For a New York potter going to a craft fair in Philadelphia, she expected a good outcome. But the people who came to visit her vendor stand left her shocked and appalled. She said she ended up having a not-so-great day when she was “harassed” by multiple people at the fair.
TikToker Genny (@meanmuggin_ceramics) decided to have a vendor stand for her pottery at a Philadelphia Mother’s Day event. She said she, unfortunately, discovered that the event “wasn’t her audience.” According to her, “Multiple people told me how they felt negatively towards her work,” which surprised her.
So, what happened? First, Genny said a woman approached her and said something shocking to her. The woman told Genny, “The potter over there makes better mugs than you” and then walked to the other potter’s booth. Then, she said a family approached her booth and the mom dropped one of Genny’s mugs. Genny said most people will make this right by respecting the artist and buying the broken mug. The mom and another woman with her paid for the mug and walked away.
However, after the broken mug incident, more drama unfolded. Genny said the mom came back to her stand and got in her face over the fact that Genny wanted her to pay for the mug. She “got in my face,” according to Genny. She also tried to blame the incident on Genny, saying that the mugs were placed too close to the edge of the table. Genny said the woman got in her face and called her a “horrible person.” In the end, she said charging them full retail price was a “bad business practice.”
As Genny explains, this is what she does full-time for her job. Unfortunately, she doesn’t think a lot of people respect that or others in the arts. Genny said this was a “jarring experience” for her that she’s never had to deal with in the past. She tells her audience, “Don’t be a Karen” if you’re going to support artists at a craft fair.
The video immediately sparked reactions online, especially from commenters showing this artist support. Many viewers expressed their outrage toward what she experienced, and a distaste for the interactions she had. One commenter explained, “Markets are not for the weak.” Another artist who must have experienced the same thing said, “I am an artist and I completely get it. People are so rude.” Others encouraged Genny in her trade. One commenter mentioned, “Can we see pictures of your setup at the fair? I bet it was absolutely beautiful and lots of us would like to see it.” Commenters continue to show Genny support.
