You never know...

 

People often ask me how I know which painting to take to a show? I have a bunch of them and they can't all go.

The truth is that I don't. It is a mercurial project, I don't pull the ouiji board out or anything like that, but it is essentially a spur of the moment thing, I do it by feel. As I'm packing.

I know that my van has finite space, pretty much fourteen painting boxes across, hopefully leaving enough room for totes, clothes and utility items like my ladder and dolly.

You have to think about your audience but who knows exactly who will show up? I am leaving soon for Texas but I am throwing a couple California paintings in to the mix, a photograph from New Orleans, a print from Carolina. I found a lovely Bucks County, Pennsylvania painting by Fern Coppedge, bringing that.

You never know, you could bring an obscure Maine painting and have that couple from Penobscot show up out of the blue but it is not really the high percentage play. You also don't want to keep bringing the same merchandise because people have really good memories and art can get stale. Doesn't hurt to skip a show or two. Fresh sells. But it is all honestly little more than a guess.

This trip looks like it is trending Southwest for me but I don't want to be too southwest because a lot of people in Texas see too much of it and are frankly burned out by it. I brought a mixed race nude last time and had several people remind me that I was in the bible belt and to be careful. 

So I will bring an assortment, a few abstracts, a couple small nudes, things I like, because it is always easier to make a case and sell something that you love.

I did really well with young decorators at the last show and found that although they were not extremely knowledgable, they were enthusiastic and had a look they were after. 

They favored a lower price point than I might sell at in say, my Santa Barbara show or Santa Fe. 

But they bought.

The market is changing and younger collectors are favoring more super saturated color and more graphic works.

I made sure to bring some this time.

So you have to think affordable, you have to have something for everybody price wise so people don't get alienated. And tastes change. What was popular last week might be deader than a doornail today.

So it can't be a show off museum of my best stuff. I am there to sell, not preen. 

I guess my strategy is to have a wide range of inventory across the price spectrum and hope that something strikes a chord with the audience. 

I sold a lot of low to middle range native american last time so have to remember to bring that.

In Santa Fe they only will buy the best examples, good still sells in Round Top.

It is a long show and you have to have backup. I have plenty of that. I knocked it out of the park in the spring, will there be a sophomore curse? We shall see... An awful lot of time and expense involved.

I bought this nice painting from an estate in the Bay Area yesterday, the artist is Ron Riddick. CA (Cowboy Artists of America) Emeritus. 

It is titled Dream Weaver.

It is well painted but it wasn't cheap.

There is no certainty. 

After many decades selling art I know that occasionally I will guess wrong and fall on my ass and have said ass handed to me. 

It is a given. 

Hopefully that doesn't happen this time.

My booth

I had an eighty foot booth of walls last time, this time I am down to fifty six in my forty foot long booth. After I get my smalls back I will see what else I can shoehorn into the van. I am taking two pieces of western furniture this time so it will be a definite squeeze.

I had a man from Texas call me a week or two back and ask me if I was going to be there this time? I sold him several things last time. He said he wasn't coming if I wasn't going to be there which is nice to hear. Maybe I will make a sale?

So cross your fingers, say a little prayer for me and hope that I guess right.