My Worst Art Show

Typically I really enjoy being in art shows. Curious, since I’m an introvert and you’d think I wouldn’t like being in a big crowd like that. But I feel different when I have my artwork around me. I feel sort of hidden by it and also distracted from myself. Normally in a crowd I am way to aware of myself. But when my art is there I’m focused on the stories behind the art, and on the people who are looking at the art and the stories behind the people. Every person is a story and I love stories so much!

My very first art show was terrible though. For one thing it cost a lot to be in it. I didn’t have any comparison at the time but I do now. It was the most expensive art show I’ve ever been in. The people running it said it would be well worth the money. They would say that, wouldn’t they! I bet when I paid them they walked off laughing and saying, “Haha! Sucker!”  Maybe not, but I do wonder. Because when I got to the show that day to set up I found that I was the only fine artist there. What??? Seriously though, the only one. You know who was in a tent next to me? A masseuse. And next to him? Someone doing makeovers. Hmm…I wonder if they were surprised to be the only masseuse and makeover artist there too? And my tent was so far up the hill from where most of the “show” was taking place, that only seven people saw my artwork that day, and most of those were my family and a friend who were looking for me. And they had a hard time finding me! On top of all that, an unexpected, driving rain came and weighted down the roof of my tent. When the rain stopped, some helpful person tried to get the rainwater off the roof and accidentally doused me with a couple buckets worth of water. I was soaked. 

It’s important to remember that everybody looks and feels foolish sometimes. I remember feeling so humiliated and wondering if I’d ever sell a painting in my whole life or if it would always be like this—me alone with my artwork on top of a hill, soaking wet and embarrassed. No. It was just a bad day. 

~ Amy