BUT. There is always a but. Like, my pal Christi and I met in Rochester to do a fair at the armory. OK, let's do some math:
-Rochester from my house, about 108 miles each way, 2 hour drive. SO, with setup at 7am Saturday, I was up around 3:50am. On the road about 4:50 am, first artist to arrive at 7 am. Then you are carrying your boxes and display in and out and setting up until ten am. Then at 5, time to take it down. This was a very big fair, huge, with 80 plus artists, and ONE exit. All of us getting our stuff out the back door at five. Into the tiny lot. WELL, at 4:30 I told Christi, "I am gonna run around the corner and bring my car to the back door, please watch things" and I parked in SPOT NUMBER one next to the back door. I told Christi when I got back "Christi, grab your car, you could get spot 2, next to me!" and she did. Christi and I raced to see who could pack and leave fastest (remember, set up was nearly 3 hours) and I boasted I had once packed and left in 41 minutes. WELL, I would have tied Christi and left at the same moment, except I helped her carry a couple of items. So I am calling it a draw, not bad, at 48 minutes to pack up and be gone.... So, departed Rochester without getting lost at 5:48, home about 7:48.
Shows are hard work. I don't do too many of them anymore, because you get into bed and sleep the sleep of the dead.....until your beagle tells you to get up at 5 am, because she thinks it is 6 am and time for her breakfast :)
Anyway, awesome fair, we had a wicked great time. I met a zillion nice new people. The fair was the first I had ever been to put together and featuring young hipsters. The event intended to feature art outside the mainstream, fine and funky......my tribe for sure, loved it....
anyway, here is me and Christi...my camera was not working well, but you get the idea....
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10 comments:
That sounds exhausting. Was the place unheated?... everyone looks bundled up.
I got a bit of a chuckle out of "home about 7:48." Give or take a few seconds? ;)
I can empathize!!! Half the time, I have to drag my own amp and sound equipment around! Tiring. Ah, the life of tortured artists! Lol.
I am VERY specific and particular about time. the clock is always running in my head, chasing me around, kicking me in the behind :) The place had heat, but it was about 24 degrees both outside and inside at the beginning, I kid you not....warmed up later though!
amigo, christi looks cold. you're not really selling me on the whole art fair experience and i don't think girls throwing their panties would change my attitude much... maybe 20 years ago. hope you all sold a bunch
My favorite part is that the backs of your yellow display shelves are unpainted! Sneaky...
Beautiful displays. I remember the first time I saw Christi's display at the market, I like to died. Beautiful bugs AND constellations AND trees.
That grey-blue glaze of yours sure does lend itself to elephants.
Hey cheapskate! Paint those backs...
Good story. Oh how I used to hate all that packing and car-loading, and boxes, and the luck of the draw in getting a good position.
And the rush to get out. Either race to be first, or wait forever, til the guy locking-up the hall's coughing discreetly to let you know he wants to go home too.
That's neat too, the way you clamp your display together. Hope you sold lots!
Phew! I'm tired from just reading about it!
I do love that buttery yellow on your display crates, and your new pottery pieces, too.
Our dogs were up at 5 a.m. too, I guess their tummies thought it was 6 a.m. Wish we would just leave the time alone already...
That is a lot of work Gary. I am sure the people visiting/shopping have no idea how much TLC you put into making and delivering your goods to the shows. :)
I hope you sold lots and lots!!
ps. I have seen the Stones twice, and I never ever gave them my undies....they cost too much!!!
So glad you had a great time. George and I are just too darn old to do anymore shows. Did a zillion of them, and just worn out, and tired...they really are a lot of work, but then anything artists do is a lot of work. Not uncommon for me to glaze for six hours straight, or do pottery the same.
Artists just have to do what they do! It's our passion, and I am not speaking about you, but I am so OCD when it comes to Art, can't get enough of it!
George always laugh how when I even talk on the phone I am drawing, most of the time I am not even conscious of it....hahahhaha :)
I am recovering from a double market weekend myself....One really busy, best ever sales and one really slow one. A lot of work but a way to get some finacial returns for all the effort during the week. We are always the last to leave!
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