We do a show in Ohio that at one time had at one time carried a reputation of being one of the better shows featuring quality art and Appalachian handcrafts. The show is in central ohio, in one of the poorest counties, but draws from about 100 mile radius, including Wheeling, Marietta, Dayton, Columbus, cleveland. It's always a good show for us, in spite of some of the frustrations like a presence of buy sell jewelry, African baskets, and a booth dedicated to colorful dog collars. But this weekend we had a number of rude and stupid comments made.
So an older couple spent a long time chatting with the artist next door to us about their art, and how they are not exhibiting at this show even though it's home town to them. Their photos of woodworking, turned bowls and such were lovely. When they stopped in my booth I thought to extend the conversation and suggest a few nicer shows we are aware of. Then it happened. The woman said " what makes you think you would ever make any money in this county. The people are poor and they can't afford your work." Wow, glad they don't work for their tourism promotions with that attitude. I tried to explain that the majority of the buyers were not local. In fact we had several customers drive the 2 hours from Cleveland to make it a weekend. Same with several patrons from wheeling. And we began asking folks where they were from... 80% of the patrons came from outside that immediate area. This confirmed our theory about who spends money at that show.
the second thing I ran into was people wanting to take a photo of my work because they want to go home and make it. I generally don't fuss about photos but with that one I tried to engage her and suggest she support artists that make a living from their work. She was not having that, and flat out told me she would not pay my prices. This was not my tribe. Honestly my prices are on the lower side of the market rate.
what's my point in this post? It all starts with mindset and knowing your market. And the important thing to remember is there will always be insecure and uneducated people. It's up to us to keep our mindset and not let stupidityto cloud our thinking.
does anyone else have this happen to them?
Replies
Regarding people taking photos — you're completely within your rights to say no. Whether it’s a painting, a sculpture, or a photograph, your display is your intellectual property, and just because it's in a public space doesn't mean it's free for the taking. Some of these folks don’t realize (or don’t care) that taking a photo can mean duplicating your concept or technique without compensating you for it — they could even print or share it without permission.
It’s okay to set boundaries firmly and professionally. A simple, calm “I’m sorry, but I don’t allow photos of my work” is enough. Most people will respect that — and if they don’t, that says more about them than it does about you. Having a small, visible “No Photography Please” sign can also take the edge off repeated confrontations and set the tone right away. (As a Fine Art Photographer - I do this myself with {2} 5x5" signs I had made up on sturdy 2mm backing styrene backing)
We all deal with those oddball comments or dismissive attitudes from time to time. I follow a great YouTube channel where the guy calls them "Goat herders", those random "@$$#0le$ that stop just to get your goat.. But as you said, mindset matters. Stay focused on your real collectors and supporters — the ones who see the value in what you do.