Conducting an Art Show

The Last Art Show

The last art show that I participated in was at the Home and Garden Show in my home town. I belong to the local art guild and we were able to set up our art work in the lobby entrance. As people walked in to go the the arena part where the home and garden show was they would pass by our art work.

There were eight of us including myself, and I'm the only one that sold a piece of artwork. I also got some really good contacts and leads for workshops, and also other sales based on what some people saw. I seem to be outselling my art colleagues at the art shows and I wonder why this is so. At this show I had a good chance to see why this is so. 

Whenever someone seemed to be looking at my work I would engage with them, telling them about the piece, what inspired me, how I made it and I'd talk about myself as an artist. Then I'd make sure the person would get a card so they could check out my work further at home if they wanted to. 

Just on this point I noticed a difference. Some of the other artists were quite happy to sit among themselves having a conversation, even while people were looking at their artwork. One of the other artists was involved in promoting our summer Art in the Park. Another two members had their work hung but did not involve themselves with being an active participant in the show. The way I figure it is if you want to sell your work then you should be there doing that.  ART DOES NOT SELL ITSELF typically.  Now having just said that, the piece I sold was by one of the participants of the Home Show that saw my Kokopelli while she was entering the building going to her booth. She took my card and gave me a call telling me that she wanted to buy the sculpture. This does not happen very often. 

What I have to realize is that each of these eight people have a different agenda when it comes to being an artist. Some of us are just poking at it with a stick, just a hobby on weekends, they like the friendships of the other members, it's an outing and many such reasons. Not high on the list of wanting to be a professional art business (such as myself). So I learned that all I need to do is to continue to focus on what I want to do and let everyone else do what they want to do. 

African Queen

A New Series: African Masks

Just a short while ago I purchased a book on African Masks because that's just another thing that I have a fascination for. The reason I bought the book was for inspiration so I could make masks myself out of metal. 

Today I made the first one.  I started out by cutting the shape out of a sheet of 1/8" in sheet metal.  After that I used my blacksmiths forge to shape the head just the way I wanted it.

Next I cut out the eyes and the mouth which was followed by welding on a nose.  I needed hair and I remembered that I had this neat brush made of horse hair.  I was able to fabricate that to the back of the mask.  The next thing I did was to add a bunch of grinding in just the right places.  The only thing left was to add some colour and some triple glaze shine.  Add a hook to the back and I'm done.

This mask is grotesque.  It sure won't be everyone's cup of tea, in fact it wasn't Laura's that's for sure.  Matter of fact, she said that it will not hang on the fence where I have some of my other sculptures.  Well, that's ok... because not every one of my works can be loved.

Now I'm inspired to create a whole series of masks.  Tonight I'll get down to the books and research masks. 

What do you think of this?  Please leave a comment..