It will come as no surprise that we love art at Pink Moon Goods. And while art may not seem like a practical good I do believe it to be an imperative addition to any environment. One of the most beloved areas of the shop in Huffman is the area I call my "Not For Sale" wall that features all of the lovely art that I have acquired since opening my shop. Some was purchased and much of it was gifted. It adds a personal touch to the shop and each piece reflects the things that I love and enjoy in life.
Tonight is one of my favorite nights at the shop as we celebrate a new artist's work on the Art Gallery wall of the shop in Huffman. This is a completely different wall where all of the art is for sell (usually). We rotate the art on this wall every two months which makes for a fun shift in the shop dynamic. It can go from moody to cheerful or monochromatic to bright or from serious to playful in just the matter of an afternoon. It usually takes my brain a day or two to adjust to the change in what it's picking up out of the corner of my eye.
On the second Thursday of the month we stay open late and all of the people that love the new artist come to celebrate their work and their success in curating a show for our shop. There is always a vinyl dj spinning records and lots of drinks and snacks. The artist from last month shared with me the day after her reception that she felt like it was her birthday and it made me realize one reason that I love hosting these events. Art is a tough sale. I know a lot of artists that struggle with how to price their art because there is no perfect equation and often artists know that they can never charge depending on the amount of time they invested. Not everyone has it in their budget to buy art even when it is priced reasonably and I believe that is due to the fact that people typically prioritize needs over wants when it comes to budgeting. But, one thing we can almost all afford is about 15-20 minutes to show up at an artist reception to see the art, congratulate the artist, and mill around for a few minutes to enjoy whatever environment the art is being displayed in. The payoff for the artist is tenfold at least. I can't tell you how many times I have shown up to an art opening and could just tell how much it meant to the artist that I showed up! It didn't even matter that I didn't buy anything. They just appreciated me taking the time to celebrate them.
So next time you have an opportunity to attend an art opening...just go!
Dayton has a huge art community. There are an endless amount of galleries and places to hang art. And there are tons of artists. There just seems to be an endless well of artists to enjoy and celebrate no matter what your interests. I admit when a well-known or prominent artist takes an interest in hanging art in my little shop I do get quite excited. I see it as a huge compliment.
But one thing I really truly love so much is offering shows to a new budding artist. To someone who is literally hanging their first show ever. This type of artist is very dear to me. They have a level of excitement that cannot be matched by any amount of experience. They are almost in awe that they have been given an opportunity and they are so so grateful. And when people show up for them you might think it was Christmas morning and they are a kid who got their first bicycle.
I love both scenarios to be clear. Each has something special to offer the shop and at the end of the day the goal of supporting local artists is achieved.
So next time you find yourself with nothing to do some evening check out local art gallery options wherever you live. Attend a First (or third or fourth) Friday event which are available in so many cities nowadays. My husband's record store right across the street also hosts an artist reception on the same evening as we do so if you are in Dayton come by the shop the second Thursday evening every other month for the shortest art crawl at the cutest corner in Dayton.
Art featured in this post is credited to the following artists:
Cover Page sign: Angie Bucio
First piece in post: Katie Schwab
NFS wall closeup: "Home" gifted to me by Rosemary Downey and the watercolor is from Becky Hickey
Current Art Gallery Wall for tonight's opening features all works from Devin Gray
Four Pieces by Clara Coleman (available at Pink Moon Goods, too in the North Arcade