So the Sydney Art Expo is over and done with for another year ... and what a crazy weekend it was. Having never participated in an expo before I wasn't really sure what to expect and after all the anticipation and lead up I can't believe that now it is over.
In the weeks leading up to the expo I was flat out sewing my last few pieces before rushing them off to the framers. Then I went mad creating about 60 resin pieces to ensure I had enough for what I hoped would be a great demand. There seemed to be mountain of admin work to deal with and all those last min things like wall labels and cataloguing etc. I was stressing out about how I would fit all my work into my tiny stand so I even made a little to scale diorama of my stand measurements with scaled artwork images so I could plan out my hanging arrangement. Some might say that is a sign that I am very anal-retentive ... but I like to just think that I am super organised. However after all my fussing the artwork, furniture and bits and pieces were all packed up in the trusty ute like a huge tetras puzzle (I don't think it has ever been that full) and shipped off to the Hordern pavilion for an early morning setup.
 |
| My stall planning diorama |
 |
| Resin pieces all labeled ready to be packed |
Set up went well but it still took 3 people almost 6 hours to pull my little stand together. Who would have imagined so much work is involved in such a seemingly simple task. You would think that a small stand would be easy to set up but I was trying to fit the maximum amount of work in a very limited space while still trying to make the stall feel balanced and uncluttered. Since all my pieces are slightly different sizes this was a bit of a challenge but in the end I was really happy with my stand and there was only one piece that I didn't get to hang.
It was great to see the other artists and galleries setting up - you could clearly see who were the seasoned expo goers because they had their setup down pat and could get their stands hung in record time. One guy even had his own custom wall decal stickers and a laser level ... which made me feel very primitive with my humble measuring tape, pencil and calculator.
 |
| The expo coming together on setup morning |
 |
| Stand set up - Day 1 |
 |
| The stand set up - Day 2 |
 |
| the stand set up - Day 2 |
 |
| The expo in full swing |
One of the best parts of the expo for me was meeting other artists and talking shop. Everyone that I met was lovely and so inspirational. Some of my favourites were
Jessica Watts who paints realistic birds and children but with a cheeky twist,
Deborah Keogh with her hauntingly beautiful portraits of children,
Gabe Somers' sparkling seascapes and
Brendan Mogg's tactile oil paintings. A special mention needs to go out to
John Kennedy who was my neighbour at the expo. His amazing paintings and drawings take my breath away with the detail and the imagination that goes into each one. I was lucky enough to swap one of my pieces for the drawing that John created before my eyes on the last day at his stand. Thanks John!
 |
| Gabe Sommers' stand |
 |
| John Kennedy (Jedika) drawing at his stand |
 |
| My original John kennedy Sketch |
Overall the Art Expo was a great experience and a wonderful event to be a part of. I had some great sales and made some fantastic contacts with artists and galleries alike. I few opportunities look like they will be coming out of this event so stay tuned for new exciting things on the horizon.
Thank you to everyone who came along to the expo or helped me out in any way to make the weekend a success. Now I am going to have a much deserved day off from work (phew) ... but i am back in the studio tomorrow to create new beautiful things!
