This painting of a barn on the historic Antietam Battlefield was purchased by a woman from Maryland who recognized the barn. It goes to show, you never know who will connect with your art at an event like this.

The Open Show at the Festival allows me to show my work to thousands of potential buyers at one time, which is a great test of whether there is a market for my art. I also compare my work to other artists and pay close attention to which paintings sell and for how much. Does my work stand out? Are my prices appropriate? What are other successful artists doing that I am not? An event this size is a great way to find answers to those questions.