Untitled Art Fair... Wow!
Unfortunately there is no scale, the photo in the middle is 5ft x 7 ft.
What a day. I haven't had a chance to post about this the last few days however I'm participating in my first art fair for four years. Basically the general need to earn more money than I was able to earn from my art and then the elephant in the room that was my gender transition meant that nothing has been going on art wise for a little time.
But now I'm back.
Yesterday, I felt a hint of trepidation when I was packing all the work to go to Chelsea Town Hall, but as soon as I got to the address and walked in I recognised it. I've done loads of art fairs and I'm not the new girl on the block. It's cool, I know this and I can do it. The fair's staff are so great too. Robert (the director) is such a nice guy and all the staff have been so helpful and attentive. It really helps on an occasion like this.
So this is my stand C50 right next to the bar and the payment and packing - it's a great location. Today was the private view, 4pm til 10pm.
Private View for the uneducated means that hopefully the fair's organiser has invited the press and gallery owners, if one is lucky and all the exhibitors get to invite their friends and family to come see the show.
As an artist it's a great opportunity to show off your work to all your nearest and dearest but really the best thing about every day of the fair is that I get to introduce my work to new people who haven't seen it before.
I paint first and foremost for myself. Because I love to do it and because I find it therapeutic, exciting and I want to explore and learn about myself and the world. But having satisfied all those criteria the next issue is that I want to show off what I've made and see what others think (and see if you want to buy it). It's kind of like a little kid saying "Mummy, mummy. Look what I've done. What do you think?"
So today, not having done this for a while, has been really wonderful. I've met some amazing people. You guests - there are too many of you to mention - have been really fantastic but I will give a special mention to Pretti (sorry if I mis-spelt your name) and Valerie and Mila.
I have also posted a photo album on my Facebook of the works on show.
If you want to see more of them then go to my website www.victoriacantons.com
The other thing I rediscovered was that one really has to engage. To get the most out of the show one really has interact with one's audiance. And the show is very much like a fashion drsigner's catwalk show. It's about being a showman, It's about being a saleswoman and a little bit about being an artist.
Finally, I learnt that as far as my trans issues are concerned I really have come a very long way because today has really shown me above all else that it really doesn't matter that I'm "trans". I can be comfortably open about it and live life to the full. And today has been a full day.
Roll on tomorrow, it's 10am till 7pm. Now I need sleep.
Posted via LiveJournal.app.