The first outdoor art show I participated in was the 2016 Chester County Studio Tour. I had no idea what I was doing and used a borrowed tent with borrowed walls and participated as a guest artist at a borrowed studio. It rained the entire weekend, and it was so cold and damp I wore 3 jackets- by the end of the weekend I was shaking inside and out! Despite the weather, there was a great turn-out and I almost sold out my booth. Beginners luck, maybe, but I was interminably hooked on the show scene from that weekend on. However, after visiting a few shows and talking with other artists who have participated in outdoor fine art shows, I quickly discovered that there must be a time, money and experience investment to get really good at this outdoor show thing.

The article below is excerpted from a recent email conversation I had on the subject with an artist friend who asked me that burning question “Should I go to graduate school?” I discuss the whys and why nots, but my answers are mostly just my story and ultimately my story ends with pointed questions to ask yourself as this decision is so very individualized.

I’m not sure what it was that possessed me to use the Pepto Bismol pink in this age-old painting of mine. I had used pink many times before, but it was the usual pink that comes to mind-washed out baby, fuzzy 70’s robe pink…typical. This new pink was daring for me and it was exactly what the piece needed to finish it off.