Nine Days and Counting to New York City

Next Saturday, May 14th, I board an airplane headed for New York City. It will be my first solo flight since my son was born four years ago, and the thing I'm perhaps most excited about is having eight uninterrupted hours of time to sit and read whatever cheesy sci-fi/romance novel I pick up at Powells.
 
I'll be going to NYC for two shows: Surtex (licensing) and the National Stationery Show, both held at the Javits Center in Manhattan. I've never been to either, and have no real plan other than to wander around and soak it all in. I will be able to meet a couple of folks in person to whom I've licensed images, so that's pretty exciting. There's also at least one party to attend, and my agent will have a booth at Surtex with some of my artwork (#408, if you'd like to come by).

I've also tacked on two days at the end of the trip for archival work. Scanning images in archives is more prep work than perhaps you'd imagine. I've spent weeks emailing and calling a dozen different archivists to figure out what I can and cannot bring (camera, scanner, tri-pod, etc.), what I can access, what might be in storage, and above all the intricacies of seeking permission to use the archival material in my own artwork. I have my eye on some amazing vintage travel posters and French postcards, so depending on what I end up with I'll definitely share.

A very wise woman once told me that attending a trade show is almost always worth it for your business. Last year at the Craft and Hobby Show (CHA)--my first trade show for piddix ever--I came away with my agent, who has been amazing to work with. This year I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but I am most definitely very, very excited to be going. I hope to write a bit about my experience and the shows, so if anyone has any questions about what it's like to attend them, definitely send them my way.