Comments on: Opening Lines at Art Openings: Starting a Conversation

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Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:07:25 +0000

[…] Food or beverages for an art opening […]

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By: Michael

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:10:27 +0000

Really helpful tips. I will definitely use them 🙂

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By: Kristen M. Watson

Sat, 23 Jul 2016 00:05:47 +0000

Yes Alyson, GREAT post! shared it with several FB groups!

I want to know your thoughts on the biz card handout too. I always take them with me and if I get into more than a passing convo with someone and it seems that it makes sense to pass along my card to further our chat afterwards, I will give it out. I’ve had many people ask me for cards at openings. I guess I don’t ever think of others as “competition”. We all have a different product and I hope that my artist friends are making connections at my openings. Other than buying and looking at art together, I think that’s what they’re for.

I also want to know what others think about joining a pair or group of people talking. that’s especially intimidating but I see others do it all the time. I tend to be more bold if I know someone in the group, but if they’re all strangers I can’t bring myself to intrude. Seems rude.

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By: Ruth Armitage

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 16:33:44 +0000

In reply to Melinda Martin.

Ah- Thank you so much, Melinda! I do try 🙂
Love your tip about seeking out the older person in the crowd… I do really enjoy listening to older people and their wisdom!

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By: Eileen Wiessner

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 13:20:44 +0000

How helpful and timely !! Thanks Alyson! I’m driving 4 hours today to check out an all day event tomorrow at a “destination city” to see if it’s a good fit !! I have no trouble talking to most anyone but it’s better to zero in on something to say and have a plan like you did.

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By: Kathleen Piercefielf

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 11:05:24 +0000

Alyson, this is a great post and I also love reading people’s responses — what a bunch of useful ideas! I’m an introvert too, and find it hard to take the initiative to start conversations. @ Burgy — your “are you an artist?” question has worked well for me also, and opens the way for the person to talk about themselves, whether they are or aren’t. @ Kath Funderburg — I love your take on an opening being a kind of performance piece and I approach it similarly. I try to think of my “role” as confident artist as a part I’m playing for the evening, and throw myself into it in a spirit of fun. Doing some “power posture” exercises as I’m getting ready helps to remind me that my body language can make a difference in how others perceive me — and how I perceive myself. Can’t wait to try some of these other conversation starters at my next opening. Thanks to all for sharing!

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By: Burgy

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 23:41:58 +0000

I like to say “are you an artist?” If they say yes, I ask them questions about their art. If they say no, they’ll say something about why they are there and the convo can take off. (Maybe they’re a collector and love to be taken to be an artist!) Maybe they’ll say, “no, are you?” and then I can show them my card, which has a work sample on it.

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By: Susan Siefer

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 23:20:18 +0000

This is great Alyson. Thank you. I cannot wait for the next opening so I can use some of these “tricks” . I too feel awkward at openings, especially if I do not know the artist(s).

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By: Marta Brysha

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 22:23:17 +0000

@ Kath Funderburg – I feel your pain – I live in the Central Highlands of Tasmania and I have to drive 2 hours to get to an opening in Hobart. As a result I rarely go to openings. It doesn’t help that I am a total introvert so the prospect of staying home with a video in the evenings is much more appealing than travelling a long distance to interact with people.
Having said that, when I am at an opening I treat it as a performance event. I put aside my social anxieties and mingle and talk to people. This is not to say that I have a script or come across as fake. I know what to say and how to do it, and I just go ahead with it. Do I enjoy it? Does it drain my energy to do it? I leave all that to deal with the following day. I usually feel drained the next day, but fortunately I no longer feel the burning shame of wondering whether I talked too much or sounded like an idiot as over the years I have come to understand that my anxieties have very little to do with how people perceive me.

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By: Amy Evans

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:28:45 +0000

Very helpful suggestions. I am always nervous about attending other artist’s openings and am very careful not to appear as the competition. I always learn a lot from other artist’s shows and I Want to support other artists. These starters will help with all of that!

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