June 21st
update
The bad news
is that anything involving outdoor sales this summer has proven to be a washout,
literally, due to the weather pattern we have been experiencing here in New
Jersey. My two attempts at showing and selling prints were to have been the
Denville Fair and the Madison Art Fair and both were major flops. The Madison
one was even cancelled before starting as the rain was so bad.
The good
news is that we have launched a line of notecards and they are proving to be
a real winner. The cards are made of heavy, acid-free card-stock and are slightly
off-white. An actual, individual photograph is sealed behind a window in the
card which can act as a mat if the card is later framed. The cards are blank
inside and each one comes with a matching envelope and is individually packaged
in a clear, resealable, archival envelope. We are using actual photographs and
they look superb. The entire card measures about 7" x 5" so as to
fit straight into a standard frame and the actual 'mat opening' for the photograph
is about 4 3/4" x 3 1/4". So far the cards are being sold to a number
of book and card shops within northern New Jersey and to Epstein's, the highly
prestigious 100 year-old department store in Morristown. However, for those
who do not have easy access to northern New Jersey I am hoping to soon set up
the means of buying the cards via the website as well as greatly increasing
geographical coverage in terms of conventional stores.
One of the
big attractions with the cards is the wide range of potential uses to which
they can be put. Clearly the nativity scenes have potential to make nice Christmas
cards and similarly there are other designs which will match other important
times such as Easter. However there are also other possibilities such as giving
a card with St Luke to a doctor for whom St Luke is the Patron Saint. Similarly
an image of St Catherine of Alexandria is appropriate for a teacher. Some of
the Tiffany angels representing, say, Peace, Charity or Hope can also be used
to convey appropriate sentiments in certain situations. Overall these are bright,
colourful and beautiful images and when incorporated into a notecard they become
more like a gift than just a card. Several people have commented that these
are cards which people will buy for themselves as well as to give to others.
I only hope
that we can adequately convey to visitors to the website just how high the quality
of these cards really is. Whenever I show the actual cards to people who are
able to hold them and appreciate just how heavy the paper stock is and feel
the thick texture of the card and the envelope with its ragged edged flap they
take no convincing whatsoever. From that standpoint the cards actually sell
themselves. However, whether we will be able to convince people online is something
which remains to be seen but we will, of course, give our no-quibble, money-back,
guarantee if for any reason anyone is dissatisfied.
I am hoping
to get the online ordering mechanisms in place before the end of the month but
if anyone reading this is impatient then please email me via the 'contact' link.
