for auction, but to set up a booth and sell
my work for a fee of 40% to the charity. Heck a gallery wants 50%, so I'll
take the 60% and the contacts among the movers and shakers of the local
economy as potential customers.

Another area to explore is local retailers - there are some retailers who
have high-end clientelle and unique giftware offerings - these places
usually would kill to have a local source for specialty items like lidded
boxes or for custom work - like salad bowls of specific sizes/shapes etc.
These pieces will bring in good prices as well.

Also, get your wife to talk to her friends about your work - you never know
who your wife's friends may know. My biggest fan is a woman who is a friend
of one of my wife's friends - she loves my work and has bought about 50
pieces - she gives them as gifts. She also tells everyone she knows about
my work and how I relate a bit on the life of the tree - where it grew, how
old it was and whether anything significant happened near the tree. Being
from an area where a number of Civil War battles took place, I have come
across some pretty cool stories to relate to the pieces that were cut from
very old trees! By the way, this lady is a prominant member of local
society and her ex-husband was at one time twice as rich as he is now!

So, Keith, be of hearty fortitude and find your way - it may be different
than mine, but it should be one where you find joy in the work and pleasure
in the result!

Happy New Year

Ray Sandusky
Brentwood, TN USA

Keith

Further to your last point about collectors who squirrel work away.
Ignore the bile following my post, wade through the inadequacies some
seem to find with the website and take a look at the site I run for you
collection.
Hopefully you will find something there of interest to you.
Inspiration - would be nice to think so, food for thought - definitely!
Jonathon