I am a loss as to what to do with trying to get myself registered with them. I have emailed my details about 6 different times now over about a years time and still nothing. Should I just keep trying every few weeks! :(
It did take me a few attempts ... not as many as you though. Keep at it x
When I had not heard, I emailed her and then it happened very quickly.
I had an email saying that that they'd received my application and that she would be passing it on to the appropriate person, about 6months ago so I sent a reply to that recently earlier this month I think. Still nothing, its a shame because I do think that non glassy people find it quite important - I feel unworthy :'(
me too! :'(
When I first joined they added my link to their site but it was wrong, have emailed loads of times to try to get them to correct it over the past three years, its still wrong though. At least I'm in
Jeannie x
I am the same,I recently emailed my details again, as I tried to join the past 2 years....still nothing is it too soon to try again?? I would love to be part of sra :-[ :'(
I just kept emailing I mean I badgered them and finally they relented...apparently there had been a lot going on ...just keep trying you will get there in the end..I am sure of it.. ::)
You can still call yourself a SRA but just not show the logo.
I bet if you showed the "logo" illegally, ::) they would be on your tail quicker than a rat up a drainpipe. ;D
Pretty poor that you have to badger them half to death for this, or is that me being picky?
If it's that hard to be noticed and feel "worthy" then count me out. I'm pretty confident without a logo on any page in the future with my work on it, and so should everyone else.
I shall get my coat
This might be a bit controversial, but I think it's a load of old tosh. Anyone who submits a couple of pictures of their beads and show they've got a torch gets a number. If they've got the right surname, that is, and are on the right list. If not, you can wait for years. The words "We do not judge your style or quality levels, however" just go to say how little it means.
For those that need a title, we're all self-representing artists, regardless of a logo or number, and certainly don't need some sort of validation from an overseas scheme to hold our heads up and say we make things that we're proud of, and that are worth buying.
(Steps down from soapbox)
What she said ;D from some of the sites I have seen sporting this sign I won't be bothered to join
George, those were the intelligent words I was trying to find. You nicked them innit ;D
Okaaaay!! :)
See I hadn't really thought about it like that. I thought when I started torching it would be something worth having, mostly I guess because a lot of lampworkers I admire have the logo and it's been made a big thing of in some ways, people being happy getting it, the blurbs about being a self representing artist etc, though when I think about it , probably more so in the US than here. Now listening to what you're saying, thinking about the fact it doesn't actually do jack, and that I'm pretty fed up contacting them, it's giving me a whole new way of looking at it!
Remember you can call yourelf a SRA because thats what we are anyway :)
Quote from: mizgeorge on January 26, 2012, 10:46:24 PM
This might be a bit controversial, but I think it's a load of old tosh. Anyone who submits a couple of pictures of their beads and show they've got a torch gets a number. If they've got the right surname, that is, and are on the right list. If not, you can wait for years. The words "We do not judge your style or quality levels, however" just go to say how little it means.
For those that need a title, we're all self-representing artists, regardless of a logo or number, and certainly don't need some sort of validation from an overseas scheme to hold our heads up and say we make things that we're proud of, and that are worth buying.
(Steps down from soapbox)
Hooray! ;D
A very good point George indeed, but I do know that some people use it within searches, I just want to maximise the opportunities for people viewing my Etsy shop. I can't pretend not to be a little miffed when some people have managed to get accepted after a relatively short period of time at the torch. I might apply in my old married name and see if I get anywhere and then change it once I'm in ;D ;D ;D said with evil grin on face!
Good Luck with changing anything at a later date, I've been trying for the past two years to get my website entered correctly!
Jeannie x
I agree with George - it's not worth worrying about
I got registered pretty early on - back then, I think the program did have some uses.
Many of us were selling on ebay at the time, which was getting flooded with mass-produced stuff being sold in a very similar way to proper artisan beads. Especially if these people were using stolen photos, it could be hard for buyers to really know when they came across a new seller if they were bonafide or not.
The feedback from many customers was positive and that they did appreciate seeing the logo on an auction page when finding new beadmakers to buy from. There were also lots of buyers who were very new to buying lampwork beads and didn't always know the telltale signs to look out for. Some were getting stung and getting turned off lampwork altogether.
So I think the motives behind the programe, given the time and circumstances in which it was born was a good one.
Things are a little different now though - firstly, less of us sell in the same marketplace as the factory-tat anyway. There are probably less buyers these days, but they are more savvy. Or because of the nature of how we sell now - facebook, twitter, our own sites etc - we are able to have more dialogue with them and show ourselves and who we are more easily. That wasn't so easy on ebay.
So probably the purpose of having a logo and a register is less important these days anyway.
IF... the SRA site was really kept up to date and everyone who applied was processed quickly, it's my belief people would still be in favour of it in general. We are all smart enough to know that a logo means jack really and that we can still call ourselves SRA. But if it were there and the wheels were running smoothly, it would do no harm for anyone and we would all see it as overall a positive thing.
I think the problem is that it has been so haphazardly dealt with over the years, that its stirred up negativity in people. Which I understand totally.
I really think it would still be worth having if they got their act together. But for anyone who cannot get registered, it really doesn't matter these days. We all have so many more ways of connecting with an educating our buyers.
Emma
Quote from: Jeanniegems on January 27, 2012, 10:39:56 AM
Good Luck with changing anything at a later date, I've been trying for the past two years to get my website entered correctly!
Jeannie x
Snap........ ::)