The other morning I had a nice suprise. I was walking through the fort looking for my first paintnig and this guy stops me and tells me to wait and look at something. He goes into his house and gets a newspaper, pulls out the middle section and there I am in all my glory. A big photograph of me painting some buildings in the old part of town.
It seems that the guy who took my photo yesterday wasn't lying when he said that my photo would be all over Rajasthan. When he said that I thought, 'yeah sure buddy. I believe you.' But sure enough, one day later there I was. Some gora (white skinned) sitting and painting on the second page of the paper.
Apparently everyone reads the paper here because I didn't get more then a hundred yards before some other guy came up and told me about my new found fame. I chat for a bit and he wants to celebrate, but I'm on my way to go painting near my friends shop. I arrive at my friends place and he's talking about this mornings suprise as well. A mini celebrity in a city where I can't even speak their language. Today when I was out painting, some guy came up and said he saw my pictuer in the paper as well. Apparently this media thing works.
If I had thought about things a little more, I would have given the guy my business card and my website address, but marketing has never been my strength. My usual marketing tatics involve having my friends and clients talk about my artwork to thier friends and family. So far it's working quite well, but maybe one day I'll pursue something a little more business like. The problem is that is not my style and when you try a style that isn't your own, it doesn't work. For now, I'll just continue being myself while keeping quiet and letting others do the work for me. That way it gives people something to talk about that's more interesting then sports or the news.
It seems that the guy who took my photo yesterday wasn't lying when he said that my photo would be all over Rajasthan. When he said that I thought, 'yeah sure buddy. I believe you.' But sure enough, one day later there I was. Some gora (white skinned) sitting and painting on the second page of the paper.
Apparently everyone reads the paper here because I didn't get more then a hundred yards before some other guy came up and told me about my new found fame. I chat for a bit and he wants to celebrate, but I'm on my way to go painting near my friends shop. I arrive at my friends place and he's talking about this mornings suprise as well. A mini celebrity in a city where I can't even speak their language. Today when I was out painting, some guy came up and said he saw my pictuer in the paper as well. Apparently this media thing works.
If I had thought about things a little more, I would have given the guy my business card and my website address, but marketing has never been my strength. My usual marketing tatics involve having my friends and clients talk about my artwork to thier friends and family. So far it's working quite well, but maybe one day I'll pursue something a little more business like. The problem is that is not my style and when you try a style that isn't your own, it doesn't work. For now, I'll just continue being myself while keeping quiet and letting others do the work for me. That way it gives people something to talk about that's more interesting then sports or the news.
Classic man!! Great story.
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