IF Stretch

Stretch
9x12 Permanent Marker on Smooth Bristol
©2012 BEDeuel/ Bronson Hill Arts

Yes, it’s been too long a “stretch” since I’ve done an Illustration Friday blogpost. It’s been too long since I’ve blogged about something other than shows and shops.

While this may look like an illustration of a couple of basketball players (yes, it is, I know), I’m looking at this IF metaphorically.

In this world of art, of marketing, of the home business, of computers, there are so many directions for which to reach. The dilemma is multi-faceted. If I take the time to create art, I don’t have enough time to work on the business. To work on the business, I need to work on the computer which is just one aspect of marketing. Another aspect of marketing is simply hitting the proverbial pavement in search of that one shop or gallery that will find the market for my art.

Arghhh!

Over the last several months, I’ve been trying the face-to-face approach with shops and craft fairs and galleries. While the work has been welcomed, there has yet to be that one big breakthrough. This is after a couple of years of trying the online marketing.

I’m still “stretching” for that ball. It just may be time to change the game plan again. To what? What will be next?

Will I ever reach it? Will it ever happen or will it always be outside my grasp?

I don’t know.

I do know that I still love doing what I’ve been doing. For now, I believe I will keep “stretching” to try to make the magic happen.

Journey to the First Craft Show

It's been a very long couple of months, yet it went by so very quickly.

In early May, I'd applied to do a craft show. It'd be my first one. It was for a fundraiser held by Montezuma Winery for the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge. About one week into May, illness hit our home, and it hit very hard. Hubby got the flu (another first) and I got... something. We're still not sure, but I think it was a combination of a sinus infection and whooping cough (there is an "epidemic" of it in our area). Needless to say, nothing got accomplished for at least 4 weeks.

Which left-yipes!- 3 weeks to prepare for the show. That included building that inventory I was supposed to create this past year and designing and making displays for the tent.

Eventually, there was not a single, clear flat surface in our entire house. But by this past Sunday morning, we had a full truck and were on the road to our first show.

We had to contend with detours, wind with a primarily paper product, and exhaustion.

Sales were negligible, but the whole experience was great. It was a beautiful day and the other vendors were so warm and helpful. We also observed a few things that will be changed for the next show...in less than 2 weeks!

Wearily, once home, we unloaded the truck on Sunday night, collapsed and have not even cast an eye in the direction of all the items and displays from the show. We've missed our lives these last few weeks and we're trying to catch up a bit.

But, by next week, we should be ready to start again and get the excitement going for the July 4th show.

In the meantime, we're just taking lots of naps!

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A special thanks to all our supporters: the mentor, the muse, the cheerleader, the critic, the everyone who has sent nothing but positive energy our way!