Blog

After a packed weekend talking to the crowds of art lovers and artists in Chelsea Town Hall this last weekend I can look back at all I've learned.

The run up to the event was more relaxed this time as I had a lot of paintings ready from the Art Fair that had been cancelled, but I still needed to set up the layout and get that across to the fair organiser in good time, and print labels.

By the time I got to Chelsea Town Hall I was very glad to find that the main hall, that I was in, had tall ceilings and beautiful grand chandeliers. There was plenty of room and the temperature was a lot more comfortable than in the smaller rooms and corridors. Although we were given chairs I didn't make much use of mine and my feet were killing me at the end of each day.

I was so pleased to have visits from my family and friends, and also a steady stream of interested art viewers stopped by my stall to chat.

My main take away from this weekend is that I might not quite have made my money back on the stall, but I learned an awful lot about people, met several artists from my 'neck of the woods' and most importantly I managed to impart a lot of epilepsy awareness too. I loved talking to the other artists and in particular enjoyed the conversation I had with one lady who said how inspired she was by my story and how she planned to train as an art therapist. Also the brother of a stroke survivor artist who came to introduce himself and took me to meet his sister, whose art is spookily similar to mine.

I was delighted to sell so many cards and prints, and to take an order for a print of another. I'm waiting to see whether the gentleman who stopped and asked if I could paint him a commission of something larger contacts me. I know that I should have taken his email address!

I had a moment of almost selling my largest painting, a gentleman had been talking to me about how he felt about my work and it's expressiveness and freedom, he'd even leant forward, looked at the label and told me how I hadn't overpriced my work. And then we were interrupted by my neighbouring artist, who unfortunately had felt the need to interject and try and force the sale. I had previously had to point out to her that it was best to read body language when she'd done the same thing earlier and a lady had had to forcibly drag her partner away, but she had told me that as she worked in a gallery and knew what she was doing. Well needless to say the gentleman left, but luckily taking a business card, all the same he made a hasty retreat. I only hope he contacts me through my website.

So it's been a weekend of learning and tolerance. Mainly learning how to deal with people without offending, learning which pieces of my work were mos† popular, and what to do in the future. I would definitely do another art fair with Parallax.

Now I'm relaxing under my weighted blanket perusing Aosom.uk on the internet for some bits and bobs for the new home