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Finally, a great show to write about.

When I say "great show" I am not just talking about my results; I am talking about an overall consensus of exhibitors at a given show.  This year was a great one at Madison.

I had not been back to Madison for at least eight years.  In the 80's and 90's I was a regular there--and we always "killed them there."

I had heard from a lot of people that the 2014 show was a big disappointment, there was a lot of grumbling about low sales.

Since I didn't get into Krasl, Madison was my next pick.

On the week before Ann Arbor there are a lot of shows to pick from--State College, Corn Hill, Cain Park, Art in the Park, Plymouth,Royal Oak and of course Madison and Krasl.

One nice thing about the 2016 date for Ann Arbor, is that we will have one more day to catch a breath before setup.  Yep, setup will be on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.  A little breathing room.

This year I raced around Chicago, back from Madison, dropped off stuff, and piled more stuff in the van for Ann Arbor (lights, cords, special tables, AA is such a bitch for setup).  I barely kissed my wife hello and goodbye, and I was racing off to Ann Arbor Monday nite, with an early morn setup in the Guild show on Tuesday.  It is not fun.  Too much stress.  Next year will be a lot nicer.

So here is a little background about Madison.  Glean what insights you can.

First off, it is a Friday eve setup with the show on Sat-Sun.

Your booth is eight feet out in the street and then the last two feet are above a curb on sidewalk behind.  That is the setup for everyone.  Blame the Fire Dept.  They are good guys, they just need room to get the engines down the street in an emergency.

You want to be ready early on Sat. morn.  Show starts at 10 AM, but they are buying at 8 AM.  Reason: there is a farmers market nearby,everybody comes early.  So be pretty well setup on Friday nite.

There are a billion places to get good coffee there on Sat. morn, also plenty of eating places are open.  Otherwise stock up at the grocery store nite before.

They barely give you any room side to side unless you have a corner booth.  You got plenty room behind for an awning and storage.

It is a big college town and the center for government in the state--plenty of young people--and yikes!  they have disposable income.

They buy traditional, but they also embrace new and daring.  Anybody can sell here, especially with good work.

My black and white hand-colors of pop art figures flew off the walls here.  It has been my best show this summer--with plentiful sales in the $150-$200 range.

I saw a lot of the heavy hitters on the circuit here.  They must know something.

On one corner of the show (it is on the square surrounding the state capitol) there were two heavyweight fighters going at it--it was like Ali against Frazier.

You had photographer John Scanlan on the inside corner, and you had the legendary Emerson on the opposite side.  Emerson was throwing stabs of Asia at them, Scanlan was counter-punching on the hillsides of Burgundy.  It was an artful bloodbath, I saw numerous packages festooned with their signatures traipsing by me all show.  Scanlan did allow he had a really good show and would not have to open up the pop corn stand in Iowa on Monday.  Emerson just kept twisting his dred-locks and smiled with the contentment of inner peace and beauty.  It was an epic face-off.  And there were numerous others, besides.

It got hot, but not that hot.  We artfully dodged the expected rain.  I saw tattoos on places I had never seen before.

Traditionally, Saturday is a bigger day for sales here, rather than Sunday.  You could sell $5K on Sat. and only to $1.5 on Sunday--so don't be surprised.

Setup and teardown are very orderly, everybody gets out in no time at all.

Lastly, this is a fantastic town to wine, drink and dine in.  There is a restaurant of every nationality you can think of.  There are a million micro-brew bars here.  You could drink here ten days in a row and never get through all the good brews here.

My only regret is:  Why are there not 28 other good shows like Madison?

Later gators.

Hey Leben--it is not all gloom and doom--I just report the news as I see it and feel it.  I am really happy for you--it is always great to see success out there.

The other day I witnessed a friend of mine making a hole in one at Clearbrook in Saugatuck.  I was elated for her--plus she bought me a top shelf Makers Mark Manhatten, chilled in a tall martini glass with exquisite vermouth and bitters.  Life is good.