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Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Turtle's Webb News Letter-November 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Cuff links, Artistic anxiety and...
See, I thought she had blown me off.
Starting in July, I start thinking about the two big shows I do-ARTS ON FOOT and The DownTown Holiday Market. In July I start working on production items and putting the finished pieces into plastic boxes. I start playing with ideas for new designs. In July I start putting my nose to the grindstone, my inner eye on the holiday season quickly approaching. In July I start worrying about paying the bills over the winter, having enough money to buy raw materials, improving my display, improving my mailing list, promoting my work, the weather for the holiday season, the weather for the holiday season, the weather for...
ARTS ON FOOT was a week away. This was after the earthquake...and the hurricane. But then the skies opened up. And as the Gospel song goes "didn't it rain, oh my Lord". While I now own a house, I still live in the basement. Yeah, I got some puddles. I moved some stuff in the workshop off the floor. Best news: the sump pump worked and worked. I thought hey, this is over. Then on Friday September 9, 2011- I came into DC to flop at a friend's house before the big weekend. The cherry on top: Washington DC was issued a "terror alert" a credible source said- yah yah yah.
For many artists, last weekend was the beginning of the fall selling season with ARTS ON FOOT, and various other regional shows and festivals happening all at the same time. To say that the American economy is not doing well would be a kind understatement. For us artists, these last two years have been economically...entertaining. If we had not, we learned to do with what we have. We are lucky because being creative with next to nothing is what we do.
I had done my thing, that is to say, I had handed out cards for the show, posted info on Facebook, Twitter, the show's fan page, sent out a newsletter and posted and reposted it to here and gone. When I do this, I hear this song in my head from childhood: "this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." But in the face of one of the worst economic downturns in American history (and, lest we forget, a "terror alert"), my hopes were not high.
This is the rule in the art show biz- Saturday is the day that one makes money. If it don't happen on Saturday...well, just forget it.
I learned to ice skate at forty years old. At this time, my mom was ill and getting worse, I was raising hell at... and other things were also not working. On the rink one day, I met and got to talking with a nice lady-- maybe in her late sixties or early seventies, but still ice skating; she listened to me when I was my own dark cloud. One day she told me, "happiness is a choice". Her words have stayed with me.
However, Saturday night I was writing a letter in my head... it was about cancelling something. Then Sunday came.
Sunday was hotter...and I did not make a sale until almost two o'clock. Then I made another; then another. Then a woman came up, looked at my work. I was feeling a sale coming on...! She asked if I accepted credit cards; I said yes. If we pretend that I am humble, hum....aah, gosh, it just ain't working. She got her shop on at Turtle's Webb--two pairs of earrings from the glass cases and two necklaces. Yippee! I tried not to do the money dance while she was still in my booth. Then in rapid session long term customers from the market who had read the newsletter came out to see the new fall collection and purchase a piece or two, and customers from The DownTown Holiday Market who live downtown came to preview and contemplate items for the gift giving season. Members of my Spanish club and other old and new clients came by just because they knew I was downtown and they wanted to say hey and be supportive.
So, it's after four o'clock; the page has turned on the show for me, and I ain't mad at nobody. Are we in an economic downturn? Hell, yes! Does it hurt--claro que si! Am I surviving and not contemplating what we artists call "a day job"? (we artists generally say this phrase as if something smells really bad.) Yes I am, thank you very much. At about 4:30, the show closes at 6:00, I look down at my fancy phone and I see the little green light blinking--I have mail.
Two weeks earlier, at the Market, I had been asked to make some cuff links. This client...I thought she was serious. She e-mailed me that same evening, confirming that she wanted the cuff links, and I invoiced her via PayPal. A week went by; the invoice wasn't paid. I learned early on to get a deposit or payment in full for custom work. I invoiced her again: nada. But the show was coming up, and I was thinking that the links would be a good addition to my line, so I went ahead and made a couple of pairs, just to see what response I might get. I had sold a pair of the links on Saturday, so I was happy with my investment of time and materials.
I thought she had blown me off.
This is the email I opened at the show at 4:30.
"Hi Sonda - I came by Eastern Market this weekend to pay for my cufflinks, but couldn't find you:-(
My PayPal account is affiliated with an old email address, and I have been unable to speak with a paypal representative to fix it.
Can I send you my credit card info or will you be at the Market next weekend?
Thanks for your guidance.
I'm excited to see the cufflinks!!"
Linda
I emailed her back. Did she come to ARTS ON FOOT? Did she get the cuff links?
It is only occurring to me now to wonder how she got to the show so fast. Did she take the metro, plane, jet skis, bus, or car? I saw her flying by my booth on foot as I was starting to pack. She was looking for me. Yes, she brought the cuff links, and this lovely bracelet too.
The show was over. I had broken down my stand, packed my car and was again on the couch flopping at my friends house contemplating dinner. The little green light on my fancy phone was again blinking--I had mail. This was the message.
Hi Sonda
- I'm so glad I found you today. I'm heading out for dinner wearing the beautiful bracelet, and I love the cufflinks.
Would you mind bringing the other pair you made for me to the Market next weekend? I definitely want to buy them for my friend.
Thanks. Linda
And I thought she had blown me off.
Witnessing,
Sonda
Starting in July, I start thinking about the two big shows I do-ARTS ON FOOT and The DownTown Holiday Market. In July I start working on production items and putting the finished pieces into plastic boxes. I start playing with ideas for new designs. In July I start putting my nose to the grindstone, my inner eye on the holiday season quickly approaching. In July I start worrying about paying the bills over the winter, having enough money to buy raw materials, improving my display, improving my mailing list, promoting my work, the weather for the holiday season, the weather for the holiday season, the weather for...
ARTS ON FOOT was a week away. This was after the earthquake...and the hurricane. But then the skies opened up. And as the Gospel song goes "didn't it rain, oh my Lord". While I now own a house, I still live in the basement. Yeah, I got some puddles. I moved some stuff in the workshop off the floor. Best news: the sump pump worked and worked. I thought hey, this is over. Then on Friday September 9, 2011- I came into DC to flop at a friend's house before the big weekend. The cherry on top: Washington DC was issued a "terror alert" a credible source said- yah yah yah.
For many artists, last weekend was the beginning of the fall selling season with ARTS ON FOOT, and various other regional shows and festivals happening all at the same time. To say that the American economy is not doing well would be a kind understatement. For us artists, these last two years have been economically...entertaining. If we had not, we learned to do with what we have. We are lucky because being creative with next to nothing is what we do.
I had done my thing, that is to say, I had handed out cards for the show, posted info on Facebook, Twitter, the show's fan page, sent out a newsletter and posted and reposted it to here and gone. When I do this, I hear this song in my head from childhood: "this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine." But in the face of one of the worst economic downturns in American history (and, lest we forget, a "terror alert"), my hopes were not high.
This is the rule in the art show biz- Saturday is the day that one makes money. If it don't happen on Saturday...well, just forget it.
I learned to ice skate at forty years old. At this time, my mom was ill and getting worse, I was raising hell at... and other things were also not working. On the rink one day, I met and got to talking with a nice lady-- maybe in her late sixties or early seventies, but still ice skating; she listened to me when I was my own dark cloud. One day she told me, "happiness is a choice". Her words have stayed with me.
However, Saturday night I was writing a letter in my head... it was about cancelling something. Then Sunday came.
Sunday was hotter...and I did not make a sale until almost two o'clock. Then I made another; then another. Then a woman came up, looked at my work. I was feeling a sale coming on...! She asked if I accepted credit cards; I said yes. If we pretend that I am humble, hum....aah, gosh, it just ain't working. She got her shop on at Turtle's Webb--two pairs of earrings from the glass cases and two necklaces. Yippee! I tried not to do the money dance while she was still in my booth. Then in rapid session long term customers from the market who had read the newsletter came out to see the new fall collection and purchase a piece or two, and customers from The DownTown Holiday Market who live downtown came to preview and contemplate items for the gift giving season. Members of my Spanish club and other old and new clients came by just because they knew I was downtown and they wanted to say hey and be supportive.
So, it's after four o'clock; the page has turned on the show for me, and I ain't mad at nobody. Are we in an economic downturn? Hell, yes! Does it hurt--claro que si! Am I surviving and not contemplating what we artists call "a day job"? (we artists generally say this phrase as if something smells really bad.) Yes I am, thank you very much. At about 4:30, the show closes at 6:00, I look down at my fancy phone and I see the little green light blinking--I have mail.
Two weeks earlier, at the Market, I had been asked to make some cuff links. This client...I thought she was serious. She e-mailed me that same evening, confirming that she wanted the cuff links, and I invoiced her via PayPal. A week went by; the invoice wasn't paid. I learned early on to get a deposit or payment in full for custom work. I invoiced her again: nada. But the show was coming up, and I was thinking that the links would be a good addition to my line, so I went ahead and made a couple of pairs, just to see what response I might get. I had sold a pair of the links on Saturday, so I was happy with my investment of time and materials.
I thought she had blown me off.
This is the email I opened at the show at 4:30.
"Hi Sonda - I came by Eastern Market this weekend to pay for my cufflinks, but couldn't find you:-(
My PayPal account is affiliated with an old email address, and I have been unable to speak with a paypal representative to fix it.
Can I send you my credit card info or will you be at the Market next weekend?
Thanks for your guidance.
I'm excited to see the cufflinks!!"
Linda
I emailed her back. Did she come to ARTS ON FOOT? Did she get the cuff links?
 |
| Linda at... |
It is only occurring to me now to wonder how she got to the show so fast. Did she take the metro, plane, jet skis, bus, or car? I saw her flying by my booth on foot as I was starting to pack. She was looking for me. Yes, she brought the cuff links, and this lovely bracelet too.
The show was over. I had broken down my stand, packed my car and was again on the couch flopping at my friends house contemplating dinner. The little green light on my fancy phone was again blinking--I had mail. This was the message.
Hi Sonda
- I'm so glad I found you today. I'm heading out for dinner wearing the beautiful bracelet, and I love the cufflinks.
Would you mind bringing the other pair you made for me to the Market next weekend? I definitely want to buy them for my friend.
Thanks. Linda
And I thought she had blown me off.
Witnessing,
Sonda
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