"Right, so I'm not so keen on coming to visit you guys now.... (until I forget, which as I'm growing older seems to take less and less time!)"
Call for Artists, Making Money at Juried Art Fairs, Craft Shows and Festivals
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Ruth Finkenbiner
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- Auburn, WA
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- Jewelry
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Ruth Finkenbiner's Groups
Ruth Finkenbiner's Discussions
Shooting at a festival. Are we crazy???
Started this discussion. Last reply by Annette Piper 12 hours ago. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Yes, that was the question of this past weekend asked by our friends and family. We participated in NW Folklife for the 4th year in a row and for the 2nd time in 5 years there was a shooting at the…Continue
Another online jury system - Online Juried Shows
Started this discussion. Last reply by Lisa Foster Mar 31. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Just found out that one of our shows is using yet another online system, anyone have experience with this one or know if images formatted for ZAPP will work? …Continue
Shows frequented by Snowbirds - Spring or Fall - which is better?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Geoff Coe Feb 2. 4 Replies 0 Likes
If we were planning a trip south for shows and could only do either the spring or fall shows in the destinations popular to "Snowbirds" in either AZ or FL, any advice on whether spring or fall is…Continue
Wind - can you ever be fully prepared?
Started this discussion. Last reply by Ruth Finkenbiner Feb 1. 6 Replies 0 Likes
I saw this posted on another site, just another good reminder on why we need secure booths. However, I'm not sure we can ever be prepared for 90 mph winds. …Continue
Gifts Received (7)
Ruth Finkenbiner's Page
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Profile Information
- Your Medium
- Jewelry
- Years in the Art Fair Business
- 6
- First show ever
- Burien Art Walk
- What is your website?
- http://www.fusionsilver.com
- What are the best things about art fairs
- Great sales to great people
- Best show ever and why
- RAGS - wearable art with great sales and really great artist support
- Worst show ever and why
- SeaTac International Festival, bad sales, trinket show that should never advertise for hand crafted art
- Who referred you to ArtFairInsiders.com? Please be specific.
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Latest Activity
Connie Mettler replied to Ruth Finkenbiner's discussion Shooting at a festival. Are we crazy???
"I can understandyour concern, Ruth, and pretty much agree with you.
We participated in events in the Detroit area for many years. This is a large geographical area but it was the downtown, on the riverfront, area that concerns many residents and you…"
Ruth Finkenbiner replied to Connie Mettler's discussion What are you doing this weekend -- June 1-3?
"Still recovering from a 4 day show over Memorial Day weekend:( No show, restocking our galleries and trying to finish up the custom orders received at the last show."
Ruth Finkenbiner commented on james shelago's group Southwest and Pacific Coast Artists
"Daryl - the 3 shows we have planned for September will be our first CA shows so can't comment if the Mountain View Sept show is better than the spring show. I've heard it's a good show, although load in sounds like a…"
Pauline Haas-Vaughn replied to Ruth Finkenbiner's discussion Shooting at a festival. Are we crazy???
"Honestly, my opinion is that if it happened once I would say "well that can happen anywhere" but the fact that it has happened twice in 5 years would cause more concern for me about it being a risky area/event. Too bad they did not outlaw…"
Ruth Finkenbiner replied to diana prickett's discussion City Arts Dallas two thumbs down!
"I was wondering about this, lived in Dallas for 11 years and never thought it was anything other than a music festival. Fair Park can also be a questionable area of town after dark. We weren't doing shows when we…"
Ruth Finkenbiner commented on james shelago's group Southwest and Pacific Coast Artists
"Just got our acceptance from Mammoth Lakes Labor Day show in CA, so looks like Mammoth Lakes, Mountain View and Mill Valley in September. Looking forward to a sunny road trip to CA! Any of you in this group doing any of those shows? I…"
Annette Piper replied to Ruth Finkenbiner's discussion Shooting at a festival. Are we crazy???
"I'd probably be having second thoughts about attending Ruth, but shootings are pretty rare down here in Australia so I'm not used to hearing about them anywhere that I might be!"
Ruth Finkenbiner posted a discussion
Shooting at a festival. Are we crazy???
Yes, that was the question of this past weekend asked by our friends and family. We participated in NW Folklife for the 4th year in a row and for the 2nd time in 5 years there was a shooting at the Seattle Center during the festival. So now we have concerned friends and family asking why do we keep doing this festival, why don't we find something else to do? Well, as far as festivals on Memorial Day weekend, this is our best option in the Pacific NW for this weekend, for us sales were good,…See More
Ruth Finkenbiner replied to Connie Mettler's discussion What are you doing this weekend -- May 25-28?
"Northwest FolkLife - Seattle Center - This is a huge music/dance/art festival that will run for 4 long days."
Ruth Finkenbiner commented on Judith St. John Peterson's blog post A new smart phone app every artist and crafter can use
"We've been using the Chase app for several months now, love it, especially when we're on the road. We can deposit checks right from the booth, we did have a rather strange reaction from one client when my husband did that while I was…"
Ruth Finkenbiner replied to Nels Johnson's discussion Need help to set up my booth at Columbus on May 31 (Thursday)
"Nels - sorry we can't help but wishing you the best of luck and hoping for improved health.
"
Ruth Finkenbiner replied to Betty Torma's discussion Who is my customer
"Holly - I'm going to have to "agree to disagree" with you on this point. For jewelry, these art and wine events can be lucrative if you have a high quality product. Our jewelry is different forms of woven metal jewelry…"
Jacki Bilsborrow commented on Ruth Finkenbiner's blog post Oregon Road Trip - May 2012 - Astoria, Corvallis, Medford
"It is so nice that many of you all are such great friends and have a great time getting together at the shows. At least you have great memories from your show experiences. I keep thinking things have got to turn around sometime…"
Ruth Finkenbiner commented on Ruth Finkenbiner's blog post Oregon Road Trip - May 2012 - Astoria, Corvallis, Medford
"Joe - LOL - we were just talking about what to do over 4th of July weekend!! Gas prices soaring in WA and OR, we're thinking a weekend at home w/o a show, watching the 4th of July fireworks over Emerald Downs Racetrack from our own…"
Joe Clifton commented on Ruth Finkenbiner's blog post Oregon Road Trip - May 2012 - Astoria, Corvallis, Medford
"Great review Ruth!
The more mature I get (I know it's not older) the more I value the good things in life...Dinner and drinks on the Columbia river with friends, camping with Mackie and the schnauzers, and going to art shows. It…"
Ruth Finkenbiner's Blog
Oregon Road Trip - May 2012 - Astoria, Corvallis, Medford
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 10:25pm 10 Comments 0 Likes
Starting this post off by admitting to a little laziness, but well, my “day job” has been busier than usual lately and since we headed out on our almost 3 week road trip right in the middle of a huge amount of work I haven’t had much time for writing or even thinking about writing lately.
I did review the first of our 3 Oregon shows, Astoria Crab, Seafood and Wine fest, you can read about it here: …
Continue Astoria Oregon - Seafood and Wine Festival - April 2012
Posted on May 2, 2012 at 1:37pm 10 Comments 2 Likes
This past weekend (April 27-29) we participated in the Astoria Crab, Wine and Art festival for the 3rd time. This is a show put on by the local chamber of commerce and is very well organized with good communication prior to the show. Astoria is a small town in far Northwest Oregon that attracts a lot of tourists who are passing through town on the way to the Oregon beaches. It’s located very close to where the Columbia River dumps into the Pacific Ocean, so seafood and fresh…
Continue RAGS Wearable Art - Tacoma WA 2012
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 1:05pm 6 Comments 0 Likes
RAGS is a wearable art show that benefits the YWCA of Pierce County WA in support of the Domestic Violence and Intervention programs. It is NOT by any stretch of the imagination a “normal” art show. Participants are only those who make wearable art, jewelry and fiber artists being almost 100% majority at this show. It’s a boutique style show, no 10x10 booths, space is very limited. We had a 9 foot long by 3.5 foot deep space to set up our 2 foot wide shelves with limited room to stand…
Continue Common Sense - contingency planning
Posted on January 21, 2012 at 8:08pm 11 Comments 2 Likes
As I write this, we’ve just had power restored after a 37 hour outage due to the Jan 2012 Snow/Ice storm that has hit Seattle and the suburbs and made the national news. Talked and emailed with another artist over the past 2 days who is now thinking they will miss their first show of the year in AZ because they didn’t leave the NW before this stupid winter storm hit. They confided they were freezing in their house without power, needed to get to the store for a few staples and all I could…
ContinueComment Wall (15 comments)
- At 10:08pm on March 21, 2012, Jacki Bilsborrow gave Ruth Finkenbiner a gift…
- At 7:16am on March 19, 2012, Connie Mettler gave Ruth Finkenbiner a gift…
Congrats, Ruth, on winning the Blog Post of the Week Award. Thanks for helping to promote art on the West Coast.
- At 10:57pm on February 20, 2012, Connie Mettler gave Ruth Finkenbiner a gift…
- Thank you, Ruth, for referring Jess Bennett Hogan to Art Fair Insiders. Thanks for being a part of building up our West Coast Contingent.
- At 12:22pm on January 20, 2012, Connie Mettler gave Ruth Finkenbiner a gift…
- Congratulations, Ruth! Many thanks for all of your contributions to this community.
- At 2:43pm on January 19, 2012,
dolly ramot said… I am so sorry that I did not answer your request. I have been so busy in CA with shows and then went to Houston TX for Hannukah and Christmas to be with my daughter. Had a wonderful time in doing shows in CA and it was great. It could have been better in money but it is getting better than what I had in the 2010. But I did do a show every weekend going to Sacramento to San Jose. It also made me really look at what I want to do this year at least I thought I did. I feel that I am in LIMBO. If you ever want to come to Spokane call me you can stay with us {My husband and I} It would be really fun to discuss shows and I really am thinking about doing shows in Seattle.
- At 2:31pm on January 15, 2012, Linda A Shields gave Ruth Finkenbiner a gift…
- At 12:05pm on November 21, 2011,
Lucia Friedericy said… Hi--it was so nice to meet you! Hope you were awake for your 6 a.m. meeting. We're flying home today to Pasadena and then off to the One of a Kind show in Chicago next week.
take care, Lucia
- At 2:21pm on August 17, 2011,
Joe Clifton said… Hi Ruth,
I just found a question that you asked me back in May. Not sure how I missed it but here is the answer to this:Hi Joe - was just searching for various shows and came across this thread. We live in the Seattle area and are considering longer road trips for 2012 in the spring and fall, tired of doing shows in rain.
Any input on shows in October including: Monrovia Celebrate the Arts, Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival or Campbell Oktoberfest?
Pacific Fine Arts is not accepting any new jewelry artstis so that eliminates several potential shows for us.
BTW, I saw your comment that your summer home is in Vancouver WA, any good shows in that city? I've never been able to find anything that looked promising.
There are three general shows that I can think of the Portland/Vancouver area:
Salem, Art in the Pearl, and Sandy Mountain Days. Art in the Pearl is the toughest to get into with Salem being second. Sandy is the easiest to get into and I did it for three years. Set up and tear down can be a real bear. It's in a mountain park in Sandy, Oregon, and booths are scattered along the one way road, and at various locations in the trees. It's been about five years since I've done it and after I had to cart about a half mile to my rig I said no more. Sales were ok but nothing great. I spend early July in California and then Bellevue at Month's end.
Half Moon Bay is a good show but best to try and connect it with one of the other shows in that area. Danville is a nice choice the weekend after but sales normally would be about Half Moon Bay, but I'm already there and spend great times with long-time artist friends.
Not sure anything about Monrovia or Campbell.
This fall we'll be back in California.
Joe
- At 3:06pm on July 25, 2011,
steve appel said… / June 2012 in Northern CA:
El Dorado Art & Wine Affair- do not know Berryessa Art & Wine Festival- heard of it but do not know Los Altos Art Festival- was terrible this year Art on the Main Mountain A La Carte & Art Affaire in the Gardens- very hard to get into
Patterson Apricot Fiesta Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival i heard it was a good show Novto Festival of Art, Wine and Music don't know Hermosa Beach Art Walk- i think it was after the memorial day show which was awful Live Oak Park Fair hard to set up on a grassy hill Danville Fine Arts Fair could be real hot who is running it Marin Arts Festival-- don't know i think you have to be a resident of calif.
friend went to folklife and said arts and crafts were there. i guess i could go next year but need to know who promoter is.
Any you think we should avoid at all costs or any you recommend?
- At 12:31am on July 25, 2011, steve appel said…
- If i can help i will, I used to do calif shows about 15 years ago. just got back into calif. La Jalla was a decent show but if i lived where you did i would not drive to it. It was one of the cleanest shows i have been to in awhile. I would like to do it next year but depends if i get into Utah Arts Festival. Have you considered Boise ID, or Salem, The one good show in AZ i think is Tempe in dec. I only live 100 away but i used to do when i lived in S. Calif and it was a great show. I do know a photographer who drives down from WA and he does real well. What shows are you consider doing in Calif. I heard bumbershoot is a decent show up where you are.
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