by Caroline Tigeress

Created on: June 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2009

There are a few basic things you can do to prepare for your outdoor exhibition that will make it very successful, and will also demonstrate not just to your competitors, but your potential clients the professional artist that you are.

To begin with, be mindful of the weather itself. Look at the forecas, not just of the day, but the day before and after, as meteorology is not an exact science by any means. Look at the weather patterns. In June, for example, in the Portland, Oregon Metro area, it can be quite windy, especially if you are going to display near the waterfront.

If you can, scout the area out. Learn where your space will be, where electrical outlets will be, if they are available, and if you will have to provide your own extension cords, power strips and the like. If this is a night showing, consider the lighting.

Invest in a good quality canopy. To the young artist this may seem like a frivolous expense, but allow me to assure you it's money well spent. There is nothing worse than getting a smattering of rain that will hit the wrong item at the wrong point in time, kill the sale, and potentially damage your artwork. If you can afford it, get not just a canopy, but also a canopy with sidewalls. It will look like a three-sided tent.

The sides of your Canopy, depending upon your art form, need to be somewhat rigid so you can hang art up. In essence, you are attempting to recreate your home studio, by making it very inviting for a customer to come in.

Provide a couple of extra chairs. This may seem oddly silly, but consider the patron in the heat of the day, or retreating from the rain. You can invite them in; have them sit down and talk to them, thus further drawing them into your artistic realm. When you create an inviting environment, you increase the probability of a sale, and the concept of a future commission.

I cannot stress enough the importance of good brochures and business cards. These hand-me-outs will cost you very little in the concept of money, but will make indelible impressions upon your potential clientele. By putting these just a bit back from the canopy's entrance, you not only protect them from the inclement elements, you also draw the customer into your staging area. Other freebies, such as bookmarks and postal cards are also valuable.

If your art form is portable and flexible enough, consider demonstrating it, or, 'hawking' it as it is called in the trade. Be sure, of course, that you can do this while taking in the weather elements. One would not, for example, with the forecast of wind and rain, work with powdered charcoal, but one could easily stay toward the midpoint of the booth and work in pencil.

To close, it's not very difficult to take those few extra moments to make your work stand out amongst the crowd, by taking in the environment, planning for it, and working with, and not against the natural events that may occur. Those are the true mark of the professional. Good luck, and enjoy meeting new people.

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