Open Studios went well for me. I had a total of about 80 visitors, mostly local traffic. For a location like mine, isolated from the major art centers, this was very good. One in every six people who came bought something. I kept the prices low intentionally, even though a collector told me I was charging too little. I did not sell portraits, but I sold a lot of landscapes to people who had hiked these parks and loved those views. I also sold a couple of drawings of the figure.
I had made an invoice form and had it ready on my laptop, along with a printer. This will ensure I keep good records come tax time. And I didn't have to go anywhere else in order to get it printed so I could talk to the buyers while I completed it.
In retrospect I wished I had been able to place my watercolors on mats, but as it turned out, this didn't prevent people from buying. I had the watercolors and some figure drawings in portfolios, on plastic sleeves, atop my flat files. I hung everything I wanted to sell and removed anything I didn't want to sell. I also prepared price lists, because I showed about a hundred pieces and couldn't keep it all in my head. This proved to be a good way to keep track of sales and the information that goes on the receipts. Buyers told me they liked the price lists because they felt everyone was getting the same treatment regarding price. They were on a small table so people saw them when they started looking at the paintings. Some lookers took the price lists home along with a postcard.
I met many neighbors and local art lovers. It was a great experience! Many thanks to
Pro Arts for organizing it every year.
