As you probably already know I am in the last stages of preparing for the Indiana Artisan Marketplace. From my perspective this is a high stakes show. Until now, I’ve set up an elaborate table and been good to go. This time I built a one hundred square foot gallery space with lights, carpet and fixtures.
I’ve been thinking a lot about sales. Slick icky things like “opening”, “landing” and “closing”. My work starts at about $100 and doesn’t sell itself in an environment where folks can buy original stuff for under $10. My wife, Julie, sells me and my work well. I don’t sell me well. I find it hard to initiate a conversation about my attention to detail, my research and my use of found materials. Once the door is open I can talk for hours about what the patron wants to learn. (I am always an educator first.)
Last weekend in Bloomington, I listened carefully to the coversations that Julie was having with the patrons. I listened to their questions and their misconceptions. (Many folks have problems believing that the work is original and one-of-a-kind. Many folks think the birds are plaster, paper-mache or RESIN. I actually like the first two.)
I have space to hang four informative signs in my new gallery booth. Yesterday I attempted to boil down all of these conversations into four simple signs. I wanted them to sound like things I would say. In fact, one is pulled straight from a recent radio interview. I tried to put a bit of humor into one of them.
I’m a letterpress printer. I don’t have the time to set these and print them. Instead I set them on the HP Inkjet using my favorite typeface (NOT A FONT), Cochin, in a very traditional manner.
These are in the rough. I am open to re-wording, additions and changes. I want your ideas (always).
