The weather was in the 80s which sounds great, but our tent, in the middle of other 10-foot by 10-foot pop-up shade tents all with added display walls, turned into an efficient oven, not allowing any cool air exchange from the outside.
Loading in our equipment and artwork was hurried and tense with little room to maneuver and other vendors using our space to load in their equipment. Did I ask them not to? Yes. Did it work? It did not. They were unmoved. We took deep breaths. We waited impatiently and stared at them. They were unhurried and moved when they were darn well ready to. I remained calm.
We had just enough time to erect the tent and walls and hang the art. I remained calm but appeared rather pink.
The people were many, the dress code was multicolored, multi-era, multi-style, with various levels of coverage, from swimwear to goth. My hat, which I feared would stand out, was among friends. I could have worn three stacked hats and not drawn attention. The few who ducked into our tent on the way to the food and music areas were all happy to be there, complimentary, and in no mood for home decoration.
Set up complete. Start the oven.
One of the best parts were the visitors we recognized: my sister, my nieces and nephews and their cousin, my son. What an objectively attractive and well-formed group. It is nice to have a cheering section.
The accompanying dogs were cute, with every body shape and stress level on the chart. We wanted all of them to stop by, but most had owners who were on their way to the food or the beer.
They always pick my favorites. Back to the studio.
When I say we, I mean Drew. He loaded the things. He drove the pickup that trucked the things. He carried the tent and walls. He sold the things. He drove to the store and bought a tarp to serve as our 4th wall to protect our stuff while it sat overnight, guarded by the crack security team. He maneuvered the truck through the barricades and other tents for unloading and loading. He made this happen. He could have been fishing.
He could have been doing this. What a hero.
I found most of my fellow artists in Artist Row to be of similar style and similar appeal to a Central Oregon crowd: lots of local landscapes and wildlife with a few quirky cartoon-style people painters peppered throughout. The jurors definitely tried to find artists who fit the crowd, a good move seeing that the space rent included a 10% commission on any sales. I just wish they could jury in a more art-loving crowd.
I like when these acrylic-ink-on-wood ones sell. It justifies all the time it takes to make them.
I did sell a few pieces. Enough to cover my space rent but not enough to make me want to come back next year.
Next: the Sunriver Art Fair (an Art Fair opposed to a Summer Fest - sounds more promising) August 12th through the 14th. Wish for cool weather and meet me there!