Changes....(A Confession)

#1 07-29-2003, 03:21 AM

I've seen several people on this board recommend that you keep certain pieces of your work along the way, just to be able to look back and see how far you've come along the way.

This post is about just one of the many reasons why you should. While in Seattle, I had to eat some shoeleather over the issue :-)

I started carving my santas last May. After selling a few on eBay, I got up the nerve around August to approach the Reasons to Believe Santa Gallery in Kirkland (Seattle) and they were willing to buy my work. Shortly after that, a wholesale collectibles company saw my work there and wanted to do reproductions of some of my work. In short, they contracted for 11 pieces - some of my very earliest work.

The reproductions began shipping this month, and when I got to Seattle, it was my first opportunity to see the finished products.

Blechhhhh!!!! I hated them! The painting was nowhere near my standards, I ranted. Of course, my rantings were much more colorful, blabbing on about artistic integrity and not wanting these reproductions out there at all. How embarrassing to have my name on such poorly painted work. I was truly devastated and embarrassed by them - and announced that I would not allow any more pieces to be sent to them for reproduction.

Forward one week - about to return home to Ohio, I went back to RTB to give and get hugs goodbye. They asked me once again....'Teri, are you SURE you're unhappy with your reproductions?' of COURSE I'm sure!! I picked up the one nearest me and began to look down my snooty, self-righteous nose at it, declaring all the things wrong with it that I would NEVER have done.

'Turn that one over and look at the bottom of it, Teri'......
uh...um....huh? I did. I turned it over. IT was one of my originals they had used to make the reproductions!!! The originals had been shipped back that week. And I was absolutely right - the painting was terrible. But it wasn't the reproduction company that had done such a terrible job....it had been ME, not more than a year ago!!

LOL...boy, they got me good...and will never allow me to live it down for a moment, I'm sure. I could only laugh, shake my humbled head and ask, 'and you BOUGHT this s&*t from me???' LOL

I had no idea how much my work has changed since I started last year...never took the time to look back and see what was happening.

Needless to say, I'm still picking shoe leather out of my teeth :-)

Teri

Colin_Partridge · #2 07-29-2003, 05:28 AM

Teri,
I know exactly how you feel some of my original carvings I think are absolutly pathetic and I dont feel would even make good firewood. I started out carving santa's out of driftwood and used to sell them at Christmas craft shows. Most of them I would sell for $25 or $30 all of them painted and what I belive to be very poor quality I am ashamed to have my signature on them. But you know Teri I still get asked for them more than you would ever believe but I dont think now that I could reproduce one that poorly done. You know we are our own worst critic's wjat we percieve as s*^#&y carvings others adore.
Even today when I complete a carving that I think is sub-standard I very seldom go back and change it or throw it in the burn pile because I have found that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I see you are a night owl by the time of this post I herniated a disk last week moving one of my carvings and cant sleep for the pain to I am up on line or doing bark carvings. You know what I think I will grab a piece of driftwood and try to carve one of those santa's just for a laugh.
Colin

Callynne · #3 07-29-2003, 07:18 AM

Sorry to hear about your back Colin, I hope you heal up very quickly!! And we'll be looking forward to seeing some pictures of this 'wee hours' Santa!
Teri, that's a riot! I'd have loved to have seen you throwing a fit, I can't believe for a second that you did!! Your story is a good lesson for everyone though, the more we carve (or paint), the better we will get, without even realizing it!! Callynne

lorax · #4 07-29-2003, 08:16 AM

I can totally see myself doing something like that. I would have felt 6 inches tall :-[ Poor Terri! I can't paint at all compared to you, so I can imagine the items you didn't like would still blow away most people. I always consider you a Carvingworld success story. I retire in 8 years, and hope to be a full time woodcarver or sculptor, all I have to do is think of you and I know it can be done.

#5 07-29-2003, 11:15 PM

LOL - I had to look UP to see 6 inches!! It was a great laugh, though!

Teri

#6 07-30-2003, 07:48 AM

Teri - you hit the nail on the head. When I started carving in 1993 I signed the bottom of the first one and gave it # 1. I am working on #924 at this time and just for the fun of it I will duplcate a few of my early carvings. I take these to classes when I teach to show what happens when you practice! Big Al

#7 08-01-2003, 02:11 AM

That's a great idea, Al - I shoulda done something like that myself!! I do have my very first carving, but it's been so many years since I did that first dabbling into carving, that I don't count it. When I decided to do it seriously last year, I did start numbering them....but I haven't kept any of them. Shoulda....oughta....will now :-)

And Callynne - you say you can't see me throwing a fit?? LOL, why my 'fit' was more like a low roaring grumbling of many colorful expletives, with alot of self-righteous crap thrown in for good measure. And every poor artist there was forced to listen to it at one time or another during the weekend...and of course, forced to agree with me.

They are all graciously chuckling with (and no doubt, at) me now :

LOL...even the owner of the reproduction company has heard about it (I MUST send her flowers for badmouthing her talented artists!) :-/

Teri

#8 08-01-2003, 10:35 AM

Terri,

Hey, we've all picked shoe leather out of our teeth from time to time...(I've found some humble floss that works great for me).

With regard to reproductions... I don't want to mention names , but I believe that you had the same company in Wisconsin do your work that I sent mine to back in February. The work I sent the owner were all 56 original bottlestoppers used for my first book with Fox Chapel Publishing... The owner called me last week to say that one of her employees threw them all out by mistake... I have been wondering how your experience has been with this person, (assuming it's the same one).

Greg

Kenny_S · #9 08-01-2003, 11:42 AM

Shoe leather ain't so bad, It is when you stick your foot in your nouth all the way up to your hip is when it taste bad. Hmmmm, been there way to many times. can't say what it taste like on the board,eh? :P Did I say that????

Enjoy my friends, I have been called back to the salt mines. At least this time they are paying me what I am worth! :

#10 08-02-2003, 02:47 AM

Wow, Greg - I'm shocked that your pieces could be thrown away by mistake!! Yikes :'(

As for my experience with the reproduction company I'm with (Especially for You), I've had nothing but good experience and information about the company. I know one of the carvers that has been with them for a few years now, and he's also had a great experience with them. They've been very friendly and approachable....and as I've already explained, their artists do a VERY good job of reproducing the work they're given. I've heard alot of horror stories about some other companies, so I really asked around alot before going with this one...and I haven't been disappointed by anything except MY OWN WORK! :-)

Teri