My table laid out with art cards and paintings at nelson craft marketMy table laid out with paintings, prints, cards and hearts at Nelson Craft Market
Nelson Village, South Wales held their first Craft Market for local small businesses at the Community Centre

While I’m reluctant to start booking at fairs again, I decided I would attend and support this one in my home village for two reasons:


1.  It is the first to establish local small businesses, and support means it has a better chance of being successful all round in the future, and

2.  It is local, and a great way to get to know more local people and vice versa, they get to know me and what I do.

As it has been quite a few years since I took part in a market, there was quite a bit of preparation involved in getting ready, from making sure I had plenty of business cards to hand out, to having a good selection of smaller works for display. My good sturdy print rack came in handy for flicking through art prints because the table was not huge, but I think I managed to display everything well enough which included:-

 

o   Painted clay hearts,
o   ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals),
o   Fine art greeting cards,
o   Selection of my smaller original paintings and prints,
o   and the last few remaining Grand Prix F1 mugs and coasters I have as an end of line sale.


The mini market was for four hours. It was just about manageable for me with help setting up and taking down, so I will be taking part in the next one which will be an Xmas Craft Market on 30th November in the Nelson Community Centre.

It’s always a pleasure to receive positive feedback, particularly from people you don’t know who comment as they are browsing. Even if I don’t make a sale, they leave with one of my business cards. Sometimes, people come back to me weeks or months later and say they saw my work at such and such a place and are interested in purchasing something, so it all helps.

Most art and craft fairs though are full days, and usually a good drive away which means setting off early and getting home late. I tried a few in the past, but ended up so exhausted that it took days to recover. If I didn’t have M.E/CFS I might go for it, but it just isn’t worth the setback or even worse, a full relapse. Local for me is good.

So, if you are reading this and live locally in or around Nelson, then pop along to the Community Centre on Saturday, 30th November 2019 between 10am and 2pm for the Xmas Love Local Nelson Market. Stop by and say Hi! You might find the perfect gift for someone for Christmas. If you are not local but like my style of work, then know that I am a real person and I would still like you to visit me, say Hi! or buy something from me in the virtual world.

038 nelson xmas market caerphilly wales uk

Nelson Community Centre
Bryncelyn Avenue, Nelson, CF46 6HL Caerphilly, South Wales, United Kingdom