Had to choose between selling my AI art or keeping my dignity at a local craft fair

I set up a booth at the Oak Street Market last Saturday with some prints I made using an AI tool. The lady running the booth next to me, a painter named Sarah, asked if I actually drew them myself. I told her no, and she gave me this look that made me feel like I was two feet tall. I packed up my stuff after an hour, but I still wonder if I should have just lied about it. Has anyone else dealt with that awkward moment at a real life event?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma9611d ago

Yeah, I just leaned into the weirdness and made jokes about it.

colescott11d ago

Thing is, that lady's reaction probably had less to do with you and more to do with her own insecurity about the market changing under her feet. Most traditional artists work for years on technique, and seeing someone skip that grind can feel like a punch to the gut, even if the end result is different. You didn't lose dignity, you just got a front row seat to someone else's fear of being replaced.

colethomas11d ago

Doesn't the market always change though? New tools come along, some people adapt, some don't. That lady's just mad the game moved without her. Can't blame someone for taking a shortcut if the road's right there.