I've enjoyed reading Ricë's visit to Santa Fe, since I live just 45 minutes south of there (and therefore half a planet away). Um, no offense but her posts do get a tad long and stream of consciousness-ish for this incorrigible skim reader (gimme pictures any day), so I'm slogging through the latest post about a panel discussion on creativity, when all of a sudden this line pops out at me:
"I just don't know how closely creativity and gallery contacts are related. It's like romance and babies."
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SPLORT! Thank you, Ricë!
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Many years ago I did the Santa Fe gallery scene. Back then Santa Fe got 200,000 tourists during the summer who actually had money, and even in the Fall (pre ski season) I sold every blessed thing I put into a gallery. But dealing with the owners wasn't something I had the stomach for as a young artiste.
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For example, I made the mistake of walking into Origins (yes I had an appointment), only to be verbally abused by the gallery owner about the substandard quality of my work (batik clothing) and how she couldn't possibly pay me the full commission on it because no one would want it. Wrong. I sold out within a month and never went back.
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Right after that I had another not-so-wonderful experience. Another gallery featured my batik t-shirts, tote bags and address books. Not having heard from the dude for awhile, me and the DH decided to stop by on our way home from Northern NM. There was a bankruptcy sign on the door and I was horrified -- all my inventory was in there, along with whatever the guy owed me (turned out to be a few hundred $$$). I persuaded a state employee who was in there doing inventory to unlock the door and let me get my stuff.
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Depressed, I handed my DH the big batik tote bag stuffed with T-shirts and whatnot, and we walked along the plaza to find a bite to eat. These Native American vendors sitting there told him to come over and show them what he had in the bag. We ended up trading for a bunch of jewelry -- Christmas presents for our families that year. A much more enjoyable experience than the previous two!
Sounds like artist abuse to me! Actually, I've felt like a worm by going into some nice yarn stores or some bead stores. I guess I don't dress like I have any money (which I didn't but it didn't stop me from buying - no money, got plastic) Taken a child in with me and I've gotten dirty looks.
ReplyDeleteAnd if I don't buy something I feel guilty! Doesn't make sense.
Hope you have had better experiences since then.
Oh yes, definitely better. Thanks for posting your comment 8-)
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