Sunday, May 27, 2007

Top of the South Arts Expo

That's where I'm going to be for the next three days - at the Maitai Room of the Rutherford Hotel in town. I signed up for it back in January, got on their E-Catalogue, (PDF download link under "How It Will Work"), but there weren't enough gallery interest, so I was out, until after Easter, when Sue and I were told there were late responses and we qualified. Well, great; then, I just went my merry way, while Sue toiled and troubled over business cards, photographs, a portfolio and a resume.

It was only yesterday morning I realized this is going to be like a mini-trade show, and no wonder other artists have been thinking, planning, and spending money on rigging and lighting and such!!! So I got a bit worried, and this weekend, I put my label on every piece I have, wrote a tiny brochure (A4/letter-size-folded-in-3-type) with some recommended retail prices and photos, and, (this is the most pathetic part), I rang Jay at the Red and asked if I could borrow a couple of pieces for three days because I didn't have enough cashmere scarves with me, and I didn't have time to whip them up.

But then I am the artist who finished her last piece after her first day of exhibition, so I'm almost proud of procrastination/recovery skills.

It'll be exciting to take part in the Expo, even though I've got appointments with only two galleries/shops. Weaving in general is not the most popular art form, so I'll just cruise along and learn from other artists.

I've got a huge project, a proposal for which is due Friday, and have accumulated over a dozen half-finished draft posts, too, so I'm thinking and working, but it might be later in the week before I can sit down and report back.

My E-Catalogue entry says I started exhibiting and selling in 2004, but that's wrong. I've been doing this seriously since August 2005 for the Wellington exhibit; now I know this as one of the benefits of having to write up a very short resume on the back of the folded brochure.

2 comments:

  1. meg, meg, meg ... you and I must be soul-sisters-of-procrastination. I am trying to recover too. Hmmm,, you are at the expo now and I wish you tons of luck - even if you don't have tons of interest in your woven pieces, as you said - you will just cruise around and learn from the other artists there. Next year or next time you'll be much more prepared.

    I believe in synchronicity, too -- so maybe you will get lucky and connect with somebody who will change your life and somehow help you stay centered on what it is your heart really wants to do.

    much luck to you.
    maureen

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  2. Maureen, business-wise, this was a non-event. But I did meet tons of artists of all kinds of disciplines.

    Synchronicity, serendipity; I'm starting to think there was a reason why I didn't do well at the Expo, and I've been wondering perhaps this was a very good thing.

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