I just did the New Mexico Arts & Crafts Fair this last weekend, (more on that later), and I had a realization about this blog. Some of my fellow artists have "graduated" from doing fairs, and now sell their work only in galleries or on their own ... but there is something about doing a fair that gives you an interaction with your customers you just can't get any other way. There have been times when I envied those that have moved along in their marketing efforts - they get more studio time, time doing what they love doing. And doing art fairs is HARD WORK. When you see an artist sitting in his booth in a festive atmosphere, among all these pieces of his work that project the joy of creation, it's easy to miss the EFFORT that it took him to be there! I'll get into that in a seperate discussion later on ... the point I wanted to make here was that despite the effort, they are worth doing if only for the chance to INTERACT with the wonderful people that collect my work. They honor me with their purchases!
Art is a channel for communication. It's communication on a very high level - a high quality that can't be achieved any other way - but it's communication nonetheless, and that requires having someone to communicate TO! Getting direct feedback from the people that I do the work for (you?) is paramount in importance to me. Sitting in my studio and creating work is only HALF the fun. So here's the realization that I had: I started this blog to show you what I was producing ... it didn't occur to me to share other things about the "artist's life" that you might find interesting! I have almost made this thing into a catalog, rather than a venue to interact with you as I do at Art Fairs. I'll tell you a few stories of things I've observed "on the road", share a little philosophy, point to a few observations and ask a few questions from here on out. I hope you will find it interesting. If you do, please feel free to leave me a comment, either at the end of the post, or a general comment in my Guestbook. I welcome the feedback!
