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What Don't We See Anymore?

Posted by Chris Hoyt on June 24, 2015 at 7:03am in Art Show Information and Discussions

For a lot of the old timers here, think back to the shows you've done and think about what you don't see anymore.

I thought about it and two things come to mind. One is floor cloths. I used to see artists who made anything from small mats to 9x12 floor cloths. They had whatever the artist wanted on them from modern to stencils. There was always one at every better show and they looked like they were doing well. If anything was considered "useful art" these were it. But they all disappeared about 5 years ago.

Another are basket makers. These exhibitors were a mainstay at all the shows. Many were weaving at the show to prove what was in their booth was made by them, and they were always of good quality and although higher priced, they would last for years. Here in New England there was always a weaver who had some Nantucket Baskets and at $250+ each almost always sold every one. Now I only see one basket maker at the shows I do.

What don't you see anymore?

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  • Christina L. Towell July 1, 2015 at 9:10am

    Yes, I was going to mention weavers who make rugs, table runners and placemats...always loved seeing those at shows.  I also just welcomed a mosaic artist to the site, it seems there might not be too many of those around either these days...

  • Karl Wertanen June 30, 2015 at 6:55am
    Sorry I accidentally hit the send button. anyway, I do not see silhouette artists anywhere anymore.
  • Karl Wertanen June 30, 2015 at 6:53am
    When I was young I would go to the different art fairs in Michigan to help out my grandpa (as much as a 7-10 year old could). He was a Silhouette artist.people would sit down on the stool and he would cut their side profiles in maybe 5-10 minutes.
    • Connie Mettler > Karl Wertanen June 30, 2015 at 10:08am

      I know who that is ... if I could just remember his name, Chuck ______. Think he is in Florida these days.

      Another art missing is paper cutting, or schnerenschitten (sp?)

      • Robert Wallis > Connie Mettler June 30, 2015 at 11:21am
        Lou Hii still does Chinese paper cuts, intricate with multiple layers. He mentions there are several others doing paper cuts although not many.
        • Connie Mettler > Robert Wallis June 30, 2015 at 2:37pm

          Right. I forgot about Lou, amazing work (and I own some of them.) 

  • Kathleen V. Smith June 26, 2015 at 2:56am

    STAINED GLASS KALEIDOSCOPES!  I have always loved them, & even tho I've done Stained Glass since 1980, I STILL haven't perfected them. (something to work on).  I have seen a nice, but kinda simple one at a recent show, but that's it!  The Kaleidoscope Convention was this year at the same time our Spring Art at Old Orchard Fair in Skokie was on, & the Artists were all pretty much there!  Next year the Convention will be at a different time, so I expect to have a very Kaleidoscope Artist, & am excited about that!  I also haven't seen leather "vests & jackets~hand- tooled or painted" like I used to see at the Minnesota Renaissance Fair.  Maybe I'll have to go to the Ren Faires to get another one!!

  • Richard L. Sherer June 25, 2015 at 1:29pm

    The last broom maker I saw was at Crested Butte in the '90s. He was from Gunnison, CO. Jean and her twin sister bought brooms and we had fun with all the Harry Potter related comments about them parking their "Nimbus 29000(?)" in the condo. The last time I saw any braided rawhide, hitched horsehair, bits, spurs or hand engraved silver at a show was at Michael Martin Murphy's West Fest, Copper Mountain CO in the early '90's. But, wow what some guys in Brazil are doing with braided rawhide and hair just for everyday using gear is fantastic. I haven't been able to figure out if their repousse silver work is new or antique. They are Facebook friends, but stuff gets lost in translating rural Portuguese.  

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