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  Sharon " Sherry" Wilson April 27, 2010 at 4:47pm

  Barbara- I was not insulted and I agree we all have crappy shows. This is one I will not do again as the attendees are too casual for what I sell. I thought the Sarasota residents would go to attend the event as well as the islanders and I was wrong. Shame on me.
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  Barbara Groenteman April 27, 2010 at 11:25am

  Sue and Sherry, I did not single either one of you out but as I said this is what "I see at shows" and my viewpoint. Also I said there are many things and what ifs that affect sales and don't try to figure it out.... it is different for everyone. I was only trying to be constructive not judgemental. We all have the crappy shows. Sorry I don't want to upset anyone. My apologies if you feel I insulted you.
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  Sharon " Sherry" Wilson April 26, 2010 at 5:38pm

  Connie-No one meant to say I was sitting in my chair, it was a general statement about people who do. I wanted to let people know that no mater what we did people looked, said things were beautiful and walked on. I took no offense. Many of the attendees were in bathing suits and cover ups. It just isn't the place for my jewelry and sadly, not for most of the other people who were in my area. With bottom feeders in the housing market and homes finally moving I can see how those with decor did well. The people with the darling beachy signs next to me headed home to create more., as did the people with inexpensive jewelry. We were all pleased that someone from our area had done well.
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  Connie Mettler April 26, 2010 at 5:05pm

  Sherry, I did NOT mean to imply that you were just sitting there - I was just responding to Barbara's comment. Far from it, some times, no matter what you do you just can't make those sales happen.
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  Sue Handman April 26, 2010 at 5:04pm

  Sales that didn't happen in Siesta was not lack of engaging and talking to people. They were lookers.
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  Sharon " Sherry" Wilson April 26, 2010 at 4:56pm

  Barbara and Connnie- My lack of sales was not because I sat in a chair and did not engage my customer. I spoke to everyone who entered the booth and demonstrated the concept of my designs. Everyone thought they were beautiful and asked why I wasn't in the art section. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some weekends are better spent in my home town in front of a store that sells my jewelry than on the road. That's where I will be next year instead of at Siesta Fiesta.
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  Connie Mettler April 26, 2010 at 1:46pm

  Excellent attitude, Barbara. I saw a very good painter with a nice display sit in the back in her chair with her husband next to her all weekend at the Great Lakes Art Fair, every time I was in the vicinity. At last I asked her neighbor (who does not have a chair in his booth at all) if she had talked to anyone and he said she never got out of her chair. I don't believe she made a single sale. Looks like she could use a seasoned neighbor like you.
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  Barbara Groenteman April 26, 2010 at 12:55pm

  This was a first time show for me as my friend did well last year, we both have high end paintings. You can never figure what sells where and when... it just if "your people" come. I was in the "art section" ( payed $100 more than the craft section to be there) near the one of the bars but had no problem talking to customers as once in inside the booth it was a buffer. My clients are upper class and new home buyers for the most part and I found a enough of them there to make this show a winner for me. I'm always happy to say go buy to big originals.
  
  I don't think an artist should be "bored"... in order to make sales now you have to connect and interact. Before it was easier just fill the empty walls, now you need to confirm their desire to buy something they love but are reluctant. Not easy but we are "selling our talents ". I watched one artist sit on his chair doing a crossword puzzel in full sight of his clients that were walking into his booth, did he get up to greet or talk, for the most part no.
  
  It's hard being perky all the time but buyers are spending alot of money for your work so yes sell and entertain. No need to be pushy just friendly. Even if they don't buy but leave saying "it was nice talkiing to you," at least you know you did your part.This is not a lecture just my way and what I see at the shows.
  
  Don't drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out, there are to many what ifs in the picture. Just know that you did your best and maybe your people were not in the mood. My friend who did great last year this time turned out not to be a good show for him. Go Figure!!
  I would not do this show if it didn't have an "art section"
  been there done that and it doesn't work for me.
  
  We all just have to just keep trying and trying and trying.
  Drive safe
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  Sharon " Sherry" Wilson April 26, 2010 at 12:09pm

  Connie- There were snowbirds but also many non-English speakers of all varieies. I think I would do better in Art but the promoter will not allow it as I buy my clasps. Next month I will be in Stuart, an area I usually do very will . There I will be able to see the snowbird affect because by mid-May they have all flown the coop.
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  Geoff Coe April 26, 2010 at 11:51am

  How nice to log on to write a blog post on Siesta Fiesta and find one already written! Thanks, Sherry.
  
  For me (fine art/wildlife photographer) it was a solid show and a buying crowd. I sold four large canvases and took orders for two more. My neighbor this weekend (whose name I have never known, but he sells nothing but pelican wood carvings) sold out his entire inventory by 3 PM Saturday and headed happily home to South Carolina. So there were definitely buyers there, but among the few others I had time to talk with, results varied from near-zero to mediocre to "one of my best shows of the year." So take your pick!
  But I agree about the layout: the "gaps" between crafts/fine art/crafts would have been puzzling to me had I been a show-goer.
  
  I took a little bit of a break Sunday to walk a few blocks in both directions, and I don't think I would have enjoyed a location across from the stretch of packed honky-tonk bars...with the live(?) music playing it was tough to carry on a conversation.
  
  But I was (thankfully) not near those, as I like nothing more than talking with my customers about where they're from and answering questions about my work. And I noticed a couple of trends worth sharing:
  * Snowbirds were still present. I had five visitors from Maine (!) in my booth, and four from the UK.
  * In the last month, I've had increasing numbers of customers purchase works (or place deposits for works) that they'll be using in new homes that they're planning to buy/build. At Siesta, I had more conversations along these lines than I had in all of 2009. So the real estate market seems to be improving!
  I keep a separate, leather-bound log book and invite folks who talk to me about future home purchases to write down their email addresses and (optionally) their favorite photographs so they can subscribe to my e-newsletter and we can keep in touch.
  
  All in all, it was an encouraging show for me and a nice wrap to the "fine art" season down here in FL.