I am a fine art photographer who exhibits at national art fairs in the United States. I have started a blog almost a year ago. My goal is to understand and learn a little more about the art fair industry. In the year, I learned a lot and also found out that most artists in my industry struggle with the same issues. Most artists that I respect and appreciate came from nothing. Maybe the most important thing is to let your work and your vision speak for you because those who buy art from art fairs want a connection with the artist.
Let’s start with my base and then see where I think I should head.
Do I communicate my story through my work?
I do not think that most artists try to tell a story. This is one of the features that photojournalism has installed on me. My first inspiration from photography masters was Robert Capa, Eugene Smith and others who created stories. Perhaps my mentor instilled the concept in me of what I try to communicate. Since I cannot organize my thoughts in a linear order or come up with words to communicate properly, the images can start in a random order and as I see them the order and story emerge from the beginning, middle and end. My current work has 4 stages, and the last one is not captured yet, which can be interesting to my collectors. I started visualizing my story lately.
What a successful collection is?
The only way to know if I have a successful collection is by others purchasing the image I produce. I enjoy working on several projects at once and with everything in motion, I am good at finishing tasks quickly and precisely.
Can I support myself with fine art photography?
It is very hard to support myself just from my photography and that is why I do art installations. Mostly it keeps the financial pressure away and lets me concentrate on doing my fine art photography. This is one of the least discussed topics among artists. The problem is, depending on what you see around you when things do not go your way and you’re struggling, it is hard when others aren’t there to help. One of the challenges in our field is that artists tend to say that it is up to you to find a solution and very few people give you guidance or hope. Those few artists who help are the artists who see us as a community where we all help each other as much as possible and still give space to grow as individuals. Talking to a friend made me realize that I need to be more selective about who I’m open with about my work.
Moving Forward
Last year, I was focused on how to get into better-quality art shows and understanding the jury process for art fairs. I question more often my choices and my work. Ultimately, I have my reasons for a photograph and what I want as a subject matter. My work is more about feelings and journeys than anything else. At the same time, it is important to get into the shows and impress the jurors along with being proud and confident with my work. Satisfaction comes when I sell my work because the only person other than me who matters is the person who purchases the work. If I want to keep doing art shows, I need to be in the venues that generate income for me. One thing I learned in the last year is the importance of the market where the event is held, and not the show itself. A show with a higher reputation brings more people but most artists are equal to me. Therefore, the competition for sales is at another level. Things like a double booth, sales approach, mood and other factors can make or break this event because there is no room for mistakes. That same approach applies in my opinion to lower end shows because poor attendance makes you focus on each person since you do not have as many opportunities. Realizing this, I need to upgrade some of my tools. The tools I need to purchase soon are costly; a new computer and camera, in order to print larger than 48 X 72 sizes. I do not want to set limits on what I can do due to equipment.
I hoping on 2025 start displaying my work in 10X20 tent (double booth) which allows my collectors to be able to move more freely and experience my images with the feel crowd. I think if can keep photographing and improving my presentation, I will be able to get into better shows and make higher sales while still understanding the jury process. I appreciate this learning experience because I get to chat with other artists and find out what inspires them because I do not the bodywork that they produce.
Who goes with me on the next journey?
If you look for negativity you will find it. If you look for darkness you will find it. The reality is, only another art fair artist understands the issues we face each weekend. I try to learn from everyone and talk to anyone that wants to speak with me. I love what I do and my art fair life. I listened to a podcast that helped me to understand that the vast majority of artists are facing the same issues and I am not alone in the journey. I was just choosing the wrong crowd for the ride.