liberty arts squared: the triumphs and disasters of my first art show

This past weekend, I participated in my first official art show. I'm not a stranger to the art scene, as I was creative director of a once-prestigious gallery in Chicago, though I had never pursued the chance to show my own work. My input was primarily promotion and maintenance of the brand we had worked to build. Now, as a showing artist, my responsibilities had shifted to creating and showcasing my own photography and capturing an audience to which I was completely unknown. And so, I took a chance and applied for Liberty Arts Squared, an experience I knew nothing about from a showing-artist standpoint. 

Liberty Arts Squared is a festival located in downtown Liberty, Missouri on the Historic Liberty Square. Those who grew up in the area, such as myself, are familiar with the long-standing traditions and history that is upheld on the sidewalks surrounding the Clay County Courthouse. On one of the corners stands a bank, now known as the Jesse James Bank Museum, a brick building complete with a gift shop. History buffs would recognize Jesse James as the culprit for the first successful daylight bank robbery, a moment in time still reenacted to this day (complete with horses and artificial weaponry). 

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"What if I fall?" "Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?" 
Erin Hanson

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This venture as a whole was incredibly eye-opening and encouraging, as people from all over wandered from booth to booth in pursuit of an art that spoke to them. In all honesty, though I had applied a few months ago, I didn't receive the official letter of acceptance until just a couple weeks before the show itself, so I was in need of a system that was efficient and quick to come together. I had a lot to figure out in a short amount of time; where do I get a tent? How much will everything cost? What about prints? And the frames? How do I show everything in my booth? The whole experience was a rollercoaster ride of excitement and anxiety, but I learned so much about myself and others, even a few lessons along the way. 

BEFORE THE SHOW

• Go for it! Take a chance on something you've been thinking about for as long as you can remember. From personal example, I truly believe the chances I've taken have brought me to where I stand today. So many of the greatest accomplishments have been due to just 20 seconds of insane courage. (Yes, I borrowed that from We Bought a Zoo. Alright movie, but really great quote.) What's the worst that could happen? Take that chance. 
  
• Do your research. Whatever you're interested in doing, make sure to research the best possible options for you, keeping your best interest in mind at all times. For this show, I made a point not to commit to any of my materials until I knew what would absolutely work the best for what I needed. For what would cost $200 for the exact same prints, I only spent $60. Check coupons and the differences in prices and quality everywhere you look. From your materials to your artwork, and even which show to participate in, make sure it suits your needs in every way possible, making sure to focus on only the necessities as you go.
  
• Be patient. Great things take time. Cliche, I know, but also, cliche for a reason. As frustrating as things can get, especially with the first time of anything, you're bound to hit both great successes and difficulties as you go. At one point, I was waiting for about 75% of my show to be mailed to me from internet resources I had used to gain my tent, prints, and a few other items. While I waited, I tried to focus on what was available in front me at the time. If you're impatient (as we all can be sometimes), keep your mind busy with something else. It's better to have planned everything throughly, than to miss something because you focused on your impatience. 
  
• Have faith. Like I mentioned, you're obviously going to struggle at some point, maybe more than once. As long as you keep your head up and hold yourself high, you're destined for greatness. The second you settle with doubt, you'll feel your dreams slipping from you. Never let that happen. Believe in yourself and what you can do. 
  
• Use what you have. Upcycle. Fortunately, for me, I was able to use materials available to me around the house. Because of the recent construction we had had in our basement, we had drywall and lumber in the garage and because I am at art school alum, I had matte board and framing materials, adhesives, etc. all available right at my fingertips. For the framed pieces, I chose to wander secondhand and thrift stores for frames that had been lightly used, no matter what artwork was inside or color the frame had been. Home Depot and Lowe's offer spray paint for 0.97 cents, so I was able to grab a can of black and another of white and cover the frames as I pleased. In my opinion, each frame turned out great! Be mindful of what's available to you as of right now, so you don't end up spending more than you have to. Not everything needs to be brand new, as long as you're using it in a brand new way. 
  

• Figure out what your goals are for the show. Why are you doing this? What do you wish to come out of it once everything is said and done? What are your priorities? If you're in anything just for the money, you're in it for the wrong reasons. Though I was fortunate enough to make sales with my first show, I understood some shows go entirely without a single transaction. You don't have to be precise in your expectations, but make sure they're realistic and clear to you. If you can't see your vision, you can't expect others to understand. 
• Stay organized. One tip that helped me was writing my To-Do list on separate notecards and taping them to a door, tearing them down upon completion. It was a visual way to interpret all I needed to do and worked well. Whatever works best for you, do it. 

DURING THE SHOW

• Be prepared for any kind of weather. The second day of the festival began with a torrential downpour, leaving a stream of water in every direction within my tent and a few items damaged. Luckily, I had brought everything under the tent before it began, but it was still not immune to destruction as a couple pieces were ruined to display. I had purchased two plastic drop cloths at Wal-Mart for less than a dollar a piece and kept them in my bag, in case I needed them. Turns out, I did. Everything was safe overnight, so I was glad the rain hit when I was there. I rigged something that seemed to work well enough to hold off the rain, but since I haven't yet invested in side walls of my tent, I needed something quick and easy. Think ahead to whatever could be the worst possible situation for you and your booth and prepare for it. 

• Make friends with your neighbors. It's incredible what you can learn about people after spending just a few moments with them. Your neighbors will help you along the way, in stabilizing the weights of your tent and offering tips and tricks for future shows, to even just a friendly face in the downtimes between customers. You'll spend more time with them than you think, so it's best to make friends, not enemies. Who knows, you could be neighbors again at another show! 
• INVENTORY!!! I can't stress this one enough and it's so seemingly elementary, I can't believe I so easily overlooked it. Obviously, you need product to sell; it's why you're here. Now, don't get me wrong, I had everything I needed; it was how I displayed it that needed a reality check. Naïve-me thought, "Framed pieces go on the walls and matted pieces go in the baskets. Duh". Here's the issue with that logic: hardly anyone looks through your baskets. Only those interested enough will venture into your tent to pursue a piece within a basket. The first day, I used that flawed logic and found my walls to appear barren. It was a bit upsetting, as I had put so much work into everything and now feeling it all to be so insufficient. The reality was, I wasn't showing everything I had to offer. The second day, however, I placed at least one image of each piece, no matter what size, on the tables and on the walls to offer a mixture of framed and matted pieces around the booth. The response was so much greater! Because, duh, the more work you can show, the more people will find something of interest. I feel so silly for thinking so close-minded about it the first day, but I was satisfied with the changes made for the second day. So, please don't make the same mistake I did. Show as much of your inventory as you can and disregard the mediums used. A variety can actually add more appeal, instead of being so logical in thinking only frames and mattes can be together. 

Day one

Day two

• Learn from people. Whether they're buying from you or not, listen to what they're saying and take their compliments and criticism to consider for future work. Most people will say something, good or bad, but if you can read your audience to figure out what best is drawing them to your booth, you'll be more apt to cater to what they're looking for in your work. The people in and around your booth will teach you what works and what doesn't. 
• Have a show piece. Use something you feel will really capture people's attention as they walk past. If there's something to stop them, they'll be more likely to come in to see more. Intrigue them enough to stop, entice them enough to come in and see more.

"A Skyline Reflected", Kansas City, MO, 2014

• Make fun a priority. Amongst the other points, maintaining a sense of humor and fun will make this whole experience more enjoyable. Talk with your customers; you'll be surprised what you can learn from others' experiences. I met one photographer who offered so many resources for budding photography and even new places to photograph. Laugh often and remember: you're here for you. It's much more enjoyable if you choose to make fun a priority. Don't stress about everything as you go, or set your expectations too high. It's a balancing act between your needs and those of your customers. Believe in your work and see what you can accomplish! You might really surprise yourself. 
  
• Let your work speak for itself. People will ask questions about your inspiration or how to created your pieces, but if they don't ask, don't sell. Having a pompous attitude and high pricing, will only destroy your chance for a sale. Some people will have both, but very few will have the quality of work to uphold it. Confidence and cockiness lie on a fine line. Make sure you're confident in your work, not arrogant about it. The responses from your audience will let you know what you're work is saying and how it speaks to them. Let it do the talking.

AFTER THE SHOW

• Don't sweat the small stuff. Perhaps a few pieces didn't turn out as great as you would've liked or your expectations for sales weren't met, but don't sweat it. Especially if it's only your first show! Be proud of yourself and what you've accomplished. It's kind of a big deal to chase your dreams. 
• Reach out to the connections you've made. You're bound to connect with other artists and new supporters of your work. Use the contacts you've made to build your business and establish good relationships with those who work with you. A positive experience will not only warrant a greater repeat of business, but also a recommendation of your goods and services to others. Everyone talks and everyone knows someone, somewhere, who can help you. Build your bridges, don't burn them. 

• Take it slow. Remember this is only your first show (if it applies, that is), or better yet, remember this is only the beginning of a new chapter. Each show offers new possibilities and opportunities, and success or failure, you've achieved something great. Everything may not be where you want it now, but you have the chance to try again and there's always room for improvement. 
  
• Check your inventory. Look through everything you have and determine what sold and what is still in stock. Whatever was sold needs to be replenished if you plan to show it again elsewhere. Know what worked and what didn't to make your next show even bigger and better because… 
• Do it again! Whether your show was a success or a bust, keep going with it. Begin again and research what shows appeal to you. Maybe you'd like to travel outside of your current city to explore new markets and venues. Learn as you go and mature as an artist and creative. Inspire others along the way.

RESOURCES FOR YOU

• Square - Electronic card reader for iOS and Android devices to accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover transactions. This little app was easy to use and it's genius! It even has a cash drawer function that keeps track of your cash transactions, just like a real register. Everything you need packed into one tiny, little square that pops right into your headphone jack. Perfect! You can download it for your devices here. 
• Liberty Arts Squared - Learn more about this show and what's to come, here. 
• Popular Kansas City shows - Plaza Art Fair, PeaceWorks UNPlaza Art Fair, Brookside Art Annual, Prairie Village, Art Westport, and so many more. Also, be sure to check out First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City's downtown. 
• Prints - Shutterfly, Walgreens, Snapfish, Picaboo, Kicksend, Marathon Press Bella Art Prints, and more. Find what works best for you. I used Walgreens for my prints and was amazed at the quality. Recommended, too, if you're in a crunch. 1-Hour Photo with sharp colors and great glossy stock. 

Thank you to everyone for their love and support throughout this whole endeavor. I'm looking forward to many more shows to come. We're only just getting started! 

Want to share an experience you've had showing your work or participating in an event? We want to hear it! Comment below or email us at [email protected]! 

Jess