A couple of years ago, I drove to Houston to see author Patti Digh at a bookstore. She was on tour, promoting her book, Creative is a Verb. Although not what I usually consider “in the area,” Houston was the closest tour stop and so I decided to head on out to the Big City (as I call Houston) to see Patti. I picked up my friend, Judy, in Brenham and off we went.

I have three pieces of artwork in two of Patti’s books (Four Word Self Help and Creative is a Verb), and she had requested that people bring their artwork so she could see them in person. Woo-hoo! This meant that I was also “on tour” with my artwork.

Actually, I go “on tour” all the time. My tours are nothing like Patti’s (or any other author or artist, for that matter). I don’t go out of town and I don’t have anything for sale. My tours are self-arranged and self-promoted and are limited to the people I can hunt down at the office work with.

I’m an early bird and often the first one to park in the garage and the first one in the office (sometimes before 6:00 a.m.). But as a true artist, I don’t let that little detail get in my way. I start my tour right away, before I even get to my desk. First stop is the security officer. “Ben,” I say, “look what I have!”

Carpenter’s Star, arranged

No matter what I bring in, a 4×6 quilted postcard, a watercolor or acrylic painting, a quilt top, Zentangle envelopes, pillowcases, table runners, miniature art quilts, pencil drawings, blouses, wallets, or tote bags, Ben is appropriately appreciate. I cannot tell you how good it is to start a tour with a positive reception; it makes all the difference in the world.

I then have a break in my tour schedule, as I wait for my office mates to trickle in over the next few hours. I check the clock regularly, gauging how much time they need to settle in before I show up at their cubicle with my stock statement, “I have show and tell!”

Look! I’m an artist!

When it’s time, I announce — to no one in particular — that I’m going “on tour.” My scheduled stops include my division director, several department heads, all the administrative assistants on my floor, the credit union lady, a few more security officers, as well as my quilting block-of-the-month cohorts.

Once I’ve exhausted the captive audiences in my building, I head on over to the annex for three more floors of potential artwork admirers. I usually take the catwalk between the main and annex buildings and anyone standing in the catwalk taking a break gets drawn involuntarily into my showing and telling. The same goes for anyone who gets on an elevator with me: I consider them fair game.

Dragonfly postcard

It has happened, on occasion, that I’ve been on tour right before a meeting and didn’t have time to take that day’s masterpiece back to my desk. No problem — for me, at least — as I take the artwork with me. Ah, a new audience. As they arrive, I tell the meeting attendees, “This will only take a minute,” and then I show them.

Sometimes I’ve been lucky enough to have appointments away from work on show-and-tell days. After I sign in, I bring out my artwork to share. My dentist’s office (the receptionist, dentist, dental assistant and hygienist), my physical therapist and his assistants, I make sure to include them all.

No one, but no one, is safe from me when I have show and tell.