Are you worthy?

[Lady_Disdain]

Recently, I was following a conversation about custom work. A very top goldsmith, a true master of the craft, said the following:

"While there is an over-supply of common labor, there is, and always
was, tremendous shortage of goldsmiths who know their way at the
bench. Goldsmiths do not jump at any work offer. It is the client who
has to show that he/she is worthy of goldsmith's time. "

And, no, it was not Leon! But it does show that many top craftspeople do have that sort of view, which I, both as a customer and a would-be metalsmith, abhor.

I am just throwing this out to PS as I am curious to read the reactions.

 

[Circe]

It doesn't actually offend me: if anything, I think I appreciate it as a nice counter to the whipped-dog mentality of "The customer is always right." I think that artisans and craftspeople deserve their self-respect, particularly when they're at the top of their game, and have the practical ability to pick and choose their clients.

I think they should be polite in the course of that process, of course - unlike Leon! - but does somebody like, say, Mark Morrell, who turns away clients with whom he doesn't think he'll mesh, bother me? Not in the slightest.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

But isn't there a middle way, Circe? Sure, "the customer is always right" is not a good philosophy either. I have no problem with a good crafstperson being able to say "I don't think our styles mesh" but that isn't "proving yourself" to them either.

Can't we treat each other as equals in a transaction, which, of course, shouldn't go forward if it isn't good for both parties?

 

[iheartscience]

It doesn't actually offend me: if anything, I think I appreciate it as a nice counter to the whipped-dog mentality of "The customer is always right." I think that artisans and craftspeople deserve their self-respect, particularly when they're at the top of their game, and have the practical ability to pick and choose their clients.

I think they should be polite in the course of that process, of course - unlike Leon! - but does somebody like, say, Mark Morrell, who turns away clients with whom he doesn't think he'll mesh, bother me? Not in the slightest.

Well said and I completely agree.

I used to manage a clothing boutique and part of what I liked about working there was that the owners knew the customer wasn't always right. And one of the owners had actually told a few problem customers over the years not to shop there anymore.

A lot of corporate retail places will bend over backwards to please the most ridiculous and obnoxious customers, and it really does encourage bad behavior among customers. If they know they'll get what you want if they throw a fit, they'll throw a fit every single time! (It's like parenting toddlers! )

 

[iheartscience]

But isn't there a middle way, Circe? Sure, "the customer is always right" is not a good philosophy either. I have no problem with a good crafstperson being able to say "I don't think our styles mesh" but that isn't "proving yourself" to them either.

Can't we treat each other as equals in a transaction, which, of course, shouldn't go forward if it isn't good for both parties?

Not Circe, but if you're a super talented goldsmith with an abundance of business, you're not really on equal footing with a customer. You have the ability to pick and choose who you want to work with, and I don't see a problem with that. (I'm not defending Leon's bad behavior towards customers, though-must make that very clear!)

 

[Circe]

Oh, that's definitely the ideal ... but I think the arrogance is probably just overcompensation in response to a career's worth of customers who think that just because they're writing the checks, they're superior in each and every way.

I do wonder what, exactly, he meant by "proving themselves," though. Like, demonstrating your reasonableness and assuring him you won't ask for 3K worth of gold and 100 man-hours for less than the price of a mass-produced piece? Revealing a working knowledge of the works of Benvenuto Cellini? WHAT?

 

[dragonfly411]

I agree with Circe and Thing2. I think that in the case of craftsmanship and "art" the creator has the right to say yea or nay to a customer. When you think about it, the customer is coming to the designer with ideas of what they want. Those ideas may or may not fit the designer's general style. They may or may not be safe. They may or may not be something that the designer feels comfortable with. The designer may or may not want to do that particular design. I do think that master crafters also want to retain a certain level of creativity with the work they do, and if the piece doesn't meet that creative level then I think they have every right to turn it away.


Edit: Circe, I think that's where proving themselves as customers comes in. Is the design creative enough? Is the customer going into enough detail to make it a unique design? Is the customer reasonable in terms of payment? Is the customer expecting too much in too short a time? Is the customer taking their lifestyle, and the wearability of an item into consideration? etc.

 

[junebug17]

I'm probably not qualified to offer an opinion, I've never had a custom piece made, and probably never will. But I find the wording a bit obnoxious and condescending. A client has to prove him/herself worthy? What exactly does that mean? How does a client go about doing that?

If a potential client comes across as too high-maintenance, demanding, abusive, unrealistic, unreliable etc, then I certainly feel a goldsmith (or any business person) has the right to refuse the job. Some people are just not a good fit for each other. But the wording of that sentence just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[Haven]

This is really interesting.

I wonder if it's really less about a client proving that she is worthy of the goldsmith's time, and more about a client desiring a piece that is unique/creative/challenging enough to truly inspire the artisan to *want* to create it with his hands. If the goldsmith has business enough to be able to picky, I'd imagine that he would exercise his ability to choose to create only those pieces that are really inspiring to him, or worth his time in his eyes.

I'm no artist, but an experience I once had made me wonder if this is what's truly happening, here. I found myself teaching in an uninspiring, and dare I say demoralizing, environment. I also had the good fortune to be in a financial position to walk away from the job. And that's what I did. I joked that "it's hard to eat sh*t when you don't have to" but the truth of the matter wasn't so far off--I was in a position to do my thang, or not, and when the situation wasn't just right for me, I chose not.

I imagine that as an artist, I would have the same attitude toward commissioned pieces--if they really didn't inspire me, or if the work would seem laborious, and if I didn't need the money, I'd probably turn it down.

 

[Gypsy]

I've done a few custom projects and can honestly say that it is a fine line. Some designers appreciate knowledgable clients because they know that when they work their heart out on a piece it will be truly appreciated when it is worn. I love working with people like this, Brian Gavin and Steven Kirsch are two that have this mentality, in my experience. And both have created gorgeous pieces for me. Among other designers. I am looking forward to working with Bridget Durnell on a project in the coming years just because in our communications she's impressed me as being this way as well... though I have not yet had the right project for her.

Then there are the arrogant designers. Who place TOO much value on their worth, I believe. I'm not going to name names. I have posted about my experiences with some of them in passing so it's not a secret either. Would I still recommend them? Yes, their quality of work is usually very good. Would I work with them personally? No. Not unless there was a copyrighted design that one of them had that I could NOT live without.

I understand picking and chosing your clients. But you can do it with class, or you can be an ass. You can charge someone a PITA fee, and qoute them a longer lead time. You can say, "I'd love to work with you, but I'm not comfortable with this current project. Can I recommend someone who I think would be a good fit and maybe you can drop me a line next time you are looking for a different piece?" . Or you can come right out and say, "I'm too good for you." Lots of shades of gray... and then black. You can't come back from black. Not with me anyway.