Thought you would enjoy member Mark Oehler's message to me about leaving art fairs behind:
Connie,
It is 2 years now since my last art fair. I do miss seeing my art fair friends, customers with money and good times.
That said I do not miss packing and unpacking my van. Or finding a RV park for my camper. Or eating in mysterious diners or art fair food trucks. I also don't miss ridiculous high entry fees, or driving 2 days to a show and as I found missing many customers at my gallery. So, I am happy to report that there is life after art fairs.
I did my first show while still in college in 1967. I took every pot I had made that semester. Not a great number, but I was hooked. Now I have spit the hook.
I wish all the art fair doers the best of luck and safe travels and good sales.
Mark Oehler
I'm sure Mark's sentiments mirror many of yours. They are a contrast to Margaret Luttrell's recent blog post about taking a chance on a 10 hour drive to Louisiana and the ensuing rewards.
Which side are you on? Mark's off the road and it is working ... or Margaret's still up for the adventure?
Comments
Like C.C. Barton, we gave up outdoor shows last year - except Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Georgia. Outdoor shows just got to be too much work with tents and braving the weather and if it did rain coming home to set up to dry and pack up again before the next show. Eighteen to twenty shows per year took up a LOT of our personal time and as retired persons there are other things we wanted to do. So now we have 9 indoor shows where weather is not much of a concern (except maybe the run from trailer to the door) and no worries about security and we still get to see our artist family. For us, moderation gives the best of both worlds.
I like to read about these stories! While I am young and certainly not interested in "retiring" I can only imagine how draining shows would be to do for a decade while having a family or battling mother time. I am constantly impressed when I go to outside shows and see people from young to less young participating!
Thanks Kathleen!
Best of luck with your shows.
It's the Milwaukee Museum Lakefront. Sorry, I should have been more specific!
C.C., which Lakefront show?
I stopped doing outdoor canopy shows two years ago after 18 years doing shows all over the country solo. Now I only do a few good indoor or covered shows where I can set up with just my panels. This year I'll be doing Lakefront and Bellevue Art Museum Artsfest - both are a 2 1/2 day drive from my home in Colorado. I actually enjoy driving and the time on the road and enjoy the shows more than I ever did before - seeing old friends again is always wonderful. I don't miss being on the hamster wheel from April through November and although I'm not filling the coffers like I used to, I have a good following of collectors (thanks for the most part to those 18 years on the road!) and a few galleries. Life feels a lot more balanced now and I still keep a full schedule of work each week - the difference is that it's now time in the studio instead of on the road or fighting the weather at shows.
I will be 72 in a month. My shows are a combination of art/craft shows and fiber trade shows. I have had to cancel 22 days of shows in the past 6 months because my husband fractured his hip in October and has had complications.
While I would like to keep doing shows, I do them mostly by myself and don't know how much longer I will be physically able to do them. I'm also concerned that my husband's health may continue to deteriorate. I really don't know what to do. I guess I will figure it out sooner or later, or else something will happen that will make my decision for me.
I'm for success however and wherever it is found! I'm glad for both, and to be fair, I think Margaret has age on her side. At my age, a ten hour drive is really hard!