Of course Port Washington is a small city just north of Milwaukee.
This is a community festival. The arts and craft show was on July 17.
All the mechanics, loading, organization, etc were great. But....
A hot day. The crowd seemed to be dominated by locals who were just shopping ....as in not buying....just looking.....they liked my art.....but did not seem to have the money to buy it.....also there was a young flavor to the crowd.....whereas a good number of my sales are to 35 to 55 year old people. I am guessing, but it seems like this community festival does not attract enough tourist type people with money from outside the local area. Hence there is not a ton of money spent. All around me, sales were poor or average.....but I admit I just checked with people right next to me....not with some other vendors I could have talked to.
There was a lot of emphasis on the bands.....and the bands were good.....but it seemed like the bands may have distracted people from the vendor area....I do know of a couple of shows that have thier best bands in the evening....and during the fair hours have background music on stage and street musicians in the vendor area......and this helps the vendor sales......but this was not the case at this show.
I did this show about 5 years ago (2005) .....and made double what I made this year. (2010). So for me, this show was a bust. Sure I made some money.....but next year, Ill be in Eagle River......One DAVEY out of 5.
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Sure I was not not juried into Madison and Milwaukee and Ann Arbor and others......but I did not submit an applications. But if I entered and was lucky enough to be juried in, I would bring my originals as required by the rules but sell prints....
No way would I have ever sold a $1200 original at Port Washington....especially when I dont sell $1200 originals at Green Bay Artstreet and Appleton Art in the Park even though I have 75% originals as required by the rules.....Carrying around stretcher bared originals is always a hassle.....I do it because I have to at Appleton and Green Bay.....but wont do it at Port Washington where it is not required.
I am both an artist and a vendor.
Dave - I get it... you do just fine selling your smaller prints. It pains you to sell an original. You prefer to produce and sell prints rather than creating a large fresh original. Your artwork is suited for the smaller shows or even sporting events. But Paul, Munks and Nels are absolutely correct. The better shows are filled with large original paintings and those artists sell well. You would not be juried in at Madison, either of the two good Milwaukee shows - Lakefront and Morning Glory, Ann Arbor and others. But you have found a niche - the smaller shows and festivals - perhaps a sporting event or two. Just because they are "juried" does not mean they should be considered the quality of the top tier shows. The Wisconsin shows you mention should not be considered in that level either. Not that they are poor in quality.... they just offer a different component is all.
I will mention it to you again Dave...... when you refer to yourself as "vendor", you place yourself in the buy/sell and food service categories. You are a painter.... you are an "artist"
Ill just will the originals to my wife and daughter...lol.....
I do sell a lot of prints....and do nicely
Nels.....I am always listening ...I know of you are an excellent artist .....and I know you are very experienced......but I dont see your point here.
At shows people want to give me $400 or less for a painting taking 50 to 70 hours to do...this is not going to happen....they can buy a $20 print.
Gee Green Bay Artstreet isnt too bad......80000 people, 200 booths, and my home town (lol)....I have done it twice before and am doing it this year.....they require 75% originals but I plan on selling prints like I always do.
Appleton was great too.
I have been to Madison......and walked around.....not as a vendor.....and it reminded me of a crowded Green Bay Artstreet.....sure I would like to get in.....lol....I bet I would sell a lot of prints....lol.
Oh Davey! I don't want you to think that Munks and I high-jacked your post. Come on, join us, there is plenty of room at the table.
You asked, "Why aren't people flocking to our shows to see the new and innovative work--and hopefully taking some home with them." (I believe that is a reasonable paraphrase).
Here's what I think is going on.
Just like you talk about the Elephant sitting in the middle of the room and nobody wants to talk about him; Well, we got the big "R" sitting in our rooms at the shows, and nobody is talking about it, and by that I mean the "Recession." Last summer was rough for most of us, and we thought we had hit bottom. Guess what? It is even tougher for most this summer. You have lots of people in middle-management jobs getting laid off, and face it these are our prime customers, young middle-aged couples with walls to fill with art--but they don't have much disposable income. High unemployment, bad numbers on housing ownership have all contributed to a smaller core of buyers out there.
I agree with you when you use your mailing list coupled with internet exposure--these are all survival tools of the now-artist. But, we don't see as many real collectors out there. The very rich don't do outdoor shows. Then, for good measure, add in the plethora of shows going on every weekend in America--some good, some mediocre, and some just plain awful.
It is like Mr. and Mrs. Middle America have to make decisions like, "Honey should we go to the show next weekend? Oh, I forgot, that is the same time as the Middle Kansas Tractor Pull Championships." People have lots of choices, and increasingly, art loses out. We are in tough cycle right now. This is my third recession in my career, and it is the worst by far. But things will change, when? I don't know. But you know what? When times get tough I go out and shoot more and play less golf. You have to keep that creative urge part of your daily routine. Oh well, those were my thoughts. Weren't the lignonberries just great? I am eating them in preparation for Uptown in Minneapolis next weekend. Vikings, here I come.
Davey, Davey. First I am going to give myself 2 DAVEYS for just jumping into this painterfest/repros.
Davey,Davey. First you gotta remember you are swimming in some small ponds. Port Washington when you coulda been in Madison. Oh, I guess they didn't let you in this year.
Appleton, Green Bay and other nice burgs in Wisconsin. Sorry, they are no Milwaukee Lakefronts, or Ann Arbor or St. Louis, or Kansas City, or Boston Mills. or Columbus. Oops I am being a little repitious, aren't I? Let me explain the facts of life to you. Good painters who get into good shows, sell the hell out of their work, that is a given even in these times. Repros are a nice side income, but they make their moola off the original work. Ever heard of Scott Wilson. Well known painter from our state. He was down from me at Madison and killed them, he had a guy trying to buy from him on Friday nite during setup. I turned him on to the Bonita Show (Fla.) and he just about sold out. Vonnie Witworth, great painter from Virginia, kills them wherever she goes. Same for Tracy Reid, oh I guess I could include about another 50 painters I know, but You get the idea, don't you? Good painters in good shows equals great moola, repros are nice but they are just a side dish like creamed corn. Your problem is you haven't been in many great shows(only saying this based on the info you have given us so far, gee were you in Cherry Creek but didn't want us to know?). So you are slinging hash, so to speak, at grade B and C shows, and repros is the way for you to go. But as our buddy Paul (who I see in many grade A shows) so aptly pointed out, said maybe, just maybe, you need to show up with more originals, and maybe, just maybe, take a chance, think outside the box, and create something new, something liberated, somethings that gets you high on your art. You gotta take chances. It is the only way you will grow. I am seriously pulling for you. I would like to see you get in a biggie--it would be a real eye-opening experience--like welcome to the big time. I know this sounds like I am trying to rain down on you, but I am not. I just think you live in a limited world of art, and thusly have a limited point of view. You need to crawl out of that little pond and seek the big lake, put on on some scuba gear and swim and paint for your life. The experience will be exhilerating. I have done shows for 35 years now, have been in every major show, except Cherry Creek at least once. I am hardly one of the best photographers out there, but I can hold my head up with the best of them--and the reason is--I am always trying something new, looking to be a better artist and get into the good shows where the moola is. Well, that was a great Sunday feast for me. Hope it was good for you. Thanks for the flowers Shane, I ate every one of them, they were absolutely delicious. As always, Nels.
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