american craft exposition, part 3

to recap...A.C.E. was a great show. i arrived wednesday morning and the emerging section was ready for set up. it was simple and basic - white walls, some shelving - most of the emerging artists brought their own cases, pedestals, and fixtures. A.C.E. did have tables and shelves for those of us (like me) who wanted them. my set up was super easy. i got two tables and arranged my display. done. as for the group - talented, strong work, and i felt it all looked great together. the first night was a preview party which i felt was as much a social event as a sales event. it was a slow night for me - i think many of the attendees were their to buy work from artists they were collecting and to socialize with each other. the rest of the weekend was different and ended being what i consider to be a great show. i did not have high expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

so a few questions remain including do i want to do shows? i still don't know. i know i don't like doing them (so far). it's hard for me to stand there, greeting everyone who walks by, trying to sell the work. i'm not a good salesperson or at least i don't think i am. i can be charming and often enjoy engaging people in conversation, but it is a struggle for me to make the first step. i usually let people just look and hope they say something if they are interested or have questions. i start with hello and maybe "how are you" and then i watch for a cue to continue or not. sometimes people are friendly immediately while others can be quiet. i know i hate to feel pressured and sometimes just want to look, but i also know i do like to be acknowledged. i guess this is part of my approach. (and i am pretty sure this is not the way to make those sales...) my sales were good for this poor economy and my first timer status, but i wonder if i could do better if i was more proactive. however, i'm not sure this is my personality. (i think some of us are born salespeople and others are not.) in general i feel very awkward and i know i would rather send my work to galleries and stores to sell it for me. shows are a good way to promote your work and network, but do i have to do a lot of them? can i just do one or two a year? can i get away without doing them at all? these are just a few of the many questions i have...

thanks for reading.