The Hometown Crowd

My California art pals thought I was a bit nuts when I moved to the Midwest 4 years ago. But I guess its time to admit - St. Louis is my adopted hometown. This is, after all, the second time I have lived here and I think we are in for the duration, mainly due to Beth and her family, but also because this is a pretty easy place to be comfy. And lucky for us, we've made tons of terrific friends plus my art career has soared, a bonus I wouldn't have imagined. Which brings me to the St. Louis Art Fair. I know you'll are waiting for an update.

I have tried to think of one word to summarize this past weekend, but it's just not that easy. You would think a show with monsoon-like rains for a day and a half would have been a bummer. Sure, it did seem perilously like camping at times, huddled in a tent hour after hour in such rainy, humid conditions. And sure, it was uber-frustrating when the police closed the show at 8pm Friday night (rain had stopped, but lightning continued) - leaving an energized crowd art-less and many artists (myself included) feeling like we missed major sales opportunities. And yeah, it was a total bummer not being able to display art on the outside walls of my hee-yuge corner spot (due to direction of the rain) for the vast majority of the show.

But, that all being said, I was quite pleased with the outcome. If you add up sales made at the show plus commissions received during and since, I officially made "career best." And it's not even over as people continue to call me to book more commissions.

I can not say enough about the quality of the show from a volunteer/artist amenity/"class act" standpoint. Oh my goodness, it was lovely, in a way that made me feel spoiled. And you know how MB loves being spoiled, tee, hee, hee.

And the people? For me it's always about the people - supportive friends; collectors who come visit; all the new folks I meet; and fellow artists. This was a particularly sweet crowd, maybe that is the hometown thing at play? Anyway, there are more stories to come, but they will have to wait as my head is still a little discombobulated and I remain tired, exhausted to the bone really....yet energized in a manic sort of way. Cause I can't wait to get back in to the studio. That is, after I do the laundry, find the bottom of my desk, read the mail that has piled up.....you get the drift.