showing art/public performance

[kay]

Anyone one else show any of their artwork? Perform music publicly? My questions are; do you think it's worth the effort? what are your personal criteria for when and where? is it embarrassing? has anything good came from it?

Curious because I keep showing art at the same place but am starting to expand to other venues a bit. It's always embarrassing for me and sometimes I think I just waste my time. It started as a way for me to improve my ability to plan and finish a project but seems to have became my main activity and I am starting to take it more seriously. Anyhoo, just wondering about other people's experiences.

 

[Mr Allen]

In October 2015 I did an audition at a local Casino for Britain's got Talent, they invited me to the second audition in Manchester but Dad wouldn't let me go.

I've sung and acted in public before then as well, I was in a couple of productions in our Drama class at school many moons ago.

 

[Mia]

I think of it as putting on my 'businesswoman' face Kay. Completely masking whatever emotions I have and looking completely neutral. No emotions whatsoever. Belonged to a cooperative of a bunch of artists, and I sold my own work, other's work and bid on contracts.

I spent a lot of time with clients showing portfolios and leaving advertising tear sheets in various places. Never leave original work anywhere on spec. Photocopies, colour copies (smaller ones) photo thumbnails, no originals. But maybe you already know that.

Did it help? Advertising? Yes, it did. I narrowed down to specific customers, where to display, what the market would buy, who would buy, and I painted or drew what I knew would sell. When I first started out it was landscapes for fairs, artisan shows, tiny 'out of the way' galleries. Places like restaurants, cafes, that wanted art on their walls, actually did a bunch of pet paintings, that sold really well, that some Vets hung in their waiting rooms. The lizard paintings were the only ones that had no buyersBut the cat and dog paintings mostly sold.

Eventually though I got tired of painting for a fixed market, and wanted to do other work. That won't sell, but I don't care. Still do it anyway.

 

[kay]

I think of it as putting on my 'businesswoman' face Kay. Completely masking whatever emotions I have and looking completely neutral. No emotions whatsoever. Belonged to a cooperative of a bunch of artists, and I sold my own work, other's work and bid on contracts.

I spent a lot of time with clients showing portfolios and leaving advertising tear sheets in various places. Never leave original work anywhere on spec. Photocopies, colour copies (smaller ones) photo thumbnails, no originals. But maybe you already know that.

Did it help? Advertising? Yes, it did. I narrowed down to specific customers, where to display, what the market would buy, who would buy, and I painted or drew what I knew would sell. When I first started out it was landscapes for fairs, artisan shows, tiny 'out of the way' galleries. Places like restaurants, cafes, that wanted art on their walls, actually did a bunch of pet paintings, that sold really well, that some Vets hung in their waiting rooms. The lizard paintings were the only ones that had no buyersBut the cat and dog paintings mostly sold.

Eventually though I got tired of painting for a fixed market, and wanted to do other work. That won't sell, but I don't care. Still do it anyway.

I haven't tried to do anything too much that I think will sell, I just do what I enjoy. Plan on sticking to that because, well, I just don't like the idea of doing anything else. I do enjoy themes that the shows have. I love working within some restrictions.

The lizard paintings sound cool. I love lizards, though not as pets. Art with less common subject matter interest me quite a bit. Last night at the 3x3 show(that I ran out of time for) someone had done little paintings of various varieties of okra. I may go back sometime and buy one if they are still there.

Of course no originals on spec. Most of what I am considering right now are shows where you submit a few jpegs. All community art sorts of shows and galleries, nothing commercial. I don't know if commercial galleries interest me much. Though I have done the 3x3 show at a commercial gallery but it's for a charity.

I can't turn off my emotions, I'm not good at all at that. Everybody knows that I get embarrassed easily and hate attention. It's become part of my reputation.

So, where did you sell the best? Tiny galleries or art fairs? Art fairs scare me because they are too crowded. I sometimes buy something small at one tiny gallery but never if it's busy. Where the customers interesting?

 

[Streetwise]

my mother entered one in a newspaper competition so she never actually had to come in contact with anybody.

 

[kay]

my mother entered one in a newspaper competition so she never actually had to come in contact with anybody.

That would be the way to go. And I suppose I could avoid more of the people part but if I do I really wouldn't have any sorta socializing. If I do that I will end up just never leaving the house. Oh, so appealing.

 

[Mia]

So, where did you sell the best? Tiny galleries or art fairs? Art fairs scare me because they are too crowded. I sometimes buy something small at one tiny gallery but never if it's busy. Where the customers interesting?

Both the art fairs at christmas and artisan shows, the small galleries were often too extreme although I did sell a few pieces at one. Shared a table with a friend who's a potter, at artisan shows, when I couldn't stand it and had to take a break she would look after my side. Art fairs were better, but a lot of people walking by, it got so you couldn't hear well like being inside a mall on some days. Those I could stand but it was exhausting.

The more art fairs you do, the more you hear about other art fairs from people there, who do the rounds of them. Customers at artisan shows seems to be looking for bargains all the time, and are happy if you let them pay ten to twenty dollars less. So I would up the prices, and then drop them when they asked for a special price. Also antique markets, flea markets as well are pretty similar. I did sell at those, but it was my most commercial stuff that sold.

Clientele, the small galleries were better, more upscale clients. Art shows, families and bargain hunters but I did meet a few people who were interesting. One of the good things about the noisy environments, you don't have to talk much.