Now is a trying time in the world! More so in the world of art and shows. COVID preventing us from our regular forms of all our familiar Art Shows. The venue of Art outdoor shows is an iffy endeavor, at best, as outdoors means dealing with the unknown of Mother Nature. Never knowing if it will be rain or shine, or if the art lovers will come to buy. It is always a gamble. Add COVID and it becomes a virtual online event. I love the shows and the person to person interaction with the prospective watercolor Art collector. I love explaining how and why I create with watercolor. I enjoy their fascination when they look and ask questions. Without social distancing, choosing a show can be daunting. So many factors to take into consideration. Is it a fine art show, a craft-art show inside, outside? My experiences vary, and now I tend to be very picky about which show I want to be involved in because no matter which one you choose each and everyone is a lot of work. Just think about moving one room of your house....for three days and then move it all back....ugh....
Watercolor Art has always been a little fragile in outdoor venues. I have shown my Watercolor art in many shows in South Florida. I prefer indoor venues mostly due to the heat of South Florida. Add the elements and I become terrified. The elements are not kind to watercolor art. My first show in a tent was for 3 days. Which meant I either took all the artwork home or left it in the tent. Mind you it was a waterproof covered tent, there was security there the entire night, what was my choice? To leave the art or take it home......Well seems I made the incorrect choice. I left all my watercolor paintings there in the tent. I did not rain, but the morning dew was an enemy I will never forgive. As you know watercolor art must be framed in a paper mat under glass or plexiglass and the morning dew likes to get between the mat and the artwork, causing water to form. The REAL ENEMY...water...it is not good for any completed watercolor art. Of course, I panicked.....are they all ruined? Luckily my calm husband was there and he suggested leaving them in the sun and not move them till the water evaporated. GOOD IDEA! That did save my art. You have to realize the sun exposure is not a good long term solution for the art either. Surprisingly it didn't happen to the art that was hanging on the walls, only the ones that I had laid flat on the table. These were the bigger pieces that had their own easels for display, all dried and were saved. (although I did decide to change some of the mats as they didn't look right after they dried, but the art was perfect.)
I should explain that at this particular show and many outdoor shows you have to park your car/SUV away from the show area and hand-truck all you work to your tent, a big endeavor, especially at my age. That was the big reason I left the art in a tent....the wrong choice....remember the dew. And that was only the first night...the next two nights I hand-trucked all the work home with me. On the third day, we had a beautiful breezy day, perfect for walking around the show, BUT I was on the end, and then the winds kicked up to 30 miles per hour, and my art was flying off the easels, and I wound up having to place it on the ground, and flat on the table. All and all the experience was very exhausting!!! Let's not discuss the profits now, because that's a whole different conversation....What blind person shops at an Art Show???
Soooooo. a few years later, I became very picky. I was only entering shows indoors. Now I have reverted to Fine Art outdoor shows. Shows that I can actually unload my car right to the area where my tent will be. At my age....I'll never tell, but I am asking for some grandson help...and he's almost 21.
I have ventured into a 1-day event in Boynton Beach, called an Artisan Fair, sponsored by Artsea Living, Sat March 6th from 9 am to 4 pm. This is my first show since the covid scare and I am excited to have a successful day! It will be a lot of work, but I am sure it will be worthwhile. I will still be abiding by all protocols for COVID! And by then I will have had my second vaccine, so all will be safe for the artists, and art lovers. Of course, one never knows about the weather forecast....and Mother Nature. Still a gamble.
Come and see me, I have new art and lots of giclee prints. you can see my work online at my site Bobbinsartwork.com or in my shop on RecolorYourWorld.com (my teaching sight.)