ART_GiRL

The Glamorous World of Organizing Shows

This is the time of year where I lose my mind (more so than usual). Its holiday show time. Weekends are full of selling work and weekdays are full of making work in between actual work, cooking, cleaning, hitting the gym and occasionally pretending I have a social life. I lose track of friends and they start to send out search parties while wondering where I have vanished.

Unlike last year where I did 7 or 8 shows...(I do not really remember. I blocked it out)... I'm only participating in 5 shows, 2 of which are in my studio building. This plan of action has resulted from the following...
First, the economy is still so shaky. I know I don't have a ton of money for gifts. I've gone the route of making lots of inexpensive little pieces of art for affordable gifts. I've also added 2 holiday workshops so that people can create their own gifts.

Second, doing shows sometimes just plain sucks. Lugging around pottery is a bitch. Its heavy. It needs to be wrapped. Then there are displays. Travel expenses. Blah blah blah. Its a lot of work. I'm picking and choosing more wisely after weeding out the bad shows from the past.

Third, I just don't have as much work made. 2010 is being referred to as the "vortex of suck" by my friends and I. Its been full of death, illness, losing friends with the inability to multitask and have boyfriends too and your general slew of bad news. I've made less work with less time than ever to do so. On the bright side I have made better work.

Fourth, I organize a show. Every November our studios open their doors to the public. This requires press releases, postcard designing and distribution, meetings, cleaning my studio, setting out my work, signing the buildings so you can figure out where the hell you are going (its an old factory, its confusing), making maps to ease this confusion and wrangling artists to do your bidding. Its a lot of work and I'm tired.

When you wonder where I am you now know I'm either at the studio, on my way to the studio or just leaving the studio. Or hiding in bed. Or drinking red wine.