a few words about . . . Regretsy

While Regretsy brings me great amusement, the amount of drivel that is featured and then sold hurts my soul a little. Okay, maybe a lot, because I produce and share pieces that are attractive, practiced, and destined to be around for a while.

Besides being a place to highlight the hideous, mundane, unnecessary, it is a great place to mock the deflicted. In fact, it's been condemned as a wickedly mean-spirited place.

Well, it is.

It's also full of unexpected wisdom.

As vangoghbabe was kind enough to remind us all:
“CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!!
DUH!
You construct it, we’re here to criticize it!!”

Yup, I am going to keep those words in mind the next time, and every time, I submit any of my work for anything.

No longer will I weep at the rejection that comes with the words "Work that is merely technically proficient and visually pleasing is not acceptable." I will simply remember that those judges are simply doing the job I asked of them - judging me.

I will be strong in the knowledge that visually pleasing is an end in and of itself for us shallow girls.

Then I will log on to the nearest Regretsy-enabled computer and take out my angsty resentment on the nearest unsuspecting paperclip necklace.

Because deep down, maybe I am a little wicked and mean-spirited.

I will never suck this badly

After reviewing Jacks on Pollack, I realize I will never suck as badly as what is on Regretsy until I try to crochet my own featureless amigurumi monster.

My still life on cardboard now seems merely lame, rather than the totally f'd up I thought it was.

somehow I don't feel better about myself

awwww, look at the dork

and by dork, I mean me, who still has not managed to post Iggy's adventures from two weeks ago, but let a couple people challenge me to post my lamest art to Etsy, and I am on it in record time!


It has been suggested previously that I do not know how to manage my time, but I think the evidence suggests that I just have very skewed ideas about what are worthwhile things to do with my time.


So here it is:

It is linked to a listing in my Etsy site - I tried my best to make as heartfelt and moving a listing as on the kitten amputee painting, but I may have failed. Also, since the Rat Pack is listed for $35,000 (or best offer) and the amputee kitten is $99,000, I think my asking price of $450 is a wicked bargain.

Because I am a stand-up dork, I have not added any of my Etsy groups to my listing and I won't be submitting my own piece of foolishness to Regretsy, because that would be wrong.

P.S. that afternoon sunbleaching effect is hot, isn't it?

Update: 20 minutes later - holy crap y'all, 9 people have looked at this crap!

Regretsy

I sell on Etsy, I think everybody who has been here for more than a few minutes knows that. There's even a link to my little shop over there <---------.



I do not think Etsy is the be-all and end-all of the diy arts market, nor do I think I am particularly diy-ish. Sure, I have the Well-Versed Purse and Iggy, but most of what goes into the Etsy from me are my granny crafts.


I sell most of my kitschy crafts at real-live festivals - both because textiles sell better when you can touch them, and, quite frankly, Etsy is like a giant yard sale. There's oodles of things, of varying quality, and your customer may not take the time to find you.*


I know that Etsy is a giant yard sale, I know that D.A.H. has influenced countless hacks, but I did not realize how pervasive that dark under current of Etsy really was.


Enter Tom Bennett to enlighten me.


He's one of the prolificists over at d'arteboard. You may have hit their link over there <----- as well.
I spend a fair amount of time over there, mostly being intimidated by the huge amount of quality work they, both individually and as a collective, produce every week.


Today, after about a week of stewing in my own ennui, I rolled back over to find this:

Actually the linked listing was for a sculpture of a rat fetus in an Altoids tin, but I know some of my readers read with their kids in the room, so I chose the horror of the brushed fleece poncho. Truly something you would expect to find at a yard sale or church craft bazaar. Also, is she naked under there? *shudder*

And where does this come from? Well, Etsy of Course, by way of Regretsy - a digital homage to all the weird, terrible, and terribly weird that can be found on Etsy.


So, I've got a ridiculously bad still life on cardboard that is just itching to go into my Etsy shop at a ridiculous price, in the hopes that it can swell the ranks of Regretsy. Being recognized for being that bad is a great honour. Is that wrong?



*Yes, I know about Artfire, but I don't produce enough of unique design and quality to move there.

P.S. Thanks to Helen Killer I am now late for work. Stupid lack of self control!