My pen show experience this year was lovely. I worked at a vendor table on the show floor, taught two classes, and hung out with friends, some of whom I only see once a year at this show.
While it is a busy schedule to call a “vacation”, it is my main vacation: the one time all year I have planned consecutive days away from home, in an enviroment that is it’s own creation. There were no news headlines in my feed, or I didn’t look at them, only pens, ink, notebooks, friends.
The pen community
The pen community is a niche community, and I love it. As with other communities that center around enthusiasm and love for something specific, the energy is positive and the air has excitement. We talk about pens in the elevator, at dinner, waiting in a line. “Are you here for the show?” followed by the big smile: “yes!”
We love show and tell, and even better when possible, show and try out! That moment when the pen case is taken from the bag with the arched eyebrow, “wait till you see this one!”
Often followed by a succession of showing and telling and maybe even some quiet and happy journaling.
Helping out on the show floor
Something I started doing a few years ago is helping out at a vendor table. Rick Propas at “the PENguin” helped me into my first vintage Pelikan at my first pen show— in 2014? It was a lovely 140 with a delightful flexible nib. Pelikans are my brand favorite pen, and I had become a repeat customer, so when I heard that Rick was looking for help at his table, it was an easy choice to sign up. Going from customer to helper is interesting, and I have learned a lot over the past few years just by showing up. I also love talking about the pens and interacting with the show attendees.
Fun new items
At first I thoguht that working for a vendor would “save me” from spending my hard-earned cash rampantly at the show, but of course that is not true. There is always time to roam around myself, and sometimes helpful friends will get something for me if I can’t get away at the right time. This year my budget was fairly lean, and i did a great job of getting only special items that I will enjoy and treasure without a flamboyant overspending spree.
Teaching Inkwash Workshop and Method to Madness classes
Teaching classes at the show is meaningful and fun. I get to share practices, tools and ideas that are important to me with my community, and as an added bonus, meet the delightful people that are my students. It is a quiet space for reflection and focus away from the intensity of the show floor. I’ve realized that I want to do this more frequently than once a year at the show. There are a few ways that I can do this and I have ideas to put in place. For now, the classes are offered at the show.
Extreme Silliness
What do you do when your dinner spot is near a strikingly colored but quasi-abandoned warehouse? Spontaneous fashion shoot, obvi. My friend Elizabeth had found a pen case that matched her outfit to a tee, and my “still salty” enamel pin matched me to a tee. We caught the tail end of “golden hour” for our shoot and then had a really great meal.
Going Home
I live about 70 miles south of where the show has been held, and I have a tradition during the drive home. The tradition is that I have an involuntary and completely natural easy wide grin on my face. What a joy my pen show experience is.
