so you want to be an artist?

let me say right off the mark that i will never not ever discourage anyone from following their dream to become an artist. it is their dream, and none of my business to poke at it. however...if asked, i will tell the absolute truth about this life. in fact, it really doesn't even take a full sentenced question before i start in. because it's important to know what you're getting into...what to expect. so here goes. pack a snack, it may be a long ride. if you are passionate about making art - absolutely passionate, then proceed to the next step. it is a marriage of sorts...for richer or poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and health yada yada. if you have chosen to show your work in galleries, or to vend at shows ("vend" always makes me feel like a candy machine)you have deadlines to meet. no excuses. no do-overs. so you do whatever it takes to get enough artwork ready - whether you need to make prints of your photographs, or 1000 unique necklaces or 35 collages...when the clock strikes 12, it's showtime - with or without you. if you get a reputation for not being prepared, you will find the offers dry up immediately. it's a small community. at the festival i just did, an elderly husband and wife team arrived, but weren't set up until an hour into the festival. the organizer had worked with them for years, however, and cut them slack, saying "they are human beings doing the best they can." that was unusual. most organizers would not want the commotion of set-up going on while there were shoppers, and it's rude to neighboring booths. okay so off track already - not quite a record, though. be prepared financially. save save save and have a nest egg. dinosauer sized. and be prepared to watch it dwindle to hummingbird size. it might. i spoke with quite a number of vendors at this weekend's festival, and they all said the same thing: this has been The Worst Year for sales. and your costs remain the same. actually, your costs have risen too - gas to get to the venue, lodging, meals, even supplies. but people are being very very careful about buying, often returning two or three times to a booth before deciding whether or not to buy. you can see they really want to, but are weighing the impact on their budget. galleries are feeling the pinch, as well. be prepared to Hug The Dog...that dog of a festival you're 2 days into without a sale? it may not be your "product." it may be the financial climate. so find a way to put a positive spin on it. i just spent 3 days hugging such a dog. the first day rained so hard i wished for an ark, or some of those floaty things kids wear on their arms. many booths ended up with ankle deep water in them. then the sun came out. and the steam began to rise from the pavement we were on, and the humidity began, and shoppers got downright nasty. and i never knew i was capable of sweating like i did. my unmentionables haven't been that wet since i was 4. and you keep smiling because everyone is just as hot. i will intentionally sidetrack here to say this: a battery operated fan is a lifeline. invest. also, when designing/purchasing your booth, keep in mind: airflow. there are many Official booth manufacturers out there, and you may be tempted to jump in and buy a professional setup. think first. airflow. the solid panel type are beautiful and versatile, but offer no ventilation...heat gets trapped inside the already warm tent. customers remark how much hotter it is inside the tent. they leave fast. bear in mind that at many/most venues, your booth has to jury in, as well as your artwork, so plan to make a good first impression, as well as keeping comfort & practicality in mind. and while i'm all off track - other vendors are incredibly helpful at shows, for the most part. however, do not assume that you will have any help setting up your booth/tent. that elderly couple i mentioned earlier? everyone would have liked to help, but we first had to set up our own booths, and then customers started coming, so we weren't able to help for some time. so back to embracing the dog. and i address vendor shows now, because i'm fresh off one and it's still emblazoned in my mind. i'll seek help this week. so we have a workable tent with a good battery operated fan, all our merchandise is displayed in a tempting array, and in a fashion that doesn't detract from it, is secure, but gives people accessibility to it (good luck on that conundrum). advertise. even if the show advertises. tell everyone you know that you'll be at the such-and-such festival. if there are post cards available to you from the show, send them out and carry a bunch to give to people. i frequent Barnes & Noble down the street, (God help me "frequent" being the operative word here) and 3 of their employees came down and spend 30 minutes looking for my booth. because they knew me (somewhat) and wanted to see why i bought all those books and magazines. note - if you have a booth number, let people know, so they don't have to spend 30 minutes looking for you. i know all this rambling seems like common sense, but the thing is, many people see a great and positive response to their work and want to quit their Big Girl job and are certain beyond doubt that they will be living the dream, inside of a year. and they may. but between here and there, it is the hardest work ever. and i want you to know that so you go in with your eyes open and don't get discouraged. if you feel deep down that you cannot take another breath without being a full time artist-as-a-career, i will share my experiences with you. your journey will be different than mine, i'm sure. and yours will be different from someone else's, but there are fundamental truths that apply to everyone, i believe. if Risk makes you queasy, do not do this. if you live paycheck to paycheck, do not do this. if you are easily hurt or insulted by ignorant remarks about your art, do not do this. (ok - here was my winner from the weekend: a woman & her friend spent a good amount of time looking at my collages, and finally she turned to me and asked if i was the artist. she had a question that had been bothering her for some time. she wanted to know why anyone would buy artwork with pictures of people they don't know in them. yes. that was her question. i swear. scout's honor.) there are a thousand reasons why you should not do this. and one why you should...because you have to. plan plan plan, as you would if you were starting any other business, because it is a business if you plan to make it your source for income. and save. it's a dicey time right now anyway, so waiting until everything is in place financially will not do any harm, and may actually work to your benfit. ok enough - i have a deadline to meet, and am not even sure if i made sense here. feel free to email me with questions. i don't have the answers, but i'm happy to share MY experiences so far, and you make the decisions for your own situation. be well....make art....most importantly - buy art! :)