This was our 4^th time in 6 years participating in this show in Coeur d’Alene ID.  The show is the first weekend of August and can be very warm and this year Sunday seemed especially hot as the temperatures came close to the triple digit mark.  I reviewed this show last year, not a lot has changed other than our results.   I really can’t explain why, but by the end of this show we had our highest ever numbers at Art on the Green.  Maybe it was because we skipped the shows in Spokane this year and it was the first time we’ve been to this area in a year. 

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/coeur-d-alene-art-on-the-green

Load in and load out really didn’t change from last year’s write up.  I didn’t see as many volunteers this year, but maybe that’s just because we were busier than last year so I might not have noticed any of them checking to see if we needed a booth sitter.  I also know I didn’t spend much time wandering this year, another sign that we were busier.

Sales on Friday started a little slow but we had a very steady afternoon and by Friday night had covered booth plus expenses which for us is just gas and meals since we tow a travel trailer and they offer free onsite camping.  Saturday sales started early and were fast and furious the first 4 hours of the show then slowed down as the temperatures climbed.  We had a small rush of sales early evening and ended the day with our single best sales day we’ve ever had at Art on the Green.  Sunday was HOT!  Not sure what the official temperature was, but our thermometer in the booth  was showing 97. Crowd was small, sales were slow and ended as our slowest sales day of the show.  Overall, we were still pleased with the results and most likely will be back to this show.

It was also fun to see AFI’ers David Forster and Dennis Brady.  We’re seeing David at several shows this year and it’s always fun to hear Dennis’ perspective on shows in this area as it is his home base. 

Word of caution for those of you considering the other shows in town this weekend (the show in the park or the Street Fair), all weekend we were hearing very negative reports from artists at both shows and know a few artists who have done the show in the park for a few years and have sworn they won’t return as they’ve continued to see the other 2 shows go downhill.  This town really cannot support 3 shows in one weekend and think that all the artists are going to have a reasonable rate of return.

After last weekend’s soggy experience in Sequim WA, we were excited to be headed east to the warmest part of Washington.  Several of us who had put up with the rainy weekend were looking forward to the opportunity to dry out and we weren't disappointed. 

This was our 3^rd year participating in this art show.  Last year it was our best show of the year and still stands as our best 2 day show EVER!  So, we went into this weekend with expectations of a good show, but also trying not to be overly optimistic.   Sales?  We hid the dead center of the results from the past 2 years, less than last year but much better than our first year and to date this year, our best 2 day show of 2012 thus far.  In our minds we at least achieved our goal for this show.

Load in / Load out is fairly easy, I blogged about the show logistics, fees, etc. last year so instead of re-writing all of that, I’ll refer you to last year’s blog:

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/allied-arts-leaving-richland-a

We had several repeat customers and seem to be building a great client base in this area.  This is the one big show they have each summer and is well attended.  We were a bit disappointed to see how they had reconfigured the portion of the show where our booth was located.  We had the same booth number but instead of having our nice shady location we were without shade most of the day, we had a lot of comments from customers that we had one of the hottest booth locations, groan, grumble, etc.  Set up and tear down in the direct sunshine was also a little more exhausting, but at least the tent dried very quickly after being packed away in rain the weekend before.

Friday sales started early and rapidly  between 9-11 and then seemed to die for a couple of hours.  The crowd seemed to shrink about 2 PM until early evening.  We had a few sporadic sales through the afternoon and then after 6 PM the crowd seemed to multiply quickly and we closed the evening with a few more sales.  Overall it was our lowest Friday at this show, a decent day but not the great day we had last year on Friday.  Friday’s weather was warm (97 for the high) with higher than normal humidity for this part of the state.  We were saved by having a fairly windy afternoon, that helped keep the air moving and made it feel a little more bearable.

Saturday started slower but sales were very steady for us from 10 – 4 and then a few last minutes sales between 6 PM and 7 PM.    The weather was much more pleasant with a high only in the lower 90’s, low humidity and a wonderful breeze for part of the day.  Saturday was a better sales day for us and the crowd was pretty steady all day.

Overall this is a fairly pleasant show to do.  No artist amenities are offered, the focus is really on just the art.  There is a stage with music and some performances by various dance groups, but it’s off to the side and the volume is not an issue.  The food area is close to the stage and there’s plenty of seating near the food area so we did not have near as many people walking through with messy hands, trying to touch jewelry while eating their junk food.   The show is held the weekend of the hydroplane races on the Columbia River.  I learned this year that this used to be a 3 day show and years ago the organizers decided that holding the show on Sunday wasn’t worthwhile for the artists due to the races, so they shortened it to a 2 day show and eliminated Sunday.  Nice to see a show where the organizers are actually concerned about making it worthwhile for the artists. 

This is a show that most likely remain on our schedule and continues to be the start of our summer road trip. Next stop?  Couer d’Alene ID, Art on the Green.  Hoping to get a few things restocked between now and Thursday.

I'm upgrading from a decent EZ-up and I've been pouring over people's opinions and advice about this brand and that of higher end display canopies throughout the discussions here but I'm still teetering between two major brands. I do my set-up solo - am of a 'certain age', who wants set up and tear down to be a breeze. You know, I want the world - in a display tent!

Must Haves:

• 1 person set up
• 10' x 10'
• dome
• zipped high quality side panels
• skylight
• front and back vents
• awning
• durable
• high quality
• replacement parts available

Considerations:

I'm attracted to the lightweight portability of the aluminum frame components of the Show off but love the guys at Flourish who make the Trimline that has taken over and improved on the Crafthut experience.

My research here through the forums and posts has found that there are enthusiastic supporters of every brand out there. I decided to compare apples with apples to get a handle on how things stack up! All prices shown are from the websites of each individual company as of today August 28, 2012. At first I thought there were wild ($300ish) price differences but then I looked into the add-ons and found they all come in very close to each other price-wise.

Comparing with: upper vents, 4 sidewalls, skylight, front awning)

Trimline:

• comes fully loaded 
• shipping extra (~$80 - 100)
• heavy (steel)
• 36 main components to frame
• Many components = time consuming set up
• Very Stable
• Many replacement and upgrades available
• Great Service
• Comes with anchoring kit
• Awning Add $125
• Carry Bags Add $52
• BONUS: Awesome sales support - thorough online presence with tons of info
• Bottom Line: $1152

ShowOff

• 'free' shipping
• light (marine grade aluminum)
• The top canopy goes on the roof frames while still on the ground - maybe not so easy for the person who finds it difficult to squat or bend over
• 16 main components to frame
• easy solo set-up
• Comes with 2 carry bags
• 2 center zip walls included
• Said to be super stable
• Good web site with plenty of info (not as much as Trimline folks though) responsive to email inquiries
• Bottom Line:  $1170

CraftHut = TrimLine (were bought out)

Light Dome - Finale

• Finale configured comparably $1069 + Shipping (+ $80 - 100)
• (Note: doesn't include skylight as they say their tent material transfers light well)
• Aluminum Frame
• Top canopy must slide onto roof frame with legs partially extended - maybe not as easy for the shorter person
• 21 main components to frame
• do-able solo set up
• Has some tremendously enthusiastic users many of whom attest to its rain and wind worthiness
• Replacement parts and upgrades available
• Carry Bags included
• All 4 walls come with center zip standard
• of the 2 Finale seems to have an edge over the Light Dome
• Not the best web site. Actually pretty 1990's-ish, lol - but a nice gal answered the phone when I called.
• Bottom Line: ~$1150

Suggested additional Upgrade: get a center zipper in each sidewall so solo roll-up is do-able without a special tool

Another Thoughtful Recap

An artist/blogger by the name of Ron Frazier went through this process a couple of years ago and recapped his thinking here: http://ronfrazier.blogspot.com/2007/08/upgrading-to-better-canopy-p...

Be sure to read the comments. They're making me lean towards The Finale as of this writing.

Add YOUR opinions below if you like:

1. What canopy do YOU use? 
   Brand and Model if you know
2. What do your LOVE about it?
   your top 3 features.
3. What do you wish was better?
   (if anything) about it?

What I Chose:
I went with the SHOWOFF. Here's WHY:

• fewer overall parts
• The top is set up before the legs are raised - so no struggling on a step ladder to get situated
• Tons of customizations available (I added zippers to both sidewalls so I can roll them up easily without using a contraption or a neighbor - I also purchased the rear awning fittings but not the pricey vinyl lean to - I intend to either clip my back sidewall up when my booth is open or add a lightweight tarp as necessary)

I didn't ask for nor did I receive any % off from the seller for announcing this choice.

All three main companies make excellent tents that work great for folks with slightly different needs.  

If your needs are similar to mine and this post helped you decide to also go with the SHOWOFF please mention me (Marti McGinnis) as your referral when you buy yours. They'll give me a little rebate. Then when you tell people about your purchase you'll get one too!

----------------------

Comment from Discussion (that I closed and moved here)

Permalink Reply by Brandee Ross 14 hours ago

Sunday took us to Appleton, WI's Art at the Park. A couple of years ago, they moved the show from being on the park grass, to being on the street around the park. This was done because of wet grounds from a lot of rain that year. They have continued to keep the exhibitors on the street, which works out very well. For some strange reason, last year was a rough year in sales at this show for many artists. I am glad to report that this year, our sales were up 300% over last years sales. The crowd is very engaged in art. And this year, they were back to buying art. In addition, the Trout Museum has a new Director. She has only been "on the job" for 10 weeks. She personally came into our booth and thanked us for providing an item in the auction. That was very nice. We love the Appleton Show and look forward to returning next year for our seventh year.

All of you who love the Ann Arbor Art Fair, here is your last chance to visit with and collect the photography of stalwart original Guild members Ruth and Walter Pinkus at this month's Ann Arbor Art Fair. They've been in the business longer than many of us and as the Ann Arbor media roll out their stories about the fairs they've included a wonderful article about Ruth and Walter in the Ann Arbor Journal.

Couple to sell their photography for last year at Ann Arbor Art Fairs

This is an excellent capsule of the art fair life. Walt, who was employed at the University's Physics Lab, and loved photography, grabbed a booth in those early days and he and Ruth (both active in the Ann Arbor Camera Club) became fixtures at the show, as well as instrumental in the development of The Guild of Artists (formerly the Michigan Guild.)

Read the article and experience some of the adventures they've had as they battled weather, the economy, credit card fraud, vehicle breakdowns, belly dancers, famous politicians and so much more. A great summation for their career: "We'll miss the stimulation, but not the crises."

See you on the road Ruth and Walt. It's been a great trip!

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  Did you notice my absence?  We were vacationing.  And it was great.  Even the add on.  Now that part has you curious, right?  That "add on" bit?  But first we need to highlight a word from the title of this post.  Promotion.

Promotion - yes, you could erroneously assume that I am going to give you a sales pitch on some paintings today.

Promotion - yes, and you could also erroneously assume that my job status has been elevated.  That I am now CEO of karencooperpaintings.com.  Oh, wait, I already am.  (Heheheh.)

But what I really want to do here is tie "promotion" in with that "add on" bit.

On our way back from way up north, the map lead us through Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  Population:  more than Jefferson, but not 15,000 either.  We knew that Leinenkugel Brewing Company was in Chippewa Falls, and we thought, well, that 'd be something to do on our way through.  We were getting tired of driving, you know.  So we cruised around town, and accidentally found "Leinie Lodge", which turned out to be their "meet and greet the world" facility.  We walked up to their information desk to ask about tours.

Terry was the guy who greeted us.  Yes, they were getting ready to close for the day, in ten minutes, give or take a few.  But Terry was still hustling.  No lean on the counter and whine about the long day with this guy.

So, tours were done for the day, we had already pretty much assumed they would be.  We were planning on staying in town for the night, we just wanted to check time schedule for tours the next day.  Terry let us know that tour reservations were a really good idea, their time slots were already getting full.  He added our name to an open spot.  And could have left it at that, right?

But he continued.  What else do you need to know about Chippewa Falls?  We've got great places to stay, all kinds of restaurants, a stellar park.  Terry filled us in on all the local places.  And yes, he did mention the chain hotels and restaurants out on the interstate.  But he definitely highlighted the locals.  He pointed us toward an old-school style inn, just up the road from Leinie Lodge. called the Glen Loch Inn.  Probably a 50's era place, but almost impossibly meticulously well cared for.  Continental breakfast was simple but served on white table cloths.  The inn keeper was just absolutely gracious and friendly.  Does her own gardening, and it's as meticulous as everything else on the property.  The patio was perfect for the continental breakfast.

But Terry the tour guy also noted our bicycles strapped to the back of the Jetta, and mentioned if we enjoyed riding, that Chippewa Falls has a great park, with trails.  300 plus acres in the middle of town, beautiful trails, a band stand, a waterfall, even a small zoo.  We enjoyed.

And Terry also pointed us toward a great local restaurant on the lake at the edge of town, called (of course) The Edge.  Perfect.

So where's this all going you ask?  Promotion.  Terry's job was to promote Leninkugel.  And he did that very well, as a Leinenkugel host.  But he also promoted his peers, his neighbors, his fellow Chippewa Falls-ians.  Terry seemed to know that every bit of promotion he did for his neighbors, was going to come back around and be good for Leinenkugel.

Not all of us in the art world, especially the summer art fair world, understand that concept.  I see artists being protective, even secretive, about information that would benefit their peers.  It's not hard to find an artist based forum on the net, where artists are talking about who's copying who.  And "that was mine, and they copied it!"

Here's the thought to ponder:  everyone does better when the community is well.  Helping your neighbor is just another way of helping yourself.

So we're already planning an autumn trip back to Chippewa Falls...

Later, Cooper

After receiving notification of my work being accepted to this Columbia, MD show, I was asked to use one of my pieces online and as part of the promotional ad for the show.  I was pleased to accept, (that's my 18-inch bamboo bowl wall hanging near the earrings above).  This was the first time I'd applied to ArtPark; part of a 2-week festival which includes dramatic, music, and dance performances.  The show consisted of 43 artists, in the usual categories, and the overall quality of the work I saw during the show was high, with no buy/sell. 

We made the 6-hour drive on Thursday, stayed overnight with a friend, and arrived early for our desginated Friday 11 am setup time.  We were met by show management, and walked to our tent location.  The setting is around a beautiful lake, with tents facing a row of restaurants with both indoor and outdoor seating shaded by large trees. Cars are not allowed onto the actual tent site, so management provided motorized vehicles and able-bodied volunteers to load and deliver everything there.  Cool!  We like to have a leisurely setup whenever possible, and this fit the bill; the weather was gorgeous (as it was all weekend), and arriving early meant we were set up well ahead of our neighbors.  There was absolutely NO space between tents in our area, which was a pain.  Before the show opened, the fire marshal walked through, noting each artist's type/brand of tent.  This was significant, given the stringent requirements for fire safety stated on the application and acceptance documents (we also were required to have a specific type of fire extinguisher 'prominently placed' inside the tent).

Show hours were 5pm to 9pm Friday, Noon to 9pm Saturday, and Noon to 7pm Sunday, and admission was free. 

Friday was slow, and although there were many after dinner strollers, there were virtually no buyers.  People who'd done the show before (the few there were) said this was typical of Friday night. 

Not opening until noon Saturday was pleasant, there was a steady stream of people all day, though no huge crowds.  In Baltimore, which is about a 30-minute drive away, there was a major event going on at the harbor, with tall ships and the Blue Angels, so this may have accounted for the smaller numbers.  The festival had music, and a trapeze act in another section apart from where we were, as well as a kids' area and food.  We had several sales during the late afternoon, the usual complement of "I'll be backs," and overall, we were positive about the show.  Volunteers were polite and plentiful, offering to booth sit.  Each morning, there was coffee and doughnuts at the welcome tent.  Show managers were also visible, and made a point of visiting to ask how things were going.  During the late afternoon, our neighbor, who sold fused glass jewelry and plates said she had "her most expensive piece" stolen while she was talking with people in her booth.  I think her non-secure display contributed to this (small pieces in open trays on a table at the front of the booth, while she sat in the back, below the level of the table), as well as the fact that she was alone.  We had no such incidents, nor did I hear of any others. 

Sunday brought us some fantastic surprises:  two of the "I'll be backs" actually did come back.  One to purchase a companion piece to one she'd purchased on Saturday, and the other, to purchase three of my newest pieces, which will adorn a law office wall. Adding these two sales made Sunday my highest grossing day ever, and I was beyond thrilled!  The show ended with an efficient breakdown and load out, with the motorized carts, helpers, and advantageous parking space making it among the easiest we've ever had. 

Would I do ArtPark again?  Absolutely.  In fact, I may be invited to do it next year.  Apparently, the management extends invitations to previous exhibitors, which means they don't have to be juried for that year.  Would I recommend it to others?  Yes.  Here's what you'll need to know to apply:

ArtPark information:  Show dates:  June 15~17, 2012   Application deadline:  March 2, 2012  

Application:  online .pdf on the show site:  http://columbiafestival.com/artpark-fine-art-crafts-show-sale/

No Entry Fee. 

Show fee:  $200   Electricity fee:  $50 (you'll want it--show runs until 9pm on two of three days, and it's in a heavily shaded area). 

Free parking for exhibitors. 

~Michelle Davis Petelinz

As I said last year, everything bad they say about this show is true.  It is huge and there is serious junk here from air plants to nerf bow and arrows.  Load in and load out are difficult.  If you are in the treed area, which seems like the best spot to me, you will be dollying across uneven grass and big tree roots.  And those huge beautiful trees are all sweet gum trees.  If you know sweet gum trees I don’t need to say any more. If you don’t know sweet gum trees well, it’s best to wear hard soled shoes.  It can be dirty although this year it was quite damp so it wasn’t as dusty.

Spaces are exactly 10’ x 10’.  You can usually manage a storage box or two beside your chair across from your booth but there is no space beside or in back.  Bring a rug to keep the dirt down in the booth.

On the plus side this is pretty much the only major art show in Richmond all year.  People attend in droves.  They buy but they want to see everything first. 

This year the weather really destroyed Saturday for me.  My work is large and somewhat fragile so unless I get someone who wants to pay for something and pick it up on the way out my sales really don’t start until 3:00 as people are leaving.  It was fairly hot in the morning and I had many people seem really interested.  I made one sale before 3 and then at 3 really big black clouds rolled in and the people disappeared.  No more sales.  It never really rained until 5:00 (for the drive home) but most people park at the stadium and take a shuttle bus to the show so it is a long trek back for them. Sunday was better and I managed to pull out about 75% of last year when it was one of my best shows of the year.

This is a sleep in my own bed show for me so I can’t say anything about restaurants in the area.  There are the pretty standard food booths and they are away from the art.  At least for the women there are artist only bathrooms.  Coffee and doughnuts in the morning.  They are just glazed doughnuts but you don’t need a ticket and you can take as many as you want.  The food booths get mobbed so it is probably best to bring your own lunch.

Join us live on Thursday, April 19 at 1 pm EST, as Connie speaks with Bonnie Blandford, a Michigan jeweler, and Carla Fox, an Oregon jeweler, as they talk about their experiences developing and running art shows for their peers in the art fair business.

I've been applying to the CPFA show for the past 5 years to no avail, but I have just recently been accepted.  I've heard wonderful things about this show, however I have heard being on the side street is not so advantageous.  I've been placed on Fraser street.  My work is very edgy and usually attracts a younger crowd and I seem to benefit from late hour shows that go into the evening.  I do VERY WELL at the Deep Ellum Arts Fest, 4th Avenue Street Fair, Utah Arts Fest and shows in Denver & Chicago.  I have average sales at Florida shows, mostly towards Miami area and I do average in Tampa area.  I don't do so well in older/conservative/fine art crowds.  I have lower priced originals for not-so rich young art buyers and I seem to do better in Fair-type party atmosphere shows than I do at Fine Art shows.  Though my work doesn't seem to be classified as fine art, I have won Best of Show awards at the 2011 Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, the 2011 South Miami Arts Festival, and 2011 Highland Fest.  Anyway, I've also been accepted the Wyandotte Street Fair, which I've heard good/bad things.  I'm torn between which show to do.  My worry with the Penn State show is that I'll be on the side street and that my work won't be as appreciated as it will be in the center of the action at the Wyandotte Street Fair.  I can only choose one as they fall on the same date.  Can anyone please provide any insight on Fraser street of the Central Penn show?  Other factors include, I live in Utah and the Michigan drive is obviously much closer than the Penn drive.  The Wyandotte show goes until 11pm and the Penn goes til 8pm.  Can anyone please provide any pros/cons of either show?  Thank you so much for your help. 

- Tai

www.weirdchief.com

My work for reference to your help:

Congratulations to John Costin**, winner of the $10,000 Best of Show Prize at the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. Best of show is awarded for the artist's whole body of work. Here is a representative Big Bird Drawing by John Costin.

Also to John and Shirl Parmentier for the Morse Museum Award for a Distinguished Work of Art, $2500.

At Winter Park the judges make the rounds of the booths and choose pieces to be removed from the booth to be judged altogether in a gallery space.

Winter Park is generous with awards and there are lots of winners. Here are the rest:

10 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE ($2000)
Painting - Matthew Cornell, Orlando, FL
Jewelry - Lauran Sundin, Concord, NH
Wood - Thomas Dumke**, Oconomowoc, WI
Fiber - Amos Amit** Los Angeles, CA
Clay - Becky Lloyd & Steve Lloyd Clyde, NC
Wood - Matthew Hatala** Danielsville, GA
Glass - Scott Amrhein** Sherwood, WI
Photography - Mark Mackinnon** Millbrook, NY
Fiber - Sandy D'Andrade Red Hook, NY
Fiber -  Xiao Xia Zhang Minich & Patrick Minich, Cleveland, OH

20 AWARDS OF DISTINCTION ($1000)
Sculpture - John Whipple Winter Park, FL
Photography - Cali Hobgood** Urbana, IL
Jewelry - Patricia Karnes** Winter Park, FL
Painting - Charles Gatewood** Phenix City, AL
Jewelry - Kim Koch Oshkosh, WI
Clay - William Kidd Miramar, FL
Jewelry - Pam Fox** Sarasota , FL
Mixed Media - Rasa Pranckunaite & Algis Keburys Astoria, NY
Glass - Mark Sudduth Cleveland Hts., OH
Wood - Don Carter Longwood, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Jody Depew Mcleane Eagle River, WI
Fiber - Jill Wagoner Fuquay-Varina, NC
Fiber - Candiss Cole**-Footitt & Rodger Footitt Sedona, AZ
Clay - Brian Beam Fulton, MI
Jewelry - Sana Doumet & Munir Doumet Clearwater, FL
Glass - Chris McCarthy St. Louis, MO
Wood - Donald Boudreau Hollywood, FL Ebony
Clay - Michael Kahn & Mieko Kahn Greenbush, MI
Mixed Media - Paul Andrews Charlotte, NC
Clay - Shadow May Chattanooga, TN

Jim & Shirl Parmentier - Winners of the Morse Museum Award

AWARD OF MERIT LIST ($500)
Mixed Media - David McKirdy Tampa, FL
Mixed Media - Jeff League Winter Park, FL
Mixed Media - Joe Decamillis** Birmingham, AL
Wood - Larry Roofner Windermere, FL
Sculpture - Kostas Ulevicius St. Petersburg, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Helen Gotlib Ann Arbor, MI
Jewelry - Jonathon Stopper Sarasota, FL
Watercolor - Russell Yerkes** Tarboro, NC
Wood - John Mascoll Safety Harbor, FL
Glass - Duncan McClellan** St. Petersburg, FL
Photography - Emerson Matabele New Orleans, LA
Photography - Robert Clibbon New Smyrna Beach, FL
Sculpture - Bill Secunda Butler, PA
Fiber - Miriam Carter Dublin, NH
Jewelry - Christian Butera Apopka, FL
Clay - Mark Knott Suwanee, GA
Painting - Jon D Smith Naples, FL
Sculpture - Trent Manning Winter Haven, FL
Jewelry - Rick Austin Inverness, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Edson Campos Winter Park, FL
Leather - Horace Thomas** & Shawn Thomas Belton, TX
Jewelry - John Ruff & Carolyn Ruff Springfield, MO
Watercolor - Randy Eckard Blue Hill, ME
Painting - Bruce Peeso Monson, MA
Drawings & Graphics - Ron Hoyle Lees Summit, MO
Clay - Michael Schwegmann** Champaign, IL
Fiber - Mary Sly & Dan Wyatt Friday Harbor, WA
Clay - Marti Mocahbee Staunton, VA
Clay - Vadim Malkin Orlando, FL
Drawings & Graphics -Heinrich Toh Kansas City, MO 

**Members of AFI - including Best of Show! Woo hoo!

You may think that I have it out for Madison “On the Square.”  I don’t, and it may only look that way.  I have always loved that show. However, they keep making these decisions that are questionable at best and are at worst are illegal.

Now, the latest decision is they have made is to charge an additional fee on top of the booth fee if an accepted artist wants to pay by credit card.  The fee is $20 for a double booth and $10 for a single booth.  I am not a lawyer but I am somewhat familiar with credit card fees.  As I understand this, it may not be illegal to charge the fee, but all the major credit card companies have clauses in their contracts that do not allow for this fee to be charged.  They have that fee so that people will use credit cards instead of paying cash or using personal checks.   This sounds to be like an illegal practice.  And that is only my opinion.  In addition, they could get away with it, if they told artists that they would give them a $10 or $20 discount is they paid in cash, but the Madison “Art Fair on the Square” is making it a penalty to pay by credit card.

I hope that artists will question this practice and put a stop to this.

I am going to forward this to Annik Dupaty, the Madison, AFOS, Director of Events and see what her response is.

I do come up with the same conclusion that I did for the jury blog I posted earlier in the week.  JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD. And I’m not even sure that it applies if it is an illegal fee.  And again it appears as if Annik is more concerned with the bottom line than the ethical running of an organization.

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.

As a young child I always created art -preferring to paint and draw rather than  join my friends at the mall. I loved copying Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Matisse.

As a college student I studied art, design and painting.  As an adult I found, not only did I have a desire to make art professionally but also to teach people,  young and old,  how to express and explore their own creativity through art making.  I strive to insure the students understand there are no mistakes in art. And to recognize that what they perceived to be a 'mistake' could actually be far better than what they intended.

I taught my first art classes to some of my neighbors' children many years ago in my garage and have always wanted to do more of it. A couple years ago I made a proposal to a local preschool to teach a pilot art class once a week, and found that I still enjoyed teaching art, very much.Preschool Artwork Exploring Textures

It was another 3 years before I got up the courage to teach adults.

I had studied felt making for a number of years by now and believed I had something worthwhile to share with others who wanted to learn the craft. I have taken many classes around the country with many teachers. Some much better than others. In my teaching,  I wanted to incorporate what worked for me and eliminate that which was not helpful.

What made a successful class for me was based on several different factors. Did I learn what I signed up to learn? Was the instructor organized and their instructions clear? Was the class well paced?  Did the teacher understand my questions and answer clearly? Were they patient and take the time to explain something in a different way if I wasn't able to understand their explanation? Were there hand outs or reference materials I could take home? Were all the supplies there that were supposed to be ? Was the equipment in working order and were there enough supplies for everyone? Was the space pleasant to work in and did it function well?  Did the teacher have enough samples to show the class? These criteria are what I hold myself accountable to.

Surprisingly enough,  if I didn't have 'fun' at the time,  I didn't count that against the teacher.  I found that taking a week long workshop to learn a new skill can be quite stressful. Fun was a plus but not a requirement.

And this seems incongruent but, in the 5 hour class I teach at  Nice Threads Fiber Gallery and Studio in Black Mountain, North Carolina , called 'Designing a Nuno Scarf''  I do  want people to have fun as well as learn new new skills. So far,  the feedback I  have received has made me very happy. The comment made that I exceeded the students' expectations really made my day.

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.

Okay, now that I've gotten some sleep I can think more clearly. Just finished the 3rd time around in Tempe. The first time I did this show was probably over 25 years ago, I was parked on the side of 6th Ave where hardly anyone showed up to see my work. I remember the streets being so crowded you could hardly move around. As it was the first time I had done a big show I was fairly starry eyed and on overwhelm. Last year was the second time I did the show and had moved up the street to 3rd Ave which was better visited but still crowded but only because the street was narrower. This year I was on 5th avenue, much wider, better lighting, the sun actually hit the street, and room to wiggle around when you got restless. The crowds didn't seem as overwhelming to me, maybe that is a function of time, memory or there just weren't as many people out as the first time I did this show? 

The show is very well run logistically speaking, you check in on Thursday down the street from the fair but you've already gotten so many communications from the staff in advance that they hardly have anything more to add to your knowledge of what to do, maybe last minute details, and then you can purchase off site parking for $25 for the three days (much less then the city lots which are $10-12 per day and large vehicles can't get into the high rise lots anyway). As for load-in...you wait till after 9 p.m. there are three load-in time segments, the further away you are from the entry the earlier you get in. I had to wait till after 10 and then, because I didn't scout out the numbers like I usually do, I drove past my booth area and had to drive all the way out and around just to come back in again and start all over again. All said I still was able to  park not too far from my booth space along the curb for set up. A lot of vendors waited till the next morning to come in, maybe a better strategy but I needed the extra time for my set-up as did my neighbor.

Show amenities? There is an artist hospitality booth with drinks and treats throughout the three days and they run around on a golf cart in the morning with coffee and the afternoon with water. Very thoughtful!

We arrived in Tempe a little later than anticipated. Winds were high through eastern AZ and driving into Flagstaff on I-40 we ran into the storm that had flattened much of southern CA with high Santa Ana winds. It was snowing hard and southbound, as-well-as north bound I-17 were at a standstill with ice and snow covered roads. A little patience and slow driving were required. Those that were driving a little too fast found out how icy it was! After they had shoveled the tipped over vehicles off the road and pulled people out of the medians who were going too fast for driving conditions we were once again on our way. I was anticipating 70 degrees at lower elevations! Oh, what fools we mortals be. What I heard from a visitor to the show is weather in Tempe always seems to conspire against the show though last year it was mild (trying to lull me into a false sense of euphoria!) this year the storm that blew in from CA turned the thermostat down considerably and threatened rain on Fri and Sat. Sunday the sun was out all day but it never got to 60. (It's snowing at the 3000 ft. level as I write!)

Despite the cloudy and cold weather the crowds did show up. Maybe, because it was still part of the work week, Friday seemed like everyone was asleep trudging along the rows of artists with no sales for me and most others around us but my neighbor whose creative woodwork was very compelling sold a few pieces. Saturday was the coldest with nary a sign of the sun but the people came out, sales turned up a bit. Sunday the sun was out all day and the crowds seemed more enthusiastic and engaging but sales were still dismal. Meanwhile my neighbor had a steady stream of sales, though he reported being off about 50% from last year. Other artists he talked with reported few or no sales as well.As a reflection of the level of buying at this show there was a lot of popcorn and yard art things that you poke in the ground walking around (not that there is anything wrong with popcorn!)

People were very appreciative of my work and I earned the show prize for photography, the acknowledgment, plus the cash prize, helped salve the disappointing sales from this show. Parenthetically, the awards were hand-made by a fiber artist and very impressive, not the usual trophy store variety! I've heard harsh reviews from other artists about this show and I noticed it was quite a mixed bag in terms of quality. There seemed to be a good mix and balance of media of the fine art type, whereas in some shows there may have been too many of one type vs other types. Many artists that I've seen at other shows with high end art were there mixed in with more crafty novelty type items (walking puppets on sticks and dog hats).

All-in-all, the show is well run, the crowds were there despite the weather and the sales were disappointing. What else is new lately? We move on down the road...

Welcome to the Cooper studio.  Yup, still on the topic of that summer art fair.  Who'da thunk it was so complicated, eh?

The summer art fair.  And no, we don't have to limit ourselves, it could be a fall event--we'd even allow winter if you move it indoors.  Think art festival, then it becomes season-less or generically seasoned.  However/whatever.

Today we need to talk about one of the major problems with the art festival venue.  In a nutshell?  Rampant abuse of the format.

I've looked into the history of the art fair a bit.  The original purpose was for a group of artists to show their work, sans a brick and mortar style gallery.  It makes perfect sense that the local art center or art gallery would help with that, organizationally speaking.  They often pull in a lot of volunteer work, and their mission statements tend to read like this:

Mission

Our Mission: To bring People and Art together

Our Vision: To enhance the quality of Life through Art

Our Goal: To provide communication and aesthetic appreciation of the visual fine arts, through the use of education 

(Krasl)

 Or this:

It's About the Art.

Experience collaborative, creative merrymaking at its finest.  Join friends old and new... 

 (Marion)

And this:

From a spark of love of the arts and small town life, the idea of Art on the Prairie grew with dedicated planning...

(MaryRose Gallery)

How did we get from that to a company directing a collection of 14 art fairs?  And in the off season hosting a "boot camp" to tell artists what they need to do to be art fair artists?  Average price to "show your art" there?  $479.  And then the company grows and needs to make more money, so of course, another art fair is created.  Is it about the art, or about the company needing more revenue?  Please don't tell me you need a moment or two to think about your answer. 

And of course, they are not the only culprits.  When the local school dance team needs a fund raiser, their moms decide to host an art fair.  When the town 4th of July festival isn't big enough, they add on an art fair to attract more attention and numbers.  Does it matter that they don't have a clue about showing art and their mission statement doesn't have anything to do with promoting art? 

"We can charge the artists to show us samples of their art, and make some money there, and then we can pick the ones we like to exhibit their art at our fair and make even more money there."  "We can make money, lots of money" . 

Which is all well and good for the hosts of art fairs.  But what happens when there is an art show every other weekend?  When the art fair patrons begin to see the art show as "just another art show, and we went to one last weekend so why go to this one, it's pretty much the same."?

Obviously the art fair patron is the ultimate decision maker regarding the success of the art fair.  But the artist doesn't need to be the hapless victim caught in the middle.  If you are an art fair artist, or planning on becoming one, do some questioning first:

1.  Who is hosting/directing the fair?

2.  What is their goal or mission statement?

3.  Is it business or is it art?

Think of it like this:  Is it called an art fair, or a money fair?  Whoa.  Caught you, did I?  If as artists we would chose to exhibit at events that put the art first, could we thin out the events that think of their revenue first?  

Because when the art fair host thinks "anything for a buck" it trickles down to the artist.  And when the artist thinks "anything for a buck" they start to use phrases like "cobble something together to sell next weekend/next year".  That's not good for the artist.  It's not good for the art fair patron.  Most of all it's not good for art. 

When you look at that schedule of art fairs for 2012, please, put art first.  Thanks for reading.

Later, Cooper