This was a first-year show put on by Bill Kenney and his crew at Paragon and I decided to do the show because it was at home and because I've heard only good things about Paragon. I have to say I was very impressed. It was a small show with around 50-60 exhibitors and was held in an up-scall mall in far North Dallas. The exhibitors were top-notch and I didn't notice a one that was selling inferior work. This little show turned out to be one of the best shows I've had this year. It started rather slow but by Sunday afternoon the crowd had grown larger and prople were beginning to buy as we all like to see them do. I think this show has a lot of potential and is one that we're going to see grow and become more popular as time goes by. I think it's in the right place at the right time and I think we'll be hearing more about the Dallas Fine Arts Show. The area needs another good show and I think this may be it. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else shares my opinion.
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Connie, I live in Arizona where the shows have produced mix results for the past few years, many of them quite poor. I have had much success in the Bay Area, but wanted to try another region within a 2 day/1 night drive and chose the Dallas area. The fact that I had a place to stay in Dallas was also a big factor. I chose to do these Paragon shows because of what I had heard in previous years, and because the shows were back to back, making it cost effective. I will definitely apply to additional Dallas shows, but as of now, won't be applying to more Fort Worth shows. I will look at other cities in Texas for the necessary back to back shows.
I do shows with a small RV and cargo trailer which for 6 years I've stored in Florida and done half dozen winter shows. Since Florida shows are so mediocre for me I'm doing something different and storing in Dallas and doing (hopefully) Arizona winter and Texas spring shows. Bills back to back shows were perfectly timed for me to make the trip down south. The Ft. Worth show was doomed by the weather and, perhaps, the location. The mall itself had few shoppers. Max recorded wind speed on Friday was 44mph. Saturday morning revealed several booths crumpled by wind (Easy Up, Easy Down). Saturdays gusts were over 40mph again. Many vendors packed up Saturday evening. Wind was down on Sunday, but it rained for a couple of hours. Like I said - doomed. I made my expenses and felt fortunate. The Dallas show was in a much better location in a more upscale mall and neighborhood and the weather was grand. Bill mentioned that he might try to move it to a different location in the same mall that has more visibility from the busy road that passes by. In the past Texas has been a good market for me so I'd give these Paragon shows another shot.
I do know Bill is moving the Ft. Worth show (which was lacking greatly) to an area by the Kimbell...so he is already making changes....hopefully they will be profitable changes for all involved.
Connie, I wasn't able to do the show in Ft. Worth but i did go down and walk around from awhile. First, the mall in Dallas is rather new and anchored by stores like Macy's, Dillards, etc. It is very up-scale and in one of the more affluent parts of the city. The show was set up on one of the streets that runs directly through the mall and the weather was lovely. Every artist I saw was top-notch and there was no inferior work. The show in Ft. Worth was at one of the older malls located on one of the interstates leading out of town. The show wasn't in the mall itself but, instead, set up way out in a parking lot a fair distance from any of the stores. Mall shoppers would not have likely known there was an art show going on unless they saw the tents and wandered in out of curiosity. I don't think there were as many exhibitors as in Dallas but, there were still many top-notch artists. I don't think the crowd was nearly as large and on Saturday the wind was blowing about 30 mph. It's hard for me to explain but, Dallas had the "feel" of a fine-art show whereas, Ft. Worth felt, to me, more like a flea-market in spite of the high quality exhibitors. For one thing, I think Bill is going to have to change locations for Ft. Worth to be a winner. And, I think it will require lots and lots of promotion and advertising. It would be great if Dallas/Ft. Worth could develop two more outstanding art shows. Each show takes place again in the Spring so we'll see what changes are in store for both shows. I believe Bill has it right for Dallas but I think Ft. Worth will require some changes. I hope they can be made. Of course, in the Spring, we have Main Street Days and Cottonwood to throw in the mix so we'll see.
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Connie, I did the show because after looking at Bill's website I saw an extremely high quality of artists involved and I wasn't dissapointed. It was the most talented group I've ever worked with...including Stew!!! :-)
From what I hear out of Texas, a pretty big place, it surely seems like Dallas can support a fine show and it is encouraging to see this might be the one.
I avoid Promoter shows, 1st time shows and shows in malls. The Dallas show changed my attitude a bit. Bill does a great job of organizing and is accessible and concerned for the artists. The Fairview mall was a nice location with plenty of room for artists and parking for patrons. For a 1st time show I did OK and if the crowds increase it can only get better.
Thanks for the clarification. I was pretty sure shows inside malls had gone the way of the dinosaur!
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