How to Cope With Criticism

These are all well and good things to do in response to criticism - except in certain situations. When I am trying to sell my art at a show, particularly when I've spent perhaps months getting ready for it, the last thing I need is a "critic". Let's say I've spent $300 to have a booth at an art festival. When I am at a show like this, I've paid to be there, and I've probably already passed a panel of jurors to be in the show. I've had my critique. Now I've got to switch from being the artist I was for so many months to being a seller of my art - and that is what I paid my money for, and passed a jury for! I am not there for the "amusement" of some critic who longs to share his "wisdom" with me. Often these "critics" are not artists themselves, have no idea what it takes to be an artist, and couldn't care less anyway. They have various motivations for offering their often loud criticism. Some just like to hear themselves talk. Very, very rarely are they concerned with helping you "improve". More often than not, they hate that you have something they don't - the ability to paint and sell your work, and it is usually their intention to keep you from selling. I am there to SELL, and I am not there to hear anyone's critique. Many times, if you let one of them get started, they will hog your booth space, talking loudly so that they can be sure everyone will hear their opinion and not buy your work. I don't have time for it - I won't tolerate this type of person interfering with potential sales. I have learned to cut them off at the pass through several means:

1. Usually they will ask, "May I offer a bit of criticism?" to which I say "No". If they ask why, I say "because I am busy selling right now."

2. If they are rude enough not to even ask if they can offer criticism, but jump right to it, I simply disagree with them by saying, "No, I wouldn't do it any different." This usually catches them short and they don't quite know what to say and leave.

3. If they are stupid enough to persist, I say, "When I want input, I'll ask for it. This is neither the time nor place, and I hope you'll respect that."

4. If they don't respect that, I simply ignore them and find something to do. I won't look at them, or act like they are even there. Usually I can engage someone else who comes along in a conversation and the person will move along.

5. Only once did I have to get security - and they moved the person along for me when I complained of harrassment when all else above failed. (However, this person was drunk, so he may have moved along under normal circumstances).

Artists cannot afford criticism in certain situations such as described above, where we have invested a lot of time and money and have already passed a jury to be in a show. We don't need one more critic to come along and interefere with the business side of what we do. It's that simple.

Rebecca of MT 9:26PM August 11, 2012