So if you read the last post (or been subject to the social media onslaught) I've been gearing up for the last month for the first annual Hana No'eau Hawaiian Arts Festival. And if you were coming down from the concession side I was front and center!
In preparation I spent the last stretch before the event cranking out several new silver oak works! All are available on the website except the monk seal which sold at the event.
One of the things I appreciated was everyone's reactions to "Lele Ka Houpo i Ka 'Oli'oli" or "The Heart Leaps for Joy" I can't tell you how many slowed or stopped completely and just immersed themselves in the moment with a soft smile pulling at their cheeks. So many children disrupted traffic to enjoy a moment with the nu'ao (dolphins) which beckoned them closer. As an artist and performer my soul was fed and reminded that my artwork is "good", it can speak to someone and bring emotions forward. I appreciate each and every one of you that spent time with me enjoying the works I had available. Your compliments were uplifting and affirming that I should continue to figure out the business end of this.
And for those of you who are fans of my site just know that every artist struggles with this business dichotomy, because it's one thing to look at a work and enjoy it, it's another to take it home with you. There's this weird gap that we as artists have to remind ourselves, just because someone enjoys a work doesn't mean it would fit into their home, or maybe it's not financially feasible, but we are also supposed to "stand by" our work and put a price value on it, and if it's "good" we may have to wait a LONG time before it finds a proper home because it's supposed to be worth the time/mana we put in. But the reality is it can feel like rejection, "if you like it so much, why aren't you taking it". It's insecurity, sure, but when it's a business then its a question of how to make it accessible.
So here's announcing, I'm looking into prints! Several of you over the weekend were asking for them. I currently have 5 pieces over at the Hilo Fine Art Center, and Robin is doing some experiments with my silver oak works. We are trying to see if there's a way to capture the lovely iridescence and vibrant colors for replication, 'cause at the end of the day having a quality paper n' matting is (and should) be far less expensive than an original artwork. I'm also looking into metal prints to see if they'd carry any of the iridescent qualities. In a perfect world I'd love to have paper, canvas, and metal prints available but I acknowledge that Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will my art collection.
I expect to have some print-on-demand available shortly on the website with the hopes of having some prints available for the Christmas Craft fairs in December. I am looking to be at the Invitational Christmas Gift Fair Dec 1st n 2nd, also at the Edith Kanakaole Stadium, and maybe a similar booth location... if I'm lucky.