Oh, did that get your attention?
It happens to be true, and has a lot to do with what I am going to say to you all.
First off, about Siri.
Got a new IPhone5 after Summerfaire and have been hooking up with Siri a lot.
It is not easy having sex with an inanimate object, as she frequently reminds me, but I plug on. We are in the "getting to know you stage." I see lots of success. I am a very "success" orientated guy.
Anyways, I will keep you up to date with my adventures with Siri. I like a woman who plays hard to get. I figure a Boy Scout, actually Eagle Scout, with 48 merit badges has a reasonably good chance of success. What the hell, who care if she behaves "inanimately" it is the quest that counts.
Jeez! I hope my wife doesn't find out.
OK, now to what this blog is about---SUCCESS!
Both Richard Sherer and Elle have contributed mightily to this fragile subject. Both have given great insights, some humorous (with a serious outlook at life's daily tragedies) and Richard knows stats folks. Pay attention. He may sound "Old School" but he is definitely now.
Now, I will add my two bits.
A SUCCESSFUL ARTIST IS AN ACCUMULATION OF BOTH THEIR ART AND THEIR PERSONAE.
Everybody focuses on making good new art. Getting it out there--and then waiting for the moola to roll in.
It takes more than that.
There is just a whole lot of really good, no make that "great", art out there. You have mucho competition.
What will make you win out is developing a successful persona.
Who you are, and how you present yourself is every bit as important as your art.
Having both, is a major winning combo.
People like to buy from people they like. They rarely will buy from an asshole, who happens to have great work. If you can charm them, they will come back more than once. I am going to Boston Mills this weekend, and I have people who have been buying from me for over 30 years. My styles have changed, but they still buy from me.
This is a people biz. You gotta mingle, you gotta kibbitz.
When I see a guy with a golf cap come in my booth, I ask him about the course, and let slip that I play golf. We have an instant common base.
If they are wearing a tee shirt with the name of a restaurant on it, I comment. Maybe I was to that town, maybe I want to know about the place.
The bottom line is to try to establish a common base, then you can get onto the art part, next.
Try it.
I have been doing it successfully at shows allover the USA for 38 years. It works--and it is sincere.
Trust me, I am a Boy Scout with 48 merit badges.
Comments
Last year I won a show award at Seawall in Portsmouth. The award was presented at the artist dinner Saturday night, and I was surprised and grateful. The next morning, just before setup, I went to browse the show and saw a photographer (large scale prints from film negatives) whose work blew me away. I introduced myself, let him know I was an artist in the show (but did not mention the award) and expressed how much I admired his work.
He looked me dead in the eye and said, "Well, too f***ing bad the judges didn't agree with you. They gave one of the awards to some hack that prints on canvas."
"I'm sorry you feel that way," I said. "I'm that hack you're talking about. And I was about to spend the prize money on your photograph, right there." I turned and walked out.
Nels, Siri says "no glove, no love!"
Those falls -- don't know how you will get there in the dark. Maybe Siri will help you get there. A beautiful place, one of those iconic places, just part of this biz... who cares about the show. Who knows besides artists that there are these beautiful ravines just outside Cleveland and that artists go there and frolic and sell their goods.
BTW. Siri has agreed to meet me tonite, after the wine-tasting at Boston Mills, behind the secret waterfall.
She mentioned something about teaching me how to French-phish.
Do you think I need to gargle some mouthwash? Or maybe a 2003 Napa Cab. One always wants to make a big impression on a first date.
Sales can wait--this is so much more exciting.
Oh Jeez! What if she stands me up, at the falls.
Maybe I should sell much first and then if she is a no-show, I won't be crestfallen.
Any advice. There iis still time.
Love this blog.
Nels -
It was sooo good to see you looking so healthy and happy here in Columbus. Good luck the rest of the summer.
Kathleen, now we know what they mean when we say "the inmates are running the asylum".
The Black Helicopter Squad-the government is coming to get them any day now in their (government) black helicopters. Even this description falls far short of describing this nut job.
By the way the repeat customer thing nearly always applies, but Sherry and I both will be OK if we do not see this looney again.
I agree with you all about maintaining a personable presence in our booth. Most of the time I truly enjoy meeting and getting to know the people who come through. We have great repeat customers who feel more like friends or family when we see them again. Many stop by just to say hello when we're set up. John, sorry about your loss. What is the Black Helicopter squad. I worked in Mental Health for 35 years. Have to say that my success came from the fact that my family "eccentricities" were closer to the patients' than to the staff! HA!
By the way, Sherry's GARMIN GPS was stolen out of her car in our driveway this week. We live in one of those neighborhoods where people do not even lock the doors. Thieves hit four cars in the neighborhood. Thank you crystal meth makers of the world. Anyway, Sherry had named the device Gypsy since they conversed regularly. (Sherry could get lost in a phone booth-if anyone remembers what a phone booth is). Initially, Gypsy did not like me much but she was coming around. We both feel like we have lost a family member. I knew you artist types were not right, however, craziness must be contagious, because living with an artist is making me just as nutty. Fortunately, I live in the South where we are proud of our crazy people. I think I will call this being eccentric. It sounds better. (Probably an old Foxworthy joke in there somewhere)
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