In 2023 I decided to enter myself into dozens of art shows, exhibits, galleries, and showcases... Shoot for the moon and hope to land among the stars!
I got my very first acceptance email while I was on a yoga retreat with #BorealBlissYogaRetreats for the Pancakes and Booze Art Show, Minneapolis.
What is the Pancakes and Booze Art Show?
It is a traveling pop-up art show that is one night only, at 8 PM - midnight. They travel to cities all over the united states to showcase emerging artists.
Here's how they describe themselves,
"This is no stuffy wine-and-cheese, pretentious, someone-gag-me art event. It’s an innovative reimagining of the art show concept. A welcoming vibe for up-and-coming artists and musicians to strut their stuff in a free verse, anything goes environment."
Setting Up
We were allowed to set up between 1 - 5 PM. So, naturally, I wanted to get there at exactly 1:00 PM. lol
Jordan got our Jeep all packed up for us, we wrapped each canvas up in a cozy little blankets, and somehow everything fit in our little Jeep with room to Spare! Well, the easel stuck out the back, just a little bit.
In addition to having a little bit of a Type A personality, some anxiety and excitement, I also wanted to get there early to claim my space. Your wall space is determined by a first come first serve basis. I wasn't the first person in line, but there were few in front of me.
I chatted with some of the folks in line with me who had been to the show in years prior and they had an idea of where the better spots were. I listened to their advice and kept a mental note of it, but I hadn't needed to. When I walked in, I instantly saw one spot that stood out to me.
The lighting was somehow better don this particular panel than it was on others, near the music, not far from the bar, angled so it would be easily seen from lots of places in the room.
I claimed it and began setting up! My husband, Jordan, was incredibly helpful. He had wired all my canvases for me a few days prior, and he arranged them all on the wall for me just the way we had laid it out on our apartment floor. I then hung up my Title Cards that #NoBiggieDesigns made for me by each painting. It looks SO professional!
How was the rest of the night?
The event was really cool. I wore all black everything with my purple painting apron and matching purple eyeshadow - all to match my brand colors for Selcouth Artistry!
I live painted in front of my wall. No one ended up using the wall next to me, so I quickly tried to monopolize the space and add some more of my stuff up there. Next time, I think I would claim two walls, I have enough stuff to do it and I could have displayed my stickers, T-shirts, small prints, etc. way better!
#TheCabooze was absolutely buzzing with energy! There was a live DJ keeping the excitement up, and I will say that the only bad part about my spot was the proximity to the stage. It was really hard to hear anything anyone was trying to say to me, and I'm sure they also couldn't hear my response.
I loved "making a lap" around the room to see everyone's paintings, jewelry, dessert, moon catchers, drawings, stickers, magnets, ornaments, t-shirts, and so much more! I loved that my friends, Megan, Leah, Katrina, and Addy all came to support me! And I loved that my husband supported me throughout the whole thing, helped me prep, set up, stayed with me the whole night, and had a blast!
Honestly, it was sort of a "you had to be there" kind of event. So, I'll end this blog with a few pictures.
