A State of Schlock
It took me three full daze to get over the Monterey Jazz Festival failure. Today, Thursday, is the first day I have my energy back. That plus, I have a new little job coming in that will give me a bit of much-needed income, and one last small sale from that damned Festival; always nice when something has "legs" as they say in showbiz.
Just the same, I went to the bank and withdrew money today, which I regard as a professional defeat. The Monterey show's failure was not only for the cost of the show, the motel, and the van, but the 5 pieces I had framed for the show, and the 6 giclee prints I had made, after they had sold out at Telluride. I'm still amazed at how poorly it all went.
But, life goes on, "shit happens", and good things do too. Yesterday, I got a call from the marketing department of a company I've wanted to do work for for some time now, so I'm very happy about this development. I really need to concentrate on generating income with new clients, and do my own art too, and get exercise for circulation. The latter is due to the arthritis that is beginning to bother me in most of my joints, especially feet, wrists, and hands. Ah, who really needs their feet, wrists, or hands, anyway? I'll draw with the pen in my mouth if I have to, although it may take a while to get facile with it.
I have an opportunity to steal the Fillmore Jazz Festival poster away from a much more famous artist. In my totally objective opinion, this artist's work is nice, well designed, staid, and bland. With my feel for jazz music, my work should just blow his outa here, but taste is somelthing that can't be explained, and it's not going to be my call. I will, however, do some speculative work, which I generally try to avoid like the plague, and show my potential clients that I create a lively and elegant custom piece for them that will be preferable to anyone else's.
Coming back from the Monterey Festival on Sunday night, I swear I thought I would never do another festival, or paint again, or stay in this business. The next day I got an email from a person who was about to try to sell my art at a big art-buying show, saying he would not be going to the show after all due to health issues that he faced. I was astounded by the timing of this, after I had paid his organization for just this event! I felt thoroughly victimized, with the art gods looking down and laughing at me (after they had pumped me up at Telluride). My reaction to this man was something along the lines of , "what about me?". I calmed down the next day and emailed him saying that , of course, his health was the major concern.
The roller coaster ride continues!
Just the same, I went to the bank and withdrew money today, which I regard as a professional defeat. The Monterey show's failure was not only for the cost of the show, the motel, and the van, but the 5 pieces I had framed for the show, and the 6 giclee prints I had made, after they had sold out at Telluride. I'm still amazed at how poorly it all went.
But, life goes on, "shit happens", and good things do too. Yesterday, I got a call from the marketing department of a company I've wanted to do work for for some time now, so I'm very happy about this development. I really need to concentrate on generating income with new clients, and do my own art too, and get exercise for circulation. The latter is due to the arthritis that is beginning to bother me in most of my joints, especially feet, wrists, and hands. Ah, who really needs their feet, wrists, or hands, anyway? I'll draw with the pen in my mouth if I have to, although it may take a while to get facile with it.
I have an opportunity to steal the Fillmore Jazz Festival poster away from a much more famous artist. In my totally objective opinion, this artist's work is nice, well designed, staid, and bland. With my feel for jazz music, my work should just blow his outa here, but taste is somelthing that can't be explained, and it's not going to be my call. I will, however, do some speculative work, which I generally try to avoid like the plague, and show my potential clients that I create a lively and elegant custom piece for them that will be preferable to anyone else's.
Coming back from the Monterey Festival on Sunday night, I swear I thought I would never do another festival, or paint again, or stay in this business. The next day I got an email from a person who was about to try to sell my art at a big art-buying show, saying he would not be going to the show after all due to health issues that he faced. I was astounded by the timing of this, after I had paid his organization for just this event! I felt thoroughly victimized, with the art gods looking down and laughing at me (after they had pumped me up at Telluride). My reaction to this man was something along the lines of , "what about me?". I calmed down the next day and emailed him saying that , of course, his health was the major concern.
The roller coaster ride continues!
posted by Rich Sigberman at
3:04 PM
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