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A couple of months ago, I was catching up on some of the articles posted on the FASO website.  One article basically said you'll get no where if you do nothing.  The author of the article wasn't referring to how often an artist paints, but noted how important it was to promote oneself and to make opportunities to show our art.  We are our biggest supporter, and no one else is going to do it for us.

Fast forward a bit to a day in early May.  I had met a friend at a tea shop downtown.   I'm not a big tea drinker, but the various aromas of the teas can certainly get one to try something new.  We ordered (I had Bravissimo.) and went outside on the patio to drink our tea and chat.  The patio is at the back of the store and is a rather quaint space with a wood deck and a natural stone patio.  It is bordered by two old brick buildings and wrought iron fencing, and it even has a few mature trees for shade.

While we were sitting there, it crossed my mind that this space would make a great venue for an open air art show.  I got up from the table we were at and walked around making some mental notes.  The trees badly needed trimming with branches hanging below eye level, and numerous suckers growing out of the trunks.  There were many scrubby shoots coming up from the tree bases, a few dead saplings and some strange vines trying their best to reach the sunlight.  It would take some work, but I could see the potential.

I was reminded of the advice in the article I'd read as my friend and I were going back through the shop.  I gathered my courage, stopped and asked if they would consider an art show on the patio.  The manager's enthusiasm to the idea was immediate and infectious.  'Yes, they would love to host an art show.  They have never had an event at their shop, but the idea of hosting something had been on their mind for a while and an art show would be great.'  

When I left the store, I was excited, and I felt lighter on my feet.  If I hadn't read that article, I'm not sure I would've stepped outside my comfort zone and taken the chance to speak with the store manager right then, right there, but in doing so, I created an opportunity to show my work.  

My show is this coming Tuesday and Wednesday.  The effort I've put into this is huge, because I was really naive about what it would take to get it off the ground.  I've learned a lot, plus new opportunities have come out of this, and that's for another blog note.  Cheers.