Studio Launch Recap
New Keys
I signed the lease to a new studio!
I’ve been grappling with the changes. The most noticeable is that I no longer wake up, flip on the espresso machine, and stare into a work-in-progress painting. Instead, I have to drive to the studio in West Phoenix before laying eyes on my pieces. The Arizona heat is making it tough to stay there through the middle of the day, which used to be serviceable painting hours; now I mostly paint in the early mornings and late evenings.
The most difficult factors are psychological instead of logistical. This is another leap of faith taken in my art business and I’ve realized that it might never feel like I “know what I’m doing.” There are no guarantees— I’m taking a bet on myself that the fixed costs of rent will be easily offset by the gains in painting production and sales. My fear is that I’ve committed to this space and my pipeline suddenly falls apart— it’s irrational, but the thought exists in the back of my mind.
Still, it felt like the right thing to do. It suits the vision of where I’m going, and I’ve learned to always trust that. I’m eager to learn what new opportunities and workflows are ahead and I’m growing more excited by the week!
Studio Launch Party
This past weekend I took advantage of one of the key reasons to move spaces—it’s already paying off! I held my first studio open!
Paintings on the wall— lots of room to hang pieces upward!
I had over 30 people flow through the space to check out my pieces and have long overdue in-person discussions.
It’s honestly surreal meeting so many people who I’ve spoken with over the internet for the past few months. I was eager to use the event for sales, and I did sell 5 paintings, but the more important part was to meet the community that I’ve been curating online. It put the “social” back in “social media” for me.
I wished I had more time to meet with everyone individually. There were a lot of instances where I’d connect with someone who I had met through Instagram, and we’d chat for about five minutes until another newcomer walked through the door. I would excuse myself to go meet them and I repeated this process for about an hour. Hopefully the next event can be longer once the weather cools down!
Here’s some of the pieces I sold in their new spaces with new owners!
I’m excited to take a moment to relax after running around to prepare for the launch. However, I know that the next few months will continue to keep me well-occupied— I have two commissions to deliver, two commissions to finish, and two client consultations to run over the next few weeks. Perhaps I’ll have some time to slow down in September?
