On the plus side, I am feeling 100 billion times better than yesterday, and at least that many times better than Wednesday. My throat is sore, but... it's less like a chain gang mining holes in the back of my mouth and more like all the work is being done by one Australian man.
I hung up artwork yesterday, and... it looks fine. It was challenging - they wanted no additional holes in the walls, and whomever had hung there before must have had some very interesting size and shape differences. So, I worked around that and got creative with my description placards. Hopefully it doesn't look too random.
I've done sales before, lots of times (though usually with at least ONE other artist), and I've done art shows before, but I've never done a First Friday where I was actually THERE. I have no idea what to expect. None. I was fine until yesterday, when it occurred to me that someone MIGHT buy MY originals. Before that, I was fine. A two hour show - I can do that in my sleep - and maybe someone will buy a few coloring books and bookmarks. I use my ninja skills to pass out a bunch of business postcards. I honestly expected to bring back everything I hung until I talked with the owner yesterday and she mentioned putting 'sold' tags on the ones that sold.
I suspect most of my readers have this 'confident, seasoned artist' impression of me, and I do a great deal to convey that - it's called marketing. But in general, my strength is selling OTHER PEOPLE'S art. I'm good at that, I'm secure in that. It's a finely honed skillset. I make amazing prints and have incredibly good customer service skills - in person and in writing. I can make you think it was your idea to take a postcard without so much as batting an eyelash, and I balance 'at your elbow service' with 'let them browse' very well. But it's much, much, much, much easier when you're selling something you don't look at and see every flaw in. I can't prop Ursula's or Rachel's or Selina's work up front, or point out Jennie when someone laughs at Holiday Flambe, not this time.
I'm going to go breath into a paper bag for the five minutes I have available for that and then pinch my cheeks, put in my contacts, and go load up the car.
I can do this, too.
I hung up artwork yesterday, and... it looks fine. It was challenging - they wanted no additional holes in the walls, and whomever had hung there before must have had some very interesting size and shape differences. So, I worked around that and got creative with my description placards. Hopefully it doesn't look too random.
I've done sales before, lots of times (though usually with at least ONE other artist), and I've done art shows before, but I've never done a First Friday where I was actually THERE. I have no idea what to expect. None. I was fine until yesterday, when it occurred to me that someone MIGHT buy MY originals. Before that, I was fine. A two hour show - I can do that in my sleep - and maybe someone will buy a few coloring books and bookmarks. I use my ninja skills to pass out a bunch of business postcards. I honestly expected to bring back everything I hung until I talked with the owner yesterday and she mentioned putting 'sold' tags on the ones that sold.
I suspect most of my readers have this 'confident, seasoned artist' impression of me, and I do a great deal to convey that - it's called marketing. But in general, my strength is selling OTHER PEOPLE'S art. I'm good at that, I'm secure in that. It's a finely honed skillset. I make amazing prints and have incredibly good customer service skills - in person and in writing. I can make you think it was your idea to take a postcard without so much as batting an eyelash, and I balance 'at your elbow service' with 'let them browse' very well. But it's much, much, much, much easier when you're selling something you don't look at and see every flaw in. I can't prop Ursula's or Rachel's or Selina's work up front, or point out Jennie when someone laughs at Holiday Flambe, not this time.
I'm going to go breath into a paper bag for the five minutes I have available for that and then pinch my cheeks, put in my contacts, and go load up the car.
I can do this, too.
Profile
ellenmillion- Ellen Million
- Ellen Million Graphics, Fantasy Art Emporium
Comments
Three cheers for a step towards healthy, too.
And I totally buy the confident, seasoned artist from you. And I'm sure other people there will too. Once it's over, hopefully you'll look back and wonder what you were even nervous about. 8-)
I also had to laugh out loud at your throat workers reference. Have you SEEN Aussie road workers? You must be feeling 100%! :)