Hello Everyone,
I have joined other forums after short-term reconnaissance missions by diving in with questions and comments without making a proper introduction; in hindsight that was a mistake, so this time I'll do things differently and tell you a little bit about myself.
What brings me here is about a month ago I submitted photos (of photos - photography is my medium) to a local juried arts festival, mainly just curious if I could make the cut. I had no attachments to the outcome. That is until I got accepted. Now I very much want to present my very best effort and not let this opportunity slip by even though the costs are mounting (I had NO IDEA) and the prognosis is uncertain. To that end, again I have no attachment to financial outcome, am just hoping for a positive overall experience. No matter what, I hope to say, "Hey, at least I tried and it was a fun & creative project to prepare for!" That's not to say I am going into this halfheartedly. I quickly discovered I am in WAY over my head, but I do love a good challenge. Fortunately, I still have three months to prepare.
The venue had tents available for rent, a good idea for someone who doesn't know if they will ever do this again, but before I could accept the invitation, they were sold out so I'm starting from scratch, from the ground up. I'm eager to get the booth and presentation nailed down so I can spend the rest of the summer concentrating on images and inventory.
Photography is my hobby/obsession currently and fortunately my husband shares my enthusiasm. We've had a wonderful time exploring together (mostly Utah, but also the surrounding states) and encouraging each other. Our photos are well-received by family and friends (of course), but we have also won Blue Ribbons at the State Fair the very first time we entered. I have had family and friends request enlargements of my photos to hang in their homes. As you can imagine, every little bit of validation spurs us on! I am lucky to have great support not only from my husband but also my friends and family who I think are looking forward to the Arts Festival behind-the-scenes experience without the risk! ;-)
If anyone is interested, my Instagram handle is starfireslc. It does not contain my "best" images, I'm keeping some of those separate. I'm hoping to get a website set up in the next few weeks.
I have enjoyed this site and feel fortunate to have discovered this knowledgeable & generous community of artistic fellowship!
Replies
Thank you for introducing yourself to us, Shari. It sounds like you're on the right path and I'm sharing your enthusiasm and trepidation as I have recently been accepted into a "real" show too. It's all a learning experience, I guess, but whatever keeps us motivated and gets our creative juices flowing is all good as far as I'm concerned...so best of luck to you and let us know how it went by sharing your experience with us afterwards.
Thank you @Christina L. Towell. Good luck to you too! The time is going by too quickly and with a full-time job and weekend jaunts, it's hard to make as much progress as I'd like. Might have to take a few days off work for peace of mind! Been going to Arts Festivals and Farmers Market (with a whole new perspective) and that has been a lot of fun in and of itself. :-)
Yes, I find that visiting art fairs and festivals always inspires me and gets me motivated. I did one small indoor show last fall, so maybe this year I'll do two and see how it goes...taking a little time off sounds like a good plan too. I gathered everything together the other day to take inventory and determine what I needed more of for the show I'm doing in September. I sold so many hats last year that I realized I'd better get busy and make some more. Keep us posted on your progress...
Welcome, Shari! Best wishes in your venture into art shows. I hope your goals are achieved. I believe you'll find this forum a welcoming place.
Thank you @Cindy Welch! Very, very helpful so far. :-)