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  • We've sworn off summer shows since we don't like the heat. It's a shame since so many good shows are smack in the middle of the hot weather. We've always done big spring and fall tours with a few winter and summer shows thrown in since there are so many good ones held during our "off seasons". Maybe if we get an RV we'll be more inclined to brave summertime.

     

    Richard, we live at Wyoming and almost never come to Colorado. I just can't imagine paying the booth fee for Cherry Creek and then swealtering in the hottest sun of the year. And the Colorado impressionism craze makes us think twice about doing other shows as well. We're tight realism. Estes Park might be a good place since it's close to us. Forget Fort Collins and Loveland, we just don't do well there. But do anyone?

    • I for one hate the heat!

      The ceiling in the canopy helps a lot, but if I don't do summer shows, I have no money.

      • Did you see the video I did at Ann Arbor last summer? Sharon Johnston had a ceiling in her booth that looked great. I'd never seen that before.

      • Yep, deal breaker...

    • Ditto Barrie. Taste of Ft. Collins - ugh! Never applied to Loveland. Windsor is one to watch. The town is doing everything right for artists except drawing in the buyers. No show this year.
      • Thanks for the tip, Richard. Lack of buyers is what happens to anything art related at Fort Collins where we're concerned. What about Frisco? Someone said YOU GOTTA DO THAT. Is that a Howard Alan event, or is his a different show? Gosh, it's a long way up that hill!

         

        Maybe we should try Park City again? I dunno. I got pretty disgusted the only year we did their how. Artist check-in took place inside Kimball Art Center the day after they hosted an enormous fine art auction of high-end work by western themed artists. I'm certain the event grossed a quarter-of-a-million dollars or thereabouts. So will those happy patrons be buying at the outdoor street venue? Probably not. We had fun at Park City, but I didn't go there for a vacation. I think the auction is an annual fund raiser.

         

        We've often thought about other western states venues and even done a few at Montana. The hottest show we've ever done was at Billings in early July. 104F. Low humidity, but so what. We were in the shade, but so what. Then we did one at Missoula in August, but that wasn't terrible heat. They just aren't great shows and booth fees are higher. None of the western states shows have awards and if they do, no prizes worth getting or mentioning. I hope I don't seem ungrateful, I'm just used to Florida shows. I really do go to shows to sell art. That's my main goal. My second goal is an award since if I don't sell an original, I might have a good-sized award check to mail home to the bank.

        • Thanks for sharing, Barrie...the heat would do me in too, I'm afraid.  Spring and Fall shows sound more appealing unless you're in the mountains or somewhere...

  • I'm looking forward to doing Staunton this year.  It was one of my best shows last year and my husband is going to come over on Sunday and then we will go trailing / photographing on Monday and Tuesday.  I even scored a hotel room with a whirlpool.  I'm also looking forward to Virginia Beach.  What's not to love about 4 days on the beach with a beachfront room.  The hotel room is hideously expensive but it makes the show so much easier to do.

    • Sounds lovely, Alison, I hope you do well enough at the show to defray the cost of the hotel a little bit...enjoy!

  • My annual trek to Gloucester, Massachusetts. It's a show right on the harbor and I can open the back of my tent and watch the lobstermen pull up tonight's dinner. And there are always a couple schooners sailing the harbor too.

    We sometimes stay an extra day or two and go on a whale watch or visit the artist colonies in the area.

    Sales? The show pays for our vacation.

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