[MR] RE: Arts competitions

[Michael Houghton]

Howdy!

On Mon, Feb 24, 2003 at 03:41:38PM -0500, David Wendelken wrote:
>
> >
> >All of the comments I'm reading just serve to re-inforce my
> >desire to not have competitions. People are always
> >hurt/offended.
>
> First of all, I believe the majority of people do not have these bad
> experiences.

Unfortunately, you cannot predict when you will be in that minority.
Further, the perception skews the risk/reward balance towards avoidance.
>
> Second, never let the b*stards get you down.

That is often easier said than done.
>
> Come show your work, meet new friends, and share what you know.
> That's lots of fun!

...until someone pokes you in the eye with a sharp stick.

My dear wife was at an event, wearing a dress she had embroidered in
knotwork. Another attendee, identified as a Laurel from <another kingdom>
commented that it was lovely, but such a shame that she did it all in
stem stitch, which, after all, wasn't period. My wife was not sufficiently
quick on her feet to make an appropriate reply (and sufficiently stunned),
such as, "Gee, I didn't know the Bayeux Tapestry was not period. It has
lots of stem stitch all over it." This wasn't even in the context of
a competition, but it had a comparable effect.

No, the problem of unwarranted scathing remarks is not confined to
A&S competition and display.

Granted, showing off your work and talking about it with new friends
is wonderful.
>
> I don't quit driving because someone cuts me off in traffic.
> So why would I quit participating in the arts because I run into someone
> rude?

Because the two activities are not that comparable. Driving is often
a near necessity, forcing one to lear to cope. Entering A&S competitions
is completely optional. Participating in the arts is yet a different
aspect, as one can do that without ever entering a competition or
display.

yours,
Herveus
--
Michael and MJ Houghton   | Herveus d'Ormonde and Megan O'Donnelly
herveus at radix.net         | White Wolf and the Phoenix
Bowie, MD, USA            | Tablet and Inkle bands, and other stuff
                          | http://www.radix.net/~herveus/