Story by Emily Schaur
Photos by Sydney Kelso
Last semester, I wrote a piece covering the Starving Artist Sale back in April of 2024. This semester, the Sale was held on Apr. 12 in the Pittman Center from 10 AM to 3 PM. The turnout on all fronts was very high, and I was able to speak with a few vendors, as well as some returning interviewees: Julie Tennant and Ella, who both participated in last year’s Sale. I hoped to get some expansion from last semester’s article, especially while at the event itself, on how they prepared for the Sale and what their overall thoughts were.
Expectations for this year’s Sale were high. It was held in the Pittman Center this time as opposed to the ISUB, where it was last year. It was also held during Parents’ Weekend, ensuring more foot traffic as well as a bigger space to hold it all. And that extra space was needed on all fronts, not just considering all of the shoppers. Tennant said that 65 artists signed up to participate this year, which was “a big jump in participation from the vendor side of things.”
One important aspect of participating in a sale such as this one is the amount of preparation that goes into getting ready for the big day. For Ella, this process is extensive.
“Prep for me looks like a lot of crocheting,” Ella said. Ella runs her crochet business, Thedoodlebeecrochets. “I usually start with a list of things I would like to get made for the sale, take inventory and see if I need to buy any supplies.”
Additionally, she said she did a test run of how she wanted her table to be set up. All of this ensured that there was no unnecessary hassle when the event began.
As for Tennant, her time was spent taking inventory as well, along with ordering prints of artwork and drafting a plan for her setup.
“It’s important to get the word out both in person and on social media well beforehand,” Tennant added.
There is only so much that flyers and a location change can do to promote the event. Hearing about it firsthand from a participant by word-of-mouth is always a great way to go.
With each new year comes a renewed opportunity to improve on the past. Tennant and Ella kept some things the same, but they also made some small changes based on how 2024’s Sale went.
“I made some of the same things I sold last year, like the little potatoes, but I also had a bunch of new stuff,” said Ella. “I also had the mystery bags again because they did pretty well, and they are pretty fun! Technical things like the payment methods I kept the same, as it worked pretty well last time.”
As for Tennant, her plan was to keep a similar table setup from last year. No need to change what works, is there?
When asked what she did differently, Ella gave some exciting information.
“I had a bunch of new items I’m doing this time! I had things that were more interactive, like squeakers and magnets. [I also had] a bigger table this time, a full instead of a half. I had new displays and a new tablecloth!”
“[I was] excited to offer some new artwork and items this time around!” said Tennant. Last year she offered hand-drawn stickers and prints in various sizes, among other things. Keeping the products fresh and new is something every vendor should be mindful of. The last thing you want is for buyers to grow bored and expectant with what you are selling, so keeping your table updated with new and exciting items is key.
As always, when faced with the opportunity to do something again, you take what you learned from the first try and apply it to the second. The only way up is to grow, and when it comes to the Starving Artist Sale, it is beneficial to learn from the first try and build from that.
When asked what knowledge she applied from last year, Tennant said, “I’ve made some changes to my prices and how I accept payment to more accurately reflect the prices on my website and sales from the past year.”
Another piece of advice: Know your worth as an artist! Art takes time. It is often expensive, depending on what it is you are making. Knowing how to price products fairly is a crucial skill to have when selling your art. Everything from the amount of time spent to the cost of materials to what you made the last time you sold art—if at all—goes into knowing how to price correctly.
As for Ella, she focused on another part of the technical aspect.
“I learned how to do the taxes portion of the Sale, as it is a registered event. I figured out how to do payment methods, like having change for cash and a card reader that connects to my phone. Last year they were helpful and asked any pro vendors for tips to give to the new student vendors. Hopefully they do that again.”
The most important part of events like the Starving Artist Sale is to have fun and enjoy yourself. With so many vendors to see, it is almost impossible to be bored at an event like that.
“I think my favorite part [of the Sale] was seeing everyone else’s art,” said Ella. “Though I will say, I didn’t do as well this year compared to last year.”
Several other vendors agreed that they enjoyed seeing new art, as well as partaking in art trades.
As always, if you are interested in participating in the Sale next year, keep your eye out for any news and sign up sooner rather than later. If you are on the fence about it, jump in and try anyway! We hope you made it to this year’s Sale and enjoyed what it had to offer.
