2011 Fringe Festival Ends...

We brought my paintings (and one sculpture) home yesterday, all of them.

It felt really strange.

I guess I had hoped that one or two pieces would sell, at least the two small spider paintings. (Honestly, I was hoping to sell one or two of the larger pieces...!)

Now the clock is ticking down the six months to my next show, and I'm already hard at work on "the new stuff"--and I'm pleased, so far--which is helping to ease my distress that I sold nothing at the Fringe Fest!

It's tempting to think of a "no-sale show" as a failure (and, it's tempting to blame the event, the gallery, etc.) I try very hard never to do that. My work was exhibited, and people saw it! Most of the fifty or sixty people who came out for the "Iron Artist" event were folks I didn't know--and I think it's always a plus when my stuff is seen by new eyes. (I'll definitely be leaving some postcards for the February show at the Wine Gallery!)

There's no way to know how many of those folks will see my stuff at a future show, and remember it (and hopefully, remember that they liked it!) No way to know how many of them might operate their own galleries, or be artists looking to invite other artists to exhibit with them in a group show, etc.

So, I'll have a much better idea how this show went, after I see the response to my next show.

The bigger question I've been pondering is, am I interested in participating in the Fringe Festival next year?

I haven't decided yet, although I am leaning towards, "Yes". I suspect that the Fringe attracts a different art crowd than most of the other art events around town. If so, showing with the Fringe for the second year in a row will help that audience see me as an artist who is "still here"--still making and exhibiting new work.

And I don't think it's ever a good idea to give anyone the impression that an artist has "given up".

'Cause I certainly haven't!