Mom and I left early Friday morning to get to Lucketts in time to set up my paintings, books, and prints before the gates opened at 8:30. Jeff and I drove down the day before to drop everything off, but we left everything packed in plastic bins under a tarp. Not only was the weather iffy, but I was sharing the tent with the lovely ladies from Twin Oaks Tavern Winery again, and they hadn’t arranged the furniture yet. We coordinated through text and, when mom and I showed up, they had arranged everything perfectly. They set up their roped-off area to keep the alcoholic beverages contained while putting me in an accessible, visible spot for people milling by. We learned during the Spring Market that I was a little hard to find when tucked farther back in the tent, so this was a great solution. The Lucketts Store furnished me with a counter, table, and hutch, so set-up was simple.
The plan was to get things looking presentable, and then we’d do some shopping and come back at noon to man the space. I think I knew going into it that was an unrealistic plan. I knew there was a high likelihood that early bird shoppers might want to buy something, and I wasn’t going to turn away a sale. So, I ended up staying at my space most of the day. I can’t complain, though. We sold out of books and framed prints, sold all but one original oil painting, and sold over 70 prints. It was a banner day!
We also learned a lot. We brought bags this time (we didn’t have any packaging for the Spring Market), but I didn’t have bags large enough to package the original paintings. I’ve made some notes on packaging materials to bring to my next in-person sale, like protective cardboard corners, a roll of glassine paper, bubble wrap, and a few large paper bags, so I can properly package large originals.
I also learned which display pieces worked well and what could be better. A long brass trough and a couple of wooden brick molds I purchased at the Country Living Fair worked beautifully. An antique wire dish drainer I brought from my basement stash wasn’t that great.
The picnic baskets were great for holding large prints and smaller framed pieces, and for stacking to add height when empty, but it would be nice to find racks that fit inside to hold the prints upright a bit better.
Mom and I kept moving things around as more pieces sold until we just had a few things on the front table.
The only original oil painting left unsold was the Cavalier Spaniel, so the day was definitely a success. I learned that I need to bring more smaller originals and more framed prints. Both of those sold out quickly.
I snuck out to do a bit of shopping when the booth was quiet. I brought a couple of frames and took some pictures of things that caught my eye, which I’ll share in another post. As we were walking to our space, I spotted a beautiful antique Victorian easel and stopped to check out the price. It was priced high enough that I walked away to consider it. My mom kept bringing it up, pointing out that it would be a perfect display piece, and encouraged me to get it. I sent her over to ask if the vendor could do any better on the price. It was early in the fair, so a discount was unlikely, but it’s always worth asking. My mom came walking back with the easel in hand. I assumed she sweet-talked her way into a really good price, but she actually paid full price and insisted on covering half the cost. She was so thrilled with the purchase that we had to put “the lady” (the Morisot portrait) on it right away.
My parents made the initial investment in my business when I first started, and they are still investing in me. When you see this easel at future shows, know it was my mom’s doing.
In fact, my dad also had a hand in this easel, too! It’s not anything special, but it is a functional easel that works well for displaying larger works. I got it from my friend, Diane, at the Country Living Fair. She gave it to me for free because it was broken, but my dad came over and made a new piece to make the easel sturdy and functional again. I think I’m going to give it a paint wash to spruce it up a bit.
The only damper on the day was the heat and humidity. It was almost 90, which you don’t expect in mid-October. I was red-faced, gave up on my frizzy hair as soon as I got to the event, and was too hot to consume anything but ice water, but an occasional breeze kept it tolerable.
As we packed up our display pieces and the few remaining prints, a strong breeze blew in, bringing cooler temperatures and the threat of thunderstorms. I was thankful that I had the chance to be a part of the Lucketts Market again in a way I could manage in this season of life and business. The Lucketts Store folks were so awesome to provide the furniture to make it easier, and the women at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery were so kind to share their space with me. The Lucketts Market will always have a special place in my heart, as a shopper or a vendor, because of all the amazing vendors and organizers involved.
Now, I just need to take the next step and commit to my own tent/booth as a fine art vendor…
