How to Deal with Post Exhibition Blues

Got you there, Im fortunate enough to not suffer such things, as I like to look on the bright side of life as much as possible, it also helps to not have unrealistic expectations of the evening so Im more often surprised than disappointed. In fact I think I have only ever had one exhibition where I didn’t quite get the numbers I expected but the sales over the next couple of weeks meant that particular show was almost a sell out so I never presume anything from opening nights as the be all and end all of everything!

I have noticed a trend lately where exhibition openings are not the big events they used to be, the crowds are smaller and the sales low as opposed to sell out on opening night scenarios of yesteryear. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen in fact Im sure it still does at times, just not the ones Ive been to in recent years! I think people tend to hang back for financial reasons post recession but also because it seems that the longer a work hangs around the more chance of the artist getting desperate and selling it off cheap. I guess that does happen sometimes too.

For the opening this week of my show “It’s All about Me…..ow!” I was fortunate enough to have a very supportive crew, there were plenty of loyal friends, family and patrons and the public generally seems to embrace my work and wackiness and come to my shows, meaning I had a great turnout. There were a couple cases of ‘race you to the sales table because I want that particular piece before you get it’ which lead me believe that there are still people out there keen to buy on opening night and it makes others think damn I should have been quicker and may well be next time!

The wine flowed in fact the home made wine with my art on the labels went much quicker than the brought stuff which was a surprise only in that people tend to be overly cautious of things they don’t know and therefore stay with the so called safe options.

I sold a few works which was great and if I’d had a liquor license I could have sold the wine too, there was certainly a few offers going down to purchase my fruit wines under the table! In case you are wondering, no I don’t sell it, need it all myself you know….to celebrate and share (for free!) with others of course!

It was a really fabulous evening with some amazing people, ones I knew and ones I didn’t. Thank you to all of you who turned up, I’m glad you had a fun evening, like I always say, my exhibitions are celebrations and I want to share them with you.

Big shout out to my friends, Mark Curtis for the amazing invite he created, to Karen Reitama for the use of the space at her café and the fabulous catering that far exceeded my requirements; Steve Oldfield for patiently playing a fabulous barman for me,; Yvonne and Edelweiss the super model cat; my photographer Dave Lashlie for his hard work and wicked photos and of course the wonderful Bruce Mclachlan for the beautiful sign and all the help with prepping the exhibition space while I was swanning around getting hair and makeup done.

I can’t forget my fabulous husband and beautiful daughters who were my gorgeous waitresses on the night as well as the ever patient cats too, you put up with a lot from this crazy artist mother and wife and all the help from you leading up to and on the night was amazing.

So no I don’t have post exhibition blues, in fact Im fighting with the desire to get back to the studio and paint more of these crazy cats I have on my mind, and I need to book the next event. Let me know if you want to come!