Here's how it all went down...

This is how my booth looked at the show yesterday (Sat.).
(Thanks Lynn-- for taking pics.)

If you are here because you mistakenly took a card from this box...

Instead of this box... (click to zoom)

We'll just take a brief break from our regular programing while you safely exit to my art website (link in upper right corner under "Looking for my artwork?") Hmm hmm hmm (random humming and whistling..., maybe some muzak)

OK. If you're still here welcome. What you get on this here blog is the completely unvarnished version of me, often with extra sauce, so if you're down with that-- cool!

Yesterday after I got home I was still really exhausted. Shows are grueling because loading up is always super physical and I have to do it all by myself and is usually a fiasco because my stuff doesn't fit neatly into anything so there's all this foam padding involved and things get damaged etc. Then there is the unloading and set up, more strenuous hoopla involving Dan (thank God), and then the next day I have to get all gussied-up and be really up all day and also not eat or take a break because it's just me there all day long, after which I get to tear it all down and reload and tote everything home. So it's always a long weekend.

Last night I was feeling a little crabby about the pile of money I wanted to roll around on not being as cushy as usual. There will be no private jet shopping-- or, you know, shopping of any kind, in my immediate future. The money I made was all the hard way, 5 & 6 & 20 bucks at a time instead of the 5 to 8 hundred dollar chunks I've grown accustomed to. I've been a little spoiled by shows that sell out almost before they open, and always doing really well. Times is tough now though. It's all different.

Here's some cool stuff that happened at the show:

Some friends showed up who have absolutely no money, just to be supportive and come see the goods and say hi. (showin' the love-- yay)

Some client/friends came by and bought a few things, probably mostly to just be supportive and say hi. (more sue-love-- all good! Thanks!!)

One new friend, and one old friend bought more significant pieces, because the art resonated with them, and they wanted to support me as an artist. (How lucky am I to have such cool friends?)

One couple who I've seen around at shows told me they've been wanting a piece of mine for 10 years. Now that I had some recession priced stuff they were able to afford something they both really loved. (Awesomeness!) (They got the piece on the ground next to the lit shelves in the shot of my whole booth-- a wall piece I just finished fri before loading.)

Some people stopped by to tell me about things they've bought from me in the past, and how much they're enjoying them, or to show me to their husband/wife/sister--whoever was the recipient of a gift made by me at some point, and they told me how much they love it. (Super cool.)

No less than 3 retired welders got dragged to this thing by their wives who said stuff like, "I was a welder for thirty years, and I have to tell you, I could never do that." They went on to tell me how cool they thought my stuff was, one or two things anyway (everyone liked the horses) and talk welding and admire my over-all welding pwnation. (I eat this stuff up with a spoon. Welder-love is for some reason especially sweet, probably because it feels like reaching between two worlds.)

Now I'm looking ahead. If you do what I do, you have to roll with it. What next? What will I do different next time? What's coming up I can capitalize on? What other venues might I try? I already know of a few things that cost me sales probably. Hindsight is 20/20. Most people say that regretfully, but if it's 20/20 you're kind of a dumbass if you don't learn from it. Learning is good- valuable.

Tons to think about, process, and plan. One thing that is going to change immediately is my pace. My life has been non-stop overtime for two months and I'm fried. I've blown off family and friends and myself (eating crap, not sleeping, wearing out my parts). That isn't conducive to making this life livable. When it becomes joyless, your art is eff'd.

Today running, relaxing, vegging with Dan. Tomorrow-- ????