Sunday, December 5, 2021

Heights Artisan Market


Friday it took me three hours to remove and reorganize the hangers for the new arrangement on the display board. It involves a lot of measuring from the sides and/or top and bottom so that everything is evenly spaced, level, and orderly. Then it probably took me an hour to set up and then dismantle the display. Then I selected the other pieces I was going to take and got everything all wrapped and packed, made sure I had all the necessary items like tools, business cards, tape, dust brush, bags, bubble wrap, etc. etc. and the car loaded by 5 PM. Made my price cards that evening and even figured out and made a list of the sales tax on each price point and I was ready. I don't think I've ever been this ready and prepared for an open house. Usually I'm still sticking price tags on stuff when we open.

Got up at 5:30 Saturday morning, was on the road by 7 to a dense fog all the way to the event building, arrived by 8, was set up by 9 with an hour to spare. I did not take a single picture. But this is how it all looked...my display was in the center against the back wall, Gene's fused glass was on a display unit to the right and Dick and Kathy's blown glass was on a display unit to the left, two 2' x 6' tables along the front with a space in between with more work on those. Gene's lights were set up so all the work was well illuminated.

There were fewer artists for this one day show than they have had in the past because all the spaces for artists to set up were 6' apart but there was still a nice variety. We had a weaver with handmade clothes and scarves to one side of us and a clay, mixed media, and watercolor artist on the other. There was a wood turner across from us, several jewelers, an origami artist, a vegan baker (who sold out!), a writer with her books, an artist who made fun stuff out of old license plates, a photographer, a couple of painters, a crochet artist with scarves and an assortment of things, a couple of ceramicists, a furniture and other items made with wood and/or leather artist, a woman who made rosehip beauty products. I'm sure I'm leaving someone out.

All the vendors were required to wear masks during the show hours, 10 AM – 5 PM, attendees were also asked to wear masks and most did. There was a steady flow of people up until the last hour and a half or so. I sold two of the framed feathers (the barred owl and the blue jay), the first in the first two hours and the second in the last hour, and 3 of the snowflake ornaments so since I didn't expect any sales I was happy. I got to know the mixed media artist next to us (we've each been following each other's work via social media) and we plan to stay connected, reconnected with a past gallery owner who still connects artists with collectors and she thinks one of her collectors would like the sandscape with the fern frond so that might come to something.

Best of all, most of the non-glass artists who have usually participated for the past decade in our open house that the glass blowers sponsored every year  were there so we all got to hang out for a day. Here we are.

L to R: Barry (jewelry), Lesley (furniture and leather in front of her space), Chin (ceramics), me (cast glass), Liz (painting and fused glass), Gene (behind Liz, fused glass), Dick (blown glass), Kathy (blown glass).

We took that picture to send to the woodturner that always joined us before he and his wife moved out of state.

It took me a little over half an hour to repack and dismantle my display and get it loaded in the car so I stayed to help my friends break down their displays, left at 6 and was home by 7.



17 comments:

  1. What a great looking group! And I'm so glad you got some sales! Terrific! I know that must make you feel a little more positive about the art world in general.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It did! In fact I left thinking I need to make more new stuff. I'm definitely energized. Ready to start on the luna moth mold and the two new models I have drawings and the wax bases for. And it was great to see everybody.

      Delete
  2. That went easier than most markets. Bravo. So glad you had sales. You are doing greaat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So glad you made sales. It's a lot of work, so it's great to be worth the effort. And the reunion was very welcome, I expect. Good day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am happy for you that some of your work sold. The amount of effort you put into framing and display is amazing. In the future (if there are ever craft shows again) I will look at their work with a different eye.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So wonderful that you sold some of your beautiful art. Yay! I am so happy for you. Love that photo too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy to hear about the sales of the blue jay and barred owl feathers as well as the snowflake ornaments. Love the group photo of kindred spirits!

    ReplyDelete
  7. How cool! Thanks for the photo of you and your fellow artist friends. Nice to see. I packed my car Friday evening and still had to return home no less than 3 times to get things that we thought would be there at the museum but weren't. We made $149 on donated baked goods and candies--pure profit. Nice. And, the goodies will be there tomorrow and every day that the Depot is open for the next 3 weeks. I'm going to be baking more, but will have to visit the depot daily to rearrange the goodies and make sure there's someone watching the donations bins. Glad your event went well and you were able to sell some of your work. The bonus of the day was reconnecting with fellow artists and that gallery owner!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh excellent - I'm glad it was a good experience! And I love your top too - you all look great.

    P.S. I don't know what is up with Ratana, but I truly wish she/he/it would cease & desist! They're EVERYWHERE. Sheesh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone needs to go to comments on their dashboard, click on the question mark in the circle at the top and send a screenshot of the comment with spam and complain. I do every time it spams me but everyone else needs to start and maybe they will cancel the account.

      Delete
    2. It's a ¾ length sleeve but it was so warm I rolled them up.

      Delete
    3. I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I don't think that will help. If Google cancelled Ratana's account they'd just create another one. I think we just have to cope! (Or moderate everything.)

      Delete
  9. I'm laughing -- I had no idea what Bug meant by 'ratana.' Now, I see. Can't blogger users moderate or blacklist names or ISPs? On WordPress, all I'd have to do is put the name, the URL, and the ISP in my block list and I'd never see them again. People like that are irritating.

    But -- the important thing is that you got to your show, had plenty of time, saw some great people, and sold some of your work. That had to be energizing -- I'm so pleased for you! And it was fun to see the photo of the group.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's no way to block individual accounts or commenters as far as I can tell and I just went through the settings.

      It was! I came back ready to start making more new work. I pulled out the colors I need for the next mold yesterday but then went and took a nap.

      Delete
  10. Congrats on your successful show! Sounds like you had a great time! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yay! I'm glad that you made some sales and connected (or reconnected) with some of your fellow artists. Sounds like a successful day all around!

    ReplyDelete
  12. A collegial community of artists, is there anything more nourishing in this life.

    ReplyDelete

I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.