Thursday, January 21, 2010

Busy year, strange year...

Over the last couple of months I've learned that it's not exactly the norm to know that your existence in a certain location has a finite lifespan and you have no idea where you're going when it's over. I figured people did this all the time!

My husband's job technically ends in July- but even that could be tentative. We've signed a lease on our apartment up until (or through?? I forget) September, in case we can't move at the exact time that his job here ends. In 2007, he started this PA job in July; I, however, did not relocate and join him up here until October because it took us that long to find (and get into) a place we liked. We're both kind of open to just about anywhere, so there isn't much of a limit to where we'll go.
I do have some places in mind that I think I would like, but am trying to remain open minded and not get my heart set on anything.

Aaaaaannnnd, once again, it's art-show-application time. I have NO idea if I should even apply to any shows. At first I figured I'd apply to the usual ones I try to do before July. Seems simple enough. Since after that we'll be moving, maybe I'd apply to one or two of the ones I like to do in the fall since hopefully by then we'll be settled and maybe even living near enough to MD or VA that I could still do the shows. But I certainly don't want to go spending $20-$40 on a bunch of applications to shows that, even if I got into them, I might not be able to participate in.

So I'm feeling pretty unmotivated on the art show front. This is usually the time of year that I start to get the urge to be creative and get some new art going (well, after I get my taxes done, bleurgh). And I go crazy thinking of new ways to arrange my booth! I go researching all over the internet, looking at everything from homes displaying artwork, to photosets on Flickr with booth ideas. I invested in a new print rack in the fall (local art shop closed and sold it to me for 10 bucks) and I'm just dying to see how it works- it can either be set on the ground or hung on the side of my tent... but anyway.

Since I've had some new ideas for art and want to play around with them, I'm wondering if I should do minimal shows this year and concentrate on working on new stuff, and possibly have a slightly different angle next year when I apply to shows. Should I step back from shows and visit some, as an observer and not a vendor, and build my inventory (especially if the economy is going to suck as much this year as last year)? Or should I go balls to the wall and give my work a big final push, especially locally, since relatively soon I'll be leaving PA behind?


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