Today was a busy day at the studio. My local gallery owner called wanting to know if I could assist her with a delivery to a local prospective client decorating a new house. My studio is part of a group of studios under the name of McRae Art Studios here in Winter Park FL.
http://www.mcraeartstudios.com/ Since the gallery handles a couple of other artists' work as well, I loaded most all of my available work, large and small and a couple pieces for two other artists. These expeditions are like big show and tell events. I drag in paintings and try to hold them up on walls while the homeowners and designers look. Too much blue, not quite big enough, just a smidge too red. Doesnt look good with the rug. Whatever. You hope you are rewarded in the end.
I'll say right here I like my gallery people. They work hard so I don't begrudge them their half of the price. Even when I deliver. I guess it's a price I pay for owning the largest van.
I ended up leaving two paintings for the couple to mull over. Plus one that had already been delivered for approval. Now we wait.
Later a call came from my gallery owners in Seaside Fl. They were in town and wanted to stop by. This was our first meeting in person. They have recently bought the gallery and are giving it a go even as the economy tightens in that resort town. Most of their customers are two and three home owners. We are all hoping there is still a budget for art in these homes. They are enthusiastic and experienced in retail so they seemed to be ready for the challenges.
They picked three paintings from my building stock in the studio. Lucky for me a business associate of theirs is picking up the work in two weeks for delivery. No shipping costs! The bane of most artists. I painted with what was left of the rest of the day. The last couple of weeks has been productive. I'm hoping I can keep this up. The creativity and ambition isn't always consistent. But I just took on my fifth and sixth gallery. It's like going from a rifle to a shotgun. I'm going to have to spread it around which means lots of work.