AT THE FAIR
I've just finished with the League of NH Craftsmen's Annual Fair at Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury, NH.
I'm exhausted and feel like my core body temperature is running at about 110 degrees.
The pattern established during set-up continued throughout the show—extreme downs followed by extreme highs, emotionally as well as financially and spiritually.
The short story is, I did as well at this show as I did last year—and last year was my best show ever! I sold more than I have at WHOLESALE shows, which is wonderful. My second biggest piece, a magnificent rust-colored wall hanging, sold the first day for $5,200. Best of all, the buyers said they just "had to have it" at any price. They also offered to let me keep it displayed for the remainder of the show, which I did. Every time something weird happened, I'd look at that large "SOLD!" sign and rejoice.
Rather than do a huge monologue on the ups and downs, I'll just post some of the odder and nicer events during the show, and add some of the insights provided by my sales assistants in the days ahead.
Let me start by saying that I wore cowboy boots almost every single day. Yes, the weather was astoundingly hot but only going nekkid would have given any relief from that! I wonder what that would have done to my sales...? The emotional uplift I got from wearing my boots more than offset any slight additional discomfort from the heat.
Let me backtrack and explain why the cowboy boots are so important.
It's funny, but it's been easier to achieve my professional dreams as an artist than to fulfill some of the dreams from my childhood. Last year I started in on those.
I took up horse riding last summer, a lifelong dream.
This winter I dyed my hair, starting with simply a brighter red and gradually moving up into deep auburn. I'm not trying to fool anyone here—I went for a shade that I thought screamed "dyed!!" for the sheer fun of it, but the response has been that it suits me well. (The rave reviews are gratifying, and I thank you.)
A few months ago I started buying cowboy boots, both new and vintage. I've wanted them since I was four years old, but always thought they were not "cool" as an adult.
Well, I just don't care anymore. I didn't want to go to my grave missing out on these simple pleasures because I was afraid I'd look silly on a horse, or wearing cowboy boots, or with dark red hair.
If this is "the change" we fear so much, then I embrace it. Yeah, even with the brain buzz at 3 a.m. and the fuzzy thinking all day long, it's worth it.
You go, grrl!
