This entry is cross-posted from new blog documenting the process of learning how to make money and eventually support myself with art, Cock-A-Doodle-Debt.So, I live in the Philadelphia area and my boyfriend lives near Chicago, and we met up last weekend for the
Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (SPACE) in Columbus, Ohio. I've been to several of these comics conventions with John, but this is the first one where we really tried to put some of my stuff out. I knew it wasn't really the right forum to show paintings, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to put them out, maybe a couple people would like them. John also helped me put together a booklet of drawings from my sketchbook, with a hand-printed gocco cover. (By "helped", I mean I had a sketchbook and he did basically
everything else.)
Anyway, one of the reasons we like to go to this convention is because the table is inexpensive, it's in a location halfway between the two of us, and we (or, usually, just John) make enough money to offset the cost of the trip. So even if we don't make a huge profit, we get to see each other, and that's
always a good thing.
Things didn't go quite as well as I hoped. It seemed like maybe there were fewer people than usual who were interested in the kind of work we were doing. I didn't have high hopes but I certainly hoped to at least make my half of the table back, and I didn't. I sold a couple booklets, and some people looked at the paintings and liked them. I also think people had less money to spend than the last couple years. I did make some cool hand-printed business cards, cut out in the shape of roosters, and I thought those were successful. I wanted to make something that's cute and kind of a small piece of art in itself, because I knew people would like that and want to take them with them. I feel like if I picked up something like that, I might hang it on my bulletin board and look at it instead of throwing it away like most business cards I pick up. People liked them, and took them, and maybe they will look at them again and visit
my Etsy site. I also had some interest from some people who have an online art magazine, so that's something. I think that right now, it's a good idea to pursue whatever opportunities present themselves.
We actually ended up staying an extra night in Columbus because our original plan of taking our respective 8-hour drives home after the convention on Sunday seemed too draining and somewhat unsafe. I was definitely glad we stayed, but it meant I went beyond the money I had set aside for the trip. Overall, I'm glad we went, and I don't mind spending money to see John, AND I'm glad that I got some people to see my work and take my card...it's still annoying that I would have been financially better off if I just went to Columbus to see John and we didn't go to SPACE. So I have mixed feelings avout the whole thing. As far as debt reduction goes, this clearly wasn't the way to go.
Moving on, I'm thinking about more ways to get my work out there. I'm glad to have some cards now, so I'll start trying to put those out wherever I can. I'd like to start applying to some gallery shows (maybe with prints and not necessarily the paintings) and join some artist organizations. The issue is, all of this stuff costs a lot of money. I'm thinking of entering a local arts-in-the-park show, but it's a $45 application/entrance fee. I don't mind paying $45 for a table, but I don't want to pay $45 to
apply for a table. I only have a few days to decide about this thing, and it would be kind of a conflict with work, but it would probably be a good idea. I'm just worried about applying and not getting in. I guess it's true that you have to spend money to make money, so I need to start putting money aside for application fees for various things.
More soon.
