Networking with other artists

Hi everyone. I am looking for advice on approaching other artists in my area to join with me in a guild. I have found people are very friendly online but sometimes not so open in person. I experienced this in Manchester last week and was disappointed. I started to think there should have been a separate room for people who already knew each other and didn't want to be bothered by newbies / people looking to simply network. I'm trying to build a friendly, little guild here in south Jersey. I am concerned that maybe my approach is to blame for the chilly reception. So how do I invite people to join and share ideas without scaring them off? I know traditionally jams are the best way to get on the same page, but it seems scheduling conflicts continue to sabotage my best efforts. Thanks for any advice.

The is already a guild in South Jersey. They meet near the South Laurel Mt. Holly area if I am not mistaken. Contact Sue from Anytime Any Face for more information.

Is that the Mid-Atlantic Guild? I joined their google group but haven't been able to get to a jam yet. I was hoping to organize a more local guild that would include clowns and magicians, possibly other entertainers. All the groups around me seem at least an hour away. With caring for my family, working a full time job, and developing my business, my time is super limited. Driving 2-3 hours roundtrip for jams or meetings takes a lot of reorganizing my schedule. Thanks for the contact.

I think that is a great idea!. I would love to have a guild or group here in Springfield, Missouri.......Wish you the Best! but if not my "facepainterforumsisters" are FABULOUS!!!
Frenchie the Face Painter

I too got some chilly vibes from a few in Manchester...but by day 3, people were nicer to me and I got a lot of tips from some great artists...I came back so motivated. I would like to get a little group together in N. Jersey to jam...anyone interested?

I've tried to get the clowns in Windsor together and I don't know what the deal is here.... I've been told there's some kind of "history" that no one will elaborate on, but they all see each other as fierce competition and will barely even speak to each other unless they trained the people themselves. I tried having my mentor clown do the asking since she knew more of them more personally than I did, but no one came the one time we tried to organize a 'meeting' to put together a clown alley here. I think some people are just in the wrong frame of mind. By working on stuff together, you raise the bar on quality in your area... by just seeing everyone else as "THEM" you just create bad feelings and nasty talking behind people's backs.

Here is the dealio on guilds-

If there an established guild or group within your state you may seem to be stepping on toes.

I know this is going to sound very harsh, but if you are a newer face painter then an attempt to make up a jam or guild will be seen as threatening. Established painters may see you as trying to learn from them for free, or steal their clients by getting close.

If you can get an established painter in the area to partner up with you and to put their name in the emails, then you may have more success.

People don't want to jam in order to teach - they want to share. If they feel they have nothing to learn from you then they will not come.

Don't get discouraged though I know it's hard to drive the hour or so to the established groups, but for now I suggest that you continue to do so until you have enough local friends to start your own.

Don't push the issue too soon- patience grasshopper, patience

~Heff

that's part of why I was involving my mentor clown in it... she was totally on board, but people here still don't want anything to do with it. Sometimes it seems like I'm the only clown in the city that's doing any training at all (except for Glitterfly at the face painting stuff)... I know some of them have been doing if for 15 years or more, but come on, there's always more to learn and "freshen up" your stuff.

Gina, I wish I could have stayed longer and I am glad you had fun. The photos posted look like I missed lots of fun!

Perry, you know I started my little business in Windsor. It was really odd how "secret squirrel" other clowns were. I didn't really see the whole picture until I moved to New Jersey. When I started in 1991, the internet wasn't as wonderful as it is today. If I wanted to network, I had to call or attend meetings. I tried getting involved with a clown alley in Michigan but it was sometimes a 2-3 hour drive with the border and traffic. I was getting all the training I could, but all stateside except one workshop at the U. When I eventually befriended a new clown in our area, things went wrong. I found my clients being "poached" and sometimes her clowns would just appear at my gigs. It all was so strange.

Heff, I completely understand. I would love to jam with anyone, including more established painters. I just don't feel like they want to give me a chance. Sure, I will ask a couple questions to break the ice. I don't need tutorials from them, I'm just making conversation. Why don't they say, "Hey, show me what you can do,"? Maybe having all newer painters will help with those issues. I've gotten permission from the other groups in my area and so far they have been supportive of my idea. Thanks for your perspective.

Thanks for all of your input. I'd love all the advice I can get about starting a guild.

Hey Flopsie,
Don't get discouraged...it's an uphill battle, but worth the struggle when you reach the summit. The group I'm in is still going through it's growing pains and there always seems to be an issue of questionable ethics to tend to, but I've managed to nestle up close with a handful of the ladies (not literally) and we've become a pretty tight knit bunch with similar goals.

There are a lot of 'veterans' who've been messed over pretty badly by new painters who are out to get as much info as they can only to turn around and bite the hand that fed them. That is the prime reason why we've specified that our group isn't a teaching group...eventually, those who seek only to take fade away as they find that they are expected to give back and that ethics violations = expulsion from the group. In this economy, it's hard to discern a person's true intentions until you get to know them well enough to do so. I'd try to attend the other group's jams just so that you can become familiar with the way things are run as well as gain some acquaintence, then I'd strike out. If we ever wind up at the same convention again, I'd be glad to sit down and jam with you! I didn't get a whole lot of jam time in because of the classes I was taking but maybe next time around I will!
LJ

LJ, I'd love to jam when I see you next time. I love going away for training because most of the time people are so open because whatever they tell or teach you, won't affect their own business. Maybe joining those further away groups will help with any of those kinds of concerns. With forming a local guild, I am really interested in sharing information about business licensing, taxes, and other more general issues that are specific to our local area. I agree, until we get to know one another, there is bound to be trust issues, etc. It does sound like I need to be very careful to get this working properly.

Hi my name is Ladybug and im just starting in face painting. I would like to get together with a group or person to help me get started with good paints, brushes and other needed equipment. I live in the Sheepshead Bay area Brooklyn NY. Thanks

Hi ladybug! I'm not from that area but there are alot of threads on here where people compare the different types of paints and supplies so that you can choose what paints are best to work with while giving less clean-up work for parents. Good luck with everything! You will have fun.

Hi Tanyamaldo119, Thank you so much I'll do that.