I’ve spoken before about my journey as an artist. On that journey, you get many unexpected questions from people, and you don’t always know how to respond. Recently, at an art walk, a woman approached our booth and asked me a very poignant question. This was a woman who was looking to buy. She already had several pieces she purchased from other artists, and her daughter in tow with yet another piece.
Upon entering my booth, she was immediately drawn to one specific piece: Obsidian Flight. A mixed media piece of a bee on a walnut oval, about 10” tall. This piece used a variety of techniques and materials such as stippling and shading to create texture, blue black foil to color, and rhinestones for dimension.
The Request
She went on to request, “Tell me about this piece”. Maybe the fact that it was not a question but, rather, a request that threw me off. I am used to fielding questions like “What wood did you use?” or “What did you use to color?”. It could also have been that I don’t typically talk to art connoisseurs. Whatever the reason, I was not prepared with a response. Part of working these shows, however, is being able to think quick on your feet, and I gave what, I hope would be perceived as a well-rehearsed answer. So I told her about the wood and the technique I used. I suggested she touch the wood and told her about the foil and rhinestones. She simply nodded her head, said she would take it, I packaged it up for her, and she went on her way.
The experience got me thinking about being prepared for the types of questions you get as an artist. They are not the same kind of questions you get at pop-up markets and farmers’ markets. I need more than just a fact sheet about the piece; rather, I need to have a story. People who are out to purchase art are here to buy an experience. They want to know how the artist was feeling, what their motivations are, not just the materials that were used.
Preparing for Questions to Come
This reminded me of something Brian asked me for. He asked me to make him cheat sheets for the pieces with general information like what type of wood I used, what I used to color, what techniques, etc so that when he spoke about the pieces he knew what he was talking about. Brian is generally the salesman while I burn on site or talk to customers about commissions. Here are some things I think will help to be prepared when these types of questions come up at shows:
- Be ready to tell a story: Not just bullet point one-word answers but rather, a comprehensive description.
- Keep it short. Two minutes is more than enough to convey your thoughts and emotions.
- Gather your thoughts around all your pieces. Generally, I am prepared to tell a story with my “bigger”, show-stopper pieces. This needs to extend to the smaller pieces as well because even those can have an impact.
- Capture the highlights of the piece: the look, canvas, techniques, colors, mediums, and any extras
- Be ready to talk about how the piece makes you feel. This is key. People who buy art are purchasing an emotion. Make sure that, when you are pitching your piece, you are explaining what the piece made you feel when you were creating it. What inspired you? No one can tell that story better than you.
In my case, I told her that the wood was solid walnut, locally sourced. I pointed out some of the techniques I used, such as shading and stippling, to create color and texture. By having her feel the bee, feel the indentations of the dots, I made sure she could connect with the piece. When she asked about the foil, thinking maybe it was peeling, I addressed her concerns that the glue I used gives added texture. The rhinestones, I honestly told her, were just an added bling because I loved sparkle.
Lastly, I expressed to her the emotional connection I have to a piece. Bees are extremely powerful creatures, and I am inspired by them. I think that resonated with her. She referred to herself as the “Queen Bee” and that solidified her connection to my art. Do you have any stories about customers surprising you with unexpected questions? Share your story and tag us @bz_furfur and, as always, stay unique.
