It's been a busy spring for me with 2 different craft shows. I seldom have shows at this time of year, but in April I did one put on by Calvary Methodist Church in the suburb next to mine. They began doing shows about a year and a half ago, but it never worked with my schedule and/or health, so I was happy to finally be in one in early April. Though the calendar said spring, there were wispy snowflakes falling occasionally as I unloaded the car. The show had a lot of first timers to that venue, but the atmosphere was friendly and crafters visited each other when things were slow.The people from the church running things were all very nice and helpful. In the afternoon the sun appeared and brought more people outdoors and into the show. I did better than anticipated and it was a fun day all around.
Last Saturday, May 10th, I was in the second spring show at an Adult Activities Center for developmentally disabled people. The building inside looked like a warehouse or factory with it's high ceilings and exposed pipes and tall metal tables. The staff was very organized in assisting the crafters with transporting their set-up and showing them parking and table spaces. It was an arts, craft and flea market event with nearly 80 tables, the largest show I've ever been in. There was a brief busy spell from 10:30 am to noon, but otherwise it was very slow.There was a community festival about 20 minutes away that some blamed for siphoning off our customers. I did meet a lot of friendly people, vendors as well as browsers and in the end made a little more than my table fee. But it was a learning experience, especially being in such an industrialized setting.
Now I'm preparing for some summer exhibits; a group exhibit at a nearby library, another larger show with Calvary UMC and the Cold-Blooded Creation Show that I ship my paintings to in August. It's good to have goals to work towards.
Spring has been colder and wetter than usual. All the rain has been great for the plants, the grass is a lush green. The flowering trees didn't last long, unfortunately, nor did the tulips, which came after a long lasting bloom of daffodils. There is still dogwood and lilac out and I'm eagerly awaiting irises, which are my favorite. I need to get out with my camera & take some photos before they are all gone....