SRA

aleacim · #1 2008-02-29, 12:16am

I have a silly question what is the Self Representing Artist thing that I see on peoples profiles. Is it a membership to something? What does it mean?

Anne Elim · #2 2008-02-29, 12:41am

Here you go!

http://www.self-representing-artist.com/

Cindy Ritchie · #3 2008-02-29, 5:06am

Hi,
I also want to join.

I tried to click on the email address to send my information to the correct person, and I get an error message. I did attempt to join over the past summer also and never got a response back. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Judi_B · #4 2008-02-29, 6:03am

Here is the information Melinda provided in another post (post 76 of this thread):

Quote:

Hello, and thank you for your interest in the SRA project. This groups main emphasis is for helping jewelry designers find glasswork made by Self Representing Artists. This group is not for finished items that contain anything other than SRA made components. If you are a Self Representing artist who specialize’s in glass. (melt, grind, cut….etc…)
Please send the following information if you have it to the registration representative listed below. For general information about membership please see link below.

http://www.self-representing-artist.com/

1. Name
2. Studio Name
3. Website Addy
4. Ebay Id
5. Justbeads Id
6. Annealer Boutique Id

Last names beginning with letters
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L please send this to;
bethany@gwaciebeads.com

Last names beginning with letters M, N, O, P, Q, R please send this to;
bgumba@comcast.net

Last names beginning with letters S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z please send to;
jane@biaggiabeads.com

Donations are accepted via paypal at donations@self-representing-artist.com

kittyluv4ever · #5 2008-02-29, 6:43am

I have sent in several e-mails over the past year and never received a response. I know they are doing this voluntarily but I was kinda hoping after a year I would hear something.

gwacie · #6 2008-02-29, 6:44am

Who are you emailing? I am now handling A-L last names so if you were trying to get through on that you can send me a PM or email and I always respond within 2 weeks (usually less).

kittyluv4ever · #7 2008-02-29, 6:59am

Hi gwacie,
I'm not sure it was you (e-mail address doesn't ring a bell) as it's been several months since I sent the last e-mail, I just kinda gave up. I'll pm you with the info. Thanks!

gwacie · #8 2008-02-29, 7:07am

The person who was handling letters A through F left the project without warning (for personal reasons) and did not transition any of the waiting names to us. So anyone who has a last name with A through F that has not heard back from SRA needs to apply again, this time through me (I actually handle A-F and G-L now). As I said, I respond within 2 weeks, usually less. It may slow down a bit around October (slam time) but otherwise I am very efficient.

I know many folks have waited over a year (A-F folks) and I am very sorry for that. I think the project was too much for the previous person who was handling those letters for some reason as I've had quite a bit of clean up and several frustrated people waiting for answers. Again APPLY AGAIN since we have no record of you.

Thanks!

RSimmons · #9 2008-02-29, 7:08am

I've sent in for membership 3 times and never heard a word back, so I gave it up.

Robert

gwacie · #10 2008-02-29, 7:10am

Robert, send it to me and I will forward it to your person.

gwacie · #11 2008-02-29, 7:12am

ALSO be sure you are checking your spam filters for SRA responses (many seem to get spam filtered). AND be sure when you send in your info you have either a LINK to your work or photos of your work/studio attached so the processor doesn't have to dig around and try to prove you are who you say and you melt your own glass. This is the standard request for info I send out when I need more from someone:

*****
In order to qualify for our SRA registration project we must prove that you are a glass artist selling your own glass work and designs, not imports or other artist's work.

Please send the following info:

This info will be listed on our website.
1. Name
2. Studio Name
3. Website Addy
4. Ebay Id
5. Justbeads Id
6. Annealer Boutique Id
7. Etsy Id

Also please either send links to your work online or send up to 3 pictures of your work, a photo of your studio and list any glass organizations you belong to. If your business is just newly getting started it might be easier to wait a few months and apply again to the SRA project once you are more established. What we are looking for is pictorial evidence that you are actually making your own pieces and not importing them or selling from other artists. That's why the need for online verification. We do not judge your style or quality levels, however.

I generally process applications once every week or so once received, fyi. If you have any other questions let me know.

Tancaro · #12 2008-02-29, 6:25pm

I've sent many many emails over the last year too and no response. I had given up. It's been awhile since I sent one and I don't remember there being different people to request depending on the last name. Maybe I'll try again...

framerak · #13 2008-02-29, 6:58pm

For some reason the link on the SRA site to bethany@gwaciebeads.com doesn't work and I get an error message. Gwacie, I sent you an email through LE but can't attach any photos.

gwacie · #14 2008-02-29, 7:01pm

got your email Angela. I will ask the webmaster what's up with the email link. I think I am going to change it to SRA @ gwaciebeads.com to help with my filtering. You can send to that address (remove the spaces)

RSimmons · #15 2008-03-01, 2:46pm

I only have the first 2 things on the list as I'm not involved in e-commerce at the moment. Can I still be an SRA? I make all of my own stuff, just not that much of it.

Robert

gwacie · #16 2008-03-01, 2:51pm

Of course.

framerak · #17 2008-03-01, 3:21pm

Sent you an email with some pics. Hope you get it. Thanks Bethany!

gwacie · #18 2008-03-02, 11:04am

Quick note to let all how have emailed me and posted it here or via PM that I recieved it EXCEPT from Robert. Robert, if you want to apply you need to email the information I PM'd you about to me.

I process them once a week (I let them stack up in batches, otherwise was spending too much time doing them each day so now I do a big load once a week). So don't panic if you don't hear back immediately.

truegem · #19 2008-03-02, 6:10pm

The SRA website does not say to send pictures of one's work. I don't disagree with this, I just think maybe they should mention it, as mentioned above. Or maybe I just didn't see this part of the membership instructions? I looked a few times.

LyndaJ · #20 2008-03-02, 7:35pm

oooh, I had an email for this a while ago (but it's only been recently that my work has been consistent enough to think about it again.)

I'll have to post some studio pictures to my website and I'll pm. Sometime in the next week or so. I don't really sell much right now, But I really stand behind the whole SRA movement. Thank-you for the work Bethany!!

gwacie · #21 2008-03-13, 10:21am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSimmons

I've sent in for membership 3 times and never heard a word back, so I gave it up.

Robert

Just a note to Robert: I spoke to your SRA coordinator (the person that handles the "S" last names) and she has seen nothing from you in the past year. Plus I have not received anything from you (per my recent PM to you about how to handle your application and what to send in). My guess is that you are either not sending things out correctly or you haven't gotten to it. Either way I want you to know that WE are not ignoring you as we cannot process what we do not have.

I don't like the SRA group to get a bad name. Yes there have been a few glitches as will happen with volunteers but overall I think we do a pretty bang up job. I know I do (she said modestly lol). So I am bumping this both for Robert's knowledge and for anyone else, once again, if you want to apply and have any trouble please let me know and I will do what I can to help.

gwacie · #22 2008-03-13, 10:24am

Quote:

Originally Posted by truegem

The SRA website does not say to send pictures of one's work. I don't disagree with this, I just think maybe they should mention it, as mentioned above. Or maybe I just didn't see this part of the membership instructions? I looked a few times.

You are right and I'd like to get this added. Originally SRA project started for Ebay sellers so they could differentiate themselves between mass importers and true self representing artists. So in the beginning we needed to check ebay auctions and voila we could see the work. But the project has expanded and many who apply don't sell on ebay or have websites yet so then we need some sort of visual reference (which makes sense if you think about it as how else would we verify?).

gubnavnania · #23 2008-03-13, 12:55pm

SRA has been very good to me. Overall I only waited about 2 months from the first email I sent to Melinda until getting my number

But I sent them straight away with the link of my beads

framerak · #24 2008-03-13, 9:42pm

I got my number really quickly after sending the info and pictures to Bethany (gwacie). Thanks Bethany!

LaurieBSmith · #25 2008-03-14, 10:04am

OK....

What is the benefit to being on an SRA list, somewhere?

the term self-representing artist has been around for years....so why a list?