Saturday, October 22, 2011

What happens when the school budgets cut arts funding

I had a lovely day yesterday with Gerry. We went to the mountains so he could shoot a fall package for the AP and I rode along. I'll post about that later when I am having a calm moment and can put some of the video together. But for now I thought I would tell you all about my day today. Because many of you have had these very same days, I know you have!
I arrived at the Pittsboro Fall Festival, booth number ten, with some rather nice art and a Chatham Studio Tour banner, because I was mainly there to promote the artists of Chatham County and the upcoming tour. When the set up time says between 7-9am I am getting there at 8:45, because I can set my booth up blindfolded now. Only disadvantage is that everyone else is already set up and eager to sell their shite. Booth number nine had this display all set up and ready to go.... I'm just saying..... she also had a great speech to go along with the work and I now know it by heart: you can use these for strawberries, carrots, put your birdseed in here, wine and cheese parties, add a splash of color to your space, they are all one piece, my husband helps me glue them together, he has a special glue, yes, I'll pack that up for you right now and you can take it and put it in your doublewide (ok that part was mean, but I'm on my third Bud Light, sorry). I also photographed the lady that made spit ball shooters out of pvc, the fairy princess head wreath things, those idiot foam alligator things, the face painted children, you know, you've done this.... I'm not doing it anymore, Done with this world, time to move on, dues have ben paid, thank you very much! Are there any galleries out there that want me, because that's all I'm doing next year, is looking for nice galleries to take my work to, if you want me, I'm yours!

Then I looked across from my space to see this eye popping display of gourmet food items, and I watched the line all day
mid morning
noon
afternoon, it never let up, this guy made a killing today, I did not.
Then there was this poor unfortunate old lady that somehow drove her car through the barricade and was merrily driving her van through a very crowded festival!!!! Until she of course, stopped in front of my booth to figure out her predicament. She was in a pickle! This was hilarious to watch, then the police came and helped her. I stupidly just stood there in my booth saying WTF( except I used my real words).
Please notice that the tour brochures I handed out all day have a photo of MY barns on the cover, yay for moi!!! I was excited and honored, I'm the new guy after all. But I paid my dues today, was this some sort of initiation? I think so.
All in all, the day sucked and the day was great. Weh! There are always those folks you meet that have something interesting to say, they have a bright smile, they have their kids and you can tell they are great parents, they have on a beautiful scarf or piece of jewelry that you can drool over, or they are just nice, sweet people, which the majority of the people that live in NC are including 99% of the folks I met today. But you do get that fringe element that you just want to smack up side the head, and then you remember, oh yeah, the f'ing government is cutting funding to the arts, that's why these people are ignorant!!!!!!
Thanks to all of you sweet people that stopped by today and picked up a card, with my blog address, that you are now checking out, I hope, I appreciate you and your purchases and your kind words about my work. Hope to see you on the tour!!!! Chatham Artists, you owe me big time :)

14 comments:

cookingwithgas said...

I keep thinking hot dogs- nothing else but hot dogs...
you know what sells?
Sex and smokes...and funnel cakes...

Dennis Allen said...

Gotta love dem corndogs AND you got those free aromas all day too! Life is full of little blessings isn't it?

Laura Farrow said...

You crack me up! Did I see a 'sold' sticker on your mule barn???

Tracey Broome said...

Meredith, you forgot about drugs! Yep, the smell of hot dogs and french fries was toooo much, I finally broke down and had one :) hey Laura, sort of a sold sticker...

Anonymous said...

hi tracey,
the tale of your day is a little too accurate for comfort. i was selling (or not selling really) at a big picnic this year and one of the potters decided to clear out every pot she ever made because she was moving across the country. she brought about 100 pots and put 5$ price on all of them. her 5 dollar bowl was next to my 100 dollar bowl. she sold lots of them and i didn't get one sale. i'm not saying that we were competing against each other, only that several people either asked or just said out loud... "why's this one so much more than this one?" couldn't really answer in a way that wasn't insulting.

Bonnie Springer said...

I'm not quite understanding what booth #9 was selling. Were they plates/cups/bowls glued together?

Tracey Broome said...

Hi Jim: I would have been insulting I'm afraid! New rule, stay out of the outdoors with pottery!!
Bonnie, YES! They were glued together to add a splash of color to your space and you could put your strawberries, carrots, cheese dip, birdseed, etc in them
aka Big Lots cheap china totem displays hahahahahhahahahhaha!!!!!

Mr. Young said...

and then you have us brave souls who still try and teach the arts anyway...
always finding a way to try and infuse the arts into a new generation.
I hear your rant sister, I hear ya!

Tracey Broome said...

I KNOW! and they cut your budgets too!!!! Teachers are the very best thing we have, and they will never be paid enough as far as I'm concerned! Rock on, teacher!

Scott K Roberts said...

,been there, fell your pain.

Tracey Broome said...

I know we have all been there, but I ain't goin there no more, Scott :)

Paul Jessop said...

Sorry you had a shit day, but at least youv'e had marion in stiches reading the blog and the comments. Myself I would have been well chuffed to be near a burger van, that's what I call a result.

ang design said...

oh you and your real words trace!!! you'd love our lil mkt in the hills.. real gourmet food and wine tasting and some of the best owner maker stuff around, yes theres face painting and occasionally a car gets stuck there all day and the driver embarrassingly creeps away at days end :P yeh stick with the galleries matey...

Tracey Broome said...

Sadly, Paul, I can't eat red meat anymore, or I would have been in that line. The only way to survive these things is to laugh :)
Yes, Ang, I would go for your market any day over some of the things I have done this year!