2020 marks the 5th year Cristen Joy Photography has been a landscape & western photography business! Back in January the thought of doing something to celebrate was floating in my mind but I wasn’t sure what to do.
I receive weekly newsletter emails from Fine Art Views, through whom I’ve learned about hosting an open studio event and how fun they are. My studio is mainly just a desk and a matting station in different areas of my house-not very exciting like I think a painters studio would be.
On one of my morning runs, or maybe it was in the shower (where all the best ideas are thought, right?), I considered finally cleaning out the Grandview school house on our property and hosting an open house there. I wanted to do it when there were other activities happening in our community (“All boats float on a rising tide.”), so started planning for the Murdo’s Ranch Rodeo/reunion weekend.
I sent out many invitations to family, friends, clients I had records of purchasing from me, workshop attendees and locals I thought might be interested. I hung posters in town, submitted an event to Arts South Dakota’s calendar, and created a Facebook event.
I was blown away by all of you who attended! Wow! Your support means so much to me!
My desire was to take lots of pictures throughout the day to document and show the space fully set up in the daytime but I only managed to take a few as the day was so busy!
Words cannot fully express my appreciation to all of you who traveled to my ranch, sent cards, flowers and gifts!
I’m not sure what the future holds for the Grandview school/Grandview Gallery. Perhaps the open house will be come a yearly event! Stay tuned! 🙂
