Friday, September 11, 2015

One Thing Leads To The Other... Hastypearl


One Thing Leads To The Other...



As you well know by now, 
half of my heart resides in the Hill Country, in Texas, 
and the other half belongs to the Rocky Mountains, in Colorado.
Right away, you can see that I have Great Taste, right? :)

A while back, one of my favorite Art and Business Mentors, 
(I have quite a few), 
told me to start submitting my art, 
and One Thing Would Lead To The Other.
 I took her advice.
After all, What Would I Have to Lose? 

While I always know that Providence is in control 
of everything 
that happens in my life, 
including the good AND the bad, 
I still love watching it play out.

For instance...

A Colorado Home Owners Association reply letter from me 
and sent to a neighbor Betty Bradley,
with my Hastypearl Etsy and Blog addresses in the signature, 
led her to explore my Etsy shop.

After that, 
she asked if I would submit a piece of my Mixed Media Art 
to a fund raiser for a ministry, that we have known about for years.

Of course I said, Yes!

I didn't know that she was the President of the Redstone Art Foundation, 
that holds an annual Art Show, to raise money for 
Art Scholarships for High School students 
headed to Art Schools.
She asked me to participate in that Art Show
....my very first Show Ever!

Again, I said, YES! 

See?
One Thing Leads To The Other...  

I'm sure that you have had similar things happen to you, both large and small.

This past 2015 Labor Day weekend, was when the Redstone Art Show took place.

It wasn't easy long distance preparing, shipping and setting up
...but I am So Glad that I did it.
It has given me a total new respect, 
for those of you who do this on a regular basis.
Now I can see what you guys go through :)

It was a wonderful learning curve and I feel so much better for it.
I am thrilled that I have been invited back,
 and even asked to make the name tags!

So, while I worked Many hours daily at the Art Show, 
I also found time,
 to practice shooting in Manual mode with my camera
...another wonderfully steep learning curve!


Lets face it, every where in America is beautiful, 
so all you have to do is look around, and snap!





Below, are various photos that my husband took of my space.
The weather was all over the charts, 
but the fantastic enclosure that it was held in, was not only charming, 
but also very safe for the Art.


At closing time, we enjoyed the great restaurants in the Redstone area, 
and as Always, found a few necessary minutes out in nature.



One day at the Art Show, was funny hat day.
I had a hat, but didn't have the Funny!
Larry suggested that I find and attach something that I had made, 
so I used my handmade leathery envelopes and lavender filled pouches.

The side benefit was that it smelled great :)

I'm not sure how people Actually took me serious, but I had to get in the game!


Larry took the following pictures of me with my customers.

I was actually Emotional when I downloaded them and saw them for the first time.

Whether they were buyers or not, it gave me such joy, 
to expose people, and some for the first time, 
to my idea of story telling with Vintage Items.
It was a brand new concept for many.

I told them, that I have a philosophy, that Art doesn't have to be Flat!
And, that there are more kinds of art than Oils and Watercolors
...both of which I love.

I want my Art to reach OUT AT you and beg you to touch it.
I want it to Move.
I want it to flutter in a breeze.
And most of all, I want it to do that Over and Over again.

I have had patrons tell me that they can see something new 
in my pieces, every time that they look at it.

High Compliments...the Best !


So, Look at their body language as I help them find their own stories.


If that is all that I came away with, it would have Been Enough.



Makes me soooooo happy!




These Mixed Media Angels, are a few of the pieces that found new homes.

I was Thrilled to learn that the angel above, named Beauty, was featured in 
Both the Aspen and Glenwood Springs newspapers.
With so much great art to choose from, 
I was Really Honored.
I was surprised when my friend Janette, still wearing her pajamas,
 appeared at my door with one of the newspapers one morning !

Beauty, was sold to a customer, that didn't know about the features!



I have another theory that can be Patience Testing.
Maybe you already know about it.

The piece above, was called, Thimble Heart and 
was far and away, my most "Favorited" Art item on Hastypearl Etsy.
Way over 1000 people gave me the thumbs up on this piece.
The cost was unbelievably Affordable.
(I have a friend on Etsy that tells me that I should raise my prices:)

So, why hadn't it sold?

Poor SEO? Too much Art on Etsy to choose from? Some other reason?

No.
Here's my theory... 

I think its because it was WAITING for its owner.
I've finally learned that Everything that I sell, 
has a special owner just waiting to find it 
and it makes me Crazy Happy 
when I can introduce them !


I had a wonderful time visiting with literally hundreds of people 
from the Aspen area and Much farther afield.

I made New friends, which was High on my trips Goals list, 
and I visited with others that I had already given my heart to.

Wonderful things happen to ALL of us.

Sometimes, we can believe the lie, that things like "That" just don't happen to me, 
but if we live long enough, Things like "That" happen to ALL of us.


For me, this past weekend will be one that I wont Ever Forget.

My Biggest THANKS to All of You that 
contributed to my Very Happy Weekend! xo 



Thanks as always for stopping by my blog...
I'm so glad that you did !
 Laura aka Hastypearl

...please check my shop as I will be listing many new pieces of Art and Vintage Parts.
It may seem early, but many pieces that I sold this weekend, 
will be gifts for the upcoming seasons!

It gave me great Joy, to hear my buyers say that they couldn't 
wait for their loved ones to see their one of a kind, finds!











6 comments:

  1. OH Laura! I am so happy and moved to read this post!! Yay for you and for your Art! Congratulations from the bottom of my heart. I love the photos, and your stories and your personality that just shines. xoxo roxanne

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    1. Roxanne, Your advice has never steered me wrong. Thanks for your selfless generosity and encouragement. Its a beautiful thing when an artist has enough extra joy to share with others. That's what its all about! Looking forward. xo Laura

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  2. Ahh you are wonderful! And this post is wonderful! Congratulations on introducing so many new people to your art. I could here you saying these words in your voice! And yes - the photos are marvelous. Such a big accomplished weekend!

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    1. Ill never forget sitting in my studio and having THE Crystal Neubauer look at my work, and collages no less. I will remember your encouragement and thoughtful suggestions for the road that I am on. It was a perfect combination of..."maybe you could do this" and "trust yourself, you'll know what to do". Exactly what a perfect encourager would do :) xo Laura

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  3. Awesome job Laura! And welcome to the world of Art Shows!!! So glad to hear that things went really well and love the art as well as the photographs!!

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    1. Thanks, Carla. Yes, now I have a greater appreciation for the efforts you put into your events:) It must be fun to be surrounded by all of your sweet dolls:) Laura

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