Black Girl Magic Art Market Recap

It’s been a long time coming, but I finally had the chance to write this blog post! At the end of July, I participated in the Black Girl Magic Art Show & Market at an art gallery in Houston, Texas. This was my first art market since graduating from college. Today, I’m talking all about my experience.

Overcoming Fear

Prior to learning about this event, I was taking a Bible study class called Chase The Lion. This class encouraged me to pursue God’s dream for my life and the fears attached to them. God showed me that it was time to step outside of my comfort zone. I began praying for an opportunity to participate in an art show or market. It was a struggle for me to pray this prayer. I’m super introverted and accustomed to solely sharing my art on social media and selling it online. But I knew that if I wanted my art to have the reach necessary to be successful, I had to be willing to share it in person with others.

I found out about the Black Girl Magic Art Show and Market and knew it would be the perfect opportunity for me to re-wet my feet in the art market world. I decided to apply to only showcase my work in the gallery. A few days later, I was accepted, but surprisingly as a vendor. I was tempted to email the event coordinators back and ask them to only allow me to showcase my work. But, I knew from the time I learned about the event that God was nudging me to sell.

Preparation

After being accepted to vendor in the art market, I had two weeks to pull everything together. I immediately began planning by creating a budget, deciding on what to sell, and selecting a theme for my booth. I decided to do a bakery theme. All of my work was inspired by cakes and cupcakes. I sold “slices of cake”, “cupcakes”, and “cake samples”. The slices of cake were 4”x5” canvas paintings while the cupcakes measured 4”x4”. The cake samples were 2”x3” magnets. I sold them in “flavors” such as strawberry lemonade, dark chocolate and red velvet.

In addition to making art to sell, I also made all of my table décor. This included cupcake stands, a glass price sign, and my own business cards. I enjoyed the hustle of creating and crafting even though I had a limited amount of time.

Showtime!

I pushed past fear and doubt every day to prepare for the show. It was at the point that I tried to talk myself out of participating even though I already secured my spot. Prayer helped A LOT to keep me motivated as I worked. I was relieved when the day of the show arrived. All fear, doubt, and insecurities faded away! I showed up to the venue, set up, and waited for potential customers. Visitors to my table enjoyed my booth theme and LOVED that my art resembled cupcakes. Some people actually thought I was selling real baked goods. As far as sales went, the magnets were a hit! Even if they did not purchase anything, many visitors took a business card.

The art market was an amazing experience. I was surrounded by like-minded artists, creatives, and good vibes. I felt like I was part a supportive community because everyone was friendly and encouraging. And, I learned so much! Everything that I thought would go wrong actually went right. The Black Girl Magic Art Show and Market motivated me to participate in even more markets.

Take 15 minutes today to read, write down, and meditate on this scripture: 
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” - Matthew 21:22 (NIV)