Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Openings Necessary Evil?

The opening for the Square Foot Show at the Westland Gallery is tomorrow, Wednesday at 7:00pm.

It's one of those common knowledge things, that is  touted as being a truth, in the fine arts business; you have to attend openings to advance your art career. The assumption being that it's all about building a brand and having the 'right people' get to know you.

Is there any truth in that?

At most of the openings I've attended 70% of the crowd are artists, the rest are family, friends, and a few serious art patrons.
The artists talk to each other or their family/friends, the patrons talk to the gallery staff. Occasionally an artist and patron are introduced, but that is not the norm, at lest not at the openings I've attended. People like me hide in a corner and leave as soon as they decently can.

I hate crowds.
Even when I know some or most of the people in the room I feel like snakes are crawling under my skin in a crowded room, and the older I get, the worse it gets. If I have to go to an event I make sure I have a job to do, for example I'll volunteer to serve the refreshments. Being able to focus on a task makes it easier to ignore my discomfort, but it never goes away.
It's the reason I won't go to a mall, and I find every excuse possible to get out of social engagements including...openings.

 This is not a poor me moment intended to elicit a 'there-there' response. The confession is because I think that many artists are to varying degrees in the same boat.

So I ask, is it true, how important is it to attend these things?

Lets get a conversation going, I really want to know what you think.

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