How does a person get invited to an art show at the Smithsonian? Well, for the last 10 years I've been applying to their annual craft show every April, without any luck. I call the application fee my "yearly donation to the Smithsonian". So, how it ended up happening was like this...

The way my business has grown has been interesting. Many of my friends and fellow jewelers do quite well selling their work very close to where they live. I've had a different experience and I'm lucky that I love to travel, because I've had to go all over the US to art and craft shows to sell my work. Huntsville, AL, Salina, KS, Edmonds, WA, San Antonio, TX, Chicago, IL, Philadelphia, PA just to name a few. This past February, I was at an American Craft Council show in Baltimore and two lovely ladies came into my booth raving about my work and saying they were from the Smithsonian. I hardly believed them. Would you? They were talking about a wearable art show they host at the museum that is invite only, like you can't even apply. I'd never heard of it, but I kept the card and contacted them.

Just when I thought all was lost. When I'd been told by other artists that they only select from the artists who do the spring show (you know, the one I have applied to for the last 10 years), they invited me! I got the invite in April and am so excited to be part of the show. In fact, I'm taking the whole family!

If you happen to be in the Washington DC area at the beginning of October, the show is called Smithsonian Craft 2 Wear.