Post #157345 by beachin on Mon, May 9, 2005 5:48 AM

Pretty stuff...lots of detail. I can tell these took a lot of work.

I've only been posting for a little while on TC and I could give you a personal experience as a new artist. This is very basic, as I have to run off in a couple of minutes to do some work, but here goes:

People here on TC as I'm sure you are discovering are really nice. Very supportive. However, as someone pointed out to me, you will often hear the positive side more often as we don't generally post anything negative to each other unless you beg for it. Just common courtesy. Also, it's really very hard to interpret constructive criticism on the internet.

Also, the people who buy on TC have their dollars spread very thin. They collect lots of stuff and will often save up to buy that special purchase they've had their eye on for a year or two. They are often stocking a new backyard bar and have all of the expenses that go with that.

Then there are the peeps who have run out of room! Honestly...have you seen some of the pictures? I don't know how they fit people in their places with so many tikis, mugs, paintings, bars, floats, fountains, etc. They really have a passion for the collecting though, and know what they like.

I look at TC differently than I used to. At first, I admit, I came here to find a place to link to my website, but I instead found a new home with lots of real people with whom I've made friends. Meeting them and sharing art experiences with them has been the real prize at TC. Everything else is just gravy.

My best advice is what you've already got. Enjoy the galleries and the publicity and the wheels that are turning for you in other places. If you like TC, look at it as a nice place to relax and talk with others about your experiences. If they buy from you, great. If they don't, don't take it personally. It's not the quality of your work. It's that there is so much great quality work available amongst all of the TC artists, and everybody can only get so much. You will find some people that love what you do and want one of everything. That will be your niche here, but don't expect sales to be like in a show or gallery sale. From what I've seen, TC was never meant to be that at all.

I look forward to getting to know you. I, personally, just had a marvelous weekend with a bunch of TC folks I met here. I was vending, but I went more to meet everyone and see their art and be part of the experience. I sold some stuff, but I consider the weekend a success because I have friends that I know better now and consider myself to be part of the gang. That is an honor to me. It's like a support group for artists, and goodness knows we all need that. I think we bought from each other more than anything else :)

OK. I gotta run. Hope to see you more often here.