XXV Sunday 21
Good morning good citizens of Bill nation and welcome to Sunday the Day of Rest. Rest in the literal sense as EVERYDAY now is restful however also contains a modicum and a certain amount of W-O-R-K.
After exiting the dark period and ‘sleep’, and gathering my wits, I determined I was ‘Happy’ and it was going to be a good day.
A BIT PREMATURE DON’T YOU THINK?
Look. Yes of course ‘I THINK’ because I am but one more interruption and you are done and NOT just for today.
Time is SEMI-precious especially on a Sunday so why don’t you just knock it off and give it a rest for today anyway.
Yesterday was BloomDango at one of my favorite places … the Chambersville tree farm. I told a few folks along the way that in the past or more accurately LAST TIME this event was ‘ok’ as far as sales go and I noticed the whores of the ‘local arts community’ were noticeably absent. The reason I feel for the most part is the PROSPECT of low-to-zero sales.
There were moments during the day as I was working that I recalled what an artist at the WWAF told me. ‘Cut down on the number of shows and only do the ones that are good for (to) you .’
As the few visitors trickled by I reflected.
I was able to spend a good part of the day working on a number of projects. I was ‘billed’ as ‘local artist doing painting and carving demonstrations’ and I did just that working ALL day, 9:00 to 3:00 stopping briefly to engage patrons and browsers with questions and the hugely abbreviated ‘sales pitch’. Sales pitches can be both aggravating and annoying receiving AND giving.
I did meet some very nice people and I recall no turds.
I had fun with one lady wearing a black Sante Fe tee shirt. I asked her if she was from there but no, she had ust gotten back from a visit.
She bought a coasters set and we chatted in a good-spirited and flirty fashion with some lively extended banter. The coasters, she explained, would cost $75 in SF.
She became quickly mortified when she looked closely at a hanging Watching the Shore.6 and accidentally spilled some of her wine on the ‘Lake House’ sign resting below on the panel.
‘Guess who just bought a sign.’ cracked the smart aleck artist.
‘I just lost most of a $9 glass of wine.’ You getting the idea?
It was like that. I ended things on a reconciliatory note something like it adding to the patina. Then she was gone with teenage children tagging along.
There was a lovely Japanese lady, 85 years old and in very broken English told me she was an artist. She was very short of stature and bowed alot.
‘Oh ?’ I says. And she told me more.
Engaging, she began her art career at 70 so fifteen (15) years. Now I am curious and impressed and did something I rarely do. I KNEW what to expect and it happened as I anticipated and expected.
‘ Do you have any pictures of your work?’ This COULD BE the kiss of death in most cases.
She whips out her phone and with a nimble finger finds and shares an image that is smashing.
Abbreviating, she sent me the image AND gave me permission to use it on the 2021 Christmas card. This was truly a gift and when you see this card AND know the story, you too will feel the joy and have a tear well in your eyeballs.
Finally, the home run.
A threesome wandered by a redhead I will call Jean in the lead the other two members of the party straggling behind.
Jean asked some good questions about my work and got close but not uncomfortably before moving along.
She returned shortly with the other two, a ‘couple’ and friends. Jean had told me she was a window within the past year and I learned the gentleman was a doctor of some kind.
He asked if I would take $200 for the BWT. I only included two smaller decoys and at the last minute because they are big-ticket items and I felt the odds on selling one at this event were low. As in extremey low.
The second little decoy was a greenWT and when we looked, he either got them confused, didn’t really know his waterfowl ID or was drunk. At first I said sure but as we looked the price tagged was $195 for the BWT. I had a flash thought of the latter and it being a trick question.
So we went over and I had the GWT tagged $300 because I really liked the paint job on it and I had done it in 2001 when while living in Richardson which was burned into the bottom with my signature.
Now realizing his mistake and him correcting his intended item of interest, I said I couldn’t do 200 but would let it go for $250. Followed quickly by asking how he intended to pay for the piece explaining that I had a square, I could process a cc trannie but he would have to bear with me as I fumbled and struggled thru the process.
‘I think I have cash’ and he turned away to look into his wallet coming back later with the remainder of the cash he had or so he claimed.
It was $240 which was close enough I said and followed up by asking if he had enough to get home with the two lovely ladies. We shared a laugh at my charm.
It turned out he was a dentist and the decoy was for a good friend who was an oral surgeon, a hunter and owned a large ranch. Go figure right? I felt no remorse. It was going to a good home.
The up side, there could be potential follow up sales.
We chatted for a few more minutes and as it was growing late in teh day began to wind down, think about tearing down and packing up.
I did walk over and spoke to the guy with the wine bar and concession. I bought a glass and then a bottle after learning his story. He was very local and he gave me some of his corks which were printed and uber-cool. I sensed future opportunities here as well.
I got home and didn’t have time to clean up going down the street to a party. Neighbors, she an artist friend and her hub hosted a musical event approaching Biblical proportions.
It seemed EVERYONE was a musician and people in the crowd would get up, go to the stage area and do a song or two. Quite cool. About 60-65 people, no masks all mostly from the hood althought there was at least one out-of-towner he from Nashville. Very talented and he did some original work.
They shut down and It wrapped up promptly at 10:00. It was explained to me that ALL of the neighbors were invited so no one could or would call the cops. SORRY, police.
Which brings me to the Moment. Sunday morning.
MUST unload the car and put things away and back to where they belong. I need to assess the inventory now seriously for the Market Street show in the Woodlands in two (2) weeks. I have enough time to build, complete and finish up selected items with a strong likelihood to sell IFFEN I can keep focused, on track and remain relatively uninterrupted for spans of time to work.
And closer to the day start the logistics and planning, staging, packing and loading for the four (4) hour travel time to Houston that week.
I MUST water plants, laundry and get back to the workout routine after missing yesterday.
All good.
But finally a link. This is a bit of good news.
I am THINKING that should this c-19 actually BE the Biblical event some are forecasting and predicting what a great place for the epicenter.
That way we wouldn’t have to WAIT for all the nut cases and the state to drop of fall into the ocean.
Talk about a happy ending.
