One of the recurrent themes running through the pages of Crop Circle Wisdom is that of ‘amateur’ and ‘professional’ circle makers. It has inspired such headlines as ‘amateurs rejoicing as their art work receives attention’, ‘now the amateurs are having a go!’ and ‘Wiltshire will become a target by newbie amateurs’. Reading these attention grabbers you may think there is something to them, but things are very different.
By definition, a professional is someone who gets paid for their work. In this respect, and on the rare occasions they are putting down commissioned, paid-for work, a circle maker will be a professional. For the rest of the time these same people, if they choose to make a non-commissioned crop circle, will be working on an amateur basis — they won’t be getting paid for their creations.
This can be put into perspective with two circles. The first was made in 2016, for Audi, by a hired team of circle makers:
Audi commission by Julian Richardson, 2016.
Now, here’s the 2017 crop circle at Cley Hill, which to the best of The Croppie‘s knowledge was not commissioned:
Photograph by Steve Alexander / Temporary Temples
So, the Audi formation was made by someone on a professional basis. Its counterpart at Cley Hill was produced by someone working on an amateur basis. If you believe Crop Circle Wisdom, both were allegedly put into the fields by the same individual.
(Perhaps Crop Circle Wisdom may feel ‘professional’ and ‘amateur’ are terms that should be given to a circle maker based upon the overall quality of their work, but it is a tag that doesn’t really stick. The Croppie hears a lot of talk, gossip, innuendo and, occasionally, facts. From time to time the most experienced, best circle makers have had the tag of ‘amateur’ slapped upon them. Likewise, less experienced circle makers have seen their work spoken of very highly at Crop Circle Wisdom.)
So, when it comes to covert circle making, there are no professionals. Only amateurs.
Lead image: Photograph by Mr Gyro, showing the 2016 crop circle at Ansty. If what The Croppie hears is correct, it was put down by unpaid circle makers on behalf of Mothership Glass. Amateurs!
