Market come back again!
The very first art market that I ever participated in was very overwhelming and quite frankly, boring. After what felt like eternity, I sold two pieces from my “Moroccan charm” series just because I struck up a conversation with a passer-by who asked me if I had been to Morocco (which I had). In the end the sale wasn’t enough to cover the cost of the table. I was very reluctant to do it in the future but when my colleague Kathy Farabi suggested that we could share a table next time, I took another dive and then another.
Now, we both apply to various events and just have fun. The last market we participated in was UpMarket Christmas 2022. We were placed on a waiting list and eventually got a notification that we were scheduled for the first market. This was bittersweet as my craft supplies had not yet arrived though I had placed the order three weeks before.
Now I would have to come up with something new…and quick. It was too late to pull out. I decided to go with some handmade and hand-painted Christmas ornaments. I was not out to make a killing (I doubt I would have anyway) but rather to give some cheer to visitors. One thing I have noticed at these markets is that people like to purchase things but they don’t necessarily walk with lots of cash (and Kathy and I don’t have a sophisticated financial setup to take card payments).
Endless cardboard
So what does Christmas and cardboard have in common? Well, it seems like packaging is in no short supply. I had been receiving and storing cardboard boxes for at least two months and it was time to either throw them away or do something with them.
I decided to make some paper doll ornaments.
Series A: Ladies in pink sarees
I finished these on the morning of the market (yes, it can be stressful trying to get ready at such short notice). I wasn’t very proud of them but I positioned them carefully on my handmade Christmas tree ( dried branches sprayed with pearl white and anchored in some pots with gravel and felt). If anything, maybe people would think they were part of the table decor.
“What are you selling?”
“Handmade Christmas ornaments.”
“Well look at you eh,” said one visitor to the table. “Ey, come see, they wearing saree and thing! Ah like it, how much.”
“For this? Ten dollars.” I wasn’t sure anyone would pay for these. However, these were the first to go. I discovered that there are lots of persons looking for little keepsakes and tokens at the markets. My idea was a bit unique and they liked my very “handmade” execution. Who would have known?
Series B: Ladies in sarees made with wood and origami paper
At some point in the preparation, I felt I needed something more sturdy for the body. I searched everywhere for wooden palettes of slender ladies but apparently that kind of thing needs to be customised and ordered in advanced. I resorted to a some shapes I had randomly collected from a shopping outing. Markets are the places to put all the materials and supplies you have hoarded over the year to good use.
I sold 12 ornaments in that Market – and it gave me the encouragement to keep doing creative things. It also gave me the inspiration to work on little products throughout the year so that I don’t feel like I have to “find” something when there’s a market on the horizon.
Check out some of my reels on Christmas Market vibes 2022 on my instagram cvsankarsart. Merry Christmas folks.