Current mood:	exhausted
Entry tags:	personal, studio updates

Sinus infection going away, new apartment is wonderful, Clifton Day recap
Good news - looks like the new antibiotics are clearing up the sinus infection. Now I'm on some steroid nose spray for the next 3 months though (I think it's a steroid - that's how bad it was) and I've got another week of antibiotics. In total, I've taken a stinking month's worth of antibiotics to kick this sinus infection. Has to be the worse I've ever had. I think the worse part is the nausea it's causing; I figure if it's making my stomach this sick, it should be killing that nasty infection!

The new apartment is absolutely wonderful! I'll get around to posting photos eventually (still working on Willie's wedding photos). And the cat is adjusting well. Still needy as ever, but she's a sweetie.

Clifton Day was interesting. It was definitely a learning experience; I figured after 40 years of doing this show, and the hype it got from the artist community, that it would be a good show...

Nope. Nada. Blah.

I think I sold 2 things - a mother of pearl fan pin and one of my photographs.

And 5 things got destroyed/damaged.

1) Curly Q 8"x10" - $35 (both frame and print damaged)
http://store.melissalew.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=117

2) Life Force 8"x10" - $35 (frame destroyed - and this is one of the most eye catching pieces - draws a crowd usually)
http://store.melissalew.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_20&products_id=125

3) The Fisherman 8"x10" - $35 (frame destroyed)
http://store.melissalew.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_20&products_id=137

4) Theologia 8"x10" - $35 (frame destroyed)
http://store.melissalew.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_20&products_id=129

5) View from a plane near Anchorage 16"x20" - $60 (one of the broken frames when it smashed into the ground dug and tore through this print - through a protective wrap - in multiple places) Someone mentioned coming back and buying it later, which would have been wonderful :(

1, 2, 3, and 5 were destroyed when a freak gust of wind took my neighbor's tent wall that they did not secure and smashed it into my stand. I do not understand why they did not secure it, but they offered to pay for the damages. They paid for the supplies (about $40) - but I lost $165 in sales (either this show or in a future show).

4 was destroyed by a careless person who picked up the photo and put it down without making sure it was stable - he kind of just threw it down and when it fell, he ran.

Ouch. Well I learned something - even though I'm careful with fragile items, not everyone is. Put the breakable stuff on a table where they are less likely to drop it! And even though it's not my responsibility, make sure neighbors secure their entire tent. At least they paid for the supplies (they were pretty nice people - everyone makes mistakes and they felt pretty bad).

This show was a good way to connect with people though - I got a lot of good responses about my work, which is encouraging. Everyone was having a really crappy sale day for a few reasons - there's 2 I know of.

1. No one was in a buying mood; actually no one was in a really good mood today. Guessing money is tight and it was miserably hot.

2. ...the politicians and their campaigns that took over the show. It was so filled with them today that at some points I couldn't even see through to the booth on the other side of the very small street. Unfortunately, they blocked booths and scared people away. It really felt like every time someone showed interest in my work and started walking towards it, a politician or someone from his campaign (a volunteer) would try to shove some reading/marketing materials in his/her hand and they would run off in the opposite direction. I can't blame the potential customers - I would have probably run in the opposite direction too - they were too overwhelming and in your face. I'm not the only one who had this problem - in previous years, vendors never had this problem, but this year, they all show up, block the streets and the booths, and scared customers away. I had to tell George Allen's group to go away because they were scaring my customers (I have photos of him on my cell that I need to figure out how to get off). I might have gotten a campaign photography and design job though ;) - the Moon (running for school board) people weren't bad though - it was everyone else that was all in your face scary.

But enough of the negative, here's some really good feedback I got today:

"Prettiest things I've seen in my walk, and I've walked the entire show."
"Your work is incredible - just amazing. You have a unique view of the world." - he laughed when I told him it was because I was short and wanted to show everyone else what I was seeing;)
"Wow - I look forward to seeing you in the Smithsonian someday." -> HOLY CRAP!

I heard a lot of wows and oohs, and "That's breathtaking," so at least it's encouraging.

Well off to rest - another show next weekend - hopefully it's better!!!

...And - I'm not forgetting - but thank you Scott for being so helpful and waking up so early to pack the car and get me to the show this morning - AND - for helping me pack and get home. Love ya ;) (oh and listening to me bitch about those annoying people today - I think I was more annoyed than usual because I haven't really slept all week.)