The summer art fair season has officially come to a close. Thanks to everyone who supported my work this season – making things by hand and seeing these items go out into the world is truly awesome. After a couple of quiet weeks on the work front, I’ve found myself reflecting on what went well, what didn’t, and a few things that scare me as someone trying to make it as a working artist. In the coming days/weeks I am hoping to do a bit of writing on each of these in hopes that I can get some ideas down on paper (I know, this isn’t actually paper, but roll with it). In a dream world, I hope these ideas just might serve as a conversation starter with other artists and supporters alike. Based on what I experienced and heard from other artists this season, it was a tough summer for sales. We need to talk about this if we want to keep creating work and putting it out into the world. Similarly, customers need to know how much their support impacts what we do and how we do it.
And if we get this rolling and are feeling bold, we really need to talk about how these art fairs are being marketed, executed, and what everyone needs to consider as we head towards festival seasons filled with “vintage” goods and the mounting pressure to have pieces that fall under a certain (meaning low) price point.
Yep, my jaw was clenched as I wrote that last sentence, so we might need to work our way up to that one.
If you want to contribute to this conversation, let me know. Send me an email, text, or direct your carrier pigeon my way. I'd love to discuss this over a coffee, a bourbon, or through the magic of the internet. There is a lot to unpack in this business, and it will be a lot easier if we put our heads together.
Best,
Ty
