Question For Those That do Fairs

[Scrappile]

I love Fairs and attend our local county one almost every year.  Years ago when my Kids were doing sheep in 4H I would spend the whole week there with my kids and the 4H club to help monitor the kids.   I always loved to go through the displays and back then there was a lot to see.  The last couple years I have gone, hadn't been for several years, and what a disappointment.  There are like three things in the wood working category, the art section was a fraction of what it use to be.  Fact all participation of displays was way down.

I've been thinking about it and I think I will enter a couple items next year, not for ribbons or praise, more for support of the fair, it is dying.  I am also going to join the local turner club and I don't know it I will have any luck, but I am going to try to encourage members to do the same.  

Now I get down to my question..  I would like to do come pictures and enter them, I have been reading the categories and I am not sure it a scrolled picture would go in the Wood working section, with the models, chairs, boxes and such or in the art section with the painted, drawn pictures and such.   Does anyone enter their items such as pictures and what category do you use.  Maybe when the time comes the fair people will tell me "where to stick my stuff"!

Just curious and trying to plan ahead.

[Bill WIlson]

This is just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.  I would only enter a scrolled picture in the art section if I created the pattern, as well as did the sawing.  If I just cut someone else's pattern, I would not enter it in the art category.  

A scrolled portrait maybe doesn't fit well in the traditional woodworking category either, but I consider the cutting of someone else's pattern to be a craft.  The difference between art and craft may be subtle and can be debated forever, as everyone has a different perspective.  Both art and craft require skill to do well, but that doesn't make them the same.  That's my take on it.

[Scrappile]

I certainly can not argue your points.  Thanks.  In fact I think you answered for me.  I think I am a good scroller, but I can't make patterns, I can't draw or paint pictures, I can't even carve, so I am not an "artist".

Edited November 15, 2017 by Scrappile

[Lucky2]

Paul, years ago when me and my daughter used to enter items in the fair, the fair people were who decided what section they went in. We stopped entering items years ago, the prize money wasn't even enough to cover material cost. We always won lots of prizes, and we sold a fair amount of the items that we displayed. The selling of the displayed items, was the only thing that made participating worth while. If we had to depend on the prize money, we would lose money by entering.

Len 

[MTCowpoke22]

I've been entering my stuff into a couple of the local fairs for a couple of years now. In one of the county fairs, I'm the only wood worker to enter stuff. It does make me wonder if it's worth it, but the ladies in charge of the open class building keep sweet talking me into doing it again. They are hoping that it'll eventually get others interested enough to display their woodworking as well. At the county fair one town over, there are a few more wood workers and they also do scrolling and turning. They let me exhibit because I'm a former resident and they stuggle to fill the building. At both, neither fair book is really set up for scrolling, but they have a couple of categories that work. I think each has a "wooden wallhanging" category that I use for most fretwork pictures and portraits. And they each have an "Other woodworking" category for whatever doesn't fit elsewhere. As Len says, the prize money isn't much, but for me that isn't the point. It's a way for me to get my name out there and advertise the type of stuff I do. I also hope that I'm promoting woodworking in general. I usually get enough in prize money to buy a piece of pie and a rodeo ticket, which is greatly appreciated. Hope that helps.

Edited November 16, 2017 by MTCowpoke22

[amazingkevin]

as i see it America is not great anymore .