Eastern Suburbs Art Group

I had some notice but in the end only took a few items. A few jackets. The jackets are not too small or damaged, but they are not what I currently want to wear. The organiser took a green leather jaacket I brought. I didn't find anything to swap it with. There were some short sleeved shirts but they were a bit too colourful for my taste. Natually most of the clothes at the swap were for women and I was the only man attending. In my art practice (for what it's worth) is also do repurposing. The collage process has some shortcomings buit I am working on resolving the problems. Mostly they have to do with fading. Magazine paper is not designed to be exposed to the light for 10 years, unlike a jacket.

Getting recognition as an artist is a slog. You have a solo show or a group show, take down the works that are unsold, and put them away in storage or else hang them on walls at home. Pack  up your creations and go to ruminate, think possibly deeply, or else you just move on and make new work. Some time ago I decided to be a sustainable artist. It's only recently that the word came to me but I understand looking back that this was what I had in mind from the start. Of course this also has to do with lifestyle. Eating regular meals, seeing friends, keeping in touch with family. All of that, sure. But it's more about not piling up tons of work that never gets seen. Earlier this year I gave some works back to a colleague. We had had a show two years before and for some reason she left her work in my garage. In the end I contacted her as I want to free up space for my own things. Two years. She came by with a van and collected the paintings and drove off. Another way to use work, o...

Yesterday went with friends, including one who is also an artist, to sell paintings on the Goods Line in Haymarket. I got there early so by the end of the day was quite tired. We got a spot ear xthe east end of the area designated for selling. I sold one 4-panel painting but importantly had three nice conversations with prospective buyers. The busiest time was from midday to about 2pm. It was a gorgeous sunny day. My friend happily sold two paintings, so everyone was happy. I got the bus/train there and back.

I loaded up with bags (see photo below) and headed out by bus, at Redfern found the trains weren't running so dodged back to get the replacement bus which took me to Newtown Station. I walked down Enmore Rd and arrived early.  The first thing I did when going inside the shop was write out a sign for the pavement. I set up quickly (see photo below) and the other vendors arrived later eventually filling up all the space on the tables. Once customers arrived I saw my failings however as browsers tended to sneek past my setup but I sold some works, all single-panel $10 paintings, as well as cards. A couple of days later I dropped by Officeworks to buy something I needed and picked up some marketing gear (see photo below) including plastic film sleeves for the cards and a stand to hold them. You really need something dazzling like this to make people pay attention, otherwise they just saunter on past to more enticing displays. I wish I'd had this stuff on Sunday but there might be m...