I never figured out who was in charge of the Big Art Show, but big ups to them! So generous and helpful! I have been to many shows where you get a tiny space, zero direct lighting and no guarantee of electricity (even if you pay for it).
The Big Art Show peeps provided grids and hooks for us to hang our wares and even brought clip lights (with cords long enough to reach the wall outlets.) This is above and beyond what I expected. It was a free, non-juried show. What an amazing thing to do for local artists.
Their website says that their mission is to give "local, unknown, and independent artists an opportunity to perform and display their work to their peers and to the public." And they mean it. No bullshit. I wish I had the chance to meet the organizers and thank them for their generosity and inspiration.
Sean and Rania had a great spot right inside the doors on the first floor. Once the bands started playing, it must have sucked to be on the first floor, but they had a great setup. Tina and I were gonna join them, but space was tight. Tina suggested moving upstairs and I hesitated because the upstairs bar is "21 and over" only. Well, she was right and we got decent spots with plenty of lighting. The upstairs became all ages shortly!
I met a ton of staffers from the Rock & Roll Hotel. They have an admirable comraderie and are not cliquish at all. Yeah, they are total hipsters and all super cute and cool. But no one seemed the least bit jaded or impatient with the somtimes rowdy Saturday night crowd. These people made me smile: Damian, Trevor, Kristen. And thanks to all the other RNR people who helped make the event a success.
The best part of the show was the fact that I managed to pack all my supplies into a single rolling suitcase. (Other than the shadow boxes that I made just for the show). I got a fantastic response for my new line of necklaces and wallets. It only took a few square feet of space. Check it:
I am used to big shows with absurd setup and helpers galore. This experience taught me how to "pack light" and maximize the space I am given. My new goal is to pack everything into one rolling cart that doubles as a chair and holds both stock and a table. As Seen On TV - get to it!
