Recently I have been chatting online with another local ceramic artist I previously meet briefly a few times. We have a talked a lot about making a living as an artist and different upcoming shows. Through these conversations I have realized a couple of things. One I really wish I had a studio surrounded by other artists, I miss that. And two I really have no idea where I want my career to go, I know where I want my life to go and am happy with the direction its taken, but I have no idea where I want to take my art or let it take me. I feel a little aimless not sure where to go next. The more I think about it the only thing I know for sure is I don't want to be an artist that makes a living doing "craft" shows. They are a lot of headache, packing and fees. I enjoy Artsfest but I also enjoy not having to do that every weekend. I also like making work sometimes that I know may not sell, if I am going to make a living doing craft shows I can focus only on what will sell. Creating the chess set and the body of work for Embracing Your Inner Monster were two of the most satisfying artistic things I have ever done, neither of those things were right for anything but a gallery setting.
In a perfect life I would have an awesome studio where I could sit all day and just make work and do with it as I please. Maybe I would enter it in a show, maybe I would go to an art fair, maybe I would just put it in my living room. Unfortunately life isn't perfect and without goals what am I working towards? The good news is though I don't feel it I am still youngish and have a whole life to figure it out. My sister likes to tell me someday we will both end up on the cover of Art News, I don't know about that or if fame and fortune lies my way. I know while I am figuring it all out I will keep making monsters, and maybe the monsters will decide for themselves the path they want to take.
I agree you shouldn't rely entirely on craft shows for your business, but also don't lump them all together. Some are a total waste of time, and some are worth every bit of effort. It's important to do the legwork to figure out which ones will work for you. When I first started doing them, it would take me days to recover from the exhaustion and stress, but it gets a lot easier over time. Choosing the right shows makes a big difference, so does being efficient with my display, and getting comfortable about being in a public setting. And even if you don't plan to do them for the long haul, there will be many many occasions in your life as an artist when you will need to talk about yourself and your work, and festivals are great training for that!
ReplyDeleteMea- That is true, doing just the few shows I have done has really helped me learn to talk to customer with more ease. The whole craft show thing seems more overwhelming than it should to me. I really enjoyed Artsfest last year but I did it with a friend and I was still super tired after. Are there any shows your can recommend that the fees arent too high?
ReplyDeleteMost of the deadlines for 2010 shows have passed. But it's not too early to start planning for 2011. The shows that are right for me might not be right for you, and vice versa. The best research is to visit them in person. Spend the fall months visiting shows (all the best shows are in the fall), see if your work will make sense there. Ask the artists "how do you like this show? I'm thinking of applying" and you'll get lots of inside info. I do it all the time, and it works! Don't just choose based on a low fee, look for "good value" instead. Here's what you should avoid ... shows run by for-profit enterprises, and shows run by volunteers. Don't worry, there are still plenty of events to choose from!
ReplyDeleteforgot to mention ... a great way to find new shows is to surf the websites of artists you like, and see what shows they're doing.
ReplyDeleteMea- Thank you for all the wonderful advice! Its no wonder your own business is doing well you definatly have it together, and I am sure you make a wonderful teacher, your students must love you! Its so nice to talk with an artist whos very willing to share knowledge I need. Thats an awesome idea about checking out artists sites I like to see what they are doing! Do you feel like you get more out of doing "craft" type shows or juried shows?
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what the difference is ... every craft show I do also involves a jury. There are shows that don't require your work to be juried, and that is definitely another category to avoid. Do you mean craft shows vs. gallery shows? Gallery shows are great for your ego and your credibility, but craft shows are better for business, by far. They are both worthwhile.
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