There is so much going on in my art room right now...
It's a chaotic mess to anyone looking in. It's kind of a chaotic mess to me! Somehow, I'm preparing for my first time selling art in public. Okay, I must say, it's not really my first time. It just my first time in over ten years! Now, I'm ready to jump back in and present my artwork in public again!
In June of 2015, I felt this strong desire to begin exploring my artistic skills again. I've got my list of goals written down but over time, I've discovered these goals take longer than I'd first imagined. My family has patiently and lovingly tolerated (and supported) me as I take on the project of preparing to show my artwork in public again. On top of the framed original watercolor paintings and the packaged Giclee art prints, I've added some other items to my merchandise. I know I've got to play this out right in order to be successful. High ticket items are a tough sell next to other items sold at the arts & craft fairs. I need to have a strategy for more affordable price points for selling to a wider range of people and pocket books. You'll see that I've been thinking through this thoroughly! This place has been a madhouse with so many projects going at once.
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| Gathering items to build my booth displays. |
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| My furry companions are worn out! They napped for me. |
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| Lucy takes a comfy spot nearby. |
In just over one year's time, I have completed nineteen watercolor paintings! I shared in a post titled,
Note Cards From Palette Mixes Leftover, my desire to work toward selling my artwork in public. With a bit of fun play, I came up with these lovely and intricately detailed note cards that show off a touch of watercolor paper accent. After three days of working to build my inventory of cards, I was very happy to get it all put away again. This room can handle quite a lot but this project required half the flat surfaces I could provide. While I love them, they take a lot of creative energy to come together by the end.
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| A sampling of the card inventory I've prepared for my booth. |
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| I love all the special details! |
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| The color combinations and texture add interest! |
In order for the artwork to be ready, time has been spent packaging Giclee art prints. My family pitched in all along the way and I'm so grateful! The Giclee (ghee-lee) art prints are ready to go and will be displayed in a pretty basket. (photos further down)
My kitchen became an framing workshop for two days. New frames arrived and I pulled out my framing supplies and tools. A stack of stone coasters, wrapped in soft flannel, became a weight for holding the artwork in place. The artwork just seems to take on a new life once it's paired with mat and frame! It's so exciting to see each piece come together.
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| Framing tools and supplies laid out, ready to use as I frame my watercolor paintings. |
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| The artwork is weighted down before attaching it to the backing with hinge tape. |
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| Kitchen counters become a great work space for the framing process. |
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| A station for cleaning the glass before assembling the piece in the frame. |
I have more original watercolor artwork than frames right now. It was difficult to decide which paintings to frame. It seemed such a shame to leave any at home so I made a decision to mat and package the remaining originals in clear protective sleeves. They'll be displayed in a separate basket, with labeling that they are the actual original artworks.
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| Two watercolors of the Lapis Lazuli bird are framed and ready. |
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| The watercolor painting of shooting stars waits to be framed. |
In a few days Tomorrow, I will be showing my artwork at our local library for an evening event. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun is geared to be a great time as a ladies' night out! With many booths, hosted by local women, representing their own company or interest. I am so excited! I have been working feverishly for the past three plus weeks to be superbly prepared! I am tired. Each day, I have my next item on the to-do list...well, 4 or 5 items on the to-do list. I think that if I can pull this together for this first event, I'll be pretty set for participating in other local events like it. This is a major milestone for me in this journey to pursue artistic creativity on a daily basis. There are some incredibly helpful resources to be found on Pinterest! So many artists & crafters share their lists of how to stay organized and what to take to an event.
Here are a few photos from setting it up in my art room. It will still change, I'm sure. These photos will be my guide while I'm flustered and trying to focus during the set up time tomorrow.
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| The test run at home, setting up the whole arrangement to try different options. |
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| One table display in progress as I work out the arrangement. |
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| One table display in progress as I work out the arrangement. |
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| I've got plenty of business cards ready to go! |
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| Planning out my display for the lip balms, I came to this arrangement. |
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| Two time-distressed drawers from my wall cabinet will hold the handmade note cards. |
My husband has added his own special item to the inventory. The rustic wood candle holders are a great touch to complete the nature inspired feel of this compilation.
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| My husband's handi work with tree branches made into candle holders. |
On Friday, I worked on my pricing and signage. I wanted to really give some creative touches to pull it all together. Once my tables were set up and arranged, I could change it up, rearrange, rethink the layout. I'm sure it will continue to evolve between shows. One of my main goals is to bring all the different elements together to feel like they all belong to the unit.
I've got a Square Reader for processing credit card purchases. My items have been given sku numbers and have been entered in to the app. This is all feeling very real now!
I'll be taking plenty of photos as I work through this planning and set-up process, and I plan to share more in the upcoming weeks. I'll be telling more about my experience with painting on fabric. I just need the time to sit and write down my thoughts. I would like to give quite a few tips and suggestions and I've already found one creative that is interested in knowing more!
The lip balms were made yesterday. It was a very long day! I had hoped to begin in the morning and have a quiet house; there's certain tasks that are easier in a quiet house and this was one of them. The new label designs are lovely! Thanks, Darla for the suggestion on incorporating my artwork into the label design. It turned out much better than I imagined!
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| New labels on the empty lip balm tubes, ready to be filled. |
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| New labels on the empty lip balm tubes, ready to be filled. |
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| A new addition: new flavors are Juicy Mango, Acai & Blackberry, and Coconut & Lemongrass. |
I feel like I'm rambling and this may seem a little like a patchwork post, but I'm going in so many different directions at once. Time is limited and I do want to continue to write for this blog... share the adventure. In the past month, I've been putting in longer hours in my art room. I've been working hard to make all the tasks fit into the time I've got available. I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every task! This has been amazing to work through and define how I want to present myself and my work. In the upcoming weeks, I'll take the time to reflect on this experience. I'll evaluate how it all comes together, what I'd like to continue and what I'd like to change for future public arts & craft fairs.
So much of what I can accomplish rides on how it can be woven into my family's schedule and activities. In keeping my priorities straight, art and creativity is not first on the list. Art is very important but I have other responsibilities that must come first. I'm working so hard to keep the balance and structure in it all.
The big day is tomorrow! Today, I'm focusing on going over lists. I'll be gathering all the tools and supplies. I'll try to focus on getting photos along the way through today and tomorrow. This is such a terrific adventure! Thank you for stopping by and joining me in this adventure. I know I haven't been as consistent as I'd planned originally. If Thursday arrives and I'm not posting for the week, it is still on my list to catch up! I really enjoy sharing here, like my artist's journal. It's a record of my goals and struggles and accomplishments! Please come again!
-Christy
she must make art.
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