The past 12 months have been full of so much learning and growth for me, both in the art of my photography and my business.
The beginning of 2015 I made a complete change in my website with the intention of selling my art. This was a big step for me since I’ve only sold at a few area craft fairs. I didn’t really know where to start or who to contact. So I started small.
In January I attended the Ranchers Workshop in White River, SD. This was not an art fair by any means but an informational workshop for area ranchers. The committee was excited I was there, offering something different and new. My sales were small but I met some great people and a few potential clients.
February I attended a similar show to the Ranchers Workshop, based on the recommendation of a fellow vendor I met in January. It was a similar story. Small sales, but great people who were excited to see something new. I heard about an art festival in Sioux Falls while there.
In March, I set up a small gallery space in a public market place for a three day pop-up-shop event in Pierre. Sales weren’t what I’d hoped but I made some great connections for art shows within the state, as well as encouragement in the work I was doing.
I applied to three large art festivals and was accepted into all three, two of them being jury shows. For those of you that are unfamiliar with jury shows, an artists submits a paid application in which the jury evaluates their work, determining if the pieces are the kind of quality art buyers are looking for. The Sidewalk Arts Festival and the First Lady’s Prairie Art Showcase were the two jury shows I attended. The Buffalo Roundup Arts Festival in Custer State Park was the third show.
When I look back over the year, I see a gradual process beginning with the Rancher’s Workshop and ending at the First Lady’s Prairie Art Showcase put on by the South Dakota Arts Council.
I started small and grew!
I learned, changed, tweaked and advanced in my work and my business.
I’m excited to see what 2016 has in store!
I’ve been accepted to participate in the Western Art Show that is part of the Black Hills Stock Show in January/February. I have plans to submit applications to a few art festivals I didn’t try last year (as well as the ones I did), and I’m offering a Basic Photography Workshop in March/April!
So here’s to 2016!
