Wet Paint

I couldn't get to the show. One third of the art that I shipped didn't get there either. My buddy Higgins sat in my booth for me and tried his best to sell a few pieces. It seems we sold a few prints amtted and framed. I sat most of the weekend maning the credit card terminal. The few things sold sold with checks. But I did get the award of distinction for painting. It was a small check but Hey I think it's kind of cool.

Heres a picture of Higgins with Ben Prestage a teriffic Florida Blues artist.

Labels: Art Fairs

At least don't ship UPS. I shipped 3 large boxes for 2nd day air. 2 arrived early. One is still in New Jersey. It was re-scheduled to Monday. Why did they ask for my email address if thety weren't planning to tell me they were screwing me.

1/3 of a half size display is missing. I am having a hard time getting UPS to reroute the pack back to me. Completely a waste of time and money.

Forget shipping to put art into a dark rental tent. You just end up broke and looking like a rank amateur.

Labels: Art Fairs

I can't make it to Deerfield Beach for the show. It's simple I could go but I couldn't come back. Not that I could get a plain ticket either. Just too much going on. The furnace the frozen plumbing the coldest day in years coming up tomorrow my wife being really pissed off that I would leave her with all the mess. I shipped about 15 bigger pieces to my friend there he will man my booth. The thing I didn't think about is that I shipped all that stuff and most of it will have to comeback. More expense. Oy.

Every thing was going okay. I could see break-even and the Dolphin died. In all the reference material, the research and conversations the importance of really reliable didn't seem important. Wow. It's the whole deal. Especially for a painter like me. Some shows I do well some badly. But the trick is you have to do enough show to average out. I spend a lot of energy working out my display and a lot of money building it. I haven't been able to deliver the show. I haven't felt confident bringing only the minimum.

I'm looking at this as an opportunity to change my work. While I'm figuring out the transportation thing I'm gonna mount a new show. Small canvases. Simplified. And Real digital. It sounds like spin and may well be. But if I didn't try to find something good I'd go nuts.

Labels: Art Fairs

Today I started shipping my work to Florida to be in this weekends show. I'm a bit frazzled and anxious. I'm still waiting on the plumber. I start a new job next week. the show is allowing me to leave early Sunday my friends will man or woman the booth for me.

This will be another show without an optimum presentation. I'm going to stop doing the long distant shows. they cost alot and break even is almost impossible.

Labels: Art Fairs

What ever can go wrong... This weekend I arrived late at the trailer. My weekend home on the Delaware. My summer studio and fishing headquaters. Its also the home of my 1989 Dolphin camper. My traveling show mobile. I had an appointment to have some minor(?) repairs, have the belts replaced and service for this weeks dash to Florida to get a late start on my Florida season before my job starts in Feb. Anyway we were late. The Dolphin wouldn't start. My wife raced off to visit her aunt in the rehab. I was on the phone seeing about a jump start for the Dolphin when I noticed that there was black soot coming out of the floor vents. The vent air was cold. I was 15 degrees outside. I dropped the phone and opened the door to the propane furnace. There was a fire inside! The inside was blackend and all the plastic knobs melted and dripping. I was more than a bit afraid The ball of fire was large but not agressive. I had enough sense to find the gas valve and shut it off. I immeadiatly canlled the plumbing and heating guy and got a machine. I told them of my emergency and sat to wait for the call back. It was 15 degrees outside. Within an hour it was very very cold inside. I had to shut off the water heater and the well. -After I noticed that the pipes had already frozen. It was 15 degrees after all. My wife called. She had to cut her planned visit short. At around 4 having not eaten and been sitting in an unheated trailer waiting for the plumber my wife returned. The plumber hadn't called back and the Dolphin wouldn't start. I could see that I wasn't going to be able to leave on Tuesday for Florida. That will 4 shows that I've missed because the Dolphin was't working. or was it the furnace or that #@!!!% plumber.

I finally found the plumber of Monday. They told me they'd call me back with a time for me to meet them so that they can repair the furnace. Oh and unthaw the pipes and make sure that the brand new water heater isn't damaged. It's after six. Have you seen Murphy?

Labels: Art Fairs