I. Feeling October
I went to a collage-making meet-up last night, at the invitation of an old friend, Morgan. The theme was joy, but that wasn't my vibe. It was a full moon, I'd found a Halloween black-cat shirt at the thrift store, and I was feeling the season.
The door to other worlds is opening soon...
The child doesn't hesitate to climb over the doorsill.
I'd brought along cards of my Typewriter and "Dept of Do Your Damn Work" prints to give away to the five others. I didn't know most of them.
One artist wanted extras, and said she'd swap a pair of Kamala Harris earrings she makes. She sells them for $35, and with the proceeds buy fresh food for the Democratic Party's site where she volunteers daily, where they live on fast food and plastic-wrapped snacks.
This is my first sale (barter) of prints! I was so pleased. I don't wear earrings, but these are very Maura, and it's her birthday soon---perfect. She can wear them to vote in three weeks.
(And, you know, it's great when people objectively like your art, strangers, beyond friends and family who may like your work partly because they see you in it.)
II. Feeling Swedish?
And... a POSSIBLE sale?
In the morning, bink and I had gone to the Swedish Insitute--a museum complex whose café makes the BEST cardamom rolls. Sitting with bink, I'd spread out the cards I'd brought for that evening, and I was signing their backs.
A woman came along and asked if she could see.
"Sure," I said, "and please take one if you like. I'm giving them away at a meeting later."
She took a "Do Your Damn Work" card and said she'd put it up in her office--she is the buyer for the gift shop there!
"Would you consider doing a Swedish-themed card for us?" she said.
What?!? Would I?
Cuh-RAY-zee.... Yes!
I have little feel for Swedish things. I like IKEA, does that count? (It kind of does.)
Because I'm mostly designing text, I looked up "funny Swedish sayings" and immediately saw and loved,
THERE'S NO COW ON THE ICE.
'Det är ingen ko på isen' --meaning, No worries.
Design issues arise.
I could print just the English, but for the Swedish shop, bilingual seems better. Must mess around and see.
The short version would fit better:
ingen ko på isen
no cow on the ice
[no worries]
Anyway, I'd genuinely enjoy making and having these cards even if the buyer doesn't want them, so I'm going to go ahead.
some channels are opening up!!! the best connections are those that come by accident. it just hit me that sometimes the best sales happen when we aren't expecting to sell. if that makes sense.
ReplyDeletewhat is always amazing to me is when one makes art with others it really makes our creativity come alive and flourish and we make connections in our art that we didn't know were there. that's why i love in-person classes although i have been on some on-line that sparked connections.
kirsten
Serendipity really works!
DeleteThe right place at the right time!
ReplyDeleteYes! Good to go out and about.
DeleteIn case I didn't say this already, please make up at least a hundred, and book yourself into a farmer's market or street fair next year. Print them on anything you can find. Do not include an envelope. Consider how much is the cost of the venue and price to earn ten times the cost of the show if you sell out. You can set up at a show with as little as your folding chair with a golf umbrella strapped to it. Carry your cash in a fanny pack. And be sure to get a temporary sales tax permit, and either charge it separately or include it in your price. Ask my anything you may want to know. I may have an answer.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU, Joanne! This is truly helpful, and I am good at following directions like this---that are what I want to do but am flummoxed about how to do.
DeleteWhy do you say "Do not include an envelope"?
You mean a "art print" is better than a card?