How Comics and Cosplay saved my Art Career. Part Deux.

It’s been a few weeks since I came back from my first Con as a vendor and the results are in… I loved it! NorthEast ComiCon was the perfect venue for me to start selling my art. I was very nervous going in: I really didn’t know what to expect. Was I going to fit in? Will the crowd like my art? Am I going to feel like an outsider, or even worst, a fraud? Will I sell anything? So many more emotions and concerns were arising every nano second that I forgot to breathe a few times. And then, my fears got realized. We arrived at the venue the night before to set up, and the staff couldn’t find me as a registered vendor! I knew it! The multiverse won’t let me enter this realm of geekdom! I will forever be stuck in my own bubble. And then, a miracle, my knight in shining armor - my husband - solved the issue and found me in the roster. As usual, he comes to my rescue and brings me back to the light. He will forever be my rock.

After taking a minute to regroup, we went on to set up my table, and things started to come together. The set up looked professional –at least as professional as I could manage within my small startup budget- the paintings popped out with their bright colors, and it started to feel real. I was really going to do this!

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep much that night. I was too excited and nervous thinking about what my first day would be like. Shortly after arriving to the venue, I realized that not only was I surrounded by amazing artists, but these artists were the friendliest and most welcoming people I have ever met. They made me feel right at home and made the butterflies settled down a little bit. I still wasn’t sure about what I was supposed to do, so my knight came to the rescue again and told me to just “do me, be me”. So I put on my beautiful costume and started painting. I felt a lot more comfortable from that point on. For some reason, it was easier to be myself while pretending to be someone else (if someone can explain that one to me, feel free!). And the attendees started to stop by, comment on my art, compliment it even! I was surprised at how many people were interested in how I made the paintings and how I come up with my ideas. It was very nice being able to share my passion with other passionate people.

At the end of the weekend, I had sold a few things and it made me feel good about myself. But more importantly, I met some amazing geeks! The vendors around me were very supportive and full of great advice. I can honestly say that I made genuine connections with some of them, and I really hope to be able to share a vending space with them again. This experience also opened up a lot more opportunities and potential future endeavors. Some of the professionals roaming the aisles put a bug in my ear and I am now considering expending my art to more “commercial” things… More on that at a later date!

I am now back and somewhat rested. I decided to take a small break from painting during the holidays to enjoy some R & R, and family time. But I really can’t help myself: the images and colors in my head keep peeking their little heads, and want to become alive on the canvas! So I’m sketching, writing down ideas… I will definitely be busy painting in the next few months to prepare for, what else, my next con! Once a “Con Artist”, always a “Con Artist”, I guess.

However, this new career path brings up more questions and road blocks. After NorthEast ComiCon ended, I realized I passed out a lot of business cards, and some led to new likes and followers on social media. But I am still very new at promoting myself as an artist, and not quite sure what my next move should be in order to get people excited about my projects and art (Suggestions are always welcome!).