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Just Us BearsI must say on ebay I get cheesed of at folks who list awards.I have a few but never mention them in a listing.Oops I am being an old fart again.
I see the point at shows and I sometimes used to display my magazine interviews etc but on ebay it seems to bug me.
One day I must have been feeling off and was going to list my swimming awards and power lifting awards on my bear lsiting!!!How churlish of me!!!I didn't but I do feel like puting non award winning artist under a listing some days.
How weird am I ????
I hope I don't get shot down for having an opinion about this....but if someone can convince me otherwise, I'll humbly stand corrected. 
Reading Nettie's comment in another thread, bought up a 'pet hate' of mine too and I thought it would make an interesting discussion. BTW Nettie...your comment about mentioning the swimming awards etc had me in fits! 
I feel idignant when I see some people claim to be an 'Award Winning Artist'. In my book, these words are very powerful and they should be reserved for those truely deserving of them. I suppose technically, anyone who has won an award could be called an "Award Winning Artist" but to me, it means far more than the odd blue ribbon.
To me, an award winning artist is someone who regularly wins 'Bear of Show' or has won or at least been nominated for a GT or TOBY or similar. I myself have a number of First place ribbons and awards from State and Country shows...but not for a minute would I claim myself to be an 'Award winning Artist'.
It seems to me that every unknown Tom, Dick and Harry on ebay claims to be an 'Award Winning Artists" and it really makes those words meaningless for those who are truely deserving.
However, I see nothing wrong with stating in an ad that a particular bear is an 'Award Winning Bear'....provided it at least got a Blue ribbon! I have seen people advertise an 'Award winning bear...and it only got a second. 
What does everyone else think?
Someone told me once that unless someone selling bears on ebay had "Award winning Artist" written in their ad, Americans are not interested, so I wondered if people add that in..... provided they have won the smallest award?
To me...the Award Winning Artists are generally the ones whose names everyone recognises in the bear industry.
Chrissie...as a collector, what's your take on this??
Upstate New YorkWhat does everyone else think?
Hooray ... I've never won a bear award, so I feel pretty objective, so here goes!
I myself have a number of First place ribbons and awards from State and Country shows...but not for a minute would I claim myself to be an 'Award winning Artist'.
But you are! What's truly deserving to be called Award Winning ... three awards? Ten? Four Golden Teddy's? ... or will two do it? If your work was judged to be worthy of winning a contest, then you ARE an award winning artist. Consider all the bears you made, money you spent, time you invested, effort put forth NOT winning an award.
Your work is marvelous Hayley, and it HAS won awards. Market yourself as what you are ... award winning.
a·ward
n.
Something awarded or granted, as for merit (superior quality or worth).
Back Road BearsHmmm...
Fact is fact. An award is an award.
So both a TOBY winning artist and county fair winning artist claim to be 'Award Winning Artists'.
It means they've both worked hard and been recognized by others as doing excellent work.
A TOBY, GT, etc. artist will usually specify this in their auction listing.
The one thing about seeing 'Award Winning Artist' as an eBay shopper.... means the price will probably go higher than I can afford so I move on!
Hayley, I do see your point but I guess all is fair, or isn't but done anyway, in the game of sales of advertising!!!
Someone had brought up about being a TOBY Nominee and what made you one or didn't. Now there is no gray area there and I can see being peeved about someone calling themselves one just because they submitted an entry.
Just my 3 cents!!
Gatehouse GalleryHayley, I know what you mean...but, as Deb says, where do you draw the line.
What about someone (NOT A TT MEMBER) who has been nominated for a BIG award RECENTLY and you know that it is probably not deserved. Their workmanship is usually c..p, the head is probably twisted (and hidden under a hat) and they have told everyone who'll listen that someone else cuts out the bear, sews it up, stuffs it, makes the clothes, but she stuffs the head and that means she's an 'Artist'.
Even someone who has only won a few blue ribbons may make a bear that appeals more and is made just as well as others with the big name.
'Award winning' is such a generic term and I guess I'd like to think that savvy collectors see thru it and buy what they truly like.
I think what I'm saying is.... you have won awards and your bears may be better than others with supposedly higher awards, so why not use the term?
Dolls N DreamsI don't see anything wrong with it.
I don't view myself as a award winning artist in the bear world.
I hope to be someday.
But I do view myself as one as a Barbie designer. And I do list that
in my auctions and on my website.
I have won 4 1st Place Crystal awards from Barbie Bazaar magazine.
And 4 2nd place ribbons, and I am very proud of that. I have them
displayed in my china hutch and sometimes when my mind is not
working toward a new design the way I want it to.
Or you get caught up into thinking maybe your
not that creative after all, I go and turn my light on in the hutch and see
those shiny crystal awards and I smile and say hey! :)
I also know that sometimes its not fair that a lot of creative artist are never
recognized. So if you are I think it is ok to list it.
Tami, I'd love to see pictures of your Barbie work. Why not post them here?
Dolls N DreamsTami, I'd love to see pictures of your Barbie work. Why not post them here?
Hi
visit my gallery when ya have sometime.
I have just a few of my favorites listed there.
http://www.dollsndreams.com/gallery.html
Wowza! Thanks for sharing! Those are really spectacular.
Dolls N DreamsThanks Shelli
I just love your bear everytime I look at her I smile.
The colors on her are all just beautiful.
She is just a doll!
Just Us BearsHmmm...okay, looks like I'll have to eat humble pie and acknowledge that there is another side to this coin to the one I see. 
I guess technically you could say I am an Award Winning Artist, but I don't feel worthy to call myself that, especially when I know how many truely talented 'greats' there are out there. And Deb, I see your point...where is that line??
Daphne, I can see your point too, and if it sells bears and isn't leading people to believe something that isn't true, then I guess there's no harm done. But I'll have to get used to the idea before adopting that line in my own adverts. 
I guess too, that I think along the lines that Glenys is pointing out...that just because one places 'Award Winning Artist' in ones adverts, doesn't necessarily mean they are wonderful artists and that their workmanship is worthy of such a title. But I guess also like she voiced, we need to give collectors the credit they are owed in judging the quality of a bear themselves.
In the Australian Bear world, there can be any number of First ribbons and seconds in the one section of the comp. So while I may have received a blue....seven other people in the same section may have received a blue as well. Blue simply means you have a score of more than 95 out of 100. Out of all those who get blue...the best is chosen to receive a medallion or rosette as the best in that category, an then again for the best in that whole section. I believe perhaps these awards have more merit towards allowing one to feel confident of calling oneself an 'Award winning Artist'. But once again,that's just my opinion and I certainly don't begrudge anyone who may feel different.
I actually came back to this thread thinking to amend my original post, as after thinking about it for a while, I decided there are possibly a few TT'ers who use these words in their ads, and I really didn't want/intend to offend anyone or raise tempers. But in the meantime you have all jumped in and replied..thanks! I do hope you see this as just a discussion and not me trying to cut anyone down. As I said, I can see the full flip side to the coin now, and I stand corrected, but not totally convinced. Gimme time to chew on it! 
Posts: 8,574oOOOOKKKAYYY. i AM CONFUSED.
SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
Award winning means you won an award. Right?
Not a challange, not a default because no one else entered in the county fair that year, but you won a real award.
Right?
If you got nominated, well that's great, but if you didn't win you can't say you did, and saying you are an award nominated artist sounds a little silly, so you aren't going to do that....
are you?
so here's another way of looking at the folks that say they are award winnng, but nobody in the world has ever heard of them;
they are insecure and they are afraid to let their work stand on its own.
Excuse me a moment, what's that dear?
Oh, the gollies have all gotten together, they brought in my box of ribbons and there are ribbons flying everywhere, they are yealling and screaming and seem to be very excited,
uh oh Patsy just got the glitter tube open, yikes......
Oh.
I get it....
Hey everybody I just won an award:
To Dilu
The Best GollyGoshDarnGolly maker in the Siskiyou National Forest...
hmmm....what do you know....
I'm an award winning golly maker....
but has anything really changed?
you bet it has, I have to clean up the biggest gollygoshdarn mess i've ever seen!!!!
Yuck!!!!
so sincere hugs to those who have won and don't flaunt it,
sincere hugs to those who have really won and want the whole world to know, cu thats ok too
and sincere hugs to those who are sad they haven't won an award
and sincere hugs to those who are just happy to get to play with the big kids.
oh thats me!
Canna Bear PaintHehehe, I see both sides of the argument on this one. There are awards, and then there are AWARDS... but which ones are most important will depend on who you ask. So I don't have a problem with anyone saying they are award-winning if they have, in fact, won something... though I would prefer to know what the award was so I can make my own decision as to how important it is to me. Your 8th-grade swimming medal may mean a lot less to me than your ten TOBY awards.
In the fine artist world, there are artists who make a point to say they are LISTED artists. This sounds so very impressive. What it means in many cases is that they submitted their information to some sort of list somewhere themselves, or submitted their information with a chunk of money attached to be included in some published list of artists' names. There's not even anything stopping someone from starting their own list so they can be listed. Not exactly impressive when you find out the details.
I know I mentioned this on another thread, but a bear artist calling themselves published when they have bought ad space in a magazine is... well... a wee bit misleading, in my opinion.
People are funny folks 
Kelly
If I won a freakin' rock for one of my bears I'd be super stoked. Sure some awards are better and more fancy than others, but they are all awards
Erin, you crack me up!!!!
I've only won in local country shows, but that's all I've ever entered, so I guess I'll just let my buyers be the judge!!!
Denise.
Posts: 8,574Erin,
what exactly is a dingbat? Funny how you hear a word or phrase all your life but don't really know what it means.
If its cute I'll enter that contest with you!
dlu
LuxembearsHayley, I think Daphne is right. You are an award winning artist if you have ..well, won an award.
I struggle a bit with this.
I feel a bit awkward about bragging of awards in my listings , however, I am very proud of the fact that I have won awards...so...what I have done is have an "about the artist" short paragraph at the bottom of my listings, separate from the current item description.
This way it is not in the fore front yet still lets potentional bidders aware of my acheivements.
Also, like Daphne said, it does help in advertising.
In this business you need to promote yourself..tastefully...because no one else will do it for you.
Right now I have alisting on ebay for a bear that is the same design as Narni, who was just nominated for GT. I did include this in the title listing . I think bidders would want to know this. If I were bidding on a bear that had won anaward, I would be very happy to know.
I do agreee with you Hayley. I and put off by too much bragging. If there are way to do it with out being conceited than I am all for it. :clap:
Newcastle, OntarioJudi, I guess you and I think alike. I also have a small paragraph at the bottom of my listing that says a little about my bearmaking life which includes the my awards. I suppose I should do a "Me" page, but I really don't like talking much about myself, so I have resisted thus far. Maybe if I finally get a web page, I will do a Me page, to link it to the site etc. You are also right that if we don't tell people about our accomplishments, no one else will do it, but I think it can certainly be done without a lot of fuss. I used a sub-title on ebay last year when I was nominated for a Golden teddy award - heck, it might be the only time in my life that I get a nomination and I wanted to enjoy it and be able to use if for the short time I was able, to promote my work. I agree that too much fuss about awards, can sometimes have the opposite effect.
Hugs,
Brenda
LuxembearsI used a sub-title on ebay last year when I was nominated for a Golden teddy award - heck, it might be the only time in my life that I get a nomination and I wanted to enjoy it and be able to use if for the short time I was able, to promote my work.
Absolutely! (I think this is my word for the day!)
I agree with you whole heartedly and there is nothing wrong with this. 
I see both sides of this too...one one hand if I was lucky enough to be even nominated for a Golden Teddy or a Toby I would want to shout about it...(though it's down to talent not luck)...and why not...and if I won...I'd be impossible!! So I do think that what's the point of entering if you can't then use the fact that you won to gain something.
However, there are folks that would tag on 'Award winning' if they won second prize in a raffle and that smacks of insecurity to me. If your work is worthy of an award then probably you may not need to say it...it's obvious.
Like I say though...on balance if you win then why not tell people...coz if you don't blow your own trumpet, no-one else will!!!
I see the point if it a proper award like a toby or golden thingy but so many listing have award winning artist in the heading and no mention of what it was.That was what I was referring to.I commend any of you clever enough to get a real award!!
I think my problem is I don't take any of it seriously enough.I feel we make furry wee souls.Some make outstanding furry people some not so hot but they are all furry wee souls.I think it should all be fun and it's all about making people happy.
Even the bestest ever made artistic bear in the universe is a teddy and not a though provoking life changing piece of art like a Renoir or Constable.The fact that our bears make so many people happy is just fab I think.
Sorry I got a bit rambly on the soap box there.
Posts: 8,574Wooohooo!!!!
dilu, queen of the gollydingbats
it fits......
Now something a little more serious,
I have won awards for my quilts....but if I say award winning gollyartist.....it implies I won awards for gollies, but I didn't it was quilts, or Oboe or Piano....I'm still award winning.....hmmmm?
Deceptive?
You bet!!!
But maybe it is how the award winning sellers on e-bay get around it.....It was that spelling bee ribbon they won in 1923.
Posts: 8,574`Of course I have never won an award for my spelling,
but then a queen of the gollydingbats woudn't would she?
moving on....my subjects are demanding dindin....little rascals! whine whine whine.....
Interesting topic. I can see both sides. I can't speak for all collectors here. But since I'm the best collector in the world , I'll give my humble opinion. Honestly, when I see award winning artist in the subject line, it really doesn't cause any reaction because I have no idea what kind of award it is. I think the term is thrown around a lot. Maybe I'm more skeptical than others. Like Dilu said, if I won an award for a spelling bee and I made bears, could I call myself an award winning artist? If the artist says that, I want to know what awards they've won or it's pretty much meaningless.
On the other hand, I think artists should toot their own horn a little and tell us what awards they're won. If you don't tell us, we'll never know. I think artists should be proud of winning awards. Erin, you should be proud if you win a rock. That comment was so funny. Remember, we want to see pictures of it when you win!
I do like knowing about the artist so I think artists should tell about themselves; I think that's part of what makes artist bears different - the fact that you can know so much about the one who designs and makes the bear or golly or other critter. I'm more likely to buy from an artist that I know more about. Of course, that's also why I want so many creations from TTers! I know I've said it before, but stop making great stuff, TTers! My wallet can't keep up with my list! 
Dilu, you're so funny! Queen of the gollydingbats! Are those gollies ever calm or are they always causing trouble?
Just Us BearsThanks for such a great insight into how collectors connect with artists Chrissie. I really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. :hug:
Posts: 8,574Oh Chrissie, they are everywhere and into everything.....somethng dissappears around here and they are the convient scaprgoats....But what usually dissappears is chocolate, and I know who took it.
I appreciated hearing, from a collectors point of view, what you said about a little 'artist' history And I think I will take that to heart when I get something ready for e-bay.....
It is really helpful for us to have folks on line with us who love the teddies but don't make them, it gives us an insight we would never be able to have otherwise.
Thanks Chrissie!!
:hug:
dilu
Posts: 1,153I think I can see the point that was brought up that there are awards and there are awards.
For instance: say I win an award at the local craft show (I DIDN'T, this is just a supposed thingy) and now I decide to put in my auction...Award Winning Artist...to hopefully make people think I am really somebody in the TDYBR world. Ok, now I am a bigga shotta and someone emails me and asks.."just curious, what awards have you won?"
Well, err, ahh, ummm....a ribbon at the Mayberry craft show.
I think I would rather keep my 'awards' to myself, until...I have the REAL award.
Thats my take!
Nanc.......
Erin...some how the bear in your beautiful new avatar, doesn't conjure up the image of earrings to me.
