Well, I survived the three day endurance test that was the annual Sundog Arts and Entertainment Faire. Set-up Friday morning and much of the afternoon, then open for business 5-10 PM. Back again on Saturday to log the increasingly onerous 10AM to 10PM show hours, then another 6 hours and take-down on Sunday.
As with many of the other exhibitors, I did this pretty well solo, although I did have help with takedown on Sunday. The Saturday hours are utterly brutal and in my opinion not really necessary, but it doesn't seem to be up for discussion or change. My take on show hours is that if people are actually interested in a show, they will make it a priority to be there whatever the hours are. If they don't care enough to attend during a reasonable number of "open" hours in the show day, they're not really very engaged and are unlikely to make purchases anyway. When I put on Art at Ebon it's a one-day show from 11 AM to 5 PM, a twenty minute drive from the city in a somewhat obscure location, and yet we log a relatively large number of visitors (weather permitting as it's an outdoor show) for the size of the show. That's because they are all interested in the artists and artwork and are motivated to attend.
The above mild rant aside, I had an OK show. Not stellar for sales, but not dismal either, and there were a *lot* of people in attendance over the course of the three days. I made some good contacts of various sorts, got to know a few more artist participants, and greeted many friends and acquaintances. I'm pretty weary tonight but this too shall pass.
Sundog saw the first outing for my new encaustic works. I wasn't sure how people would receive them and was pleasantly surprised on a number of fronts. Firstly, more people than I expected actually knew what they were. Secondly, a lot of people really liked them and took the time to let me know that. Always a bonus at any show with any medium. Thirdly, a few people purchased them. That's all encouraging. Shot one shows a selection of encaustics laid out on the studio floor waiting for their close-ups. These are mostly encaustic mixed media works, with one or two exceptions, which are "straight" encaustic paintings.
Shot two shows the view outside my studio window this morning. I was checking my email and hadn't yet opened the blinds as the sun was just coming up. I heard a raven croak but thought it was one flying over the house as we are sometimes on a flight path. After a few minutes I decided to open the blinds, and to my great astonishment and joy there were two huge ravens crowded together on top of the telephone pole outside the studio windows, catching the first rays of the rising sun. I rushed downstairs for the camera, but by the time I got back up one of them had already departed. I got a couple of shots of the remaining one before he/she also moved along. The angle from the window to the telephone pole is a bit odd, and I was shooting through a (not totally, or even very, clean) window but still!!! How wonderful.
This afternoon saw my grandson Mark's three grandmas (two "regular" and one honorary) head north to Pineview Farms to purchase some chickens for the freezer. Pineview is a great destination and it was fun to have the other ladies along as this was a first visit for both of them. Shot three shows the farm guardian, a fine and gentle Great Pyrenees that I couldn't resist photographing. These big guys always make me think of polar bears when I look at their faces.
On the way back from Pineview, I stopped for a bit to get some bison shots as there was a herd in the field to the south of the road. I was shooting towards the sun so it was hard to get shots that showed much detail, but this one of a grand bull making his way through the snow gives the feeling quite well.
When I got home from the outing, my eye was caught by the late afternoon light shining on these paperwhites that Jim has forced from bulbs. Usually by the time they are this open I have banished them to a remote bedroom as I find their scent overwhelming, but they look so nice that I'm glad I've left them on the main level where I can enjoy the visuals.
