In March, my pots participated at in their first art exhibitition! I'm a member of Mothership Hackermoms in Berkeley, where I attend a weekly Failure Club over Zoom. I hadn't been there in person before, so it was fun to make the trek to see the space. What an amazing place for moms to get out of the house, focus on their own needs, and build community.
Up until now I hadn't presented my work in person. It's usually a natural step for potters to sell their work at farmer's markets and craft fairs. But because my pots relate to my trauma, it can be really intense for me to answer questions about them. Especially when people give me well-meaning advice, not knowing what I've already been through (for example, when hearing that I made less than all eight male coworkers I asked, responding "sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen"). These comments can take me from zero to tears in seconds, and I worry about how much stamina I have for this.
The group show gave me the chance to experiment with sharing written descriptions of my work, for people to read without me having to say the words over and over. I spent the day before the show designing and printing the cards, and glueing together little easels out of balsa wood to stand them on.
I was delighted to discover that people wanted to buy pieces on the spot, and explore wholesale and consignment with me. This gives me a little more courage to get out there again. Maybe you'll see me at a pop-up or craft fair someday after all. If you have suggestions of shops that you would love to see carry my work, let me know!