We've all had people come into our booths and even if we greet them, they act like we're not there. They continue to talk to their friends, talk on the phone, whatever! What is the worst thing that someone has said within earshot that they didn't expect to be heard. I'm not talking about the "I could do that" or "why would I buy that" kind of comments. But the things people say when they think they're alone.
I was next to a friend at a craft show - my friend makes upcycled/recycled garden art from silverware, china, bottles, you name it. A young mother was walking past with her son. He points to an inverted wine bottle that was made into a hummingbird feeder and says "Mom, we should get that for Dad. He would like that." To which mom replies "Your father likes anything that comes in a bottle."
Needless to say, my friend and I cracked up and the mother looked surprised that she had an audience.
Let's hear what you've got!
Megan
Replies
This past weekend, looking at my signed digital collages:
"No, of course she didn't do all this stuff. She's just the show director."
I have a little basket at the back of my booth with cards&envelopes with my images on them. Not big sellers, but they pay for dinner. A couple of weeks ago 2 women noticed them and one said to the other, "Look! You could sell your cards and get to be a millionaire!" (Lips, don't unpurse!!)
So, how many of us on AFI do you suppose have become millionaires as artists? :)
“Look at this. I sorta like it. Sorta. Well, maybe a little. How ‘bout you? Do you like it? ”
Reply:
“ Sorta. Maybe. Nah, not really.”
I hear some variation on this almost every weekend.
And from just this last weekend: a woman about my age, with two younger friends or possibly adult daughters. She approaches my largest case: only about two feet away from me, which has my best and most dramatic pieces. We are talking about a group of pendants between 1 and 2 inches long. She says to them, “Oh, look at the clunkers. ” She goes on to draw each woman’s attention to them, saying, “Look here, look at the clunkers. Look at these big clunkers.” She is RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Sure, some in that case are big: but CLUNKERS?!. She then walks around my booth, using the word clunkers at least 4 more times. She says, “I like tiny, delicate things. Tiny, tiny, tiny,” with an air of tremendous authority. “That,” she says, pointing to a pendant about ½”, “is almost small enough for me. Almost. If it were half that size, it would be even better.” I think to myself, but of course say nothing, “Even that ½” long pendant is dwarfed by the immense ego you have and would be lost against that bosom. A 4” inch long pendant would be more in keeping with your scale. No, 6.”
The daughters just nodded and just said, “oh, yes, I see...,” repeatedly. I was surprised they didn’t melt away in shame.
How about this weekend in Royal Oak:
One woman says to her friend in a very knowing voice about my copper/enamel work:
"She is using that necrotic glass." I just stared, blinking rapidly trying not to burst out laughing or crying.
One of my personal favorites-
Last summer, three woman walking by my booth, discussing the political and financial crises, one turns to the other two, and I swear, said
" Maybe if all these UNEMPLOYED artists would put their time and energy to finding jobs, and actually contributing to society, the economy would pick up."
A few minutes later, into my booth they came. When purchase time came, I included my card, with studio hours and info. "Your local?" was the question, to which I replied "yes, local and SELF EMPLOYED, doing my part to contribute to society by paying my taxes and support my LOCAL economy." Two understood that they had been overheard and turned beet red, the third didn't get it and said "Great- a business owner, how do you hang out with all these artsy types?" She was totally clueless and rude! As I was gearing up to read her the riot act, her two friends decided they would be better off to beat a hasty retreat. As they left my booth I replied that
"I and 99.9 % percent of those Artsy types are Business owners and obviously contribute far more to society than you yourself do!"
Don't think I'l be getting repeat business from them...but sometimes I just can't NOT say something when faced with total idiocy, rudeness and snobbery!
We were at a show a few years ago, some customers had just left the booth when another woman came in and said, "Oh good, you have a mirror". She then proceeded to place her HUGE purse in the middle of our booth, spent 20 minutes fluffing her hair including spraying hair spray, freshening her make up, spraying perfume, etc.
We were dumbfounded, had no idea how long it would take, not sure how to react or what to say, etc. Meanwhile we were watching people walk by, look in and just keep going.
Her husband came in and tried to prompt her to move on, he even said she was probably interrupting our business, to which she replied, "well, there's no one else in the booth and they aren't selling anything, anyways and if we're going to have pictures taken to put on the coffee cup for Grandma, I want to look goo" Grrr, of course we weren't selling, who wants to walk into a cloud of hairspray and perfume???
At that point I pulled out our glass cleaner and started cleaning our glass cases, mirrors, etc.
I would have probably said, to breastfeeding, grooming and diaper changing...excuse me, this is my rented BUSINESS booth space- if you need to use the faclities, they are over...... and pointed them out. If someone objected I would tell them this isn't a rest room, it's a business and that they need to move on, or pay me for the use of my tent.
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