Post 3 – Art in the park, Part 1
I participated in a few art shows in the last few months. I sold some paintings, but not many. After so much hard work with little results I was beginning to think that my work was perhaps overpriced. Speaking with other artists at art shows, who have been in the business for several years, I quickly learned that the people living in my city didn’t really value art, or they were too cheap! Unfortunately, people don’t want to pay for the effort put into a creative work of art. Why pay $400 for a one-of-a-kind piece of art by a local artist when they can buy a $75 reproduced print at IKEA? The appreciation for something handmade and request for quality has been lost – sadly replaced by a Dollarama-driven, disposable society.
Still, I continued with the art shows. I started thinking about approaching art galleries and restaurants. I was encouraged, by fellow artists, to focus my efforts on selling my works in nearby metropolitans instead of small cities.
While the time I spent painting was rewarding, I also found it lonely. There’s no denying that painting is largely an introspective activity, which I like, but I also enjoy socializing.
I need a good balance of alone time and social time.
Sharing ideas about artistic concepts, design and painting techniques are part of the painting experience. Among my friends and family, nobody shared my passion for art. They could appreciate my final works, but they couldn’t contribute to the process. I met a few artists at art shows and exchanged numbers with them in the hopes of creating group painting sessions and developing new friendships. I longed to discuss creative practices. Unfortunately, most of them preferred to work in solitude.
Finally, I signed up to be a vendor at the Art in the Park show in early August. Well-known to draw sizable crowds, I had dreamt about selling my art here for a while. It’s the type of show where artists are not designated a kiosk location, but rather based on a first-come-first-serve arrangement. Arriving early meant having the best spot in the park, where pedestrians were voluminous. More traffic meant more sales.
I made sure to arrive early to get a premium spot. After setting up my tent and hanging my paintings I had some extra time to roam around the grounds and look at other artists’ works. I spent an unusually long time at one stall which was set up a few kiosks away from mine. The work was spectacular! Abstract in style, the colours were rich in ochre and gold. The artist was nowhere in sight…probably retrieving more paintings from his car. I took the liberty of observing the brush stoke up close. Slightly hunched over, my eyes were glued to the canvas.
Amazing! The technique was foreign to me. I stepped back to get a broader view of the painting, then stepped closer again. Suddenly, I felt the presence of someone standing over me. I looked up and found the artist staring at me.
He was tall, blond and so-o-o good looking!
I wanted to stare at him instead of his paintings.
I blushed!
“Eh, hi!” he said.
“Hi! These paintings are great!” I said, getting right to the point.
“Thanks!” he replied.
There was a pause. We both stood staring at each other, a puzzled look across our faces.
“I know you!” I blurted.
“Yeah, I know you too!”
I searched my internal directory of people from my past.
Yep! It all came back to me within an instant. Oh, yes, I definitely remembered him! I had a wicked crush on him way back when…
“We did our Master’s degree at the same University!” I exclaimed. “Your name is Seth, right?”
“Yeah that’s right! And you’re Zoe.” he smiled.
What a great smile! I thought…and almost said it out loud!
“What a great smmm…uhm, what I mean is…What a small world!” I babbled.
We talked for a while, reminiscing about our past studies and the challenges in completing our graduate degree. We compared notes about friends who remained in contact and the teachers who taught us. He seemed shy but social at the same time. We talked until the opening of the art show, at which point I made my way back to my booth.
Throughout the day I glanced over at Seth standing at his stall, discussing his art with potential buyers. I wanted to go over and talk to him again. Should I go talk to him after the show? The more I thought about it the more I began to feel nervous and excited. Did I still have a crush on him?