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I am looking for a show the last 2 weeks in March and didn't see much in the show reviews about either, I'd love it if anyone could give me some feedback or suggest another one for this time period in March in Florida. I also wondered about "Mayfaire by the Lake" in May, it looks very interesting. I,m a potter live in FL so none of them are all that far for me. Thanks in advance, Jackie 

Open Letter to Art Show Staff

Dear Art Show Personnel:

Admit it, even the best most forward thinking of you from time to time get lost down the slippery slope of what the jurying process means. Often it's presented as sort of a competition, and believe me, it sure can come across feeling that way from the artist's point of view. But it is healthier for all involved to take a broader view.

As an artist who has participated in many top shows I like to think of this process less as a competition and more as a jury's own creative project; building a beautiful array of excellence. Thus those that aren't included aren't identified as less or inferior but only as better suited to a different collection. See the difference? Better yet, feel the difference?

Respectfully,

Every Artist Who's Submitted an Application to Your Show

A Puzzling Process

The buzz is beginning to be generated for this season's shows - the includes, the excludes, the who's-ins, the who's-outs.....and I just wanted to go on record as saying I handle not being selected (AKA "Being Rejected") by a jury as simply my current body of work not being the perfect piece to the puzzle they're assembling. This frees me up to stay positive about my work and eliminate any need to hold a grudge for any reason. Heck it even lets me celebrate all who do get into a show!

Here's the weird thing about me and my art, last year I was surprised by three awards in three wonderful top notch shows - and while it felt simply amazing to have been so honored, the fact is I don't get it. How can one mindfully, competently and intentionally created body of work possibly be 'judged' as better than another? Isn't this all just a matter of taste?

Oh, sure, some artists create better booth presentations, have better slides and are superior business people when it comes to packaging their ideas, but on some pure level I just can't wrap my head around Art as a Competitive pursuit!

The Real Includes - the Genuine Prizes

Besides these prizes given to me presumably by my peers, I don't think there's any way I can plan nor prepare to repeat any of those this year. You know what winning situations I am looking forward to recreating this summer though? The ones where children came into my booth and spent their own birthday money on an actual piece of art. Yep, happened two times. I wrote about it here.

How do You Philosophize the Jurying Process?

I, and anyone who reads this post, would love to hear your thoughts on this too. I know there's a treasure trove of thoughts and ideas embodied by the various users throughout this site; I'm looking forward to reading some alternate views!

This is my first year of getting back into doing art shows after an almost 20-year hiatus.  As such, I am very much a newbie and relearning the ropes, including what types of shows to watch out for.  Reading the call for artists for the Old Town San Diego Art Fair, I was expecting 20,000 customers to come through  with money to burn.  Oops.  Not so much.  Of course, part of it can be blamed on the fact that gas prices leapt by 40 cents per gallon that very weekend (!) and perhaps a lot of San Diegans were reluctant to get out and about, but I think that my husband's observation of Old Town being a tourist destination was also a valid point.  Many of the artists I spoke with were having a stinker of a show.  A couple of nearby booths seemed to be hauling in the bucks, however.  What I noticed about them was that they had great price points for impulse buys, such as less than $25.  I mention impulse buys because one customer said to me that my prices seemed high for impulse buys, and so I learned something here: tourist destination shows are something very different from shows that people go to specifically to buy art.

The show was organized by two entities: West Coast Artists and the Old Town San Diego chamber of commerce.  The people I met from these groups were VERY nice and helpful at the show, but I had some issues about getting juried into the show: 1) Artists had to pay the usual application fee, but also had to pay the booth fee up front at the time of application.  I had never seen this before, and I didn't like tying up my money, not knowing if I would be accepted.  I would not apply to shows like this in the future unless experienced artists told me directly that the show was worth it.  2) The organizers were very slow in letting me know if I had been accepted.  When I called West Coast artists three weeks before the show to ask about my status, I was told that the Chamber of Commerce people hadn't even sent them my photos yet.  As an out-of-towner, this gave me short notice for being able to arrange lodging and send out announcements to my email list.

I would love to get feedback from seasoned pros about what to look for in shows where the art buyers go, and what to watch out for in the future.  Thanks!

Am working on my show schedule for 2013 and wanted to look at JazzFest.  I have been to their site and looked around on ZAPP for an artist application.  No luck.  Is there some information out there that can help.  I understood JazzFest to be a rather large art event.

April 20-May 27
Lincoln, California
"A clay art show and competition"
Presented by the Art League of Lincoln, CA, a non-profit corporation

Gladding McBean Clay Manufacturing Company
601 7th Street, Lincoln, California
Deadline: Feb. 4, 2013

Jewish Art Federation

Presents

Nelson V. Batin

333 S. 132^nd Street

Omaha, NE 

August 1st through 31^st

Please join us for a unique experience for your home and office. 

Nelson’s dedication allows him to find the reverence and joy in Mother Nature; whether it is in the quietness of a forest, the loveliness of springtime or the beauty of koi in a Hawaiian airport is captured to its fullest with his vivid gifts of color.

This is the second year that I have done the Brainerd, MN Art show.  The setting is nice and set-up is easy and enjoyable.  That seemed to be where it ends, though.  This show is not for artists anymore.  If you do buy/sell, crafts, and crap, you will do well here. 

The attendance was down from last year.  Last year the show was on a Saturday, which I think was much better.  This show was on Sunday, so many that attended were in their church best.  I found I was talking much less to people vs last year, and the crowd was mostly interested in those big bags of popcorn and corn dogs.  It must be like going to a movie, whereas people need something in their hand to mouth.

My sales were a flat ZERO.  Last year was completely opposite, as it was a very good show for me.  I spoke to many other artisans to get a read of the show, and I heard from one jeweler (that I recommended to this show) that she BOMBED!  Sorry.  Another artisan next to me that does wall hangings using wools (nice stuff at good prices) also mentioned that his sales were rather dismal, although he broke even.  I heard the same at most of the booths.  One photographer was also not happy, as he did zero dollars as well.

I did spend some time with a couple that makes wood items like turntables and napkin holders, and they said they were happy with the show.  Their items were nice, but again priced below $100.00.

I think my disappointment with the show is it seemed that it was just "there".  A lot of buy/sell was evident, including the people that do the letters thing, paintings from China, tie dye shirts from overseas, and a lot of crap.  There were also some good crafts and lower priced art, but it was pretty much the same. 

The judges in my mind didn't have a clue what art was, and judging on who won, their was personal reasons for their win.  Congratulations to them, but there were better artists representations there.  I spoke to one person that helped with deciding whether the product was buy/sell or not.  He didn't have a clue.  I saw a minimum of fifteen...that's fifteen vendors with overseas crap.  Being an importer from the past, it is easy to spot.  Obviously the judging crew doesn't have a clue, or they just let people in to fill space.

One other thing that I noticed at this show is that there are women artists that take your time trying to extract information so they can do it themselves.  These people detest me, as it has happened over and again.  To those cheap skates that haven't a creative clue of their own, I'm getting better at spotting them and telling them to get the h*ll out of the booth. 

Anyway, Brainerd, MN will never be on my show list again.  I hope other real artists get the clue.  I know that there are several others that will never show their again either...they will be replaced by another Chinese vendor.

I have been making jewelry for a long time and just starting to do shows.  From research and visiting the shows I want to do, I made some changes to my booth to make it more professional.  However, I lost something in the translation!  It needs something on the walls and some signage.  I also have a problem with my tent...how do you get the sides to be nice and taut?  Or do you just cover them? help/input/comments would be greatly appreciated.  Be honest, I can take it!

I am looking for information on this art show.  It is held in San Jose, CA in September.  Does anyone know if it is going to be held this year?  Any of you west coasters know anything about it? 

I just completed another 2 shows which wraps up my autumn (fall) season.   I usually go into winter hiatus now working and start shows again in spring.   My first was a private school annual fair.  The area is semi rural to rural, lots of horsey people (as in, into horses), horse studs and coal mines nearby where the workers gets paid extremely well so generally a well to do area.  The women are traditional with a little fashion thrown in.

Looking down the "market" lane during set up ... before the crowds arrived.

The market area of the fair has grown substantially over the years - I've been going there for six years now and every year is different.  Four years ago I was in the street all by my lonesome... while there wasn't any other draw to pull them out, I did quite okay - the lack of competition probably helped!   The last three years they've built the booth numbers up and this year there were 57.   About half of these were buy/sell and half handmade.   There were two other people with jewellery in my price range and both also sold other women's goods - eg. scarves and clothes also buy/sell.   There were three other lower end jewellery booths as well- two handmade and one buy/sell.       A lot of handmade children's accessories, some gourmet food products,  womens accessories (not jewellery) and house products.  No art per-se.  Definitely set up with booths aimed at mother's day which was the next day.    Set up was from 6.30am for a 9.30am start, although most people didn't arrive till closer to noon.    You couldn't leave before 3pm although I didn't start to pack up till 4pm when most people had left.    You could drive in and unload /pack adjacent to your booth but had to move your vehicle asap out of the street.

I was in a prime position near the front gate of the school (the market is on the street adjacent to the school entrance) on a corner, and masses of people went by entering the school and looking around.     However I had a the two buy/sell jewellery and women's accessories products close by - one as a neighbour and one a walkway and extra booth away.   My neighbour had a brilliant day going by watching her count out her $50 notes half way through the day!  She probably did twice my sales, but most of that was in brightly coloured Chinese made scarves and wraps.

As it was for a school there were lots of children around, and the day before mothers day I had little girls coming into the booth with $25 asking if I had anything they could buy for mum.   (As an aside,  I haven't had time to check my stock, but I hope there were no light fingers around - I know I stopped one little group of girls (about 9 years old) who I overheard say "there's no one here, I guess we can just take one"!   Then they saw me hovering between my booth and the next (I was minding the neighbour's for a few minutes) and they laughed nervously, got embarrassed and ran off!  My neighbour suspected one of her bracelets was taken by a young girl later in the day. )

There were some mums buying gifts for themselves, and others doing last minute shopping for mum.   And a few bought for themselves.    Lots of lookers, but most carrying bags of some description.   All in all I was pleased with the day's sales -it wasn't mind blowing but it was definitely a good show.  Booth fee was $100 and I comfortably made 10x after expenses.

The second show was a one-off art festival in a remote but known to be "arty" country town about 2 hours drive away.    I was asked by the organiser to attend as she had seen my work somewhere else a few years ago and had kept my card.    I had the option of indoor or outdoor and chose indoor with electricity.  Everyone else had chosen outdoor though and it was with many misgivings after I received the site plan a few days prior that it was just me and an art exhibition in the hall.   I hoped someone would come in to see the art!!  

They wanted people set up from 10.00am but when I arrived at 8.30 there wasn't a soul in the streets.   I stood out there a few minutes in the sunshine (it was a very brisk morning!) and someone drove past and screeched to a halt.  It was the organiser and she wasn't expecting anyone till around 9am as everyone else was at church (which got out at 9am).   She drove away and came back a few minutes later with the keys and told me to set up wherever I liked and dashed off.   We looked at the exhibition and picked a nice sunny spot near a window since it was rather chilly to set up in.  One of the ladies arrived shortly after and so did the other stall holders.   There were 30 booths and what a mixture - local products (eg wine, emu oils, wood), books, good coffee, local lamb for lunch, an artist with her work and painting at the same time, some folk music,  etc.

We had positioned ourselves in amongst the art so that if anyone came through, they would see us.  We found out the art on display was all from the local area and most was for sale - from $30-$850.    This fact brought all my ideal clientele in - rural ladies over 40 -  with some husbands too,  and they sold quite a few pieces of art during the day, (I believe the top price paid was $650) - including one to me!

I had steady sales throughout the day - more sales than the day before, but most of them were of a lower value.   Most were buying for themselves (including a number of the organisers who kept dashing past me) but a couple of younger harried looking mums were cross at not getting a mums day pressie and bought their own!

I did hear that the non-art and non-food people didn't do well at all.  The wind had increased and it stayed cold (but sunny) and this probably impacted on people's spending - they kept their hands warm and in their pockets!    The people who were there came to look at and buy art rather than products it seemed.   Booth fee was a mere $25 so not much to cover in expenses.

After such a good weekend I can now rest happily and gaze at my new painting .

So who's coming to live downunder!?  Buy/sell is rampant but the customers still buy art :)

I've had a busy autumn (fall) with five shows in five weeks in March/April - I was a bit frazzled at the end, considering I'm meant to be a "regular" mum in between the particular days the shows are on.  

Here's a quick rundown with a few quick pics (when I remembered to take the camera!)

I started with a trunk show hosted by a friend in the central coast area of NSW, about 3 1/3 hours drive from home.   We were staying the weekend with the kids and she was kind enough to offer to host the show as so many of her colleagues commented on her jewellery (that I made).   We sent the hubsands and kids to the beach and for a 2 hour period it was flat out - women almost fighting over the same item and afterwards,  the table looked as though someone had grabbed everything and tipped it upside down!  But sales were decent and everyone had fun.

Next was a brand new handmade & homegrown quartlery market in a town called Scone, about 1 3/4hours drive away.  Just a hlaf day and I was invited along.  The night before was wet and wild and I drove there in the early morning dark very worried since it was supposed to be a rather stylish outdoor event.   The organiser valiantly arranged for us to occupy the lovely cafe on the site (with reduced space naturally) if we wanted to stay and I managed to get allocated to a good spot with substantially more room than some (helps when you've drived a fair distance obviously).   My stet up wasn't ideal as I hadn't brought lights which  I always do for indoor shows but I made do, and the customers didn't seem to mind, as they came out in the weather in droves.  I made my first sale (albeit a small one) at 8.30am which for me is unheard of - I don't usually sell any jewellery till after 10am, perhaps people need to be awake to consider a purchase of this type!?   I had a decent day out well worth the trip and gained a few new clients.

The entrance to the cafe

Part of my set up in the cafe.

The following weekend was an ag show at Dunedoo, about 40 min from home.  I've beed doing it for about 5 years now and each year my sales have slowly increased.   Located in the ladies pavillion along with the cakes, handicrafts and art, I have become a regular sight there and people look forward to seeing what I have.   There were 30 odd booths outside as well and 4 others inside the pavillion with me that had been invited by the head steward as being of interest to the "ladies".   This year was mind-blowing in the sales dept, perhaps the good seasons lately have helped and confidence for my rural clientele was up.  Whatever the reason, they bought and kept me busy for the 12 hours  I was open.

I stopped for a couple of minutes on the drive to Dunedoo to take a photo of the paddocks in the early morning

I went a town 40km further along from Dunedoo to another ag show the next weekend, to Mendooran.   A much smaller event I'm the only booth located in the ladies pavillion and have no trading whilst the judging is going on - and this year it went on, and on  and on!   My selling time was reduced to just a few hours because of this and this did impact on sales.   But I still had a good day... until I got a speeding ticket on the way home!  One of those annoying areas that they've kept the speed limit low even though everything has closed down at the edge of town and all houses are on access streets.  Pure revenue raising... but I digress!

The old cafe in Mendooran is covered in murals - a bit of a tourist attraction for this tiny town.

To finish off, I had the Art Vine Makers Market in Mudgee.  This is a yearly event in a town about 100km from home with a large tourism interest (wineries) with lot of people from Sydney visiting on weekends.  Another half day event, it was an early start and I had chosen to go indoors in case of poor weather.   However the weather was spectacular, the people turned out in droves at about 9.30am and I was busy, busy, busy till it suddenly stopped at 1pm.  This was my second year there and I had people seeking me out that had bought from me last year.     Sales were up on last year and the only downside was one pair of earrings that appear to have been stolen as I was the last to pack up indoors and there was definitely nothing on the floor and I've been through all my things looking for them.  A bit disappointing as theft at shows is quite rare here.

The crowd at the Art Vine Market , Mudgee

After all this, I had to go for a holiday to the beach with the kids to recover :)   

Back home now and 2 one day shows to do next weekend, a private school's autumn fair that I have attended for the last 5 years or so, 2 hours drive one way then home and the next day a new Art Festival, 2 1/2 hours drive in a completely different direction.    Perhaps I'll need another holiday after that LOL.  Or maybe I'll just hide for winter!

ARtFest Midwest,The other art show in DesMoines. Did anyone do this show in 2011? I am looking for feedback. I have been accepted to this show and I live in Atlanta. With rising gas prices I am not sure its worth the drive.  I paint florals on canvas and metal ceiling tiles.

I was just in NYC for Thanksgiving, I was so excited because the ONE OF A KIND Show in NYC was supposed to be going on Nov 11-13 and Nov 17-20.This is a show  I had always wanted to see and this time it was finally going to  happen.  NOT!!!  

While at my sisters house in Riverdale NY I double checked the show information online. I   was somewhat surprised to find that the event was not posted consistently throughout the web. Some posts had both weekend dates listed and some posts only listed the November 11-13 date. There was no phone number readily available either but my sister and I  went to the address given.  GUESS WHAT ? NO SHOW! The doorman to the building said the show was canceled. It would have been nice for the sponsors of the show to post it was canceled.  What if I made a special trip to see it.  

In the meantime I remembered that the ACC show was also going on this weekend so we jumped in a cab and off we went. We were going to have our art show experience after all. 

 However and  I hate to say this , (because  I thought one day in  in the future I might want to try to jury in the NY show, since my sister lives there)  the show was not up to standard. My sister and I both felt half of the items displayed in the fair looked as if they could have been at a flea market.  What a disappointment! There were a few artists whose work was noteable, so I was glad to see that, but .... I certainly expected to see great things. It is NYC, after all.  

I asked one exhibitor if she knew what happened to the ONE OF A KIND SHOW, she answered that the booth fees were so high very few people could afford to do it. 
This post address the same subject as the higher booth fees article.  These promoters may just run themselves out of business if this keeps going on. 

Please enjoy the first episode of our new Art Fair Artists' Success Show podcast. 

The premiere episode, "Online Marketing for Artists 101," features an interview with Scott Fox, my son, author, Internet marketing expert and host of his own community that encourages online entrepreneurs, www.ClickMillionaires.com.

Scott has been instrumental in the birthing of my websites and grew up in the art fair business, working for us (my husband Norm Darwish is a photographer), and learning the art fair business by attending more art fairs than he ever hoped to attend.  His inside perspective makes this interview even more compelling and useful to artists.

Listen to the episode here online by clicking on the player widget below.

If you can't see the player widget above, click here to visit the show page at BlogTalkRadio.com.

Click here to download a free MP3 of this podcast to take it with you when you are traveling and share it with your friends. (Right click - Save As to save a copy to your PC's hard drive.)

Listen to this free podcast to learn:

• tips on cheap and easy website building
• email marketing strategies
• building your online "social media" presence
• the online asset artists can build as an "electronic retirement plan"

Many thanks to presenting sponsor EntryThingy.com and FrameDestinations.com for sponsoring this podcast.

This is the first in a planned continuing series of podcasts about the art fair business.

Episode 2 will be a discussion with Amy Amdur and Howard Alan in December.  Please click here to email me your questions for Howard and Amy.

Please click below to "like" and "share" and "+1" this podcast
if you'd like to hear more like it?

Let's hope this show becomes another holiday tradition!

Here are some thoughts :

1)     The Elegant and Central location of the Highland Park Country Club was a superb selection.  The Club itself is beyond lovely and on high traffic roads.  I feel the site and hostess details will be keys to drawing our friends back again and again. On Friday night, there were spotlights circling the inky darkness and trying to draw the Friday Shopper’s attention.  On Saturday and Sunday evening, there was a pianist playing at a baby grand in the entrance way, which set a scene of chic charm as clients made their way into the warmth of free hot chocolate and the laughter of easy conversation. There was an open bar for patrons. But the massive fieldstone fire place, natural wood floors, glitter and gleam of huge chandeliers, entire walls of windows, the circular bricked entrance driveway, heavy linen and silver…..well, they define elegance. It may have been this Art Fairs first year but it will not be the last!  

2)     The crowd was nicely knowledgeable, compellingly friendly, warmly witty and low-keyed affluent. More traffic was needed. I think that comes with time and word-of-mouth…..tradition….etc.

3)     We had free access to electricity and it is my own fault that I did not bring more strobes. Live and learn!

4)     The set up was wonderful. Across from each row of booths were a number of linen clad round tables with a center Christmas decoration where you could take the customer and sit down with them. People could just rest there also.

5)     Amy, as always, treats her artists well: we had a Continental breakfast and hot lunch available with gallons of coffee/soda/water available at all times.

6)     Check In/Out was clean and fast, as usual, at Amdur.                                                         

7)     It was loverly. I hope to see you next year.

8)     We took in over four times our entrance fee, did not have to pay for breakfast or lunch and danced a jig when we got rooms at a 5 star Marriott Suites on Groupon for $49 a night.

9)     It was heatening to hear how many of my clients expect to see me this summer. Wow!

I had fun!

My local art group Mudgee Arts, had its annual Xmas market yesterday. 

The town has a population of about 8000 and is in a winery area so popular with tourists on weekends and holidays.  They have 4 regular monthly markets - a farmer's market in the church grounds in the main street, two anything-you-want-to-sell markets - one in the town park and one in another church near the main street, and a craft group market in the old railway station.    At Easter, in our autumn, Mudgee Arts members join with the Farmer's Market in the church grounds with centre of the street location.  I participated in it this year and along with fabulous weather there were huge tourist crowds and locals out and about.  

For the Xmas market, however, since we often get summer rain/winds and quick storms, they prefer to have it indoors and the only venue currently available is 2 blocks from the centre of town, in a community centre called "the stables" (perhaps it was stables once - its layout is pretty much like it!).  There is a small carpark in front of the building  and if there is fine weather it is blocked off and the members can erect tents there. 

Advertising was for a couple of weeks prior - radio mentions, newspaper advert every paper a week before and the odd sign.   The weather was perfect - for some reason we're in a winter weather pattern at the moment - so it was cool, clear and no more than a light breeze (although it was very windy the day prior).     I had hurt my back the day before so decided a tent would NOT help my back, so stayed with my inside location. 

(NB  All snaps were taken during set up...apologies for the poor images!)

6-7 tents set up out in the carpark although it would have looked a lot better with more - although they were probably limiting numbers people to who could cram inside in inclement weather.   The building had 2 long rooms one in front of the other, with the doors in the centre of the building at the front and between the two rooms.  The first room is quite light and airy with white walls and light flooring, and the second room is brick, carpeted and a little dark but with lots of overhead lighting and a couple of windows.

The mix was crafts and art and I would think at least half of them do this as a sideline/hobby.   Set up time was an hour and a half and the event itself was only 4 hours duration.  Outside we had a fibre artist (majority of felting), a local winery, mosaic, a woman with fabric items - children's dresses, handbags etc, and a candle maker.

First room had a silversmith, lino prints/cards, ceramics, alpaca wool knits, soapmaker, artist (oils), fabric bags and accessories, children's clothing, hair accessories.

Second room had me (jewellery), wine fudge (yep, right next to me - not good for the already burgeoning waistline!), a quilter who also dabbled in pastel drawings, an artist with small acrylic paintings and ink drawings, a crafter with the cutest tea cosies, a photographer with local photographs, mostly on cards/postcards, a knitter with scarves, and another ceramics artist.

Unfortunately it never really got busy, probably not helped by one of the other markets in the church grounds (a anything you like market) being on the same day and closer to town.  Advertising if only briefly seen would have registered 'market' and the date and seeing that one many people would have only gone there.  

Nevertheless, there was a steady trickle of people and for an outing of only 4 open hours and a cost of only $20 (not a money making venture by the group, just to cover the cost of the venue hire) I had 10 sales from $25 to $160.   Unlike recent events, every sale was just a single item and apart from two customers searching for a particular item, every other sale was an impulse buy.  People were just out and about having a look and some weakening and buying!

A couple of the members did OK, one I heard was very happy with their sales, and overall so was I, I guess, even though it was quieter than recent shows - it was only an hour from home and didn't cost much in time or effort to do.

I was pleased to see some art finally - I need to get these people out more LOL.

I made a time lapse video of setting up for a show. Turned out OK for my 1st little movie. It's embedded at the bottom of my tips page.

Enjoy!

http://www.evenbetterimages.com/tips.html

Robin Ragsdale

I stumbled across this information today.  I thought I would share it everyone.  Those of you who usually do this show may already know about the cancelation.  I thought I would pass the news on just in case this may affect any AFI members.

The Marco Island Celebrate the Arts Festival is canceled for 2012:

"After careful consideration by those in charge of the event, it became obvious that it was not feasible to launch Celebrate the Arts this season. Lack of participation and funding required the Arts Center to reluctantly cancel, but it also has opened up an opportunity to focus on other events, workshops and a large fundraiser in February, which will invite the membership to participate in a co-ordinated exhibition off-site. More information will come soon.
Any artist who sent in their application, will be refunded."

This information was taken from the Marco Island Center for the Arts Website.  If you were affected by the lost of this show I hope you are able to fill your schedule with another fine show.

After last week's drama in St. Pete, I was happy to have this show next up on my schedule: A small, 88-artist show that kicks off the fall outdoor festival season in Naples, FL.  Ably run by Marianne Megela of the Naples Art Association  and a large, efficient group of volunteers, this show took place on a T-shaped layout along two streets just east of US 41 (a few blocks east of the better-known shows along 5th Ave. and Cambier Park later in the season).

The show has undergone a name change (it used to be called the Naples Renaissance), but boasted high quality and a wide mix of media: 22 painters, 13 jewelers, 9 ceramics artists, only  7 photographers,  and the rest divided more or less evently among sculptors, wood carvers, leather, glass, mixed media, and digital artists. (There were no awards. )

Setup/teardown and parking couldn't have been easier.  You could arrive anytime after 5 PM on Friday to unload right at your space; each artist had lots of storage space behind their booth, or even to the sides, if you needed it. Parking was in a large grassy lot just across the street from the show venue.  If you wanted to wait until Saturday, as I did, check-in started at 6 AM. 

The show was decently advertised in the Naples News and a local arts magazine (which was also a show sponsor), and most of the folks I spoke with found out about the show that way (Naples is an older population, and they still read newspapers).  There was a curious lack of signage--I saw only a large vehicle equipped with a banner parked at the edge of the show.  I didn't have a chance to ask about that: could be that the city's powers-that-be simply wouldn't allow more. It might have been the $4 "suggested donation" that kept crowds from being heavier.  Or the nearly perfect weather that diverted crowds to boats and beach.  Or maybe Thanksgiving travel sent folks to the airports and I-75 instead of the show.  Whatever the reasons, attendance was moderate on Saturday, and a bit lighter on Sunday.

But this is Naples, land of deep, recession-proof pockets.  So by show's end it didn't seem to matter that much, at least among the folks I spoke with.  I sold 4 large-ticket items on Saturday but mostly lesser-priced work on Day 2, winding up with a decent total comparable to the previous week's.  Most of those around me, interestingly, made most of their sales on Sunday.

No one told me they zeroed or  "just made booth fee."  One 2-D artist came by to tell me he sold four large pieces; another 2-D artist reported the same.  The jeweler across from me, purveyor of pieces in the 4- to 5-figure range, made at least one sale and likely more.  My neighbor Jen, who makes clever wall pieces of fanciful "dock scenes" (and who has a retail location right across the street), had half-bare walls by show's end. 

Tear-down was glitch-free, and nearly everyone was on the road by 6:30 pm.

This is an artist-friendly show: easy parking and setup, free breakfasts both days, booth-sitters that walked the show continually from the opening bell until just before closing, and best of all, visitors who knew and appreciated the art they saw.  It would have been great to have had even more of them. . . but all in all, this is a show that just might be a mainstay on my schedule until they kick me off. 

How'd some of you other folks do?