Podcast: Secrets of the Art Fair Patrons

Here's our latest podcast from July 26, where I spoke with three people who between them attend over 100 shows a year and buy at all of them! In addition, they take their friends who also collect the work they find at the shows. Listen to it here:


Here are a few tips from the interview:

  • Geri Wegner's favorite Christmas gift from her husband is a deposit to a special "art festival account"
  • Ed Seidman says that going to an art fair is "like going to a museum with the difference that you can take home the art"
  • Judie Seidman's critique of attractive art fair booths, suggests that an artist might emulate how goods are displayed in high end stores when designing a booth
  • why they never enter a booth where the work looks manufactured

Listen and tell us what you think. What was most interesting to you?

Check out the rest of our podcasts by clicking on the "Radio" button on the toolbar at the top of the site.

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  • Here is a great article in a Colorado paper about a couple attending the Breckenridge Art Fair:

    Art Fair Divorce Court
    Summit Daily News

    That couple you saw at the Breckenridge Art Fair last weekend swatting each other with color-saturated brochures? Yeah, that was us. Husband and I attend every summer art fair in Summit County. While there, we play our favorite game: Art Fair Divorce ... http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20120802/COLUMNS/120809977/1078&...

  • What they said about too much stuff in the booth answered a question I've had for some time.  At a recent event I was urged by a couple of folks to cover the walls with my work but I've been afraid of my booth starting to look like a garage sale.  The talk was fascinating and *very* helpful.  Thanks Connie!

  • I really heard that, Nelda. And, at one point did ask if they didn't buy any and Judie said, oh yes, they do. But you're right the focus was a lot on 3D. One of my friends who goes to shows with me frequently breezes right by the jewelry and wearables and focuses on 2D art.

  • I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast.  I hope to meet these wonderful people at an art fair someday.  I thought their remarks about the importance of friendliness underscored what has been discussed here at AFI.  Another thing I found interesting is that all three of them buy functional art; very rarely 2D.

  • Thanks, Geoff.

    I had sent them the questions ahead of time and told them to let me know if I shouldn't ask any of them and they said they were all fine. Yes, they were very forthcoming. The answers were good, but I also loved their evident LOVE of artists and art fairs. I know their attitude is prevalent across the country, or no one here would be earning their living, but it was great to hear it.

    And, here's the deal, these folks don't even know me, except in an online sense, although I did meet Geri two weeks ago. Still ...

  • I cannot imagine a greater act of generosity than your guests showed in answering your questions in such a forthright, honest, and helpful manner.  Ten minutes into the program, I wanted to give 'em a hug. What a great podcast! Thanks for putting it together. 

    EVERYONE on this site should listen to this gem!

  • We had a great time visiting yesterday talking about our favorite art fairs. Hope you'll listen to the episode. Here is a comment from an email I received:

    I was able to listen to the entire pod cast while working out. Very interesting.

    Here are a few comments in no particular order:  We have three long time friends who are artists and we make it a point to go to shows where they are exhibiting. My wife has made friends with two artists that we've met at art fairs. We've bought a few pieces from each...ceramics, glass, pictures. She has bought a few pieces as gifts for me.  We bought a glass piece and an ink drawing as wedding gifts for friends of ours who were moving to Nepal to work for the U.S. Government . The subject matter was very appropriate and they loved the gifts. We've run out of wall space but we continue to buy. No collection, just whatever we like, usually pen and ink etchings which we will frame ourselves.

    We  also buy art objects at estate sales. Art fairs seem to have the same artists each year and it is nice to see something different. I like to see the price on an item, especially jewelry. We don't want to waste the artists time trying on a pair of earrings only find out they cost $2500. It's always nice to see things that are under priced and it happens on occasion. Display is important just as presentation is important with food. I saw a sign that read " Become an artist and earn 50 to $100 per week" . I respect the artists love of their art. 

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