" Mustang 4: Fast Heat" ACEO can be bid on here.Copyright Rita Woodburne
Well, I'm back, fully rested and recovered from the art show last week-end. That show was the second last show I have this year where I actually have to be in attendance and this year proved to be the one where I discover which shows are worthwhile, which ones aren't and what I need to do to better plan and market my art for next year.
Last week-end's show, being only in it's third year, is a show that I felt had potential should they decide to continue it. My only nit would be to really advertise the heck out of it because it's hard to make it a big draw against a family event (Applefest) which has been going on for the past 33 years.
Like all the other shows I've been in over the past year I made a point of listening to what folks (both artists and visitors alike) had to say about my work. Doing that has helped me determine what parts of my art really grab/ appeal to people, where I should be showing my art and how I need to think about marketing as well as pricing my art.
I also made a point of talking to as many people as I could and chatting with the people I knew from the other art fairs throughout the year (again, artists and visitors alike). Talking to folks, or "networking" as the big kahunas call it, is one of the simplest and most effective ways of making sure that people remember you. If you're like me and you fancy yourself as capable of being amusing and/ or charming from time to time, making people laugh doesn't hurt either. Being a jovial artist is much more appealing to folks than being a snobby artist.
On a personal level it really drove home what work I'm really throwing myself into and where my passion for art is coming through, which in case ya' hadn't noticed, is horses. I had my landscapes and florals and wildlife work there as well, and while the wolves garnered quite a bit of attention (they're just wild wookie-woogums to me, so I love them) it was the horses that people "ooh"-ed and "ahh"-ed at. To be perfectly honest, this is something that I've really struggled with over the past year and a half. That is to say that I wasn't sure I wanted to be known as primarily an "equestrian artist"...but y'know what? I love drawing/ painting horses and I reckon I'm not stopping anytime soon because there's just something about them that can't be ignored...any horse person will tell you that. ;)
I'm also happy to say that some of my colour project pieces have sold which tells me that not only are they appealing to me but that others are getting something out of them as well. The only kicker is that I didn't get a picture of two of the pieces before I took them to the shows they were in (it wasn't this week-end's show) so I doubt I'll ever be able to post images of them for others to see. Poop.
So hopefully my run-down of my art show experiences is of use to other artists out there in Blogger-ville. I've still got another show to go and I hope I actually learned something too so next year is a bit more...focused.
Back on Friday!
Last week-end's show, being only in it's third year, is a show that I felt had potential should they decide to continue it. My only nit would be to really advertise the heck out of it because it's hard to make it a big draw against a family event (Applefest) which has been going on for the past 33 years.
Like all the other shows I've been in over the past year I made a point of listening to what folks (both artists and visitors alike) had to say about my work. Doing that has helped me determine what parts of my art really grab/ appeal to people, where I should be showing my art and how I need to think about marketing as well as pricing my art.
I also made a point of talking to as many people as I could and chatting with the people I knew from the other art fairs throughout the year (again, artists and visitors alike). Talking to folks, or "networking" as the big kahunas call it, is one of the simplest and most effective ways of making sure that people remember you. If you're like me and you fancy yourself as capable of being amusing and/ or charming from time to time, making people laugh doesn't hurt either. Being a jovial artist is much more appealing to folks than being a snobby artist.
On a personal level it really drove home what work I'm really throwing myself into and where my passion for art is coming through, which in case ya' hadn't noticed, is horses. I had my landscapes and florals and wildlife work there as well, and while the wolves garnered quite a bit of attention (they're just wild wookie-woogums to me, so I love them) it was the horses that people "ooh"-ed and "ahh"-ed at. To be perfectly honest, this is something that I've really struggled with over the past year and a half. That is to say that I wasn't sure I wanted to be known as primarily an "equestrian artist"...but y'know what? I love drawing/ painting horses and I reckon I'm not stopping anytime soon because there's just something about them that can't be ignored...any horse person will tell you that. ;)
I'm also happy to say that some of my colour project pieces have sold which tells me that not only are they appealing to me but that others are getting something out of them as well. The only kicker is that I didn't get a picture of two of the pieces before I took them to the shows they were in (it wasn't this week-end's show) so I doubt I'll ever be able to post images of them for others to see. Poop.
So hopefully my run-down of my art show experiences is of use to other artists out there in Blogger-ville. I've still got another show to go and I hope I actually learned something too so next year is a bit more...focused.
Back on Friday!
2 comments:
I really enjoying reading peoples run downs of the shows that they do. Its helpful to read about doing certain things, like networking, booth layouts etc...
can you get a photo from the people that bought them if you have the contact details?
I'm hoping I can get a picture of at least one of them because I do have the contact info of the person that bought it.
The other one I don't think I'll be so lucky with. If I see the person again then I'll have to be sure to get their info. It was busy when the piece sold and in my haste I didn't get their info. Another lesson learned.
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