Still Waiting

Well I had hoped to have some more show information for everyone but it looks like this is going to be the year of flexibility. I am now waitlisted for three shows, Maitland, Winter Park Autumn, and Art in the Gardens in Jupiter. Disappointingly I received a rejection from Disney this year. Most likely I will not get into Maitland. I am 15th on the wait list and there are only 150 artists. I have an advantage of being very close and able to do the show at the drop of a hat so there is a chance for a last minute acceptance if someone cancels at the last minute. Winter Park Autumn is more promising. I spoke to them on the phone and while they didn’t tell me my position on the waitlist they said that I will most likely get in. Art in the Gardens is actually the best possible situation. Art in the Gardens is the same weekend as Deland and all things being equal I’d rather do Deland since it is only five miles from my home. Hopefully I won’t have to make a decision on Art in the Gardens until I hear from Deland. But so far I am looking at a very iffy season and I’m scrambling to find backup shows for the empty weekends. I’m very bummed about it all because I have finished the design of my new display and it is great! I have quite a few new photographs and I’ve found a way to display more of them. I can’t wait to test drive it and see if people like it.

I did get into Winter Springs and if everything else falls through that will be my first show of the season. I’m really glad I got into Winter Springs. It was a great show last year and very enjoyable to do. There is still one outstanding the weekend before, in Jacksonville, but I won’t hear from them until the middle of September.

I’ve also had one piece selected for the annual 100% Pure Florida exhibit at the 5th Avenue Gallery in Melbourne. The show runs for the month of September and the opening is on Sept 4th from 5:30 – 8:30.

Photographer Spotlight and other musings

What a difference a week makes. Winter Park was a grand success. Beautiful weather, beautiful setting, large crowd, and last but not least enough purchases for a modest profit. Then this morning I got word that I have been accepted into the St. Stephens Art Show. Wow! I had said I was going to wait to hear from Coconut Grove but comparing booth fees and the chance to get a corner booth if I accepted right away… well, I’ll definitely be in Miami in February.

Then Greg Kiser wrote this great story about me in his Photographer Spotlight. You can also see Greg’s wonderful photography here. I also found this wonderful quote:

"Above all, it's hard learning to live with vivid mental images of scenes I cared for and failed to photograph. It is the edgy existence within me of these unmade images that is the only assurance that the best photographs are yet to be made." --Sam Abell

This time of year, in the midst of multiple back to back art shows I often feel my spirit slipping away. Too much setup, selling, break down, and do it again. Not enough photography. This quote really spoke to me. I remembered my multitude of Alaska photographs. To tell the truth I was ill-prepared to go to Alaska. So many great pictures missed, so many things I would do differently if I have the chance to go again. I skimmed through the pictures, pulled out the very best, and had to stop looking at them. Now a year and a half later, I am looking again and remembering that vast beauty and wilderness. If nothing else, they are wonderful memories. And there might be a few good ones in there after all.

I must remember to experience as well as photograph.

Fall Schedule

Well the final fall schedule is in. You can see it on http://www.serenityscenes.com/UpcomingEvents.html

I’m quite happy with the results. Three rejections out of seven applications isn’t bad for Florida art shows. I’m disappointed about not getting into Disney but the Maitland location is known for a disjointed layout and dead locations. I’ve done the Spring show twice and I’ve pretty much decided never again. The first year I was in among the food booths and next to the guy dressed up as a chicken giving away free coupons. The whole day went like this – mom and dad with kid come into booth, mom and dad start to look around and murmur positively, kid sees chicken, runs out of booth, mom and dad follow never to return. The only worse location I’ve had was when I was next to the cute dog modeling dog clothes. Same scenario only worse, kids dragging their parents past my booth…

So the second year, when they asked for requested booth locations, I said “NOT NEAR THE FOOD”. This put me in a location actually behind another booth. There was a whole line of us behind a line of booths that put us totally out of sight from the main traffic area. Not one of my better shows. The one big sale of the weekend was entertaining though. A couple comes into the booth in the last 15 minutes. While the husband is talking to me about a possible “end of the day” discount and I’m debating about how badly I want to make at least one good sale for the weekend, the wife is looking around. Just as I’m about to offer a discount, she screams “Oh, I’ve got to have this one”. Husband mutters something about “not taking you along when we buy a car” and pays full price.

I’m excited about Winter Park. It’s not the big spring show but it’s still the same location and a great location it is. I’m not sure about the Jacksonville show. I applied on a whim. None of my usual sources knows anything about it. But the location looks good. I didn’t know about the Saturday morning setup but thank God for friends that come through to help.

For those of you that got postcards I will not be in Deland this year. Notification was quite late and I needed to get the postcards out. But I’ll get to spend an extra two days with my daughter and grandchildren which is fine with me.

Hope to see you at one of the shows!

Winter Park - Here I Come!

I feel like I’m back in high school waiting hoping for the fat envelope instead of the skinny envelope from the college of my choice. Remember that time? The fat envelope meant there were lots of forms and information inside and that meant you were accepted? The skinny envelope meant that letter that always said something about the “high number of qualified applicants” and you were rejected. Art show applications are the opposite. I want the skinny envelope, without the slides in it. That means I got accepted or at least waitlisted. Upon pulling the self –addressed stamped envelope from the mailbox I immediately press down on it to see if there are slides in it. Tonight I got the skinny envelope from Winter Park Autumn Arts Festival. Woo Hoo! I’m in. After three years of applications I’ve been accepted for my first visit to Central Park in Winter Park, Florida. It’s Oct. 13 – 14. Come see me if you can.

http://www.winterparkartfestival.com/

Speaking of Winter Park - Don't forget the Open House at the Winter Park Public Library in the Community Room this Sunday! If you can't make it Sunday, the pictures are up already and will be until Aug. 31st.

http://www.wppl.org/