JOSHUA LANCE

Painting live in my outdoor studio at the Exposure Art Show in Taipei

Yesterday was a marathon of a day. A buffet for the senses. It all started with planning to bring just the essentials: A suitcase full of paintings and stationary, and my easel and paints. The table and tent was already provided. I arrived at 9:15am which meant that I was very early. 10am was the time to be there, but I didn’t want to feel like rushing it, so I gave myself plenty of extra time. My booth was at a good location, at the corner of open space, so I wasn’t sandwiched in-between vendors. My goals were to sell work, do my painting, and make some excited art lovers and new contacts.  When the day was done, I had sold two pieces (both with friends), had over a dozen new people on my email list, got some of my painting done, and left satisfied and exhausted.  I was on my feet for over 8 hours and endured the hot and steamy weather.  No rain, either!  Most of the people were there for the live music and beer, a crowded mix of foreigners and native Taiwanese.  It was my first large outing as an artist.  I wanted to show this side of the world who I was.  Most importantly, I had fun throughout the show.  My energy and spirits were up and I even did a paid portrait sketch.  This was a new idea and one of my friends sat down and modeled for me.  It turned out well, I was a bit nervous but I kept calm and pushed on through till it was done.

Here are 12 lessons I learned at my art show.

1. Everyone’s a looker.  You have to open your mouth to build a bridge.
2. Being friendly doesn’t cost a thing.
3. My friends can inspire and help save the day.
4. I may have touched a few lives, but I’ll never really know how many.
5. Maybe they’re (people at show) not my demographics, but you can never count anyone out.
6. My biggest success is having my old friends show up and new ones signing my guestbook.
7. I’m convinced showing up is 90% of your success.  The other 10% is making the most of that 90%.
8. People still love watching an artist painting at his easel.
9. Plastic sleeves, a guestbook, business cards and my easel received high props.
10. Black shirts are the best for any weather, hands down.
11. Postcards-good.  Trying to sell sketches from your sketchbook-bad.
12. Listen more.  Talk less.  Smile, work hard and never leave your booth.

‘Miss Independence’ oil on canvas paper 9×12 Joshua Lance

What started as drawing some portraits quickly turned into an oil painting. How does this happen? Inspiration, baby. Sometimes it hits you when you least expect it. Several things I usually talk about on my blog are the process and inspiration.  

I don’t want or intend to bore with details, but isn’t that why you’re here.  Not to be bored out of your mind, but to be fed a few morsels of wisdom?  Is that why you’re here?  First of all, I’m glad you’re here anyway, because without you, I would just be another blog in a blog-filled graveyard. Second, I don’t believe in puffery and say exactly what’s on my mind and heart about the realities of being an artist.  I can only speak from personal experience.

So with that in mind, here’s the lowdown.  Tomorrow’s a really important day in my life.  Really. My first art show in Taiwan.  An event called Exposure that puts on several shows a year for artists.  I am putting all my p’s and q’s together for the last moments until the show.  Here’s the details of the show in case you’re in the Taipei area.

• business cards
• tablecloth (still in process of finding one)
• 16-20 oil paintings
• plastic sleeves to wrap paintings in
• guestbook
• receipt book
• commission contracts
• easel and paints (I will do a demo)
• a nice outfit to wear
• camera (video and pics must be captured for documentation!)
• a whole lot of promotion, verbally and virally

and I’m sure there’s more but these are the essentials I must bring with me to the show.  Years ago I used to do shows with large tents and displays.  It was a huge production that could humble any artist.  In the end, financially it wasn’t worth it too me and decided to do those type of shows.  But smaller shows with tables and tents already provided, now that’s a better alternative.  If the right people, the right things happen tomorrow, it could be a very special day.  I’ve waited two months for this and now it’s here.  And of course I’ll post about the show.  You know where to find me!

I’ve been staying up pretty late, one of my habits I enjoy doing. What I haven’t done in a while is paint late at night. This painting “Tea Ceremony” was an example of late-night inspiration. I’m still way inspired to paint subjects from my trip to Kyoto, Japan last year. One of the highlights was a tea ceremony. They give you matcha tea, which is the highest form of green tea and also the tastiest. You are given wafers to sweeten the experience too. And there was a rice cooker nearby, in which I put in the painting because I like the red color that is like an invitation to join the ceremony.

So have you gone to any special ceremonies that were meaningful in your life?