I had planned to participate in the Edom Arts Festival this fall. However, I have made the tough decision that now is the time for me to focus on making my art available through other means than shows. I will continue building out my online shop, adding art to the few online sources that fit my type of work, and perhaps finding a gallery or doing some seasonal home shows. I am very grateful to have some of my work available at Zeke’s Studio in Edom, Texas. If you are in/visiting the DFW area of Texas, I’m happy to set up a time for you to view/purchase art in person.

I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of the “art show circuit” for nearly 5 decades. I was able to participate in the heyday, and it was a wild and wonderful opportunity! Back then (and probably in some ways still today), artists had the option of being in galleries or selling to friends and family (!). As communities began to support arts festivals, a massive opportunity emerged to reach the public directly. This made it possible for MANY MORE artists to create a viable living.

While shows are still being supported in communities, large and small, many have also gone by the wayside as a result of the pandemic. Closed public spaces and limited financial resources killed off many of the shows run by civic organizations, corporate sponsors, and individual promoters. After the pandemic, people remained unwilling/uncertain about attending large public events. Many of the volunteers who manned the civic and corporate-sponsored shows were no longer available as they dealt with the changing employment environment. While the last year or so has seen an uptick in attendance, participation remains very different than pre-pandemic. Social media has exploded, offering artists additional opportunities to promote their work. And now, AI. And none of us really know where that is headed or what disruptions it is going to cause for the creative community.

So, it’s a tough space out there these days. If your local community is still offering shows, I encourage you to take the time to attend and encourage the artists. If you find something that “speaks” to you, buy it – or at least tell them that it did so. It means a lot!

If you have kids heading off to college, or you are wanting to perk up your home space, my prints are an affordable way to do so. If you remember a print but don’t see it in the shop just yet – please use the email below to reach out. You will have to type in the email address, this image will not typically cut and paste into a form. I respond very quickly.