Yes, I know. It’s nearly December and I’m only just sending out November’s newsletter.
I’ve had a busy month of doing Christmas Fayres and Farmers Markets, which has been lots of fun, but it takes time to order stock, print cards, pack the car up with my trestle table and card holder and then unload everything again, minus the sold items! Which inevitably means things like writing newsletters gets pushed down the list of priorities.
Meeting my audience
What I love most about selling at markets and art fayres is meeting people and talking to them about my work. I get instant feedback about which items they like and why. Working on my art at home does sometimes feel like I’m in a bubble, so it’s nice to get out and find out what you - my audience - thinks about my work.
My best-selling items when I’m out and about at craft markets are my robin cards and prints. You all seem to love them! They are the most popular at Christmas for obvious reasons, but because the cards are blank inside, they also work throughout the year as we are seemingly obsessed by these little feathered creatures. They may be aggressively territorial, but according to the RSPB the robin is the UK’s most favourite bird. Some also believe that a visit from a robin is a sign that a lost relative is visiting them.
My robin cards and prints can both be bought online from me directly at www.louisemanart.com or through local stockists including the Wonky Wheel gallery in Finchingfield and the new shop in Great Dunmow called Iceni - both of which are great supporters of local artists and makers.
Prints, cards and fabrics at a recent Christmas market
Sold Paintings
I popped into the fabulous Wonky Wheel gallery in Finchingfield last Sunday to drop off some new tea towels and napkins and couldn’t believe it when Mary, the owner, told me my July Sunset painting (pictured below) had sold!
Mary was heading over to Ireland when it sold (don’t worry, someone else was minding the shop) and was discussing with her partner how she wanted to move the painting upstairs in the gallery to sit alongside my other pieces.
Well, she needn’t have worried because it was gone by the time she got back. Knowing that someone likes one of my paintings so much that they want to have it hanging on their wall gives me such a huge boost of confidence and is validation that I’m on the right track. I like my paintings; so to discover that others do too is great.
The artwork that sold is a 50cm x 40cm oil painting of a really vibrant sunset in July a year ago when we were at my parents' house for dinner. It was a warm evening, around 9pm, and as the sun was setting the sky seemed to light up with lots of changing colours. I really enjoyed mixing up the oil paints to get the different pinks, purples and oranges.
July Sunset, 50cm x 40cm, SOLD
What’s new?
My tea towels and napkins have arrived from my new supplier and I am delighted! A whopping 6kg parcel arrived last week packed with 50 tea towels and 50 napkins. My agapanthus design is an all-over pattern that goes right to the edges and my new sweet pea pattern also extends to the edges and is bright and colourful.
My mum and I are also investigating the option of making cushions - this involves me asking mum if she can use the fabric to make cushion covers, which she can because she is amazing with her sewing machine!
Some of the brilliant feedback you have given me is while you love the designs of my tea towels, you daren’t use them for fear of getting them stained with food. Don’t worry - they do wash well at 40 degrees. Some of you have suggested cushions, tablecloths and duvet covers and pillow cases. We’ll start with cushions and go from there. I’d love to get a sewing machine and work on some new items myself, but I don’t want mum to feel she isn’t wanted!
Tea towels and napkins
NEW Agapanthus napkins and tea towels, plus sweet pea tea towels on display at Wonky Wheel gallery in Finchingfield, Essex.
Until next time!
Oh yes and we went to Snowdonia for a week during the October half term.
It was absolutely stunning. I hadn’t been since my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award expedition years ago and I’d forgotten how utterly breathtaking the landscape is, especially in Autumn.
So if you get the chance, then go. You’ll love it.
Until next month.
