At the end of this week, I’ll be a guest at VisionCon in Springfield, Missouri. This is only the second time I’ve been a guest at a convention (though I’d love to be in more of them), but after the first time I realized how great it can be.
We’ll set aside the part for now that they help pay for things, though as an “about to be unemployed” designer/artist that’s really helpful.
Being a guest is great for many reasons. Obviously, as an artist, I need to sell both myself and my work. That’s double-sided, as I have to sell my abilities as well as the physical art that I’ve created. So, I have to be a marketer, a salesperson, a knowledgeable gallery associate, and an artist, all wrapped into one. In front of over one thousand people.
When I’m at home being an artist, it’s just me. I can control my domain and nearly everything that happens in it. Half the time (or more), we even sell ourselves across the web, never making real contact with anyone in a physical environment. We’re often holed up alone, and, speaking for myself, I don’t necessarily disagree with the feeling of being alone. I am the captain of my studio, of my domain as it were, and what I say goes.
Being a guest at a convention is a different story altogether.
At a con, especially as a guest, you need to be out with all of the attendees. Not just out among them, but out in front, as many of them are there to meet you. They want to shake your hand, talk to you about what you do, even buy some of your work (I hope they want to buy my work, I’m bringing plenty).
I think that’s a great thing, being out in front of everyone. I think it teaches you that you aren’t alone in what you do, not really. There are fans, waiting to hear what you have to say and see what you can do. It teaches you to get out of your shell, and maybe learn things from those around you.
The old saying is that, “no man is an island”. I think that’s very relevant here, and I can learn just as much from the attendees as, I hope, they are learning from me.
So, come chat me up at VisionCon this weekend. I’m looking forward to it, and I certainly hope there are at least a handful looking forward to seeing me.
