Friday Thoughts, Ep. 56

Hello hello hello, my darling patrons and friends! It's Ragon, your newly healthy illustrator pal! I'm so excited to share with you another update. The sun is shining after a rainy night, there's a fresh chill in the air, and my favorite season is fully here. My shelves are stocked with pumpkin beer, pumpkin-spiced ginger ale, Halloween Joe-Joe's, butternut and acorn squash. I am FEELIN' it. 

As usual, I want to kick off this update by welcoming our newest patrons. A big, warm welcome to Ollie! Marika! Brittany! Anny! Lorra! Kaitie! Aaaand, Risha! Thank you all so much for your generous support! I hope you love this little corner of the internet. Let me know if there's ever any way I can make it better for you, or feel welcome to leave a message in the discussion page. And don't forget, all patrons are invited to be added to my Close Friend's stories, just send me a DM!

And now, turn on some comfy acoustic jams, brew a cup of tea, and let me spin you a tale of this very busy and very awesome month.

Hiking in Eldorado Canyon State Park in Colorado with my sister and her pup.

Event 2/3: Boulder and Fort Collins, Colorado!

So my partner Zach and I kicked off this Very Busy Month with our annual visit to PAX West, which I shared about last week. The following weekend was our next event, Zach's cousin's wedding in Fort Collins, Colorado! Luckily, my middle sister Kenna lives in Boulder, so I was also able to combine this trip with a sister visit.

There was a lot of driving between Boulder, Fort Collins, and Loveland, a little bit of hiking, hammock lounging, dog walking (Kenna's Aussie Jasper,) and a touch of family drama (but isn't there always?) The wedding ceremony was held in Rocky Mountain National Park and was very sweet, and I loved getting to know Zach's extended family better. 

My partner Zach and me at the wedding reception: caught being best friends.

Unfortunately at some point during that trip, I caught the cold you all know I was trying so hard to avoid. On the Monday we flew home it hit me, and I was absolutely dead for the two days after. But we were driving down to Portland for Rose City Comic Con on Thursday, so I peeled myself off the couch to practice setting up the table and to pack everything up. Bummer to have the tail-end of a cold for my first state convention, but it happens.

This year's table at RCCC!

Event 3/3: Rose City Comic Con!

Oh boy, Portland! I went into this convention not fully realizing the significance of it for my business. It's my first state Comic-Con, my first inter-state Comic-Con, and my first Con with a full table! My last convention was also my first, GeekGirlCon last October. Which I wrote all about, check the article out if you haven't yet!  

I brought with me a lot of new products, including my witchy and animal digital prints, waterproof cat stickers, and that huuuge batch of handmade pins and earrings. I had read that RCCC prefers their Artist Alley sellers to bring majority paper goods, so I left my tote bags and shirts at home.

Despite my cough, RCCC was one of my favorite events so far! Here's some highlights:

I made record sales! I think it's helpful to hear other people's sales, so I know this will be a very low number compared to some artists, and super high to others: we made close to $3,000 during the 3 day event. For reference, at GeekGirlCon and Urban Craft we made around $1,500.

I made so many new friends, including the creators at the table next to us. Dane and Ashlie are the creators at Monkey Minion Press, and they were so sweet and informative and helpful. They work full-time making and selling art at conventions around the country, and gave me tons of advice. They said that weekend at Rose City was relatively slow, and that Emerald City Comic Con and San Diego Comic Con are their two best shows. Dane even grabbed me some cough syrup from the pharmacy. I also met so many other amazing and friendly creators, that I hope I'll continue to see at Conventions in the future!

My patron, Christa, and me in front of her RCCC table!

One of those new friends is also one of my patrons, Christa Paolucci! A fellow artist and vegan, Christa lives in Portland and makes glowy, flowy, ethereal art with magical creatures and peaceful forests. She was also tabling at Rose City, and I was so happy she came and introduced herself! (Also she has a Patreon too!) 

Christa, it was so so good to meet you! I hope we get to hang out sometime in the future!

I'm so glad I did Rose City. It seems like Comic-Cons are my most successful markets, and are probably where I should put most of my efforts. (As opposed to craft fairs, pop-ups, or art walks.)

Can you tell from this photo how I afraid I was of my whole display blowing over?

Event 4/3: Bellingham Veg Fest!

Speaking of successful events, the weekend after Rose City I was invited to table at a new vegan festival that a group organized in Bellingham. I had no idea how this festival was going to turn out, considering I'd never tabled at a Vegan Festival AND this was a brand new one in a smaller town to boot. 

And oh baby, were these Bellingham vegans and vegan-curious-omnivores kind to me! Even though it was a rainy day the place was packed, and people were buying so much art. People were buying things then dragging their family over to buy things. I sold shirts and earrings (two of my pricier items,) and lots of people bought multiple items. I even had a small line of people waiting to "check out" with me at one point... what?? I was so busy I didn't have time to run out and look for lunch until 3PM, and at that point all of the vendors had sold out of their food.

You guys, it was crazy! Perhaps vegan markets are a niche market I should continue to push towards! Zach and I are guessing that vegan people like to be very supportive of independent/small artists, and even more so like to support other vegans. Maybe this is the case with a lot of smaller niches as well, vegan is just one of my niches. Who knows, it was just GREAT!

New product photos! Taken, as always, on my kitchen table with my iPad.

Also...

In between all that I, of course, had a few straggler projects. A couple extra commissions. Last weeks' Arty Business article. Preparing a prompt list for Inktober. Photographing and uploading my new prints to Etsy so people can order them before Halloween. Mailing your Patron Exclusive stickers (they should be arriving soon!) Applying for a Homegrown table at ECCC because my Artist Alley application never went through (which happened to a lot of people according to Twitter.)

Climbing up a mountain! It's a visual metaphor!! Get it??

So we did it! All of September's big back-to-back events: achieved, completed, enjoyed! 

I'm so happy this was such a successful month, but I have so much, SO MUCH, still to do to get ready for the holiday season ahead. So much art to make, packaging to design and order, stickers and enamel pins to design and order, products to photograph and upload, portrait commissions to order, and so much more. But I know I can do it, with your support.

In the meantime, I wanted to check on something with you all. I am thinking of changing my Patreon schedule to posting twice a month instead of every week. Two guaranteed posts a month: an Arty Business guide and an Art Life update like this. It's been posting every Friday but it's also been a lot to keep up with, and it seems like it's been hard for you all to keep up with reading as well! On top of that, I've added the Close Friends stories on Instagram, and I would possibly pop-in on Off Weeks for a bonus fun post of some time.

Please let me know what you think in the comments. I want this Patreon to be both sustainable for me and plenty of content for you all. 

Thanks, guys, that's all for now! Thanks for following me along through all kinds of business weather. Thanks for all your well-wishes and support and kindness! Thanks thanks thanks!

Have a wonderful, glorious week! I'll see you in October with your next Arty Business article!

xoxo,

Ragon