Booth Makeover! (and the enjoyment of chance connections)

After one show, my art fair booth display has gone from acceptable to amazing.

At my first Carderock Market, you might remember, I was woefully unprepared for the reality of setting up multiple pieces of art and infrastructure in a visually pleasing way while at the same time ensuring it doesn't kill anybody (e.g., tents blowing over, framed work hitting someone in the head, etc.). At that show, I had inexpensive (read: wobbly) grid panels, a few haphazard easels, and a table fully cluttered with a variety of items. My display was designed to look something like the picture on the top, with curtains and tablecloths instead of sheets. The curtains never made it up. It was not a bad look for a first show. It was great hands-on learning.

After that show, I purchased what I thought were higher quality grid panels from Facebook Marketplace (FB). They were definitely of a higher quality--solid metal, no wobble...and so heavy they were almost impossible for me to carry and set up. I was prepared to deal with the panels, attending the next show with the new grids and my on-the-job knowledge. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be more sturdy.

Then I made an extraordinary find.

The find: a whole set of pro panels for a very reasonable price. These pro panels, as you can see in the bottom picture, are...drumroll, please...what the pros use. Stroll through any art fair and you will notice how art displayed on these panels looks more polished than art on other surfaces. These panels cost thousands of dollars, so I had not planned to purchase them before this season.

The location: about an hour away, on the other side of Durham.

The seller: The very kind and extremely talented watercolor artist, Kenny Glenn (www.artisticdecor.com). 

So I bought the panels and my life has improved immeasurably. More on that later.* 

In addition to securing the panels, I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with Kenny and his lovely wife, Anne, at their pastoral property on acres of quiet fields. Kenny, excited that another artist would use the panels, generously explained how every part of the display assembled and disassembled, how parts fit together, and how to keep the boards steady, especially in rainy or windy weather. He gave me a tour of his works in the house, on the walls and in his studio. Kenny is an extremely talented watercolor artist and has a large body of work, created over decades. Check out his website, above. The range of his work is admirable. I am astounded at his ability to depict human beings. I was, and still am, honored to have made his acquaintance. 

After a drink of perfectly refreshing iced tea on the open air gazebo Kenny designed himself, we parted ways. As I drove home, I reveled in the peace of human connection. I seek out the positive in everything.  Generally, if I look for it, I find it. In a world so divided, with so much daily vitriol on every media source, it is a pleasure to meet complete strangers and find common ground. In a world where buyers and sellers must be vigilant and careful about marketplace interactions for fear of robbery or worse, it is a joy to connect with a person or two outside of your normal circles, and to listen to their stories. In a world where we are all rushed, harried, and glued to our phones, it is soul-healing to spend time sipping tea in the fresh air, listening to the birds, and sitting comfortably with new friends. 

*In an anticlimactic post script, I feel I must tell you how my life has improved immensely, from an art show perspective. First, I look like a professional! Second, these panels are so much lighter than grid panels and do not require screwing and unscrewing stabilizing footers. Although the pro panels are larger, I can carry them myself relatively easily. Third, they make set-up much faster and cleaner by the ease of hanging the pieces on the boards by velcro. Given my art show goals this summer and fall, this is a game-changer.