Post-"Best": mostly pain-free lessons learned
What a great experience being an artist vendor at "Best of the Northwest" was! And not just because some lovely people became new collectors of my art.
I learned more valuable lessons from old friends, too.
1. Set-up help is good, but breakdown help is better: Not only is my friend Satira great with big power tools...
Satira making sparks fly in her studio. Credit: Lisa Myers Bulmash
... she also happily helped me break down my booth at the end of the show. Which took us two hours. I shudder to think how long it would've taken to pack up without her help.
2. Catch up when your friends show up: My fellow classmate Vikram Madan, from the Artist Trust EDGE program, helped brighten day 3 of the show.
Painter/poet Vikram Madan stops by to chat at the Best of the Northwest October show. Credit: Lisa Myers Bulmash
After two months of meaning to contact him, I finally got to ask Vikram for suggestions on art galleries which might be a good fit for my work.
3. Step it up: Despite self-delusions to the contrary, I am not tall enough to mount booth lights while standing on the ground.
If only I were as tall as the guy in the jeans, I could adjust booth lights from the ground... Credit: Lisa Myers Bulmash
The art is the most important thing. But I need to remember to bring a &%@#$! stepladder next time. Hopefully, "next time" will be the spring Best of the Northwest show. Crossing my fingers that I'm one of the select few...