Singing the Art Show Blues

This has been a particularly exhausting two weeks.  I have had art show commitments across town on two Saturdays in a row. This probably makes a total of 6 or 7 art shows that I have participated in these past few years of my young art career.  So far I haven't a single positive experience to report.  I can only imagine that art shows could be exhilarating if the end result was a number of sales or a pocket full of solid contacts had been made.  Alas, that has not been my reality. Not only did I loose the revenue I would have earned giving lessons to my Saturday students, but I got to pack up exactly the same amount of artwork that I came with.  My only real comfort as I look back over these exercises in futility is that I didn't pay much for booth rent for either event. 

Rejection for something that is so personal and emotional as ones artwork can be a hard pill to swallow.  Oh you get plenty of people who come by and make comments about what a great artist you are as they compare you to the only two artists that the uneducated art public know, Bob Ross or Thomas Kinkaid.  They might even gush over just how amazing your cowbells are but then they all walk, away to never been seen again. 

To end this blog on a high note, I am happy to report that the very next day I sold two cowbells; one through my sister-in-law and her Facebook post and a second because my sister had three bells out on the counter of her Pahrump, Nevada mini- market and one of her customers just had to buy one.  I guess the question here to ask is, "Will I ever do another art show?" I would answer probably so because it seems this is something that artists do.  I will do a little research before time and try to make sure I am participating in the RIGHT show that has been marketed properly and is a good fit for for my style of artwork and of course my COWBELLS.  

                                

If you are interested in seeing more of my work or perhaps ordering your own hand-painted cowbell then visit my website at Julie Townsend Studio

I Completely Agree with Vincent....Vincent van Gogh that is!

"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing."
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890) Post Impressionist painter

I couldn't have said it any better myself!  What a wonderful and simplistic way to express my own feelings about drawing.  I recently started an "Artist Journal" so that I could record an event or a thought artistically and without the pressure of trying to create something for public display.  I find there is something freeing about just sketching for fun and yet I am hoping that as I fill up my sketchbook with little humorous and even cartoonish entries that this book will be a treasure for my family to cherish long after I am gone.  I'm really thinking of starting a personal sketchbook for each grandchild.  Wouldn't that be a great thing to pass down?  

I have included a number of my sketches that span our recent 5 week camping, roadtrip adventure that tooks us through Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and a day trip into British Columbia and Alberta Canada.  What an amazing time we had and I thought it would be fun to share with you.