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I'm back from Eurofurence!
2 years ago
I don't think I've done one of those life updates before, but this year's convention was great and I feel a desire to share my thoughts!
First of all, I didn't realize how much I really needed to spend some times with friends again. 3 years of staying at home to avoid contracting or spreading the pandemic virus drained me a lot. Even though I felt very sore from walking around all day for a week, I also had so much more energy than I've had in a long time. Originally I was hesitant to go this year, because of the higher prices and the big crowds increasing odds of contracting diseases, but friends and family eventually convinced me that it was a risk worth taking. Many of my friends did unfortunately test positive for Covid-19 after the convention. Luckily my test has been negative so far, but I did contract something, which gave me joint pain and a headache for a couple of days. (edit/update: I did eventually test positive. So that actually was Covid causing those symptoms.)
On the topic of the pandemic, I did realize that I've been out of the loop on that for a while. For example, I still assumed that masks where only effective at preventing you from infecting others, if you're already infected. That was a large part of the reason why I didn't apply for a spot in the Dealers Den this year. Of course it would be nice if by next year some unexpected developments would make conventions feel safe again, be it some new vaccine or something else. But even without that, I feel like I might try selling in the Dealers Den again with already existing counter measures. Though I definitely want to make some new paintings to offer up in the Art Show again! :D
Speaking of the Art Show, my sales there managed to surpass my expectations! I went in with the primary goal of just showing off my paintings, because I wasn't sure at all if anyone would make a bid at all. I actually go one bid on two of my paintings each! And one of them was significantly over the minimum bid too. It was such a nice surprise to see. A big bid like this helps a lot with putting me at ease in such an anonymous auction setting. If someone is willing to give that much to obtain that painting, then they must like it at least as much as I do.
And there's of course also the venue change. The CCH is so much nicer than the Estrel. The Dealers Den was pleasantly climatized and it never felt as crowded as what I remembered from 2019 when I last attended. Everywhere inside where also a lot of places to sit down and take a rest. But outside was probably the biggest difference. The CCH is right next to a park wich is a great place to spend some time. In the Estrel I rather stayed inside the convention all day, but at this new location it felt like a great option to go outside with our friends. If only it wasn't 30°C outside for most of the week. xP
With every year, there seem to be more friends to meet at the convection as well! And I have at least 6 friends who told me that they'd like to meet me at next year's Eurofurence. One of them had a couple of panels last year, which I missed out on and very much hope to get a chance to see next time. Luckily other friends who did attend this year did hold some great panels though. One very thought provoking one was by Sasha and Jonathan about how to build real communities. Wyoryn and Theo had fun panel about how to commission artists right before that one. And Theo also had a panel later introducing the principles behind the meaning of tarot cards. I myself feel motivated to prepare a panel for next year, which would go in depth on colors. I'd call it something like "Why does red have 5 correct complementary colors?"
As a whole, I'm really glad to have gone. Though next year I'd like to to spend some more time preparing for it. Read up some more up to date information on how to stay safe from viruses in crowds. And it also might be worth to pay some extra to get a hotel room close by to the CCH, because it was a bit inconvenient at times to plan around when busses would stop driving around midnight. And if I was in the Dealers Den, the shorter distance to transport my stuff would be nice too.
So yeah, Eurofurence was neat. (:
First of all, I didn't realize how much I really needed to spend some times with friends again. 3 years of staying at home to avoid contracting or spreading the pandemic virus drained me a lot. Even though I felt very sore from walking around all day for a week, I also had so much more energy than I've had in a long time. Originally I was hesitant to go this year, because of the higher prices and the big crowds increasing odds of contracting diseases, but friends and family eventually convinced me that it was a risk worth taking. Many of my friends did unfortunately test positive for Covid-19 after the convention. Luckily my test has been negative so far, but I did contract something, which gave me joint pain and a headache for a couple of days. (edit/update: I did eventually test positive. So that actually was Covid causing those symptoms.)
On the topic of the pandemic, I did realize that I've been out of the loop on that for a while. For example, I still assumed that masks where only effective at preventing you from infecting others, if you're already infected. That was a large part of the reason why I didn't apply for a spot in the Dealers Den this year. Of course it would be nice if by next year some unexpected developments would make conventions feel safe again, be it some new vaccine or something else. But even without that, I feel like I might try selling in the Dealers Den again with already existing counter measures. Though I definitely want to make some new paintings to offer up in the Art Show again! :D
Speaking of the Art Show, my sales there managed to surpass my expectations! I went in with the primary goal of just showing off my paintings, because I wasn't sure at all if anyone would make a bid at all. I actually go one bid on two of my paintings each! And one of them was significantly over the minimum bid too. It was such a nice surprise to see. A big bid like this helps a lot with putting me at ease in such an anonymous auction setting. If someone is willing to give that much to obtain that painting, then they must like it at least as much as I do.
And there's of course also the venue change. The CCH is so much nicer than the Estrel. The Dealers Den was pleasantly climatized and it never felt as crowded as what I remembered from 2019 when I last attended. Everywhere inside where also a lot of places to sit down and take a rest. But outside was probably the biggest difference. The CCH is right next to a park wich is a great place to spend some time. In the Estrel I rather stayed inside the convention all day, but at this new location it felt like a great option to go outside with our friends. If only it wasn't 30°C outside for most of the week. xP
With every year, there seem to be more friends to meet at the convection as well! And I have at least 6 friends who told me that they'd like to meet me at next year's Eurofurence. One of them had a couple of panels last year, which I missed out on and very much hope to get a chance to see next time. Luckily other friends who did attend this year did hold some great panels though. One very thought provoking one was by Sasha and Jonathan about how to build real communities. Wyoryn and Theo had fun panel about how to commission artists right before that one. And Theo also had a panel later introducing the principles behind the meaning of tarot cards. I myself feel motivated to prepare a panel for next year, which would go in depth on colors. I'd call it something like "Why does red have 5 correct complementary colors?"
As a whole, I'm really glad to have gone. Though next year I'd like to to spend some more time preparing for it. Read up some more up to date information on how to stay safe from viruses in crowds. And it also might be worth to pay some extra to get a hotel room close by to the CCH, because it was a bit inconvenient at times to plan around when busses would stop driving around midnight. And if I was in the Dealers Den, the shorter distance to transport my stuff would be nice too.
So yeah, Eurofurence was neat. (:
Looking forward to next year!
Thank you very much! I'm looking forward to next year too. :D
And thank you! It really was exciting to see those bids show up on my paintings! :D