Show & sell

I’ve been asked to present some of my work at a small show. That’s a first for me, so it presents some interesting challenges. Although I’ve had my stuff in…

I’ve been asked to present some of my work at a small show. That’s a first for me, so it presents some interesting challenges.

Although I’ve had my stuff in a couple galleries (couple, as in “two”), I’ve never done a show. Galleries and shows just aren’t what I’m about, so I’ve never pursued either with any amount of vigor. However, when a regional gallery called this week to invite me to display my work in a fall show, I figured why not? I like new experiences, and this could not only be fun, but I could also make a few bucks.

Having things to show isn’t an issue – since I make things for books and magazines rather than for outright sale, I tend to collect finished pieces. At the moment, I have a lot of stuff. Way too much, if the truth be told.

It’s hard to even think about next fall when it’s minus 2 degrees at this exact moment, but between now and then I’ll need to not only decide what I want to show, but how I’m going to price it all. The first part of that is easier, as they’ve asked mostly for my reproduction work. But since I don’t typically make items for sale the whole pricing thing is unknown territory for me.

Looks like I have a lot to learn between now and then.

A.J.

 A.J. Hamler is the former editor of Woodshop News and Woodcraft Magazine. He's currently a freelance woodworking writer/editor, which is another way of stating self-employed. When he's not writing or in the shop, he enjoys science fiction, gourmet cooking and Civil War reenacting, but not at the same time.