Are you going forward or backward?
The photo is from my first art show in 30 years. It was an art walk at my neighborhood clubhouse featuring the artists in my community. Although I swore I’d never do an art show again, here I am showcasing my oil paintings to neighbors who chose to attend.
I felt out of place at this event, even though I knew what I was getting into. My community comprises of mostly retirees transplanted from New York or New Jersey who have fixed incomes and are into handmade crafty items and $5 banana bread loaves. (Yes, the exhibitor next to me was selling her homemade all natural banana bread and flameless candles decorated with shells.)
I didn’t sell one painting or print.
So was I going backward by doing this show? Or going forward?
I’m looking at it as going forward and here are the reasons why:
It was free and right up the street from my house, so it was easy.
It prepared me to do point of sale transactions, and I had my Square reader and pricing sheet with discounts for my neighbors that I extended an additional 24 hours if they wanted to buy from my site the following day instead of at the event.
It reconfirmed that I am not up for doing shows or art festivals to move my art, and that I’m on the right track with selling exclusively online and through referral commissions.
It allowed me to meet a new group of people who turned out to be very positive and appreciative of my work.
The most important takeaway from the event was that I do beautiful work, and for a specific purpose as it ties with my passion for helping people do work they’re passionate about and have an impact in the world.
The impact I want to have is on those people who want to do work they love and have the space at home that encourages creativity and innovation as well as fostering prosperity and positivity, which is imbued in each piece of art I paint.
With the Passion Course, my Creative Guidance coaching and environment-enriching artwork to inspire those home office spaces, things are coming together for me to run my own passion-led business.
The forward movement must continue, however, with creating awareness and clarity around my work and my why. It’s one of the most exciting yet intimidating phases of my business development, and I’m eager and anxious all in the same breath, and will move forward.
Ask yourself this: are you moving backward or forward? How can you look at your current situation and shift the direction into a more positive tone? Let’s move forward together and see what unfolds.
