Garland Art Made Here

Oh yeah, I was so busy NOT doing anything after the Garland Art Fair that I totally forgot to post anything about it. It went well. It was definitely a lot of work in lots of different ways, and it was a huge learning experience for us. Probably paid more for everything than we should have because we were already on short notice, and I was involved, so it was not looking great. After an all-nighter or two, we were able to get it pretty much figured out.

Getting stuff ready. Found a whole bunch of mounted prints that I didn't know I had, which was awesome.

Other stuff getting ready

Getting set up was a different story altogether. There really wasn't any indication where we were supposed to set up, and most of the streets were blocked off, including streets that we needed to get to so we could unload. We drove about aimlessly for a while, starting to panic, but luckily Allison was able to talk to some people, and just got out of the car at times to move barriers by hand. Because of the delay finding the spot, we were really rushing to get everything done. We never really did a dry run other than me mocking up the display booth in Photoshop and InDesign. Luckily my measurements were correct for the most part, and I'm pretty sure we got set up by 2pm, which was our ultimate goal. One thing we didn't count on was god just killing us with just ridiculous wind. It was a nice breeze and helped me keep cool, but we had to tape down everything, and it was still a constant battle putting signs back up and making sure pieces didn't fly away.

Setting up...

A view from the inside looking out.

Outside looking in

Merchandise!!

Overall it was a great, but extremely stressful experience. It was experience though, and now we have most of the stuff we need for a pop-up shop or a booth, so keep an eye out for that stuff. All of the merchandise you see in these pics is available on the website, so check it out.

I also sold my first ever piece to a stranger, who actually ended up getting 2 pieces. They were my wife and I's favorite pieces, so it was bittersweet. Having someone who I've never met and who has never seen my work was a huge confidence booster though. Sold a couple lithographs, a monotype, a few drawings, and a good amount of shirts and postcards. We weren't even close to making our money back, but it was mostly about the experience. It was rough, but I couldn't have picked a better business partner. Without her none of this would be possible. Quite literally.