Shortly after moving to New York City, I was scrolling Instagram when I saw a call for artists for a pop-up event called the Pancakes & Booze Art Show in Brooklyn. Even though I had only begun making stained glass art 5 months prior, I decided to submit samples of my artwork for consideration. I could hardly believe it when I got accepted to show my art to people for the very first time!
Preparing for the Pop Up 🖼️
I had just over a month to prepare, so I decided to create a few new psychedelic pieces that I hoped would resonate with people, and also show off some of my style. Easier said than done since I am still currently in the process of developing my art style. Looking at the pieces I’ve made so far, I noticed a pattern - the drip. Most of my artwork is gooey, drippy, fluid, basically any shape that is hard to cut out of glass is going straight into my design.
While I was still in the brainstorming phase, I went for a late night walk to grab a slice of pizza when inspiration struck. The next morning was garbage collection day, which meant trash piled around every corner. Between most of those piles were rats looking for snacks. I suddenly remembered the video of a rat dragging a full slice of pizza down the stairs of a subway station and ran to start drawing my drippy, delicious Pizza Rat.
Between unpacking, looking for a full-time job, and dealing with life in a new city, it was hard to get Pizza Rat done in time. 28 individually cut, ground, and foiled pieces of glass. Soldered together with lead-free solder and stained black with a patina. I finished polishing it the day before the show and it turned out to be the biggest hit all night.
I made a few other pieces that I planned on taking with me, but to make my display more cohesive I decided to include two of my acid drip pieces instead:
All three were made with copper foil, lead-free solder, and a special phosphorescent glass handmade by Christine at Glow Glass. I stuck with mostly opaque and iridescent glass that I hoped would be attention catching in the studio lighting. I knew it would be tricky to show off the glow in the dark glass in the brightly lit studio, but I decided to try anyway. I attached a black light flashlight to my exhibit for people to activate the glow glass to the max amount and show off the color changes. I also added a plackard to point out which parts glow and why. It turned my display into a bit of a museum set up:
Set Up 👩🎨
I arrived just 30 minutes after the venue opened for artists to set up and most of the walls were already taken. I later learned that some artists had arrived over an hour before doors opened to ensure they got a good spot at the event.
I was lucky to snag some space at eye level, but I had to learn the hard way that I should take up enough wall space that there aren't TOO many artists around me. While my art was still able to stand out and it wasn’t overcrowded, there was not much space for all of us to stand with 4 artists sharing one wall, 2 artists sharing the wall adjacent, and live painters around with their canvases out.
Show Time ✨
When I came back later that night for the show, I was ANXIOUS. Instead of heading to my art, I made my way straight for the pancake line. Before I knew it I had been waiting for pancakes for an entire hour! They were worth the wait, but the event was now two hours in and no one knew I was one of the artists yet. Fueled by pancakes, I beelined back to my art and introduced myself to the artists around me. They had all been to at least 1 or 2 shows already and seemed much more confident. They stuck to their walls all night while I made my way around the room, saying hi and learning about the other artists work.
Several times I returned to my display and was told by nearby artists that someone had been interested in my art, but I didn’t manage to sell any of my pieces since I kept drifting away. While it was disappointing not making any sells, the show was an amazing learning experience and chance to meet and learn from tons of incredible New York artists.
My main takeaways from the night as a first time artist at an art show:
- Don’t be afraid to take up space. Spreading out the artwork gives it more space to breath and gives the artist - and potential customers - more space to stand.
- Get there as early as possible for set up. Think strategically about where people will be standing - near the bar, stage, etc - and try to place your best pieces at eye level.
- Stick with your art. As tempting as the other art is, stick to one or two quick rounds of introductions to other artists and give people a chance to ask YOU about your art.
- Bring stickers/comics/coloring books etc. People might not be ready to spend big bucks at a pop up, but if smaller items that are just a few bucks can add up quickly and get your art into their hands to remind them about you later.
My Next Art Show 🎬
Thankfully, I have a chance to redeem myself next month at the Gallery After Dark Exhibit. My art will be on display for multiple days in a fully UV black lit exhibit, giving the glow glass a chance to really shine. If you’re planning on visiting New York City this summer, be sure to stop by to check it out in person at the Brooklyn Art Cave, June 28th - July 6th.
Snap a picture of yourself with my art and tag me on Instagram or TikTok @FunkyFractals to get a code for $10 off any one piece on my website.