Call for Artists, Making Money at Juried Art Fairs, Craft Shows and Festivals
Port Washington Fish Day is a bust for me
Of course Port Washington is a small city just north of Milwaukee.
This is a community festival. The arts and craft show was on July 17.
All the mechanics, loading, organization, etc were great. But....
A hot day. The crowd seemed to be dominated by locals who were just shopping ....as in not buying....just looking.....they liked my art.....but did not seem to have the money to buy it.....also there was a young flavor to the crowd.....whereas a good number of my sales are to 35 to 55 year old people. I am guessing, but it seems like this community festival does not attract enough tourist type people with money from outside the local area. Hence there is not a ton of money spent. All around me, sales were poor or average.....but I admit I just checked with people right next to me....not with some other vendors I could have talked to.
There was a lot of emphasis on the bands.....and the bands were good.....but it seemed like the bands may have distracted people from the vendor area....I do know of a couple of shows that have thier best bands in the evening....and during the fair hours have background music on stage and street musicians in the vendor area......and this helps the vendor sales......but this was not the case at this show.
I did this show about 5 years ago (2005) .....and made double what I made this year. (2010). So for me, this show was a bust. Sure I made some money.....but next year, Ill be in Eagle River......One DAVEY out of 5.
-
Comment by Paul Zerjay on July 30, 2010 at 5:59am -
Maybe if you had more originals with you...
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 6:59am -
Port Washington is an arts and crafts show with some buy and sell....and like I said people with money were not there.
Paul, do me a favor and read my recent post on Appleton Art in the Park show started by Colin Murray.......your idea of painters selling originals instead prints is a total joke to most of the people who paint and were at this Appleton fine art show, most certainly one of the top ten fine art shows here in Wisconsin......and these painters at Appleton are some of the top painters here in Wisconsin....I know many of them personnally
-
Comment by Munks on July 30, 2010 at 10:55am -
Oh, I didn't realize that some of the top painters in Wisconsin felt that way!
Well, I'm sold on prints now! Count me as a convert! Somebody get me a printer!!!! And some of that ink too!!!!! I'm gonna print my way to a laid-back & comfortable retirement!! Those trailblazers in Wisconsin have cleared the path for the rest of us still using brushes and canvas!!!
I'm a believer now!!! I believe!
Hey wait a minute! The best painter I know in Wisconsin (Kathleen Murphy Willer - she is outstanding!) Paints only originals and she is rocking!! I may have to re-think my conversion. Since I'm going to let what other artists in Wisconsin do with their careers influence my own, I am now in the midst of a self-doubting conflict.
(No I'm not.)
By the way, if the top painters in Wisconsin all said they were going to jump off a cliff - would you join them?
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 5:55pm
-
Lol....make up your mind before you jump off the cliff......lol
Lol.....or if all the non painters were going to jump off a cliff, would you join them....lol
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 5:56pm
-
Seriously, Munks......dont take my word for the prints thing......go and talk to some painters at any major art show.....most of us just sell prints.
-
Comment by Munks on July 30, 2010 at 6:20pm
-
Ha! There are some who would like to push me off of one!
Seriously, I was just using the old mother's line that we've all heard - or should have.
I do talk to painters at major art shows. I've been at a few from time to time as well. I'm from a different perspective. One of my biggest nightmares would be (outside of waking up in a locked room full of "Fobots") would be for a customer of mine to call me up and tell me he or she went to dinner at someone's house and sat under a piece of art that came from me and looks just like theirs. I want all my patrons to have a unique piece of art as long as they are willing to pay me for it - I will never cheapen their investment by selling prints.
You have your opinion David, and I have mine.
The only difference is I'm right, but I respect your right to be wrong.
Have a good one!
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 6:40pm
-
I dont know what "Fobots" are.....
I want my patrons to each have a prints of my best works......sort of like all the art lovers who have prints of Monet works.....of course I dont pretend to be at Monet's level.....this is just an analogy.
You have an opinion.......and most painters have a different opinion.....and I respect your minority opinion among us painters.
-
Comment by Munks on July 30, 2010 at 6:47pm
-
(Smiling)
Hey Holly!
Why don't you quit your damned lurking and come out and help me with these people?
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 6:50pm
-
Well call her up.....she may not be on
-
Comment by David Hipwell on July 30, 2010 at 6:51pm
-
lol
Free Email Updates!
Click for Art Fair Insiders Blog updates automatically by EMAIL (free)!
SPECIAL OFFER:
Ready to Make Money at Art Fairs?
Here are answers from Connie Mettler, Publisher of ArtFairInsiders.com: Special Report I:
17 Secrets to Success at Art Fairs and
Special Report II: Getting Into Art Fairs - 20 Questions Answered
Download these ebooks now in a special package deal: Only $24.95!
For more information...
© 2012 Created by Connie Mettler.
You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!
Join Art Fair Insiders