Sometimes I think that the only work that is done in San Antonio is:
Between September 1 and Thanksgiving.
Between February 1 and Spring Break (mid March)
Between last week of March and Fiesta (week of April 21). Yes. Because of Fiesta, San Antonio has an extra holiday week. And somehow, it just slides into summer because it starts getting hot then and well, the lake is calling every Friday afternoon and so why take on any thing new that won't get finished before the summer anyway.
The rest of the time we are either preparing for vacations, recovering from vacations, making sure we are rested for vacations, taking time off because we can't afford a vacation or whatever, not calling back because our email and voice mail is impossible, leaving messages because you can't reach anyone , or not really wanting to do anything because everyone else is on vacation.
That means that NOW is IT. It you don't get work done and make (even a little) money NOW as an artist you might as well go get that job at McDonalds. Sheesh. Now there is a deadline on every corner; every gallery I even think about working with wants new work. The non-profit orgs want to get something done before the holidays. Every volunteer organiation is having a fundraiser and for some reason wants us artists to give stuff (now why aren'r they asking their lawyer/accountant/physician for free services? That I would be happy to bid on and get for 1/2 the market price ) (at least some of them are offering the artists a cut of the silent auction bid!)
Perhaps I sound like I am complaining. Well, yes. And no. I just wish it didn't seem to all hit at once.
I think I am also discouraged because a wonderful relative who happens to have once owned a successful gallery and who is a fabulous sales person tried for 3 months to get a gallery in California to carry some work of mine. The answers: No, no, no. I am either not local enough or not known nationally enough, or the one that really hurts, "it's craft" ie not real art. Ouch. So, anyway, there it is at the top of the listing, one of those crafts that just doesn't seem to fit anywhere. What do you think? Shall I give it all up for painting. In 10 years I might be happy with what I could do in that medium.