We had our first Opening Reception last night.We had the Grand Opening back in May and it was poorly attended. I do some work with WIN House http://www.winhouse.org/ and I did get a interview with Global TV that day, talking about them and their connection to the studio.This opening started out very small. I just asked a lady I had met through the Breast Cancer Fund Raiser, Lorraine Oberg http://www.lorraineoberg.com/ if she wanted to put a few paintings in the gallery. I tried very hard to make it bigger than that. I wanted the first Opening Reception at the studio be a doozie. I had high hopes. I handed out 500 printed invitations, got it in the paper, on the radio, I faxed and emailed a number Interior Decorators to see the sinks and tile I am now doing. I did my best to make it happen. Unfortunately during all my efforts the Edmonton Oilers were making much bigger news than I. Lorraine and I planned this back in early May. We had no idea that it would be the same date and time as Game #6. Not only we were the same date and time, you can see Coliseum from the studio. So the people who didn’t want to stay home and watch the game were not wanting to be in the traffic that the game brings…… …bummer……..The gallery looked wonderful. I will take some pictures. Lorraine is a very talented artist. She paints beautifully. It was the first show I had ever hung and it turned out great. The music was provided by another very talented artist, Samantha Shultz. http://www.samanthashultz.com/ .She sings, plays guitar and writes all her own music. I was so happy she was there. The food was good, I even made chocolate chip cookies. The only thing that was missing was the crowds. The turn out was disapointing. If not for family and friends …….That’s not entirely true, we did get some traffic, just not anywhere near what I had hoped…I am hoping that people will still come and see the studio even if they didn’t come to the opening. I have an article coming out in the Edmonton Chamber News tomorrow, I bought some advertising in a women’s magazine, so I am sure “they” will come…….. eventually……
It is a quiet day here at home. I was going to go to work to load a small bisque I didn’t get done yesterday, but the pots will wait. I worked a lot last week trying to get the Opening going and I don’t want to work today. I had a wholesale client pick up some product a few months ago, his only comment on the gallery/store was…..”good luck with retail”…… he sounded as if I was sunk before I started. I don’t feel that is the case but it is harder to get “them” in than I had thought it would be.
Just keep swimming…. swimming…
Until next time.
Cindy
Wouldn’t that be nice. Last weekend there was a silent auction at the Saddlery Gallery, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was to raise money for the Cancer Society.A number of artists in the area donated their work. The show ran for 3 days, Thusday, Friday and the auction was Saturday night. There was some very nice work in the Gallery. Out of the Fire donated a large vase. She is called Acceptance. She is a survivor. She has no hair, no breasts, and a big butt, but she loves herself and is very happy. It’s a very difiicult place to find for most women. They raised $9461.50. Yeah!!
Jim was looking at the blog and the blog site the other day and he found a number of posts to the blog that never went to the email, just to the blog site. I didn’t know anyone had responded to the blog.I am sorry for not replying or adding you to the blog. I will try to fix that …..soon…….. I didn’t know anyone read my ramblings, other than my mother and Jim’s brother. That always made me feel a litle insecure because he is a writer…. hi Ed…..I haven’t blogged for a couple of months. I have been busy at the studio finshing the most of the wholesale orders and setting up the gallery. The store front, that started out as just setting up the wholesale booth in the front room, has taken on a life of her own and is now a gallery. I am having my first show by another artist June 17th. Lorraine Oberg, http://www.lorrainoberg.com/ one of the founding members of the Alberta Craft Council agreed to putting in a number of her pieces. I am very excited about it.
Wholesale work has dropped off considerably over the last few months. I have kept a few of the regular customers, picked up a couple of new ones and let some go and some just went away on their own. I couldn’t do the amount of work that Jim and I were doing. I am doing some larger pieces, working on sinks and tile and custom orders. I am playing more at work than I have for years. I am happy with some of the work that is comming out of the play. I will take some pictures…. again the same time frame….soon….. and post them here.
I have donated a large piece to the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. It is a silent auction to held at the Saddlery Gallery this weekend. I am looking forward to that as well. We will go, help support a good cause and do a bit of marketing the Gallery as well. It should be a good weekend. Again… you know the time frame… I will post a picture of the “Lady” I made for the event.
It is late. I will try and get back ….soon….. and again sorry to those who were reading and adding comments that I just didn’t see.
Until next time.
Cindy