Open Studio Walkthrough
The first weekend of my first Open Studio Event went quite well…until the very end. More about that later. Below is a short video walkthrough of my setup.
I put up a canopy to house my welcome table, displays, and other items. Many paintings were hung on the fence. As you walk past the canopy towards the back yard, is my studio with, of course many more paintings, etc.
Visitors came sporadically, most of them from Marina. Much of the Monterey County Studio tour centers in the towns of Monterey and Carmel. Being about ten miles north, I am a little off the beaten path.
It was occasionally a little windy, so I made sure all the hanging paintings were held down by stretching a rope across the front and used rocks to hold down brochures, etc.
A couple hours before closing time on Sunday, the wind started gusting. I was expecting some wind, as we usually get in Marina, but the canopy almost turned into a kite! Some of the tiedowns broke, and I was holding onto the flimsy structure to keep it from blowing away, with no one to help! I couldn’t run into the house to get my wife as it would have been blown into the next neighborhood by the time I came back out. I was thinking of trying to call her on the phone to come help, but just at that time, four friends walked through the gate, and we quickly got the canopy folded down. Thanks to Don, Angie, and friends!
The weekend far exceeded my expectations, selling a number of works, and a new commission, plus one spoken for on the easel to be completed. I will also be open next weekend, but it looks like rain, so am contemplating a different setup.
If you are in the area, be sure to stop by next weekend, Oct 23 & 24, 11am-5pm.