Just a review of my feelings and comments.
This had been a year with so many up and down. The consisting topic for sales this year is there is no reason why things goes well or bad. The consisting act it was playing catch up with the bills. I personally believe, that this is the first year where I feel I pick up good shows with potential and no regret of the outcome from any of my choices. This is the first year that make certain that I was over prepare for each show. There was no reason to doubt myself if the show went south on me.
I remove myself from Facebook groups and did not review any show because I wanted to see where I was standing at the end of the year and to not see too much negativity. It seems to be a very hard year to many of my friends that started about the same time as me and do not have deep pockets to cover bad shows. It was important to me see other people struggle same as me but even more important see friends with the same problems and learn from them how to keep going.
Let me share what I finally understand but there is no guarantee this may work next year.
Figure out my budget per month and including a savings account. That budget should be the goal set for each show. I need to be part between 24 to 30 shows that have the potential for being good for me. I can aim to the stars but need to be realistic where I am as an art show artist. At slow shows look around at the display of other artists and see that will work for me. This year because I took an advice from friend to print big I realized that my standard tent is to small to display my work properly. Those that means that affect my sales I do not know but want to see my work as I will see at a house. What does that mean for me is to rise the wall 22 inches and eliminate the center wall. I understand that presentation is what you stand out from the rest. I am adjusting my pricing of my items because I need market what I believe is the proper price and have confidence that they will move at that price point because I am as good as the next photographer in next booth we just have different vision in our work. Until this day I had not seen any art show artist doing work that has not been done in the past and is like any other skill job we have some skills better than others but nobody is light years ahead of anyone. Anyone that believe that is just arrogant artist and good for them.
When you apply to show just not apply for applying. Black and white photography specially the one still done in the darkroom it consider to be better. Using film is consider to be better photography. Advance manipulate photography is consider better art. Photography is not consider real fine art. Those are the assumption going in. Jury process is the first step in our industry. Know what shows use this assumptions are shows that wont apply. Yes they tell us that we get different jurors each year but guide line for the shows are the same. The art shows are no different that a gallery. They have an idea what they want at the show. That process I may be not apply to certain shows any more: La Plaza, Winter Park and St Louis Art Fair. This is a honest observation of my work vs what I understand about the show. Still to this moment I am upset with friend that I told this and consider my point that is stupid and childless. This shows had produce a lot of income to people that get in but the key is to get in which it brings back to my observation. I believe that all show started in some place and those shows can become very good for me because I will put the work and effort. At the shows that you are in keep a positive perspective and know that hardest thing is deal with the fact that may not have enough to cover bills if the show does not produce. Regardless what people said we all have that problem.
I am applying to shows that fail in the past. Why I am doing that, well it had been a while since I did them. My work and presentation had improve. I believe that should give them another try if those shows still had good recommendations. I hope to be back at the sows that did well in the last two years and keep improving my work.
The biggest lessons are not to doubt your choices and keep improving your craft and marketing. I personally do not have a big budget to start this adventure and paid as I go. I do not have a spouse to cover the bills when thing go bad. My biggest fear is to be homeless and that is a fear I face with outcome of each show. Some people will understand others will take this wrong way. There political factor that affect the economic environment. There are people at lot republican artists as well as democrats so do not assume things. Being a minority in this country sucks and people wont understand that so why to even bother to explain.
For all these I am grateful for my friends: Adam Egenolf, Thomas Harris, Anita Melling Baldauf, Stephen Baldauf, Mark and Wendy Zoschke, Chad Jerzak, and crazy Tanya Leslie.
Happy Thanksgiving.
January 20 & 21
