Ah yes, where to start? Well, first of all I just want to say thanks to the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Be Indypendent for giving me the opportunity to share my art with people in such a large and populous venue. The Artsgarden is a truly amazing place. I wish I could live there.

Luckily, my good friend Drew Skwarcan was along for the ride all day on Friday. He helped me with loading, unloading, setting up, keeping me company, and even went the extra mile to take a ton of photos and hours upon hours of video during the event. Of course, he didn’t want the footage to go to waste so he created this super nice video not just for me but for everyone. This way everyone will get to see a glimpse into what went down at the Holiday Art Sale at the Artsgarden. Without further ado…

The day started off early. 6am early. I probably should have got more sleep that night but I had so many things I didn’t want to forget. Coffee was my life saver like always. After loading all the essentials and 70+ pieces of art into my van that barely started on that cold morning, I went to pick up Drew. We made it to the underground parking garage on time and thought it was going to be cheap to park there. Well, let me tell you something it wasn’t. $20 to park all day seems a bit steep for me but I am also famous for being frugal. Onward!

Early bird gets the worm! *

When I found out I was one of the first to arrive that allowed me to settle my nerves a little bit. I hate running around trying to get things ready at the last minute. Even though I had two hours to set up, it still seemed like that was the outcome. I did get everything set up in time though.

Final setup. Almost two hours of work. **

After a couple different figurations and adding a table, I finally had enough room for all my art. You never can be too prepared I guess. I was very pleased with the layout. I was able to hang a few larger works in the back. This along with the smaller works showed viewers that my work varies in size as much as the materials do. I enjoy this. I don’t want to be a ‘one-trick dog’ as they say. Who says that? I don’t know…

Close up of assorted works. *

I made a lot of smaller works specifically for this show. My goal was to create original yet affordable artwork. This was the great time for people to pick up last minute Holiday gifts or start a personal art collection. It is very important to me to keep my work evolving while still making it affordable to people. There are some artist’s work who I love but I unfortunately can’t even buy one of their prints let alone an original. I guess it all comes down to the fact that ‘affordable’ seems to be a pretty subjective word these days.

Conversing with friend and fellow artist, Phil Cardenas. *

Not only was I able to meet new people at the sale but a lot of my friends and family took the time to swing by. I cannot tell you how much this little act means to me. It is so easy to stay inside (especially with the cold weather and all…) but these people took the time out of their day to see me and my art. Awesome stuff right there! So thanks to all my friends and family who came out to see my booth! You guys are super supportive and are a positive force that keeps me doing what do. I want to make sure that you know I appreciate it.

View from my booth. **

But, I wasn’t the only one at the sale! There were 20+ talented and creative people putting their work out there for the world to see. I admire that. It takes a lot of hard work and proverbial balls to do an event like this so kudos to all the artists who participated. I sure hope they had as much fun as I did.

Second story view. *

Isn’t this space remarkable? I can’t say enough about it. I still want to live there. I need to get out more and just wander around the city like I used to back in High School, camera in hand. The Holiday Art Sale was another event that shows just how much talent Indianapolis has to offer. I hope to see all forms of art succeed and flourish in the future. We need to be a cornerstone of creativity in the Midwest. Let’s make it happen Indy!

Close up of the custom magnets made from old coasters. *

I had a lot of fun creating these magnets. I was strolling through Goodwill (one of my favorite pastimes) when I saw a stack of old coasters. I knew right away I could use them. I was already toying around with the idea of creating custom magnets and these fit my idea perfectly. I thought it would be a great and inexpensive way to add art to the kitchen. Magnets aren’t pricey and some art shouldn’t be either. So why not combine the two? I focused on juxtaposing collage images and word phrases in a comical yet sometimes troubling manner. I enjoyed them and seeing as I sold a few, I know others did as well.

Speaking with people about recycling opportunities around Indy. *

Another component to my booth was having free information about recycling available for people. Not only do I try to recycle through means of my art but in every day life as well. I also feel some individuals don’t recycle because they don’t know where or what to recycle. Knowledge is power. No one is perfect when it comes to their carbon footprint but we should at least all try to not be so wasteful. My friend Corrina hooked me up with the printed information that was available. Thanks Corrina! You can learn more about recycling opportunities and how to make a difference at the Indiana Recycling Coalition’s website.

End of the day. Last chance to pick up something! *

After a slower mid-afternoon session, the masses hit the Artsgarden with full force. Friends, family, and even some people I met at Oranje back in September came out just to see my work. It was so great! I am glad we ended the night off strong. I can’t say enough about the success that was the Holiday Art Sale. So after a long day, we packed up and headed out. Did I mention the price of parking?…..eh, anyways. Then it was off to Wendy’s for a well needed late night snack. Does four double stacks and a frosty count as a snack?

* Photographs by Drew Skwarcan

** Photographs by Nathan Monk

*** Video by Drew Skwarcan