Van Gogh at the food and craft fair :)

[john]

I'm sorry I'm being silly but......

For the first time, in few weeks, I'm going public with my paintings for sale. Setting up in a food and craft fair. This means deciding what to show. Now I can present nice landscapes and they would probably sell. But the problem is that I'm bored of painting nice landscapes. I want to do wild stuff. Abstracted stuff that my mother-in-law and 99% of the public will be completely confused about and ask what it's supposed to be.

Do I dare put wild paintings out at the craft fair? How embarrassed will I be? What if they laugh?

Now, of course I'm no Van Gogh, but I had this thought. I had this image in my mind of Van Gogh at a food and craft fair with his paintings and all these people walking by and asking what they are supposed to be. Can you picture it? Did he ever do that?

As we know, Vincent had a real tough time selling his art, and now .....

So, sorry, but I just think it's funny thing to think about and perhaps a good thing for me to keep in mind as the people walk by me and laugh at my paintings. They laughed at Vincent also. I do want to keep both ears though.

That would be a good painting. It might even sell. It would be a hoot. Who wants to paint it? I don't think I have the skill to pull it off.

 

[Enyaw]

Now I can present nice landscapes and they would probably sell

... as you know, they could as well not sell .. then, how would you feel? Your crutch burned before your face. Not saying they won't but it's all 50% if it's not rigged of course. I would try to sell what I love to paint and not what I think would sell.

Long long ago, I went to one and sold one piece which was a sympathy buy from a friend. Sucked at the time but I realized in a hurry, with my feelings badly bruised, that the people came so get crafts and paintings was the furthest thing from their minds. Mind you I was at a Christmas craft show but still. Good thing was it was only 10 bucks for a table and the hurting was for free.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Donna T]

Go for it, John, and enjoy the experience for what it is. If your passion is for self-expression and abstracts then some people will appreciate it and relate to your work. Some only think art is good if it's realistic and that's ok too; something for everyone. I suspect that most people don't realize how hard it is to create an abstract painting so maybe you could talk a little to those who show interest. You could be asked to give a demo or teach - you never know. I did a Christmas craft show once and had several of my smaller pastels framed and ready to go. People said nice things about them and then bought $5 gifts from others. I was embarrassed but it was still a good time and I met lots of nice folks. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[Terri]

Go big and go bold - show 'em what you've got! That means, a little of everything, space depending. But some people will love a landscape, and some people will love your abstracts - AND you still might not make a sale. Why? Well it's post-holiday and people might be tight with their wallets. Some people just love to visit these things, spend time looking, chatting it up with artists and sipping beer, because it's a pleasant way to spend an afternoon and can cost them nothing. Don't take it personally.

This has been part of my personal experience at art/craft fairs. I learned to enjoy the visits from folks who sincerely wanted to understand some of my alternative photography processes but didn't buy. It was still appreciation, and connection, and I was never doing photography for money - never. Validation for me did not mean sales.

Still, it's exciting and gratifying to have people buy, and I never lost money on a fair (entrance fees, incidentals were always made up by enough sales).

I don't think anyone is going to laugh at your work. The opposite of validation is not laughter - it is indifference. If an abstract confuses them and they ask about it, consider that meaningful communication, because they cared enough to want to understand.

Have fun and enoy the experience! You'll likely meet some fellow artists, too.

 

[john]

Thank you guys. Your collective wisdom, advice, experience and encouragement is appreciated. You're right about just relaxing and enjoying the experience. It's not like I need to sell for the next meal.

Like Jerry Salz says, "Just do the art you big baby."

But after today's disaster of an abstract I might go back to realism.

 

[JennieJo]

I'm sorry I'm being silly but......

For the first time, in few weeks, I'm going public with my paintings for sale. Setting up in a food and craft fair. This means deciding what to show. Now I can present nice landscapes and they would probably sell. But the problem is that I'm bored of painting nice landscapes. I want to do wild stuff. Abstracted stuff that my mother-in-law and 99% of the public will be completely confused about and ask what it's supposed to be.

Do I dare put wild paintings out at the craft fair? How embarrassed will I be? What if they laugh?

Now, of course I'm no Van Gogh, but I had this thought. I had this image in my mind of Van Gogh at a food and craft fair with his paintings and all these people walking by and asking what they are supposed to be. Can you picture it? Did he ever do that?

As we know, Vincent had a real tough time selling his art, and now .....

So, sorry, but I just think it's funny thing to think about and perhaps a good thing for me to keep in mind as the people walk by me and laugh at my paintings. They laughed at Vincent also. I do want to keep both ears though.

That would be a good painting. It might even sell. It would be a hoot. Who wants to paint it? I don't think I have the skill to pull it off.

I'm going through a similar discussion with myself ... I usually take my abstract works because I like them the most. But, I began wondering if I needed more 'less abstract' works o

n the stall. I did a few sea based works.

Biggest problem, I don't want to sell them! As they're a new direction; a well known Aussie artist told me to always keep new styles as part of my personal collection. So I'm stuck! Just a couple of samples.

 

[Artyczar]

John, you're getting lots of good advice so far, like to not take anything personally. Easier said than done, but it will be good practice, especially at a craft fair. Probably not your audience. Very, very random. Bring a little of everything. No one will laugh, and even if they do, practice keeping your head. They are not real judges of art at a craft fair. Especially not your art. And they did laugh at Vincent, and he was hurt by it, but he continued to do what he wanted anyhow. He never gave up on his vision of art. He continued to stay true to his work. And we are all so thankful for it. What if he gave in?

Definitely make art your mother-in-law would not approve of.

 

[Artyczar]

JennyJo, I LOVE these new pieces!!!!

 

[john]

JennyJo I like your paintings. As long as you have decent photos of the works you can refer to them in the future and if you want you can even have them printed professionally. It's not expensive.

I used these guys for printing some photos on paper and it came out really good. https://www.canvasworld.com/?url_ke...6N_JShQV2ExlUHZbybYlshbdl--I77DAaAjgbEALw_wcB

 

[Martin C]

I too would go for it (mind you, I like your landscapes -- assume you'll be showing them too?). Abstract art has been around for 100 years so you'd expect people would have got used to it by now . I suspect more people than we think also appreciate a bold splash of colour too.

Hope the lighting is good -- it makes quite a difference esp. to abstracts in my experience.

 

[Bartc]

I too would go for it (mind you, I like your landscapes -- assume you'll be showing them too?). Abstract art has been around for 100 years so you'd expect people would have got used to it by now . I suspect more people than we think also appreciate a bold splash of colour too.

Hope the lighting is good -- it makes quite a difference esp. to abstracts in my experience.

From my observations, folks are buying works to hang in their homes and offices that are abstract as opposed to representational. Sadly for those of us who do the latter, of course. But I highly doubt you'll get an audience for abstracts at a crafts fair most times, unless you paint it on a piece of pottery.... that is, assuming it is truly a crafts fair and not an "arts and crafts fair". Actually, in my earlier years my wife and I were more into modern design (not now at all), we went to many craft fairs and A&C type fairs, and we did indeed buy more abstract art pieces. OK, I'm going to go back and scratch my head on this one.

 

[john]

From my observations, folks are buying works to hang in their homes and offices that are abstract as opposed to representational. Sadly for those of us who do the latter, of course. But I highly doubt you'll get an audience for abstracts at a crafts fair most times, unless you paint it on a piece of pottery.... that is, assuming it is truly a crafts fair and not an "arts and crafts fair". Actually, in my earlier years my wife and I were more into modern design (not now at all), we went to many craft fairs and A&C type fairs, and we did indeed buy more abstract art pieces. OK, I'm going to go back and scratch my head on this one.

Good points Bart. I think you are correct. This craft fair may be a little different as it is also a farmer's food market and it's on the east end of Long Island so wealthy Hamptons folks may be passing through.


Part of the problem is that I have too many ideas and conflicting thoughts and painting mediums. I've been confusing myself. So I finally got the bright obvious idea - and I recommend this to anyone with similar confusion - just look at paintings online. See what you like. It's so obvious that I forgot it.

So, being that I like landscapes and abstraction I googled "abstract landscapes". Then I looked at a bunch. I realize I like moody grayish ones with an obvious horizon line. Every one that I liked had the horizon. It seems so cliche but oh well, I don't really like any non-representational abstracts. I just have to admit this. And after my last bright idea of an abstract that was an eye and ego hurting disaster I need to get back to my safe zone of landscapes.

So I think abstract land and seascapes is the way to go for me for now, and they might be sellable.

********************************

I feel like this is some kind therapy session. Writing out all of this. Thanks to you all that read and listen. It helps to write this out and bounce it off other artists.

 

[Artyczar]

Awesome John. You kinda sound like me, only you are finding settled solutions. Good for you. I wish. For me, I have been restless for 40 years or something! But I've come to accept that I always will be. I have also married together all the things I like, and that has worked for a while, but then I find I still make leaps into just abstract, or just landscape, or abstract landscapes, or, weird cartoonish abstract, or, or, or, etc. I have too many ideas and have perhaps come to the conclusion that they don't exactly have to "conflict." They just are.

I am no Picasso, but I don't think he worried about all the different types of media or styles he approached. He just made art. There are many other artists that do the same. I am only using Picasso as an example of one who had a wide range. You can still tell all the work was him. It didn't matter. In fact, most of my favorite artists are prolific in many different genre and media. They evolve and move through different stages and just create whatever, whenever: painting (oils, watercolors, acrylics, gouache), drawing, printmaking (like etching, etc.), clay, collage, mixed media, installation, video, photography, and on and on. I think of artists like Paul Klee, Matisse, Jean Dubuffet, Kiki Smith, Eva Hesse, Niki de Saint Phalle, Warhol, Phillip Guston, Barnett Newman, Motherwell, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg...SO many!!! Maybe with some of these artists, we think of one specific thing, but they all have large bodies of work in many different media.

What I'm saying is that it's okay. If you decide to play with one and not the other, or both...it's all art. It's all YOUR art.

 

[Bartc]

In fact, most of my favorite artists are prolific in many different genre and media. They evolve and move through different stages and just create whatever, whenever: painting (oils, watercolors, acrylics, gouache), drawing, printmaking (like etching, etc.), clay, collage, mixed media, installation, video, photography, and on and on.

I like that, Ayin. Yes, Picasso is an excellent example. So was Matisse. Can name quite a few like that and nobody said to them, "You have to stick to one medium and master it." I've certainly heard that canard, and I duck when I do...

Many musicians are also great painters (Bob Dylan is really really good.) Some writers paint. Jacques Pepin paints menus as well as plates. And Picasso painted plates as well as canvas! Anybody questioned Leonardo Da Vinci lately?

How about if we just say "creatives" instead of "artists"?

 

[john]

Geez I'm a mess. Almost right after after writing that I like moody grayish seascapes I looked at my colorful abstract landscape and said to myself that I want to do more of those. I like color.

OK........so maybe grayish, or colorful, but land/seascapes for sure, and abstracted. Except for when realism works best. And maybe some figures thrown in there now and then. And using watercolor, acrylic or oil. Ink is fun too.

So Ayin, I guess I'm just like Picasso and those others. Cool. Why decide?

I hereby officially have decided to stop deciding! I don't care if it confuses anyone, including me. You know, it feels good to say that.

All you creatives can say it with me "I hereby officially have decided to stop deciding. I don't care if it confuses anyone, including me."

 

[Bartc]

John, is that like, "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?" LOL

 

[MurrayG]

John, I've been watching the thread a while. I agree with Ayin, art is art and whatever you do in whatever form is your work. Often personality shines or winks through. I find it's when I try something outside my comfort zone I learn something, even if it's " ...sh*t.. I'm not gonna do that again!!"
Sounds like you gotta dive in. So let's see grey moody abstracted landscapes or variations along the scale or whatever direction the moment twists you...Good luck.

 

[Artyczar]

An artist is an artist in any form. I'm so glad you've decided not to decide John! Yay!!!!