Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Art Show

I had my 1st Art Exhibit last weekend.  There was a lot of working leading up to the event that I surprisingly remained calm throughout.  I showed approximately 50 pieces.

Just like during an outside wedding it was pouring raining!!  For a minute there I thought not very many people would attend.  A lot that were invited didn't attend.  However, approximately 70 people showed up and the event was a success.  I answered lots of questions about my work, how it was created, what my inspiration was etc.  People even wanted to buy some of the pieces.  I just wasn't prepared for that. I just wanted people that didn't know to see another side of me.  And for me to see what people thought of my work.

Well a lot they liked.  Of course in situations like that you won't hear negative comments unless something just went terribly wrong with catering or something of that nature.  All that was in tact.  It's wasn't my 1st time throwing a party so I knew what to do as far as that goes.

Now the question is what do I do with the work I produced.  There was definite  interest.  A few times in the same piece.  How do artist handle that?  I have no mentors in this field to go to find out the best way to handle such situations.  So again, I'm on my own to figure it out.  And that I WILL DO!

I think what I'm going to do is to create an auction website.  Several people wanted the Original of the same pieces.  I think when you're a new artist selling your work people tend to want to take advantage of you.  So they hope that you are going to see your work at a low price.  Pricing in itself is a difficult thing to gauge that makes me very uncomfortable.  Another thing I'll just have to get over!  I figured an auction would take some of the pressure off of me and allow bidders to determine how much they really want something, not without considering the minimum price I'd be willing to let things go for.  I still want to make sure it's classy so I won't be doing this on eBaby or anything like that.

That's the other thing...letting go.  I'm so used to painting things and they then become my babies so to speak.  How can I let them go.  Well I practiced by giving a couple of things away.  However, now I have so many in the house that I just can't keep all of them.

Next step, get giclee's, lithographs or something made so I can at least have one for myself of each one then I think I'll be able to let the originals go.

Does anybody out there have any advice on any of the things I rambled about above.  Pricing, Auction sites anything...LOL  I hate this business part of  creating art.  sigh.