5 tips to a successful artist popup show

Here are 5 tips to a successful artist popup show. I want to share these tips for several reasons. And I promise to share the tips and reasons below. But first, let’s welcome newcomers and share the purpose of this post and blog. Okeedokee?

Small Spaces Special Places

Welcome new readers! Each year, I select a theme for my weekly paintings. This year’s is “Small Spaces Special Places.” Why? I have been surprised, even delighted, with the small spaces in our house that have captured my eye.

Also, there are the special places I see on my daily dog walks. Each morning, rain or shine, I love getting outdoors and looking for things to paint. Some weeks, we’re traveling in our camper. In either case, I start many of my paintings outdoors. Then I’ll finish them, usually from imagination, in my studio at home.

Anyway, if you are not subscribing to this blog yet and think you might enjoy a weekly dose of unique artwork with a dash of color and musings on life, sign up here. Let’s get to this week’s topic!

Why 5 tips to a successful artist popup show

Well I hope these tips might be helpful to other artists out there who are thinking about doing a popup show. Plus I want to remind myself what I learned and this blog seems like a good place to do that. And, even if you’re not an artist who wants to do a show, there are some universal themes here. So, are you ready? Here goes.

Tip 1 to help you have a successful show

Set a clear vision of what you hope to happen. Yes I did this. Here are some of the notes from my journal of what I hoped would happen:

“A warm, colorful dreamy place filled with reasonably priced, beautifully framed paintings that collectors love and buy.”

How can you support this thinking? It helped me to visit the location of the sale ahead of time. And, even though I didn’t know the exact spot until three days before the opening, I knew which spaces were available. This leads me to share the next tip.

Tip 2 to help you have a successful show

With your vision in mind, write down everything you need to do to get done before the show. I wrote so many things down at first that it felt overwhelming.

But, then I reviewed everything I had written. As I did this, I could see that there were certain things I could only do after I had done something else. Like what? Well, I couldn’t frame any of my paintings until they had been photographed and varnished.

Once I had done that I could focus on the framing. Then and only then could I think about the way to arrange the paintings. Why? Because the frames represent the actual dimensions of the work. Not the work itself. This may seem completely obvious to you. But it wasn’t to me.

Plus there are some people I know who don’t frame their work. So, this may be a non-issue for you. But whether you frame your work or not, you will need to know the dimensions of each piece. Because the dimensions of all the pieces determine how much space you will need to show your work.

Another task on my mighty list? Visit the space(s) ahead of time if at all possible. This is particularly relevant if you, the artist, are responsible for hanging the work yourself. This is true for the event I did last weekend. But I can also see that this is important if the gallery plans to hang your work, too.

Tip 3 to help you have a successful show

Share! Unless you are an established artist with a gazillion, repeat collectors see if you can share space with another artist. I say this because there were three options available at this most recent show: one studio space, another larger space and then a third, larger ‘classroom’ space. The caveat with the third space is I had to share with another artist.

I am so glad I did this. Why? The artist I shared space with was fun, funny and helpful. She has just moved to North Carolina from Houston TX and her name is Marsha Glickman. Check out her work.

Tip 4 to help you have a successful show

Get comfortable with math. Math? Yes! You will need to do numerous things with your savvy math knowledge. Like what? Let me count and share the ways:

1. Develop a consist pricing practice for your artwork
2. Make and cut materials to frame and finish your work
3. Once your work is framed, you’ll need to decide how to arrange your artwork on the walls. In general, I placed the work at 58 inches from the ground and six inches apart.
4. When you sell your work, you’ll need to include taxes and any other charges relevant to your area

Yes you can use a calculator to do these things but it helps to know the underlying decisions you have made for each of these categories.

Tip 5 to help you have a successful show

Be friendly but not too friendly. OK I know I know. This seems like weird advice. But I talked with another artist who has sold his work for years. He said he realizes that he needs to give people space to look at the work after he has greeted them.

And, huge confession here, in the past I have been really really nervous about this part. Even though I have a previous previous life in sales, I am telling you it’s a completely different experience selling one’s own artwork. Such as? Well, standing by my artwork has felt so incredibly vulnerable in the past.

So what was different about this time? Several factors. First, I took time and care to finish each painting. This meant I really, truly loved each one of these little creations. And, I took time to carefully hang them on the wall. And, no Mr Studly did not help me hang these paintings. I did all of this work myself. And I am really glad I did. Why? Because for the first time, I felt super proud of all of these works of art and I guess it might have shown.

Bonus Tip 6 to help you have a successful show

People! There just is no reason to have a show if people don’t come to it. As an extrovert who has been quite cooped up in my home studio I have to say seeing people in person was such a delight. And, seeing people look at my paintings up close was a delight too. And, of course, seeing people look at my paintings and buy them, too is wonderful.

The entire experience reminded me of Barbara Streisand’s beautiful song “People.” Give it a listen if you have time.

Jingle Jingle

Before I sign off, I have to share a fun and whimsical gouache painting I did of a jingle bell necklace I have. I love wearing it (the necklace not the painting – ha!) this time of year. Here it is!

Do you have some festive clothing or jewelry that you like to wear this time of year? Please share in the comments below. And, thank you for reading and please have a happy and safe holiday!