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| I added lights for Saturday |
Why did I think this one would be different? The venue, the person's compliments cajoling me to join in the show, or the hope that this time it will be a great one?!!
I found myself saying 'yes' to doing a show again. This one was at a Women's Club. I imagined the membership coming out in force to support the fund raiser and fall in love with my pottery.
After loading my car the night prior and spending a full day at work I drove fast to the venue on Friday afternoon, an old, historic building in the city. I was tired and battling a migraine but made the commitment and needed to follow through.
I dragged my set up and crates of pots (just three) up the steps and into the.....darkness?! I was shown my spot- just inside the "dining room," about a six foot long space along a wall. Already I started feeling the dread...what had I gotten myself into?
Thank goodness I brought my shelving unit and not a table. There were three other vendors in this "dining room." I was the last to arrive, so I got the worst spot. And- did I bring lights? No, silly me expected the place to be well lit. I had no where to set up a space for taking money or for wrapping pots. Thankfully they offered a three foot length along the opposite wall for me to set up a small wrapping station. I backed up to a table in the "cafe" section, but was still optimistic that I was going to make big, Big, BIG sales.
And then...... no one came!
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| Empty Venue, bad lighting |
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the flash helped illuminate
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What do you do when it's slow at a show? I played solitaire and sudoku on my i-phone. Friday night was a tad better than Saturday and I made three sales then. At 2pm on Saturday when five people had walked through (show opened at 10 and went until 4) I hit my wall. I did the unthinkable....I packed up and left.
YES I DID!!!!!!!!!!
I am sick of wasting time at poorly run venues where I get a crappy spot and am supposed to act like I am okay with it....after I had to pay an entry fee to even get in. I do not want to chat with everyone, I'd rather be home in my studio, I get precious little time in there as it is.
So, I will NOT be doing any more shows! Please remind me if I start romancing the idea of doing a show again. I want people to come to my shop and to the two events that I plan, which are very well attended.
As I was loading my car I watched two other people begin to pack up too... I did fight some guilt, but getting home and enjoying some of the beautiful day shook off my guilt! With that found time I took photos of pots from the recent Lucille firing.
Here are a few photos from that load.
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| 13" diameter. Glaze: KCP Original |
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| Malcolm's Shino |
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| VC Copper Blue-Green |
