Recovery required 

I just returned from a 2-day show in Indianapolis – the Indiana Art Fair at the Indiana State Museum. A lovely event in a gorgeous setting! All the artists were fellow Hoosiers from around the state and we were identified by location. So, a common question was, “Where’s Porter County”? Everyone seemed to know the cities in the middle of the state – not so much at either end. We had a fairly steady crowd visiting us throughout the weekend and my sales were okay. 

But what I’ve learned is big crowd or small, record-breaking sales or a big goose egg, when the show is over, I need serious downtime! I mean, lock myself in a room away from any other people/pets/plants/anything that might remotely need me. 

You see, at the core of it all, I am a big ‘ole introvert and being friendly for an extended amount of time is exhausting! Don’t get me wrong – I love people! I find them fascinating and I sincerely enjoy interacting with them during an event! But the minute it’s done, I need everyone to go away so I can read a book or aimlessly watch tv for a few hours. 

Once I’ve recharged my battery, I can be allowed back out into society. But, if recovery time is too short, I become a snapping, snarling beast – it is just not pretty. So I’ve learned to simply build in time to the schedule, think of it constructively and ride it out! I’m simply hard wired this way – no need to feel guilty or wish I was different. These days, I look forward to losing myself in a good story after hours of smiling and know that I’ve earned every minute of it! 

How do you handle the post-event period? Are you really pumped after being around a crowd, or do you look for the closest quiet corner to hide in (like me)? 

The view from my booth

Obelisk which was right next to my booth

This was my corner of the world for 2 days.