Two months ago I created a professional handout online with moo.com. I liked the finished result well enough but when I figured out that each handout cost me a dollar I determined to see if I could create something that would be equally engaging but much more affordable.
Initially I thought of using markers to create artwork, which I would then take to some copy shop and have printed up, 4 to 6 postcard size pieces per 8.5”×11”.
I soon expanded that idea and decided to not just create one postcard piece but rather do a whole page of work that would yield 5 to 6 totally different pieces.
Taking my original work to Office Depot I ended up with just what I wanted - except for the fact that I wanted heavier paper then Office Depot had. To my surprise the young woman who helped me at Office Depot directed me to a fabulous paper store 20 minutes away, where I was able to get the heavier cardstock I wanted.
As it happens, this paper store turned out to be a goldmine! Founded in 1941 and still family owned, I have never seen such a huge selection of paper! The woman who helped me was wonderful.
While at the paper store I thought to inquire about the possibility of displaying my paperfolds there (15% of my art practice involves paperfolds!). To this end I left my business card which of course had my website on it - which includes a whole section devoted to paperfolds. The woman helping me said she would give my business card to the owner. No idea if anything will come of this but the woman who served me seemed hopeful!
When I left the paper store - with 5 free samples of very heavy cardstock - I returned to Office Depot to see if the cardstock was too heavy for copying. It wasn’t at all. My artwork came out great!
Once home, I started thinking of making a page of bookmarks to give to family. Then it came to me: Instead of taking the time to do new artwork for a sheet of bookmarks I can use the sheet I have already created and just cut long narrow bookmarks from one of them. Done - I love the result!
This whole project is typical of how things usually work for me: I get an idea, which is often improved by random events - in this case a stranger who works at Office Depot - which led to the paper store and some great paper, as well as another random event - meeting the woman in the Paper Sample Room - and the entirely unexpected possibility of not just exhibiting my paperfolds at this place but who knows maybe even getting to exhibit my abstract paintings!
