Rich Sigberman Art & Illustration 90

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!

So, it's three whole daze since I returned from the worst festival ever, Monterey Jazz, and I'm still tired and sore, both in body and spirit. Wow! Who would have thought that a show with so much promise would have left me like this? I'm still in a bit of a state of shock at how poorly it all went.

Just the same, I'm resilient and recovering enough so that I can actually again conceive of doing art and finding new clilents with whom I can generate income. This is a good thing, as I invested a fair amount of money into this venture, with new pics framed, new prints made, a motel, and a van to rent. I thought I was going to do great! I guess the art-gods didn't want to see me become too successful too soon.

Yesterday afternoon, thankfully, I got a call from a corporation from whom I have wished to work since our meeting back some 6 mlnths ago. It seems they are now ready to hire me for a gig which will, for once, pay me well on an hourly basis. We meet in two days. I am optimistic that this will help me make upl for the Monterey debacle, and be fun too.

There are some good projects waiting for me, mostly the great work illustrating Val's poetry. Why I haven't gotten to this yet is a mystery to me. I want it to be as good as I can do, and maybe it's all the lettering and measuring that is making me become a member of the Procrastinator's Club, you know, the one that is supposed to meet every other week, but has yet to? Val is great, her mind is fantastic, and she is talented and funny, really a wonderful synergistic creative friendship we have....

I think I better re-do my affirmations.

"You had your chance". That's what I said to the bearded guy with the fez on his head as we happened to meet at 7pm on the third and last day of the Monterey Jazz Festival's big deal 50th celebration event. He had expressed disapointment that I had packed up early, but my bullshitometer rose as he said it and I expressed the truth to him. Sure enough, he had no reply for me.

To say the show was a disapointment is like saying that Hurricane Katrina was a bit of a leak in New Orleans. I had every reason to expect a strong show, and was counting on it. Naturally, it did not happen. Three long days and high expenses that I invested basically went to waste, as I sat in my booth for and waited for people to come and look and purchase my w0rk. It never came to be. Finally, at 5pm Sunday, with some 8 hours left to the music, I began to pack it in.

My body is aching and tired. I have now done two shows on two consecutive weekends, with lots of driving in between. Telluride was a triumph, Monterey a defeat. Today, I rest. Tomorrow, I begin to fight again.

This past week, I drove myself 1200 miles in a cargo van to Telluride, Colorado, to be a vendor at the Blues n' Brews Festival for which I had done the poster art. The drive took two days, plenty of time to listen to music and wonder how I would be received by the public.

The first day of the festival was Friday, and almost immeidately I began to make some sales, which is rare for any festival I've been a part of. I had a real good day. The next day, I did even better, and, while Sunday was slow, I was very happy with my sales and the reaction to my work in general.

The art I did for the festival was used for posters, T-shirts, card-size passes, and, best of all, an enormous enlargement that functioned as the stage backdrop. My ego had a good time. Then, I drove back.

Now, I am putting together inventory to replace what sold, as I will leave in two days to do the Monterey Jazz Festival, something I have done for 5 years consecutively. I hope I will do as well as I did in Telluride. These festivals are endurance contests for me, very tiring, and I hope to make some good contacts and keep showing my art. The festivals have been the best outlet I've yet to find for my art, but it is still the commercial work that comprises the bulk of what I do. I would like to even that percentage out. We'll see how this one goes.

Tomorrow morning, I'll be driving a cargo van filled with my artwork, 1200 miles to Telluride, Colorado. This is to be a vendor at the "Blues n' Brews" Festival, for which I am proud to say I did this year's poster. That ought to garner me some extra attention and, hopefully, sales. It's a long drive, and I expect the weather at 9500 feet to be challenging with cool air and very possibly, rain. We shall see.

In the last four days, I've spent a lot of time matting my art reproductions, and I have to say it is enjoyable to look at this body of work I've created. The art is colorful, well drawn, fun and exciting. Lively stuff. Now, all I need to do is transfer those qualities to the manner in which I interact with people and I'll be in good shape. Make nice small talk with people who look at my art, ask them questions, chat, and have some fun with them. That's what I have to do, and enjoy it. Can I?

Upon driving the 1200 miles back, I will have two days to rest and then go on to the Monterey Jazz Festival. This one I didn't do the poster for, a major oversight on their part. I would do a great poster for them, and don't think I haven't brought that idea to their attention. They don't seem to be interested. Their loss. Big time.

At the same time, my Father's health is failing and I half expect a call to come in telling me he has passed away. I may just have to fold up my canopy, take my art down, and figure out the quickest way to go to a funeral in New Jersey. I hope he feels like he had a good life. It's too bad he and I didn't have better chemistry, I have lots of sadness about this relationship, but there's nothing I can do about it now, but go to lots of therapy.