I just did the Gosport Arts Festival in Portsmouth, Virginia and I have to tell you, I truly look forward to this show for one reason, it's not about the artists as much as it's about the cause, EDMARC Hospice for children. I hold this pretty dear to my heart because my father was in hospice for a very long time and the pain and suffering our family went through was huge! I can't begin to imagine what that must be like for parents with children going through a similar journey into the next life. It is for this reason that I do this show and donate one to two works of art to it every year with pleasure. It just gives me a giddy feeling to donate something that will truly make a difference and make this world of ours a better place.
Sadly for most of us, sales were pretty low, no doubt because of the tolls being placed on just about every entrance to this wonderful city of Portsmouth. The venue is drop dead gorgeous and I really thank the promoters and volunteers who treated us like royalty with amazing healthy choices for breakfast, and of course some of the not so healthy but incredibly fantastic donughts (especially the chocolate peanut ones! They came around gleefully with carts overflowing with oranges, apples, crackers, bottled water and a host of other great treats. What more could you possibly ask for! Also a huge thanks for that amazing awards banquet and congratulations to all the winners!
I also learned a lot from previous shows about mud, wind, rain, and weather in general. We need to always be ready for that by the way we set up our equipment with proper weights and walls that showcase our work. It's also pretty important to bring the tarps and bungies so that in the event of a surprise downpour, you can take immediate action. Packaging your art work into plastic bags and then into cushioned foam bags or cardboard boxes is super helpful. I stopped using cardboard because they get wet and weigh more, and I found the foam bags I made a whole lot lighter and weather resistant overall. Another good thing about foam as opposed to cardboard, those pesky palmetto bugs in Florida don't find them very attractive so I don't end up bringing them home with me in the winter show months.
I thank you EDMARC Hospice for Children and the Childrens Museum of Portsmouth for such a wonderful weekend. I for one had a great time and hope to be invited back again next year too!
God bless you.
