Art Fair Confidential

 

This is my favorite painting from Forest of Arts last weekend. It was my third art fair and I decided to bring my paints along so I wouldn’t be staring at customers all day while they look around my booth. I started out reworking an old treescape that didn’t feel finished but in the heat of the day my attention span dissolved and I started painting abstracts and experiments (below.)

Deciding to participate in art fairs happened suddenly. I had been interested for years but always came up with reasons why it wouldn’t work. Then I was interviewing Jennifer Lommers about the opening of her new shop Studio 262. Afterwards I asked her a technical question about putting her work on-line as prints. In the course of her answer she said, “I was willing to make mistakes.” I’ve heard the sentiment a million times that we need to be willing to make mistakes to learn and reach our goals but in contemplating starting a business I was hampered by an irrational fear that any less-than-professional impression I made would be instantly and permanently imprinted world-wide. Something about Jennifer being a real and inspiring person instead of a personal-growth book triggered a complete rewrite of that program and I found myself immediately impatient to go out and make mistakes.

I had to remind myself of that eagerness many times while I tried to make a nice booth set-up on a limited budget. Because I know a few basic carpentry skills I assumed I could build display walls…someone should have filmed that slapstick. Two art fairs later, my set-up had no remnant of my original construction. I was tempted to feel bad about wasted materials and time but remembered the importance of mistakes. It’s no different than a painting. They tend to be better when there is some struggle and revision involved leaving mysterious under-layers, textures and edges. There was nothing to do but be happy I finally took a risk and then turn the table-saw on to rip all that wasted lumber into framing material. 

At the first fair I looked around at other people’s booths and realized that most of my efforts were somewhat unnecessary. I was so afraid of doing things wrong I did a ton of research on-line and developed some high-standards for myself. Other artists who were starting out came up with nice displays with just folding tables and crates and such. If I had that sort of willingness to jump in I could have started doing art fairs years ago and while that might not get me in to the high end art fairs right away, who cares? Starting out small then growing seems like a sane and natural way to get into a financially risky endeavor like selling art.

I have one more fair next weekend in Newport. Then I will take a break, work on paintings and make a schedule for the application deadlines for the fairs I want to get into next year. 

Here's my booth from Forest of Arts:

Dragging Prayers

Shoe Box Studio

I’ve been organizing my studio today, aka one side of my bedroom where I have two tables a bookshelf and a closet. Sometimes I think a need a whole room before I can really work. I do think it’s important to take my art seriously enough to give it the space it needs to flourish but I have a hunch that making do with what I have is the express route to a bigger space in the future. Right now I feel obligated to cherish the space I have, so many people work harder with less. 

 

There was a time in my own life when I lived in a tiny bedroom in New Mexico and my studio was a shoe box under the table next to my bed. Inside was a sketch book, pencil, pen, colored pencils, and set of oil pastels. I treasured that shoe box more than any material thing before or since. My situation in New Mexico is a whole different story but imagine that it was intense and not exactly positive. Every time I got that box out it was magical, it was the place where I got to be myself and hold my sanity. It was so nourishing I remember that time of my life as a very soulful one and am still puzzled at the paradox.

I love the image of a much treasured shoebox under the bedside table as an inspiration for my current work space. There are plenty of pictures out in the world of amazing, charming, quaint, and glamorous studio spaces but it’s the practice that makes the space. Instead of waiting for the day I have a separate room dedicated to art I work at making a dedicated practice, dedicating time to paint, to sketch, to look for opportunities to share my work, to enjoy my creativity at its most earnest— loving the things I love no matter how silly. I’d like to believe I don’t even need a shoe box. A sketch book and pencil would do…the camera and recorder on my phone…anything that motivates me to observe and record.

Honestly when I do have a separate studio it probably still won’t be enough space. Sometimes when we think we want more space what we really want is a feeling of ease in our surroundings and that is more surely developed through patience and organization. I’m curious to see: how would my art practice change if I also dedicated more time to cleaning up and putting things away? It’s a romantic idea for me, like a Zen monk calmly chopping wood and sweeping the floor, totally in sync with the turning earth and the twinkling stars. I’ll let you know how it goes. In the meantime I’d love to hear your thoughts about studio space. 

Lovejoy News at Jackson Frazier Wetlands

 

Bicycle Birding

I wrote an article for the Corvallis Advocate about birding on bicycles with the Corvallis Audubon society.

Check it out here!

Showing at Main Street Art and Craft Fair in Portland, Oregon!

I will be at Main Street Art and Craft Festival on September 6th in Portland! I will have original paintings, intaglio prints, illustrated books as well as cards and recycled art envelopes.

I'm looking forward to it, come visit me there, SE 45th and Main.

Here's my booth from last weekend at CIMA.

CIMA

I will have a booth at this year's Corvallis Imagination Music and Arts Festival Aug 15-16 in Starker Arts Park! I will be selling original oil and acrylic paintings, intaglio prints, and greeting cards. More information about CIMA here.