The Art & Craft Fair, Take I

Well, you all heard about day 1. (If you read my earlier post on the matter.) Know I was in a sad place when I wrote it and it really wasn't that bad. I met a wonderful fiber artist. She knits. She weaves. She spins and dyes her own yarn. She is a true artist. She is also a friendly, caring, supportive soul. I would not have made it through the last two days without her.

Yesterday was a bright and sunny day. Beautiful, perfect weather. Not too hot, not too cold. The people came out in droves.

They were not buying. From me. They apparently spent all their money at the booth behind me that was selling things made in China and Taiwan. For cheap. They were also buying tons of tiny, fold up, photo album things on the other side of me. They were not buying 'art'.

They were telling their 9 year old sons, "See, you could do that."

They were telling their girlfriends, "You're not buying that. I'll take a picture of flowers for you."

I did sell one pack of cards and an 8x10 matted print. I also sold 6 bracelets. Bracelets that I made while sitting around waiting for people to even LOOK at my work. (It amazes me how many people don't even see my work sitting there.) After I had made 3 bracelets and realized I had nothing to do with them - I put them out for sale. $3 a pop. The young girls loved them. Maybe I'm in the wrong business.

Anyway, they extended the festival one more day because of the rain Friday. I'm trying again. At least I can chat with some wonderful artists. They seem to appreciate my work. There was even a buzz surrounding it among the vendors apparently. They came by now and then saying they had to see the beautiful photographs of flowers they heard about. That was v. nice.

Still, I forgot how hard and soul crushing it is to put your passion in the public eye. Out there for criticism. Out there for the world to reject. The sneering looks - what is with the sneering looks? The compliments help but, alas the infamous but, it is still soul crushing. It is still hard. It is still emotional. And draining.

And I get to do it all again in 2 weeks. Yay.