What an amazing spring and early summer I have had! The shows are like roller coasters with highs and lows and there were certainly a lot of "highs" this time around. After having participated in the MOCA Va. Boardwalk Art Show on and off since 1978 and never having won any prices or selected for judging I was finally chosen. Much to my surprise, at the awards ceremony I was casually talking with friends after most of the awards were called out. When they got to the last top three awards I stopped paying attention because clearly, I would not be winning any of those! Amazingly I received the Thomas A. Felton Jr. Award Of Distinction for Fine Art! I am so humbled and thankful for that recognition after all these years of effort.
The featured artist sign. All of T Shirts and Posters with my painting on it sold out for the first time in years according to MOCA.
Sandbridge Scorcher inspired by the photography of Eddie Compo at the Tar Roof Gallery won the award of distinction for fine art.
The back wall of my booth with the artwork featured on all the posters and T Shirts.
Kris and I sporting some of the T's.
The official poster.
The very next day after the boardwalk art show we did the "Under the Oaks" show at Whalehead in Corolla, NC. I was able to get some terrific shots for future paintings at the Inn At Corolla Light and of course, our dogs were able to stay in the comfy AC while I worked the show. The day after that show we did the Knotts Island Peach festival and had a great time with the great folks down there and a lot of my fellow artists joined us. I saw plenty of former and new clients at that one and am looking forward to the month of July to regroup, surf, and relax.
As I reflect on this years shows so far, I have learned a lot. As always, if sales are slow, don't blame others, the promoter, the weather, fellow artists, etc. It all falls on you in the end and so often it is just pure luck in regards to encountering that very special person who connects to your work. I had many shows this year that were just like that and the boardwalk was the exception. That was one for the record books! It all comes down to simple math. You have to do a lot of shows to make income and be realistic because at many of them you just won't have the sales to match the investment in time. Try to remember the good times you are having meeting other artists and sharing ideas and developing relationships with new and returning clients.
I also figured out how to keep those pesky horizontal bars on my showoff canopy from sliding off their positions. I used a simple zip tie to hold them in place.
These bars inside the canvas loops kept coming off. Zip ties worked great to hold em in place!
Also earlier this spring at the Gosport Arts Festival I won the Award of Distinction for Fine Art Painting which was a very pleasant surprise! I support EDMARC hospice for children so much and that award was very special to me. It was not so much for specific piece of work, rather, it was for the body of work.
