Details: Ralph Lauren turtleneck (thrifted), BR belt, (thrifted), Michael Kors skirt (thrifted), J. Crew blazer (retail), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: I LOVED this outfit. So much. It felt like something that Papa Ralph would approve. Not all sequin skirts are made equal, and this is a good one. Not only because it looks like molten metal when I move, but because it’s quite comfortable to wear — stretchy and not itchy (even though it’s not lined).

Details: Gap shirt, Zara vest, H&M Studio skirt (all thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Wore this outfit for the second day of the art market, and I got a ton of compliments on this skirt. It’s H&M Studio, which I *think* is their “designer” collection. I got this summer on a whim, even though it didn’t really match my summer aesthetic, because I was intrigued by the graphic pattern and pleating. With this outfit, I was testing out a potential new aesthetic for winter. I liked this outfit a lot, but I am still figuring out where that aesthetic is going …

Details: Talbots sweater (Poshmark), Talbots skirt (thrifted), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: I’ve been wanting to try this combination since last spring! I got the sweater and skirt separately, but I swear they must have been from the same collection — the colours and patterns are just too close not to be intentionally similar. I like that the size of the patterns are different; I think it makes the outfit more interesting.

Details: Joie sweater (Poshmark), Tommy Hilfiger jeans, Gap shirt, Rebecca Minkoff bag (all thrifted), Converse shoes (eBay)

Thoughts: I broke my own rule of “never buying Joie”. What can I say: this sweater was just too cool to pass up. The quality is, predictably, not great. It’s not terrible but, at best, on par with Zara. (The issue being that Joie costs way more at retail.) It’s currently in good condition, but I expect it will pill quite a bit with wear. Luckily, I am prepared for that and hope that my sweater shaver will be up to the challenge. Anyway, this was a super fun outfit. I’m wearing the same white shirt as the previous outfit — how versatile is that?

Details: Bl^nk London top (thrifted), BCBG belt, Rachel Comey skirt (both Poshmark), Manolo Blahnik shoes (thrifted)

Thoughts: Speaking of “cute look, crap quality”, I may have to add Bl^nk London (sold at Anthro) to my “do not buy” list. I love the colours and pattern of this top, but the material is absolute crap. It feels so cheap. I can’t believe these blouses sell for $100+. Don’t pay full price; even the Poshmark prices are too high, imo. Anyway, I paired it with one of my fave skirts, and used my BCBG peplum belt to tie the outfit together. This belt never lets me down.

Details: J. Crew shirt, MSGM sweater, Zara pants (all thrifted), J. Crew shoes (consignment)

Thoughts: This outfit was inspired by the Ralph Lauren S/S 2023 runway collection, and I am quite pleased with it. Except for the pants. I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided to keep these. I bought them at Value Village, where there are still no changing rooms, and tried them on at home to see if they would fit. And I must have thought they did, because I took the tags off *cries* After wearing this outfit, I realized that they are too short. I wear a lot of cropped pants but these are cropped too high above the ankle — no bueno. On the plus side, I realized that a pair of camel-coloured pants is nice to have, so I will be looking for another pair (in the right length).

Details: Club Monaco turtleneck (retail), Jil Sander coat, Ralph Lauren skirt (both thrifted), Echo scarf (consignment), Mia shoes (retail)

Thoughts: Not much to say here except that I am living my Historian aesthetic and loving it.

Since the last time I wrote one of these updates, the art market came and went. It was an interesting experience. At first blush, it wasn’t particularly successful; after accounting for my market-related expenses, I was able to turn a very modest profit. I didn’t make as much money as the prior 2 markets I have done, and that is without even accounting for materials or my time (either making the pieces or attending the market itself over 2 days). So … calling it a “profit” at all is generous.

This was due, in part, to the attendance at the event itself which was lower than anticipated. The show was attached to a farmers’ market which is a weekly (and usually well-attended) event. For some reason, this particular weekend was a very quiet one. That’s just luck of the draw.

The other, and probably greater, reason is simply economics. This event reinforced my theory that most people have a price ceiling for on-the-spot impulse buys, especially in a situation like this where buying art was not the primary objective of their visit (most of them coming to the venue for the farmers’ market). Based on my observation, $20-40 is generally the range for impulse buys, with people perhaps willing to spend a little more on functional art – i.e. things like pottery and jewelry. The things that appear to sell most consistently at the market fell into that price range, whether art prints, postcards, stickers, key chains, ceramics, etc.

My pieces start at $50. Lots of people admired them, but few were willing to commit on the spot. And I totally get that. As disheartening as it felt in the moment to spend a whole day without selling a single piece, I am fine with it now. I got a bunch of new followers on my art account, some of whom may, in time, decide to buy one of my pieces.

I have given a lot of thought to whether I need to adjust my “offerings” to these market economics and I have decided not to. First and foremost, I am making art for myself – as art, not as commerce. I don’t want to let economics dictate what I make. Making smaller, simpler, less detailed pieces – just to be able to sell them for a lower price – doesn’t appeal to me whatsoever. And, due to the nature of what I make, it’s almost impossible to create something simple enough to be worth selling for, say, $20 a piece without compromising the appeal required to make someone actually want to buy it.

All of this to say: I am not in a rush to join more markets. They provide good exposure but I need to balance that against the cost (low vendor fees are key) and the time investment. Finding venues that offer good traffic, independent of my own advertising, is also key to exposure – i.e. having new people see my art. I also think I might have more success at art-focused events like Royal Bison or the Strathearn Art Walk, but I know it’s much harder and more expensive to become a vendor at those shows.

But leaving aside the profit aspect, the art market was a GREAT experience. I was able to share a booth with a friend and fellow textile artist, and these 2 days gave us a wonderful chance to connect. We were able to support and encourage each other, which was great because we both struggle with impostor syndrome and it’s nice to have someone pumping you up during an intense time like a market. I also got to see other artist friends who were at the event and feel like part of a community. I even made a new friend! (Which, for an introvert in her 40s, is a huge deal.) The event left me feeling energized and inspired, and I now have a long list of project that I want to make. I don’t have any definitive plans for selling all the things I’m planning to make, but I am excited to make them. Which is what this is all about.

Speaking of which, let’s talk about what I’ve been working on.

First, I made a few more things for the market:

This was part of my on-going abstract floral series. It actually sold at the show, together with another piece in the same vein – both to the same couple who loved them so much, they couldn’t decide which one they preferred.

This was a new version of an old design, which I previously made for myself. Although popular, it didn’t sell (yet).

This is a new design which could turn into a theme. I love playing with swaths of colour. This was one of the pieces that sold as well.

Moving on, I’ve been working on some other new things:

I actually made this hoop for myself. I have a little gallery of cartoon portraits (Frida Kahlo, Elizabeth I, Iris Apfel) and have been wanting to add to it. Marie Antoinette was fun to make – I got to play with lots of different textile scraps and get creative about textures.

Speaking of my gallery, here is another one. This is actually my second attempt at Girl with a Pearl Earring. I made one years ago but it was much more rudimentary as I was just starting to figure out these embroidered portraits. I am much happier with this version, which benefits from a few more years of experience on my part.

I am testing a new technique for using thread as “paint” – it’s a more impressionistic style, I think. This design was inspired by Aurora Borealis (northern lights). My bestie loved it, so I gave it to her.

Another experiment in the same vein, this time inspired by (what else?) Monet’s waterlilies. This is definitely one design I want to revisit, perhaps to play around with different colours as well.

Winter is usually my “crafting season” — as the weather turns cold, I tend to stay home more during my days off, which means more time to make art. So I expect we will have lots to talk about in my next update.