Oh, yeah...

Aside from learning what I already knew (that I know nothing about retail, and am not suited for it), I've relearned a valuable lesson I'd forgotten over the years: I don't like doing public relations, and I'm not really suited for that either.

There was a time when I was actually paid to do PR.  Fortunately, I discovered my shortfall in that area before my bosses did, and quit to move on to other stuff before anyone noticed I wasn't ... well, I wasn't relating to the public.  They -- particularly the media -- weren't interested in the things I was promoting.  Specifically, there's a P.G. Wodehouse line about a novelist expecting a reaction being like throwing a piece of paper into a well and awaiting the splash.  I know the feeling...

I suppose I can't complain.  Our Karant Jou gallery (which is the cause of all this personal growth and discovery) opened to decent crowds, congratulations from friends and some press attention (including a really nice listing in the Staunton paper's weekend section: www.newsleader.com/article/20090226/NEWS01/90226004)  But others I would have thought might have noticed, let alone covered us, have said nothing.

Ah, well, I guess I must keep a sense of perspective...

Relaxing into Chaos...

When confronted with uncontrollable change, I guess I just have to go with it.  Like today.

As the approaching opening of the gallery crashes toward me, some 2/3 of the art from Haiti is in Mechanicsville, about three hours drive away from Lexington.  It's okay -- how could I complain, as it made it here from Haiti at the absolute last minute, arrive last night with a generous volunteer who got dragged into the task just two weeks ago ... and has put in diligent service.

First, she loads all that stuff out of Haiti, including a giant box holding a dozen, handmade frames for my photographs.  Then she calls -- twice, because I wasn't home the first time -- from Miami airport to tell me she and it all made it into the US.  And then, late last night, after a week in Haiti and the day-long trip home, she called again to report that everything made it ... except the frames.  But the airline expected them today.

Today, a series of calls as she updated me on the progress of the frames, which missed their first flight from Miami, then wandered off to Dallas (?), before finally arriving in Richmond this evening.

Meanwhile, my plans shifted from a midday dash from Lexington to Mechanicsville, to a late evening run, to finally an overnight trip, staying in The Jefferson in Richmond, before going to pick up the stuff in the morning.  (Yeah, it didn't take much convincing from my wife to decide that staying at The Jefferson was a good idea; we've been here -- I'm writing from the dark wood desk in my room now -- a couple times before.  It's a tiny luxury that's often too tempting to resist.)

Tomorrow, it's another run back in the morning to arrive before 1 pm, when we begin setting up the gallery ... stocked with stuff I haven't seen yet.  But it's all worked out so far.  All I can do is relax into the chaos...

So let's see how this works...

I'm engaging in my first experiment in viral marketing.

You see, I made the mistake of speaking up in a meeting.  It's a lesson I never learn.  This time, I was in the meeting for the Haiti Committee at our church (which probably requires an explanation in itself.  I think I'll save that for another post -- suffice it to say that many Virginia Catholic churches have twin parishes in Haiti; it's something encouraged by the diocese).  I had the brilliant idea, inspired by an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, of opening a "flash" art gallery of Haitian arts and crafts for the period of Lent.

You see, it would get money to the artisans, it would raise awareness of the situation in Haiti and the twin parish program, and it would (through the markup) get money down to the projects we were working on.  As a "flash" art gallery -- lasting only one month -- I wouldn't have to create a steady supply line; just fill the gallery once, and you're done.  I figured there would be some overhead, but hoped the profit would more than make up for it.

So I pipe up, and everyone in the room looks at me and says, "What a good idea.  You get right on that!"  So there's a pause (much longer in my mind than in reality, I'm sure) while I come to grips with the fact that I, who know nothing about retail or sales or anything but making the occasional interesting news picture and documentary film, realize this whole basket of worms has just been dropped in my lap.

No problem, I think.  I'll just get started at the start, and either it works or -- more likely -- some massive, impossible to overcome problem kills it, probably before anything even really gets going.  I discovered that God apparently wants there to be a flash art gallery of Haitian art in Lexington this year.

All the legal problems were gently and efficiently solved by local officials.  (Really, how often can anyone write that sentence?)  The problem of having a physical location was generously and easily solved by a local gallery owner, local artists (and even nationally known ones, like photographer Andrea Baldeck -- check out her website at www.andreabaldeck.com -- who gave us four prints and a number of her books on Haiti) contributed, and just yesterday my final problem was solved when another Virginia parish, Redeemer in Mechanicsville, agreed to buy and bring back additional arts and crafts when they return from Haiti at the end of the month.  And that overhead thing?  There essentially is none.  Almost all of the costs have been contributed.  Everything we make will be going down to Haiti.

So now I have to hold up my end.  This starts with marketing, and my first step is to begin a mysterious campaign with the name of the gallery: Karant Jou.  It's Haitian Kreyol for forty days.  (Imagine saying the words with a French accent: Quarant Jour.)  I have begun distributing flyers, myself and through friends, which say only:

KARANT JOU

A Unique Opportunity

Only in Lexington

Only in March

What will happen?  I don't know, but I hope some curiosity.  I'm hoping that, by mention around the 'net, I can move up in Google searching.  (Right now, "karant jou" only brings you Kreyol translations of the Bible.)  I'm hoping that, as I begin the actual PR campaign -- involving press releases and all the usual stuff -- next week, people will begin to wonder.  I'm hoping that it will bring people to Lexington to see what it's all about, and to learn something about Haiti and our efforts there ... and to buy something.  

Yeah, that would be nice...