Art Shows Are Wonderful

by: Sophie Clark

Art shows are a great place to observe great beauty and also the creative minds behind those works. And that is a big part of art appreciation.

Our community holds a big art show every fall. Vendors and artists travel from many states away to compete, display and sell their prized creations. Spectators drive long distances as well just to walk through the art show and admire the artwork.

And it's not uncommon to see people spending their hard earned cash on paintings and sculptures – on the perfect piece that really speaks to them.

I used to gasp when I examined the price tags on paintings and other forms of artwork. I never used to think about the fact that most artists devote hours and hours of their lives into putting the perfect emotions and touches into their pieces.

Some artists spend weeks or months on perfecting one simple painting. When looked at in this light, to charge such a small price seems ridiculous. However, on the surface, spending several thousand dollars on a piece of artwork seems absurd as well. It's all in the way you choose to look at things.

Art shows around the country and world have always been extremely popular. Even people who choose to simply admire the creations and cannot afford to make purchases will wander aimlessly, wishing they had more of an artistic talent. Other artists will visit the art shows to size up their competition or get some fresh inspiration for their own future creations.

There are so many things that can be found at art shows. They aren’t just about paintings and sculptures – you can find finely crafted jewelry, breathtaking glass creations, cards, decorations, etc. But, no matter what creations you find, they all have a sense of uniqueness to them. Chances are, even if they look identical, no two creations are quite the same.

At each stand you come across, you can be sure of one thing - the items that you are purchasing were created with care and expertise, by hand.

Most people, myself included, are willing to spend more money on such items when you can actually meet the individual who created the paintings, sculptures or jewelry. In fact, I’ve found that people will spend twice the amount of money that they’d spend in a store in order to purchase a handmade necklace or an autographed painting.

Why? Because things are more meaningful and special when you meet the creator. You can talk to the artist about the feeling and emotion that lurks behind a particular creation. Being able to say that you met the artist is worth money to a lot of individuals.

You just don't get that experience when you buy a generic picture in a store. You know that dozens of other people have the same identical picture hanging in their homes. At an art show, you know that your painting or creation is unique. That’s almost priceless.

Art shows are such an enriching experience, whether you make a purchase or not. You might want to see if one is coming to your area in the future and make plans to attend. You won't be disappointed.

Sophie Clark is married with two children. She is a kindergarten teacher who enjoys freelance writing in her spare time on the topics of painting, sewing and family.