A Year in review for 2014

Hey there sports fans Al here with the latest from the BBVA:

Well it comes time again in the year to take a look at what has happened this year and how it will effect the next as we close in on the next year. I have been looking hard and long on what need to be done for moving forward but lets take a look back at the calendar for the high points.

The year of 2014 started off with the end of the BIG 400 show coming to an end as a hold over for the next year and what could be looked upon as a spring board for other artistic endeavors well I was in for a surprise when I went into the show to pick up what was left for me. 6 outta 10 pieces sold and now looking back the pieces I submitted I think I know why. It just wasn't my strongest work. In fact some of the pieces were just down right bad. I was just looking to get done and fulfill my obligation to crank out 10 pieces no matter if they were good or not. But some of the pieces surprised me but not so much.

But looking at what was left I think I know how better to approach my audience with new work.

The next item on the list was Had I bitten off more than I could chew? The production of the 5”x7” s had been a stable for me as a vendor but these little pieces weren't letting me really expand to showing off new and bigger original pieces of work. I think this is why when I have a shared a table with my buddies I am not getting the kudos from people I think I should. Thats not saying I don't want to hang out with my buds but financially we all had to bite the the proverbial bullet just to be seen. The other is not based upon ego either. Selling the work constantly proves that to me. Case in point was the Cyrpticon show of 2014 being stuck behind the human wall of shame.

EVENT SHOWS: CRYPTICON 2014, ROSE CITY 2014

I won't go into deal here on this but refer you to this link for the Crypticon 

and as to Rose City a whole different kind of vibe and crowd. The Right Side of the Force to the Dark Side of the Force. Look here for the positive moments.

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THE ONE MAN SHOWS:

This is a major HIGH POINT for the kid! I love doing these shows because the work gets the chance to really shine on like it needs to. The first was THE HOP THUR THE HEART show at N.W.I.P.A. February 15th just a couple days after Valentine's Day. Such a fun show lots of people and dark stout beer for Opposite Day. Two pieces sold during the shows run and I knew one of them was gonna be good “Down with the Weirdness”. I had finally gotten the genuine response to work from a complete stranger like I had always wanted to hear. And the fact that it was going back east to Brooklyn New York at a brewery was even better than I had hoped.

It was sign off I was looking for because I had been debating about whether or not to keep working on the comics full time or switch gears to something else that I know makes me money.

SCRATCH AND BURN show at SeeSee's Motor Coffee was another one man event that was fun and a much different kind of feel. Only sold a few prints this show but had great new pieces to show case and I did. Summer was a hard sell though. But I would totally do it again.

GROUP SHOWS:

88 STRONG show was another group show but instead of doing the scratchboard work I have become known for I painted. Admittedly not the best work I have done but better than I have done in years past. Only one of 8 sold but still fun to work on.

ICON show. Now this was a fun one because I took a fictional character that has always had a influence on me and really turn out a wonderful single piece of work Captain James T. Kirk! Loved working on this one and it was hard to do but it still rocked!

AND COURSE THE BIG 500!

New tech was brought in to help with larger pieces and was realized that it was not as helpful as I would have liked or hoped. HOWEVER there was a lot of new product that was made and brought out this year like the Gentle Giant T-shirts, the prints and postcards. As bad as Crypticon was I did sell a little a bit of everything there at this show and that was cool.

COMMISSIONS:

Not so many this year as there has been in the past but N.W.I.P.A. Always seems to have something for me coming up so well see what is next.

AND PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING TO TAKE PLACE the WEBSITE!

So what did I learn about this year?

Website is always nice to have.

Always have business cards on you.

Bigger is better.

Always have something that can be sold in any price range. Plan in advance, and when things go woefully wrong make sure somebody hears about it!

 

So now the kid needs to get ready for next year. Till then.