For those of us who do art fairs and shows on a regular basis we know how important it is when a customer asks us to do a special piece for them. This is even more important when they are requesting a piece to match one that they just purchased from us.
Recently, while doing shows in our area, I had a number of these requests . It soon became apparent that I needed to be more prepared for my customers and for these types of events.
Below are a few items I have found to be "must haves" when packing for a show. The best thing is that these items can easily be packed into a large ziploc or small travel size container.
1) Cloth or plastic measuring tape
2) Camera
3) Small notebook
Having the measuring tape to measure your customer's wrist or neck with is imperative. There's nothing worse than creating an item especially for someone only to find out it doesn't fit. If your customer has a larger wrist than most, you'll be glad you brought this with you. The camera comes in handy when your customer requests that you make a bracelet to match an existing necklace or vice versa. A picture of the item you need to match is a valuable thing to have. The small notebook is extremely helpful when there are special instructions your customer has given you and you don't want to forget them. In the course of a day you will be interacting with a lot of different people with a lot of different questions and requests, having a notebook handy to jot down these notes can save you valuable time and stress when you're back in your studio.
As artists we take pride in everything we create, no matter where the inspiration comes from. By carrying a few simple tools with you to your next show you can relax and enjoy the days events knowing that you are well prepared to handle any special request that comes your way.
