Show Time...in September!

Sooo...that bit I wrote only last week about “knowing that this is the time to leap” - I’d applied to the New Artist Fair taking place in September...and got accepted!! Thrilled to bits. And also a bit freaked out. Now I’ve gone and done it.

OK, so deep breath. I have a list of instructions for the event. I need to figure out how to get sculptures, prints, maybe canvases, a print display rack (ordered just now - thanks to the art fair for the link) and a small table into London.

And right now, there's just me to get all that onto a train then the tube then walk to venue. This is largely why I've not applied for this kind of thing before now.

And that's where being a solitary sort becomes a problem. Makes me sound a right saddo but after moving to Surrey from Devon, it was all work, art squeezed in here and there and no time to meet new people for the first 18 months. Then I temped all over the place for the next 18 months and moved twice more…Things have settled down now. I have a permanent part time job and a wonderful room/roof area I rent in a great house with a lovely family. But I still don't know anyone well outside of work. I have to change that.

The gloriously nutty, but deeply thoughtful Andy J Pizza had it spot on. About so many creative people hiding away in rooms, maybe making great art/writing great books but divorced from their potential audience who have no idea who they are as a person - there's no face or name recognition. Mmm...yep that's me (hopefully making art that people think is great). And, no I still don't have a pic of me anywhere. That'll have to be done at some point. And yes, Instagram def is going to be the next thing, but I have a print thing to set up first. Urgh, who knew preparing an image could be so technical?!

Anyhow, that's practicalities for art fairs and craft shows. Travel, baggage carrying, display requirements and cost to get there if you don't have a car (40 quid+ to get an Uber). BUT. May have sussed this. ̶G̶o̶o̶g̶l̶e̶d̶ Start Page searched for collapsible/wheeled storage type things and came up with some stylish looking storage cubes which slot together however you want and only weigh a bit over 3 kilos. Few bungee cords to strap the print rack to a wheeled suitcase which will carry the sculptures and maybe double up as display area with matching cloth covers...Test it and see - that's what creativity is all about.

It seems like there's tons of time to prepare for this but there's quite a lot of big and small things to do. I have a list. Of course I do. With to-do-by dates for each item (important). I love planning. And bullet points, mind maps and lists. It's the flip side of the me that's into the airy, making stuff up in my head/stick paint on a canvas and see how it looks kind of deal. Nicely balanced I reckon and it'll ensure everything is in place on the day.