First Art Festival

Yesterday I participated in the First Sundays Art Festival in Annapolis, MD. A little over a year after deciding to get serious with my art business, it felt great to bring a collection of artwork to an in-person event. Accompanied by my wife and daughter, we could not have asked for a better day. The sun was shining and a light breeze kept the temperature comfortable. The crowds were excellent and we welcomed many to the booth who were interested in the artwork and very encouraging with their feedback.

Overall, I’d say the day was a tremendous success. I had a few goals for the day, one of which was to sell at least one artwork, which I did with the sale of the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO drawing. I debated on bringing that drawing to the festival because I love it so much. I’ve held on to it since I originally draw it back in 2012 but felt it was time for someone else to appreciate it. I couldn’t be happier to see it go to someone who very much appreciates the piece. It was clear that he established an instant connection with the drawing the moment he saw it.

While I “only” sold one piece, I think the greatest success of the day was meeting so many wonderful people and having some great discussions about artwork. As anyone in the art business can probably tell you, one of the biggest challenges for an “early career artist” is gaining exposure with potential customers. Yesterday gave me the opportunity to get my work out in front of a bigger audience and I was able to establish meaningful connections with many great folks. My little helper in the picture above was my head advertiser. With a stack of business cards in hand, she confidently approached total strangers with a friendly “hello!” and politely asked if they would like a business card. Only a few were able to resist that beautiful smile! And, of course, while she’s not pictured in this photo (because she’s the one who took it), my wife was a tremendous help setting up, tearing down, interacting with booth visitors, and providing helpful advice along the way. Having the two of them with me made this a very special day.

While this was my first art festival, it definitely won’t be my last! I look forward to coming back to the First Sundays festival next year and anticipate adding a few more events to the calendar. Any suggestions for other art festivals I should attend in the future? Send me a note and let me know!