learning about marketing

Yesterday as I sat a very slow bazaar I had a conversation about marketing with someone who used to do it for a living.
He explained that for someone like me: basically a hobby artist the best form of advertising was exactly what I was doing. Getting out in the community, making connections on facebook, and etsy. Joining art clubs and guilds and associating with people with similar interests.
I do admit I need to spend more time on the Etsy store or explore the facebook store concept. But as a hobbiest I tend to ignore the value of the time spent on promoting since my bottom line is not compelled by successful sales. I do admit I prefer to have a busy sales day at a bazaar rather than not even recoup my table fee. But I do get exposure to people who may not buy this time. but maybe next time as my products are now in their mental catalog.
I am also working on some table cards to go with some of the more "complex" items or the ones that have stories or explanations.

So my take away for the slow day at the bazaar was to learn as much as I could from other vendors and to get some exposure for the work I do.

creativity and motivation

888888Selling ourselves the dream:777777777
Does everyone see grandiose potential in their creative endeavors? I suppose we must or why rewrite every chapter in a novel 5 or six times to get the wording just right. Surely we could not go to such efforts if we did not dare to dream of best seller lists and book clubs. No one would take pen or chisel or brush to hand if they did not harbor some dream of a masterpiece to be admired and cherished by an audience of some kind. No one could devote hours to following these dreams if the hope did not at least hover at the edges and whisper of fortunes to be made from the result.
Perhaps the fortunes to be made will not be ours. The antiques shows give us the perspective of time on the efforts of the creative mind. The hand carved chest made by a father for his newborn child may carry the same value as the great landscape painting done by an artist to earn his bread and butter. So I console myself with the thought that even if they are not recognized as highly prized objects now my works some day will indeed bring that high price to someone else.