Journal entry for September 26, 2001

Today's summary: An old story of a non-nice lady.

This might be an old story, but I was telling it to some friends today, and figured I might as well add it to my journal.

A couple years ago I made arrangements with a local large bookstore, to show some of my work. So I went through all sorts of finageling to get things framed, print up business cards and flyers, etc...

So. I finally get there, get everything hung. I had some extra time, so I trucked on down to the "Art" section. Figured I would find a book about art biz or something. I was really happy.

There was a lady who was shopping in that section, and she asked me a question about where to find something. So, we got to talking and I told her why I was there, saying, "By the way, I just hung some of my work upstairs, actually. I have business cards and everything. Here, look." And offered her one.

So she says to me, in this TOTAL DRIPPING DERISION voice, "I've been an artist for years... Ohhh, you're still showing in bookstores? Not a real gallery? Hmf.". I was just dumbfounded even as she handed me her own business card. So I took the card and slunk away and went home, my initial excitement totally crushed.

Finally, I happened to actually take a look at her business card. I had been expecting her to be a professional painter with "real" gallery representation or something... but it turned out, she did faux finishes and stenciling for people's homes.

NOT that there's anything wrong with that, but I was baffled why she would feel obliged to take me down a notch like that, considering she surely must have to deal with people saying she's not a real artist, etc...

Anyway, I keep her business card in my wallet as a constant reminder not to be a stuck-up b*tch when I meet new artists.

Oh, and one final note. She also made sure to tell me that my business cards were amateurish because I printed them on an inkjet printer -- but, once I looked, I realized her cards were printed from an inkjet too. Don't ask me how that makes sense.