After the Fair

By the end of the Art Fair, I'd sold nine paintings. The task for me now, in the weeks ahead, is to consider what I might learn from how the Fair went and what conclusions might be drawn from what was sold. There was also a lot of very valuable feedback from people I spoke to who, although they didn't buy anything, talked about the work and indicated what it was they liked.

Some interesting facts: with one exception, all the paintings were sold in twos. Several of the buyers said that they thought they were reasonably priced, one that they were underpriced, and this might mean that I could have sold them one painting at twice the price. But I don't think this is necessarily the case: there's an obvious attraction about a pair of small paintings.

Again, with only two exceptions, all of the work that sold was nicely framed. Although I know there's a market for gallery wrap canvases (and that's what the two unframed ones were), I think many people who buy want something that will look good on the wall straight away. I overheard a couple of people buying from a fellow Figure 8 artist, asking him whether they should get it framed. I think unframed gallery wrap may unsettle some people.

Would I do it again? I had terrible misgivings about the whole thing before it started, but as I got into the swing of it, I really began to enjoy myself. It involves a lot of tiring standing about, excitement followed by disappointment as punters arrive, pause to look, then wander off. But that's more than made up for by the chance to engage visitors in conversation about the work, and it surprised me how much they evidently like doing that.

So overall, if the cost of hiring the stand was affordable, I guess the answer is yes, I'd do it again.