Art Sale Lessons

Things I learned at last Saturday's art sale:

• Have a VERY clearly marked price. A sticker with the price stuck on the bottom of the piece won't do, as many people never pick up the piece.

• People like stories. Everyone that I sold to were people to whom I told stories about silly things like flameworking in my kitchen since it was the safest room in the apartment in which to play with fire. People are buying art at a premium compared to, say, what they could buy a pair of earrings in the store, because they want something from an individual, not a company. Emphasizing the personal nature seems to encourage that.

• If you have an unconventional art, explain it! I thought it was obvious that I had made everything at my booth, but many people were so used to buying glass beads that the possibility that I made my leaves and flowers didn't cross their mind

Most everyone seems to have some idea of how painting or ceramic mugs are made. Very few know much about flameworking. Next time I'm going to have blown up pictures of me working so they can see the process, as well assome sort of basic information they could read quickly and easily.

• Plastic boxes work much better than cardboard ones, just in case you're caught in a torrential downpour that could drown a moose.

First Post!

It's a funny old world, and you never know where you are going to end up.

I'm a country mouse who ended up being transplanted in the big city.  But the best thing about art is that you can take it no matter where you go...