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.