50 Little Birds

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).