This is all new to me as I will have a lot of people I don’t know looking and critiquing my work, rather than friends and acquaintances who feel they have to be polite and nice. (It’s a Southern thing). Although I have shown my work before in my home (my comfort zone), I have never shown at this level. I feel like this is a whole other league! I can remember walking through the exhibits in years past wondering how long it will be before I would be here. When will I be ready? In past festivals I’ve enjoyed talking to the artists and marveled at some of the paintings, but other paintings I just stood and wondered what was this guy thinking? Who let this guy in? Some artists do this for a living while some have retired from other careers and this is their hobby or a way to pass the time. But we all have one thing in common; we will all sit there for two days and let complete strangers look at our work and into our souls.
In years past, showing my work has felt a bit like standing around in my underwear at a cocktail party. It can be a bit uncomfortable to say the least. But, today…..I took my stuff up to T-ville to hang in my little booth. I have been a little apprehensive this past week about this whole thing, so I haven’t been my jovial fun self that everyone loves so well. Hanging my paintings in my booth today, I couldn’t help but wonder what the other artists and people were thinking. Don’t forget we are in the South. I know its stupid and who really cares what they think, but one can’t help but feel a little pressure. So…not only do I feel like I’m standing around in my underwear, but I hope people don’t think I look too fat and pasty white!! Oh the life of an artist.
So, if you have already seen that rerun of Caddyshack or your have time to kill in between football games, come up and see me this weekend in Thomasville; I will be the guy in the loud obnoxious pants. I hope to see you there.
Wm
