The Interview
I had my first artist interview today. I feel as though this is time date stamp approval type stuff. MONDAY, JULY 9th at 6:00 pm. Location Williams Cafe in Barrie. There, that's better.
How did it go you ask? Why, thank you, its very nice you asked... and the answer.... your guess is as good as mine. Picture verbal diarrhea with an acute case of instant amnesia. But I'm getting ahead of myself let back track.
I am going to be displaying my artwork at the Stayner Art Fest this Saturday, July 14th from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. This decision came about due to the prompting of my extrovert, people loving, boyfriend who gave me the advice of - always say yes to events and getting yourself seen. You see... I'm awkward.. not like in any really obvious way but in a "I don't like to talk about myself" introverted type way. When I go to the hairdressers I come out knowing a lot about their lives and their problems while they discovered that I never quite answered their very first personal question. I am the artist who would rather get to know you and in time our relationship will grow and you will get to know me personally more too... like some kinda nut with a shell that in time opens up and the good inside part winks at ya and is really happy to finally meet on a personal level, but it takes time for the shell to open. So in art shows I always turn the conversation to the people I meet, to find out about them- my new friends, to learn about their artwork, their pets and their stories... and inevitably forgetting/avoiding the reason I am there in the first place - to help achieve my dreams of becoming a self sufficient artist who creates constant beautiful artwork for the world and animal lovers everywhere...... now insert boyfriend who thrives in his sales jobs, gets excited about meeting to new people, understands business 101 and basically a complete extrovert and you have our dynamic duo. (cough cough that you can meet this Saturday at the Stayner Art Fest cough)
So I said yes to the art show!
Then I was approached again from the event organizer... would I do an interview for Simcoe.com regarding the upcoming event and my artwork? I followed suit with a step out of my comfort and try something new attitude and promptly replied "yes". Even the event organizer was shocked as .. well... see the above paragraph.
All was organized and about a week prior to meeting the interviewer I asked what questions would be asked so that I could prepare. Like all well organised people 10:00 pm the night before I sat down and looked at those questions and wrote down all my answers and discovered it was like the night before Christmas type night as in hells no you don't sleep before a big event.
The next day came along with red eyes and warm tea. Then like before any interview I reviewed and rehearsed on my way to work, talked out loud preparing on my way from work back home, then stopped in to get a massage thinking - that my right wrist and arm are still hurting constantly so I wanted to ease some pain and also what a great way to relax and go in care free and all loosey goosey muscles.
Side tip here. Have you even gotten a massage? Now if you have you recall you lay down sticking your head in a little hidy hole trying not to drool fall asleep through it and you come out feeling amazing.... and with crease marks and indents all over you face from the hidy hole. Yup, you guessed it. Guess who showed up to an interview looking like some lazy ass college kid that fell asleep face first in some pillow and work up 15 minutes ago unable to un-dent their face. This girl. This first time artist interview, prep the night before girl.
But people, you face your fears! You hear me! You go into Williams, you order that delicious mouth watering peppermint hot chocolate and you sit down waiting with a smile on your crease marked face and a #4 card to receive your order. Then after ten minutes message the interviewer to find out hes been sitting in Williams as well for the past 5 minutes but as you chose to hide away in a booth as far away as possible from the door and other people you didn't know. But that's okay! You call the guy over whilst still waiting patiently for your hot chocolate to arrive and your moment to shine is here.
Greetings, smiles, and the fancy -everything you are about to say is going to be recorded- tape recorder is clicked on.
Now, you know you said stuff, I mean you were moving your mouth and flapping your arms around like you do gesturing in a charades type way as you talked. You think it must have been good cause he smiled.. he smiled right?.. yah.. I'm pretty sure he smiled. And you looked into those baby blue eyes directly like your confident and scared of nothing, but in a friendly manner, not some weird hard stare matter that's intimidating and possibly hostile. Then Click. Interview is done. And BAM amnesia hits... what the F$&% did I say? Did I even make sense? I mean I'm pretty sure I talked about art as I remember hand gesturing in charades manner of the process of art making.. and wait, where the hell is my hot chocolate? The interview is done and I still haven't gotten my hot chocolate?? The thing that's meant to calm me and ensure I didn't wave my hands around so absurdly that people have to duck as I talk. Damn it.. The waitress forgot about my hot chocolate. So I walk up to the teller to remind her and ask for a to go cup.. because the interview is over. Being polite as possible...because well... you have a spectator.. who writes.... and the last thing you want is to read the heading "Crazy hand gesturing artist arrested at Williams for upset over forgotten Hot Chocolate. See her Artwork this Saturday at the Stayner Art Fest" Then we walk to my car to take a picture of my holding up my artwork in front of a tree, for aesthetics purposes you see, and its done. I drive home in a daze, look in the mirror and realize... I still have crease marks on my face.
So .. there you have it. My first art interview... I wonder what it will be like?
Addendum: Mom!! I'm in the news!!
You can read the article HERE
