secrets and rules
Well, my secret project is now complete and it is… still secret! Maybe you can guess what I have been doing?
Since I am going to Convergence in Albuquerque this summer (hooray!) I decided last year that I would try to weave something for one of the juried shows. I have never entered a juried show and, to be honest, I have no expectation of being selected. However, that was no reason not to take the opportunity to weave something and practice working to a brief and a deadline (which was last Monday for those of us outside the US).
What set me off was the conference subtitle “New Visions: Ancient Paths”, which expresses exactly what I love about handweaving. I settled on the yardage exhibition as my challenge, which has the title “Enchanted” and the following brief:
New Mexico is known as a “Land of Enchantment” — a place where the colors of the earth and the sky, the contrast between the light of day and the dark of night, the beauty of the mesas and the mountain ranges provide opportunities to see and inspiration to create. Because of the unique scenic beauty and the rich cultural history of the state, New Mexicans often describe the phenomenon with a knowing smile and a shrug because they know the land is enchanted.
as well, of course, as a set of technical specifications about length and width. The technical specifications that really challenged me, though, were the photographs.
It has been a longer road than I expected because, after weaving some exploratory samples months ago, I couldn’t make up my mind how — or whether – to proceed. The cloth I have created is quite unlike anything I have made before, although it uses techniques I have played about with on this blog, and I wasn’t even sure that I liked it. Finally, at the last minute, I decided to barge ahead and have been working like crazy through January. I am so glad I did. As soon as the design started to form on the loom I knew I was happy with it, and that carried me through the late night treadling and shuttle-throwing to the excitement of cutting off and finishing. The result is what you might call “striking” and I am delighted with what I have achieved.
I would love to share the photos that I finally managed to get after six hours of mounting frustration and alienating my entire household… but I am scared of the Convergence rules which say — in bold type no less — that the work must not be previously published. To my mind, blog exposure counts as publishing, although I am not sure that I am actually right about this now that I have seen Daryl Lancaster blogging about the creation of her entry and displaying the finished piece here. But Daryl is in a different league from me so I am playing it safe. No point in reducing a one-in-a-million chance to zero, is there? But just as soon as I get that rejection slip, I’ll be back with pics and I will also be able to tell you about my design and how it came about 
Update 1st Feb 2010: Daryl and I have both been in touch with HGA to seek elucidation of the guidelines and we have received interestingly different replies! I have been told that publishing applies to “a publication that has been circulated to a wide audience, such as a magazine or an exhibit catalog” — I guess that “a publication” to HGA means “a print publication” although this is not specified. Daryl, on the other hand, has been told that “blogging is not considered published by anyone’s standards” which is very clear, although rather overstates their case – unless the UK libel laws aren’t “anyone”… [BTW, if you are in the UK and concerned about the impact of the libel laws on science reporting, among other things, do consider signing this petition, but that's another matter.] If that is HGA’s thinking, then to be honest they do seem to be a bit naive about the internet. My blog is a tiny speck compared with some, but already a couple of hundred people have seen this post. The message for Convergence 2010, though, is that blog exposure is allowed. I will give it some thought and get back to you!
“secrets and rules” was posted by Cally on 30 Jan 2010 at http://callybooker.wordpress.com
Sending lots of good wishes for that entry! I’ll bet it is marvelous and you won’t be getting a rejection. So please promise that you will post photos once you know it’s safe….don’t let them get lost in the post-Convergence rush.
After having read this post, I wish to see your textile really badly! I think entering items in competitions even though one thinks that they will be rejected, is a good thing to do – it makes one stretch a bit further, and there is always the chance of succeeding. I’ve just submitted two items for a large Norwegian Artisan exhibition, and am waiting for the rejection letter… But it’s important to keep trying, I wish you good luck and a place in the show!
Wonderful Cally!!
I hope your weaving gets accepted, although of course if it doesn’t we’ll get to see the photos sooner? Well done for getting into Convergence, I heard that the places went within a few days. I don’t suppose I’ll ever have a budget for foreign trips, so am looking forward to you being able to tell us what it’s like!
p.s. I’m sure blog posts are publishing! One of the patent agents I used to work with told me that the Institute of Chartered Patent Agents regarded putting information in an e-mail as publishing due to e-mail being inherently insecure.
Thanks for the good wishes! I have been directed to the FAQ page for the exhibtions where it says:
“Garments and other work shown in magazines or exhibit catalogs are not eligible because they have in fact been published. If the work has been shown at a regional conference or exhibit, but not published, it may be entered. If only a swatch has been published, the finished garment may be entered, of course.”
So possibly blog publication is not a problem since it is neither a magazine nor a catalogue? Have emailed the contact address to ask, but on the whole I’m inclined to think that complete non-publication is preferable.
Interesting you should pick up on the blog publishing and the rules for Convergence Cally, for the Tampa Convergence, when I inquired about this whole publishing issue, I was told that website publishing didn’t count, they were more concerned about national exposure in handweaving or other publications. The dress I had woven last year, intending it for the Convergence fashion show this year, I won’t be able to submit, since Threads Magazine picked it up for their Readers Closet. Blogs bring a whole new meaning to publishing, is every project posted on Weavolution disqualified from entering Convergence? I think a phone call on Monday is in order here!
I know a half dozen bloggers who are painstakingly documenting their entries, so this will be quite an issue if we are all disqualified!
Ergh, nasty prospect! It sounds to me from the guidelines as though they haven’t really thought about blogging, but I do think they should since it has become so widespread. I love seeing what weavers around the world are working on, and it is fascinating for newbies like me to follow the creative process of designing and making an entry for an exhibition, so it would be good to be clear about it.
Oh and Good Luck!
Thanks! You too, although I think your need of luck is vanishingly small!
Oddly enough, I get rejected from more than I get accepted to… But we keep trying because that’s what we do!
oooh! Exciting stuff. You tease.
Hi Cally, Good luck from me as well. I wanted to mention that I had been using photoshop elements 2 for several years. #8 is VERY different and a lot more complicated (at least to my old eyes and brain). So far, everything I have been doing could have been done with my old program.
Good luck with your entry! I think being anon. with your entry is a good idea as well. Am also looking foreward to seeing what it is like though!
Evelyn
Good luck Cally! I’m sure you’re cloth is beautiful and I can’t wait to see it.
As an unbiased observer (cally’s mother) and having seen the fabric, I can tell you that it is stunning. It is one of the best things she has done. Let us hope she does well with it
Cally, I keep my fingers crossed for you. Good luck with your entry. I cannot wait to see it though. It would be good to know how the blogging publication should be seen, published or not.
I’m wishing you luck too! I’m going to Convergence also and hope to see it there.
I had guessed! I have done the same myself!! And I suspect that one or other bloggers have also done the same – either that or there are an awful lot of people around weaving secret projects. And yes I think publishing a blog entry is publishing. Besides if the juror was a reader of blogs, he/she would be able to name the enterer. I look forward to see your photos.
Best of luck to you, Cally! I enjoyed reading about your thought process, even without photos! I also loved seeing your ingenious new cardboard roll for the warp beam. I am completely envious of that pristine, empty room!
I’ll look forward to seeing pictures whenever you post them. I think that’s just as likely to be after Convergence as it is to be any sooner!
Good news Cally, I just got this response from HGA, “Blogging is NOT considered published by anyone’s standards “. So, anything you put here does not affect the entry you send to the HGA. Good luck! If you are planning to attend Convergence, please find me and introduce yourself!
Daryl
Thanks for letting me know – it’s a much less ambiguous response than the one I had! I have added a postscript to my post above.
lots of luck and since blogging’s not considered publishing-go figure-
we want to see !
Cally, I would err on the side of caution if I were you. I certainly do consider blogging as publishing – in a very broad sense. What is the difference between blogging and self-publishing? Blogging is free and easy. My next step is to self-publish – that just takes a bit of money and I’ll reach a smaller audience. But it will give me more of a feeling of completion – at least that’s my theory.
Best of luck with your entry.
Janet
Wow, good luck! And thanks for poting such an interesting issue. I:ve never even gotten a reply from any organization re. blogging over here; I think weavers are just self-policing in NZ. Very interesting.
Another comment Cally – my DIL says quite firmly that in her experience of writing articles for parenting magazines, blogging is considered as publishing. Another voice heard from.
Janet
I wonder if the declaration that blogging is not publishing is a decision made out of convenience, so as not to exclude people who have blogged about their entries? Pubication is to make public – how can making something available on the internet not be publishing? My blog gets around 50-120 hits each day from all around the world, many of whom I do not know and would not otherwise be communicating with.
I agree, Dot. I think it is a combination of convenience on the one hand and naivety about the internet on the other. They clearly want to feature new and original work, as opposed to work which has already been widely seen, but their parameters for what has been “widely seen” don’t really make sense!
My feeling is that HGA – and other organisations – will need to think more deeply about this. Web exposure could be a good draw in some respects: you’ve read the blog, now see the cloth/jacket/etc. But it does clash with the prohibition on print publishing in an era when the two are crossing each other’s boundaries all the time.
oh Cally I am sure it is lovely and HGA is lucky to be able to exhibit your weavings. As for your posting images – as much as I would love to see them NOW, please dont post. There are other competitions and publications that consider blogs as ‘publication’. Once the image is on the internet it is free game and your options are limited.
I hope HGA, and other such organizations, enforce strict guidelines as to what is considered publish and what rights they have to distribute images. If I remember correctly – in the Convergence exhibit areas you are not allowed to take photos so everyone’s creations are secure from interlopers ruining the artists ability to publish at a later date.