So I did a thing...
The Start
It was probably a little over the middle of 2021 when I first saw a post about the KL Art Book Fair. Quite curious and excited, I headed over to their official IG and learned that it's an event where people (publishers, graphic designers, illustrators, artists, etc) get to exhibit, sell merchandise and connect over the mutual affinity for all things arts and books/printed materials, plus, the first -ABF in Malaysia, which is pretty cool!
The moment an open call for exhibitors was made official, I thought to myself that this would be a good opportunity for a new milestone that is a personal challenge to just put myself out there i.e send the proposal as a gesture of 'hello'. Without much thought on participating in the event. Later in early September 2021, the committee informed me that the application got through.
Prep
Promo cover
The journey to d-day was a whirlwind. I prepared what I could three months prior to the event. It may seem like a long time for one event but since it's a first for me, and being the overthinker I am, it was wild. I worked really hard from planning to finalising the items to exhibit, merchandise to sell, booth set up and layout, tips on exhibiting in a pandemic and more. All of that was on top of making sure that I took the necessary headspace whenever I started to get worked up from the stress and doubts.
Every now and then along the way, I thought how it would be nice if I could share the news with my audience on IG and engage them in the process, but I just couldn't. I knew I needed help still so I reached out to some friends for tips, tons of research on YouTube by fellow artists and of course, checking in with my counsellor. I'm grateful for their support, plus my family who I wouldn't be able to do this without. I felt a little more anxious after they announced the exhibitor list, and a little more confident too.
Making a concertina book.
Showtime
The fair went on for three days from Friday to Sunday with nearly 40 local exhibitors participating this time. The organiser assured us that it's going to be held as per SOPs, which I'm very thankful for since I struggle with going out again after a series of MCOs/lockdowns and felt anxious about being in a crowd.
It was a ticketed event, so there's a limit to the number of visitors and the kind people at KLABF were helpful in clarifying a few things to me prior to the event. It was important for me to have an idea of what to expect so I can prepare myself mentally.
It was a one-woman show for me on the first day of the event. Managing the booth on my own was quite challenging especially towards the evening when it was first opened to the public. It got better on the weekend because my friend Huda and my brother came to help at the booth and keep me company. They were very helpful ^^
Merch
The three days were packed with greeting visitors, meeting other creatives, networking and welcoming people with huge smiles... Well, underneath my mask (but I hope they knew how glad I was!). The one-on-one conversations over the displays and portfolios left quite an impression on me and for someone who isn't usually good with names, I'm glad that I still remember some! Although the three days were physically taxing, there were definitely memories I treasure from the event.
Honoured to have talented and kind neighbours!
Left to right: Rakel at B04, represented by Fikri, my booth at B05 and Qiara (Sho Little Happiness) at B06.
Some snaps:
Takeaway
The experience was a first for me and although challenging, it was definitely rewarding in some ways. I got a taste of managing a solo business at a physical event so there were definitely a lot of lessons learned. From balancing fear, hope and curiosity, asking for help, receiving help, to learning a whole lot of other stuff such as how to set up and manage cashless payment, inventory, anxiety :s And as a Muslim, I learned how to make istikharah an essential part of the process.
I'm grateful for the people who continue to show me so much. To family, friends, acquaintances, hosts, visitors, please know that every kind gesture means a lot.
It still feels surreal whenever I think about the things I do, that is how something shifted from a hobby to a small business. People have different opinions on whether it is good or bad. One thing I'm sure of is I want to keep tending to my tiny fire; in little or big ways, I hope it doesn't matter. Of course, looking back at the event I also want to keep growing as an illustrator, hope to find my place here and find more ways on how to expand my business, insha'Allah.