Has anyone else ever been faced with the following situation? For me, 2012 was not a good year. I didn't get into several shows I applied to, I selected a couple of real dogs and, I had a couple of rather nice surprises. However, I'm not going into 2013 with a nest-egg that would support General Motors! And, now, with no impressive amount of money, it seems I'm being invited to every show to which I apply. Wouldn't yo know! I had hoped for a trip through Florida in the Spring and have been accepted into
Winter Park, Naples National, Gasprilla, Under the Oaks and Arti Gras but it would cost me $5000 to make a trip. I realize I might triple my investment but, unfortunately, if you want to dance, you have to pay the band --- up-front.
Think I'll just stay home and start doing flea-markets!
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Don, I definitely know how you feel. I actually live in Orlando so travel expenses for me are usually not too bad unless it is to the pan handle or far south Florida. However, after doing five shows here this fall where I basically broke even, I am to a point where I am about ready to quit doing shows altogether. Even though my most recent work has gotten a better response than anything else I have exhibited before, the sales just aren't materializing to a degree where I can overcome the cost associated with exhibiting. It is far too much work to be getting little to no return. I feel like my time and money would better be spent pushing internet sales.
You do certainly have an impressive lineup of shows though. I applied to all of those shows except Vero and only got into Artigras and wait listed for Naples National. I know I would definitely do Winter Park if I had gotten in. I don't know of anyone that I have ever talked to that did badly at that show.
To Nels - Ouch! Sorry, lesson learned. To Larry - Thank you for your chivalry and pragmatism.
I remember a story from some course in my college days that one of the old masters (I long ago forgot who) was told by his mentor that creations are are worthless. Your not an artist until someone wants to buy your work. We CREATE to VEND or we have a house full of worthless junk.
To Daniel and Lulu. Maybe if you had talked to some real "artists" rather than "vendors" you might have gotten a new perspective. As it has been pointed out many times on this site: We don't VEND, We CREATE.
You got into some very good shows. Go. If you dont you will forever be kicking yourself after talking to friends who had tremendous sales or seeing the great writups about the show in S.A. or this site. If you end up barely making expenses you can consider it a Florida winter vacation, and then seriously consider the future, the economy, your work , curent expenses , fiscal cliffs, end of the world , and terriosits hitting the statue of liberty with a missle. . But for now your in some damn good shows to start 2013 and people making 1/2 million on Wall Street dont know what the next 6 months will bring.
Hope you are not serious about flea markets. One angle which has been very good for me is gift shops. I give a 20% discount maximum for a $1,500 minimum purchase of small original simple paintings. The discount is less than the booth fee and expenses of any show. I know , most shops want 40 to 50% but there not who I deal with.
Don, I am not upset at you, one can only try their best and do whats right for themselves.Last year I applied to a show and payed booth fee and decided it would only cost me more in the long run to do this show which was travel and expenses so I bailed out. This happens, you hedge your bet and do the best you can. I am staying closer to home this year as there are quite a few shows in the Atlanta area,. This keeps my cost to gas and booth fee. I have created a totally new body of work then I used to show so here is hoping that it is well received. So, now I have two totally different bodies of work in which to enter shows. I can now gear it to particular regional tastes. I hate to tell ya'll we started to go over that cliff 4 years ago. Keep the faith as I have faith in my abilities and paintings.
Hello Jim ,I stopped in your booth in Westlake Oh.(I know long time ago June lol ) to thank for your Chicago advice hope the summer went well for you .Geoff like your advice on pricing personally doing the majority of my shows in Fla.where I have found after Chicago this summer not much pricing power in Fla. only in select shows ,which kind of gets to what I came on here for .I did Palm Harbor this weekend nicely run show this was my first year didn't do well.I had a couple in my booth who purchased that stated this was their 3rd art show this weekend .The saturation of shows in Florida is almost out of hand now Paragon and a couple of smaller promoters are doing more shows here this winter .I know some are art and some are art and craft but to the general public its tents with stuff in it. I mean how many shows can you have before people are coming for a walk in the park and are just bought out .
No, Michelle. I'm not serious about doing flea markets. I'd just about rather stay at home and rake leaves! For me, St. James Court turned out to be one of the worst 2 or 3 shows I've ever done. Then, a month later, I did a much smaller show much nearer to home and made about 6 times more than I made at St. James. You just never know. But, no, there will be no flea-markets!
wow Don. Are you serious about doing flea markets? I just came out of a dog of a show myself but I dont think I would consider that option. Ive had one better than usual show (in October) and then immediately afterwards (in Nov) had a WTF horrible show. I dont think there is an explanation that makes sense to me so I'm not going to analyze it. Nancy, Im joining you in Florida for 2013. Glad you have the optimistic 'no doom and gloom' statelment there!:)
Guys, I agree with all of you. And, Richard, you make a good point. Maybe we could get the shows to start paying us and they could make their income off Cokes and hotdogs. Believe me, being "accepted to every show I apply to" is not a typical thing. I had a stroke of luck with Florida that surprised me more than anyone else. Haven't heard from Cherry Creek, Kansas City, St. Louis and a few others yet. We'll see how long my "streak" continues! Come to think of, it ended with Fort Worth so, I'm back on my game! Matter of fact, Ft. Worth screwed ME because I live in Ft. Worth. Think of the money I could have saved - and, thus, made!
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