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)?