A couple days after I got home, I had a chance to finally check in on Facebook…
only to find this wonderful & insightful posting from our friend Pam.
I’ve known Pam, and her husband Pat, for a couple years now. Pam has been in
my pottery class, and has become friends with Amy while in the Northwoods.
So Amy & I have had plenty of time to hang out with Pam… but I think this was
the first time that Pam has actually watched a group of artists go through the
“glamorous” part of packing up after a long art fair weekend. So many people
think that these art fairs just kind of happen by themselves, and that it’s all
fun & games for the artists. Let me just say that it’s not.
Well… here’s Pam’s comment she posted on Facebook!
Thank you Pam for noticing all we go through, and taking time to share your insights…
Last weekend Pat and I had the good fortune to spend time with a few very talented
artists at ART DETOUR hosted by Pigeon Road Pottery in Northern Wisconsin. As well
as fun, good conversation, lots of laughter, and gourmet s’mores we were able to witness
just how much goes in to participating in an art fair. Countless hours of perfecting the art,
buying and making displays to exhibit the art, finding the perfect containers to transport
the art, hours of set up every day, hours of tending to the customers and manning the booth followed by hours of re-packing all the pieces and fitting them back into the car/truck/van with all the display shelves/cases/tables and the now dismantled tent only to return home to attend to tons of paperwork, returning customer emails, collating your customer mailing lists, inventorying what you have left, planning what you need to make for the next art fairɉ۬Next time you pick up a handmade bowl, necklace, watercolor painting, etc and look at the price please consider all that went on behind the scenes for YEARS before it was created and you saw it. It is an amazing amount of dedication these artists have to beautify your world and feed your soul. Be honored to be able to take a piece of that home with you.
_______________
Thank you Pam!!!
Is it possible to get a copy of that to every person that comes into an art fair? Excellent comments Pam.
Yeah, I thought it was pretty well stated as well. And completely unsolicited. She was around to watch us pack up, offered to help a couple times… but had no idea of what all went into an art fair production. And I would bet 95% of the other customers have no idea either. Not to mention the slides, the applications, the application fees, the waiting, the rejections, etc. and all of that hassles that goes on LONG before any part of what she did see!
It’s such a glamorous life we lead!
But still, better than having to get a day job that will suck the life-blood out of you!… which I did for 18 years before becoming a potter!!!
Thanks for checking in…
GARY