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  • Christine Hauber August 1, 2011 at 11:00pm

    My 63 year old mom helped me with my first year of shows I did six shows in different states and it was great having her around. I had bought a used Trimline and it took the two of us about four hours to set up and three hours to break down. It was difficult work to say the least.  Before the start of the following year, she quit. (not that I could ever pay her anyway) She came right out and said, "no way, I am not going to do that anymore".  Now if I was just to to a show in a really awesome spot like Hawaii, I bet I could talk her into helping again.

     

  • diana prickett July 26, 2011 at 7:35am
    Awesome guys, thanks for your input. I just was accepted into a juried show and it is really my first Big show. They called me yesterday and asked if they could use my art images for promotional purposes for the show! I jumped on that, talk about an ego boost...
  • Chris Hoyt July 12, 2011 at 7:11am

    Let's see. May something, 1980. A church show in Whippany, Nj. My wife dragged me there to help her set up. Not much else to do so I sat there behind a table outdoors. Since this was BC (Before canopies) I think we, along with a number of others, had a beach umbrella.

    I made twenty bucks.

    But something 'clicked". (Diane says 'snapped') and I realized something  was actually possible. And that was to be able to make money doing something enjoyable.

    We did more shows. We made a lot of mistakes. But we learned just by observing the "pros".  We learned some more. And in 1987 we purchased a canopy. A KD for $700. I still use it to this day. Outdoor shows! Multi day shows!

    In 1994 I was making just as much at my "part time business" as I was at my full time job. So I quit my job to do this full time.

    I never looked back. Best decision I ever made.

    • diana prickett > Chris Hoyt July 12, 2011 at 8:46am
      That is so awesome,I hope to do that as well. I love all your stories.
      • Sondra Maryon > diana prickett July 25, 2011 at 9:29pm
        My first show was a small show put on by the now defunct Southeastern Michigan Mudslingers.  I was a new potter and my teacher encouraged me to join the group and participate in the show.  Surprisingly, my sales were good.  The next day I got an e-mail from a customer who asked if I would do a private show for her and some of her friends.  My instructor and I set up our pottery at my house.  We both sold a lot.  One of the ladies who stopped by owned a gift shop and asked to sell my work in her store.  It was just the ego boost I needed to think, "Ok, I can do this."  I've been doing shows about five years now and even though it's a lot of work, I enjoy it immensely.
  • Larry Berman July 11, 2011 at 4:48pm
    Nowadays there really isn't a first because you can live through everyone's experiences on the forums. Years ago when I started we used horse drawn cart to transport our art to market. It's much easier now. It took me years to get nervous about how a show would go because it took years to understand the potential.

    Larry Berman
    412-767-8644
    • Chris Hoyt > Larry Berman July 27, 2011 at 7:30am

      Larry,

      When you think about it, we actually did all this without computers or cell phones!

      To many folks here, those really were the dark ages!

      • Larry Berman > Chris Hoyt July 27, 2011 at 7:35am
        The more comfortable you become with the technology, the more you realize that it allows you to more in less time. I remember doing shows and having to find the nearest pay phone, just like having to find the nearest bathroom. Though technology hasn't done much to help us find clean bathrooms, or any bathrooms for that matter.

        Larry Berman
        http://BermanGraphics.com
        412-401-8100
    • geri a. wegner > Larry Berman July 26, 2011 at 9:18pm
      And you had to go uphill both ways?
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