March 9, 2023
Trying to press forward. I’m quickly learning that becoming a professional artist involves so much more than producing the art. I thought I would have plenty of time since December as my t-shirt business slows down during this period, to create tons of paintings. I’m in no shortage of inspiration and ideas, I thought I would have completed 50 paintings by now. And of course, I haven’t completed half that number. One of the major time constraints as an artist is preparing and applying to art fairs for the upcoming months. There’s just so many logistical issues to consider especially when it comes to applying for one that requires travel. Ultimately choosing the ‘right’ ones to apply means the one that provides the most exposure and profits. While my short term goals don’t require me to be profitable right away, I need to be able to meet potential collectors and have a path to sustainability.
Having said all of this, I’ve solidified my show schedule for May! I’ve added a new page called “Show Schedule” and it lists all my upcoming shows. Part of the artist process is applying to art shows that are juried. The three outcomes of applying to a juried show is: Accepted, Rejected or Waitlisted. One of the daunting obstacles as a new artist applying to a well established show with a reputation for strong sales is that it attracts veteran artists from all over the country. It isn’t uncommon for a nationally recognized show to attract 1000 artists flighting for 150 spots. I stayed mostly local and regional shows last year and just starting applying to the bigger shows this year. As a result, I’m getting used to term ‘Waitlisted’.