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I'm presently a member of Society of Gilders and have only been a member of the group since July, 2013. I've been a professional artist for nearly 25 years and only recently decided to take the plunge and pay dues to be a member of a national club. Pretty soon I will be joining another group since I can see the benefits to membership more clearly.

Why in the heck did it take so long for me to join? I dunno? I've investigated membership in various clubs ever since the beginning, I just didn't see the benefits coinciding with the costs until recently. I started my art career as a photographer, and quickly gained a foot hold in the industry and got hired to do some really great editorial and PR jobs. I photographed artist's work, actors in plays, and musicians thrashing about on stages and back stage or in their buses. But I never could see the benefit of joining the national photography organizations like Nikon Pro. I just always felt it too costly since they required photogs to own specific pro level equipment in order to be a member. I owned enough pro gear according to their rules for a short time, but the changing times from manual focus to autofocus in the early 1990's threw me for a loop. I didn't want to crossover into autofocus gear, and thus, couldn't even be a member of Nikon Pro anymore, anyway. But I was also an artist with my camera moreover than a commercial or editorial shooter. I preferred doing my own thing. So joining that group might not have helped me very much.

Then I married a fine art painter and began making picture frames for her paintings. The door opened on a new avocation, one that has been barely tapped. I began studying frame history and discovered a new world for the taking. I began carving and gilding and creating designs based upon what my wife was painting so the frames relate to the paintings and could be considered inseparable. I began investigating the clubs she could join as a painter and as a woman and as a pastelist, but she doesn't join clubs. SO that's that for her. End of story.

Some time during 2006 I contacted Society of Gilders and asked about membership. They sent me material to review and I reviewed it, but didn't join. I couldn't see the benefit then. So during 2013 in Tallahassee while exhibiting in LeMoyne Chain of Parks, a woman walks into the booth and comments on the frames and then says, "You made these? You're a gilder!" Then she introduces herself as the incoming President of Society of Gilders and asks me personally to join. Then she says if I do join very soon I'd be able to participate in their upcoming museum exhibition in New Jersey.

So I joined! I participated in the exhibition and nearly sold something. And ever since then I've been networking with the top gilding professionals in the world. Some of them the top picture frame makers in the world. And some of the people are so much like me, too. I've really developed an incredible network and resource through group discussions and participation in their events. I have grown in leaps and bounds with my gilding, too. Some of these folks are those who teach in Smithsonian. Some are those who gild capitol domes and tall building all over the world, like NY Life builing. Wherever you see gold on a building, inside or out, a gilder did it. And most likely, he or she is member of SOG. And the group asked me to write an article for their magazine, the Gilder's Tip, which I did and which got published last summer. Part 2 is due out this winter. COOL!

As I said, I'm about to pay some monetary dues and join another national group. I already know there can be super benefits to membership. So I'm getting into one relating to wood working. I haven't decided which one yet, but I'll keep you posted.

What national groups do you all belong to and what are the benefits? I started a thread in the Woodworker's Wall forum recently and got a few responses there. I look forward to learning about other groups which other AFI'ers belong. WOOHOO!

With a weekend off and dreary skies over SW Florida, it's a great morning for little except sipping coffee and...um...blogging.  (Note to self: Develop more hobbies!) So, let's give a shout out to Bill Kinney and his crew at Paragon, and also to the Weather Gods, for delivering a superb show at Sarasota last weekend (1/17-18/2015). (Note to readers: Paragon uses this same venue for shows held in November and March.)

I've reviewed the January installment of this show several times before, so if you want lots of details on the show location and demographics, go here. Otherwise, suffice it to say that this is upscale Sarasota, and the snowbirds have arrived. 

* Show communication:  Paragon always does a great job with this, sending a nice, clearly written "SHOW ESSENTIALS" packet two weeks before the show date.  Follow up pre-show messages as needed; weather update for Day 2 (always) and weather alerts (as needed), plus a Post-Show Evaluation(see Post-Show-Eval.pdf)  that includes lots of statistics on reported gross sales by category. 

* Advertising:  Paragon releases their ad schedule, in full detail.  Looked to me like they had the bases fully covered. 

* Load-in:  The show is small and tightly laid out along the narrow access road paralleling Gulfstream Ave. (aka US 41, for the locals) in Sarasota.  The city and the promoter are very clear about what is, and what is not, a legal parking space, and the Parking Enforcement staff from the city have eagle eyes for miscreants 365/24/7.  Accordingly, promoter Bill Kinney and his staff managed it well.  Certain artists we notified a few days before the show that they could begin loading in at 9 AM on Friday; the rest followed beginning at 11.  I arrived about noon and was at my spot about 10 minutes later.  You parked as close to the curb as you could, then unloaded onto grass, parked, then set up.  If you do this show in the future, try to get there before 3:30 or so, when rush hour kicks in with a vengeance.  I've arrived in late afternoon for past shows, and take it from me--getting there early is WAY less stressful. 

* Show days:  The weather was just superb both days. Light breezes, cool temperatures, no need to run fans in the tents.  As a result, crowds were very steady, beginning a half hour before the official opening bell of 10 AM.  Most artists in my vicinity (on the NW side of the show) did very well both days.  I had nearly identical totals both days, though the crowds on Sunday bought a bit larger: 18x24 and 16x20 matted prints.  On Saturday, folks were a bit more prone to bargain-hunt, at least in my booth and my neighbors': I resurrected my 11x14 mat size for this year, and was glad I did, as I set a one-day record for 11x14 mat sales on Saturday. At show's end I had a decent sales total, somewhere in the low $2K range, and a few folks contacted me in the week since to purchase additional work. 

Post-show, I learned that several of my artist friends (at medium to high price points) fared EXTREMELY well, and one nearly sold out.  Again, you can drill the details in the document I've posted from Paragon. 

The art quality was VERY high.  Many of the artists in attendance had exhibited at the previous week's Bonita National.  Further, many patrons stopping by my booth commented on the high quality, and my impression was that the customers I spoke with over the weekend were more knowledgeable than the average show-goer. 

Load-out:  Like at many shows, load-out is a bit more challenging owing to the tight layout and tighter time frame.  I'm in the "relaxed" camp of load-out artists; home was less than 2 hours away on nearby I-75.  So I just knocked down and packed, then  hung out with my (great!) neighbors for about an hour until the path cleared,  But these artists are show vets, and cooperated to get everyone on the road within 3.5 hours of the closing bell with no significant issues.  Kinney reported that it was "beyond a home run show."  As he noted in his post show communication, there were some exceptions, like at any show you can think of.  But overall, it was a solid effort all around.  This show is definitely on my must-do list. 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 5 PM ET

Most of my readers are U.S. based fine artists and craftspeople. Did you realize there is a whole other world just a few miles north of us with educated sophisticated people in big cities who may love your work? Think Montreal (metro pop. 3,824,221), Toronto (metro pop. 5.5 million) and Vancouver (metro pop. 2,313,328). 

Many of you live near this border. Have you participated in a show in Canada? These are some of the most multicultural cities in the world, with deep roots in Europe and the Far East. Surely there are art buyers there. 

Our guests are:

• Mark Teeple, Executive Director of the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto's largest, and longest running outdoor art fair that attracts over 100,000 people and hosts 350 artists. 
   
• Mixed Media artists Chris Rom and Geoff Buddie, no stranger to the top U.S. art fairs, cross the border to participate in the Toronto Exhibition. They live in Northwest Ohio.

Mark's expertise is the Toronto marketplace and the positioning of the exhibition to bring in the buyers.

Chris and Geoff share information on crossing the border for commercial purposes, the differences in currency and other business issues for cross border traffic.

If you, as a U.S citizen, have participated in Canadian art fairs I'd like to hear from you too. Please contact me ahead of time or leave a comment below.

Hi Everyone,

Has anyone ever done under the Christmas Tree in Huntsville? I have a friend who is thinking about doing it. Any advice or comments would be appreciated. It's in the Von Braun (sp?) center.

Thanks a bunch!

Jewelers Jury Images Used by Another jeweler

They say that lightning can't strike twice. Against all odds, for the second time, jeweler Michele LeVett had her jury images stolen and used by another jeweler to apply to shows. Someone saw her images on the Paradise City web site (a show Michele had never applied to) with another jeweler's name.

The exact same thing happened to Michele a few years ago.

The case is still developing. Michele just found out yesterday morning. And she's trying to figure out how the images were taken because some of the images used were not even on her web site.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

June 6 & 7
Columbia, Missouri
Stephens Lake Park
110 Artists
Deadline: February 9

The Columbia Art League is delighted to present the 57th Annual Art in the Park.  First held in 1958, Art in the Park is the oldest and largest art festival in mid-Missouri.  It is the highlight of the summer season in this arts-focused city, home of the University of Missouri and winner of the first ever Missouri Arts council's Creative Community Award in 2007.

The 2015 festival will be held at Stephens Lake Park, a historic tree-lined park set around the serene Stephens Lake.  In support of the main event, Columbia's premier Fine Arts & Crafts Fair, the 2015 Art in the Park will include strolling entertainment for children, a children's art area, an Emerging Artist Pavilion 
showing work by local high school and undergraduate students, a Young Collector's Tent, and a food court.

Columbia is easily accessible from Interstate 70 (east-west) and State Highway 63 (north-south).  The festival grounds are just to the east of the downtown area with ample visitor parking provided courtesy of the adjacent Boone Hospital.  Visitor shuttle buses are also provided.

Booth fees start from $255 for a mid-row booth or $285 for a corner. 

Noteworthy:

• Our 57th year
• Show listed in Sunshine Artist magazine top 100 festivals as designated by artists
• Cash awards of $4250.  Best in show prize is $1,000.
• Comprehensive marketing campaign which includes TV, Radio, local and regional print advertising, billboards, yard signs, downtown banners, social networking, postcards, posters and web campaigns.
• A designated Signature Series event by the Columbia Convention &Visitors Bureau.
• Art in the Park is organized by the Columbia Art League, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and winner of the 2015 Missouri Arts Council Arts Organization award.

Artist Amenities include:

• Artist Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday; Saturday night artist award dinner
• Lunch boxes delivered to booths on Saturday
• Free, limited edition festival t-shirt; Free, limited edition festival reusable acrylic tumbler
• Water delivered to artist booths all weekend
• Booth sitters; Extensive volunteer assistance with load in and load out
• Free, reserved parking next to the park; Artist hospitality tent with snacks
• Overnight security on Friday and Saturday
• Hotel discounts
• Official Festival Program includes color thumbnail image of each exhibiting artist and website information
• Website includes full-color image with name and link to each artist's website
• Award winners automatically invited back to following year's show

If organizers of other shows would use you as a role model, we would have many better shows out there! You do so much advertising and listening to artists." Kris Clement, festival participant (ceramics), 2004-2014
 

Struggling to come up with a unified body of work? Wonder how different combinations of your images work together?

http://juryimages.com was my gift to the art show industry.

There are two parts of the web site. One is free ZAPP formatting. Upload an image and it formats it 1920 pixels square with black borders, converts it to the sRGB color space and saves it under two megabytes. Then you download it to your computer and upload to your ZAPP profile.

The other part of the web site is a way to create multiple combinations of images for you to compare. You can upload up to 19 images in four rows of five across. Change the background color to black for ZAPP or gray for JAS. duplicate images so you only have to upload each image one time and use it for multiple presentations. Flip horizontally so you can test how your presentation flows. Enlarge them to the same size ZAPP monitor jurors or JAS jurors see them. But the best part is that you can drag them around with your mouse. Where do you think ZAPP got the idea to let you drag the images to change their order. You can share a link to your page with a friend or consultant to ask their advice

http://juryimages.com was built in 2009 and hasn't been used often enough by artists because they don't know about it, although hundreds of artists use the free ZAPP formatting part of the web site because it's recommended on the ZAPP web site. But the test your presentation part is amazing to use.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

May 16 & 17
Clute, Texas
Presented by the Center for the Arts & Sciences
100 Artists
Deadline: February 2

We are so pleased to invite you to apply to our inaugural show on the tree-shaded grounds of The Center for the Arts & Sciences, located just one hour south of Houston. 

Our plans for your success: (in no particular order)

• It is the only juried art festival in a community of approximately 300,000 people
• We have already begun marketing the festival through "Save the Date" ads in area newspapers and magazines
• We will continue to market the festival in local and regional publications/broadcast media to ensure good attendance
• We have studied the art of festivals and will provide artists with optimal conditions and hospitality for a successful event
• We will have a Patron Preview Party Friday night, May 15, so that artists will have an opportunity to sell to high-end art buyers
• The Festival will feature both food and entertainment that is not otherwise available in our area (food trucks, musical entertainment representative of Asian, Hispanic, Celtic in the mix with more traditional popular bands). We believe these will be a draw to the event.
• We will have both hands-on children's art activities and art demonstrations for adults
• We will invite Houston media to cover the event
• We are working directly with art leagues around the state to enlist participation from their artists, including Galveston, Rockport, Austin, Houston and Dallas (smaller communities, too)
• We intend for our festival to become an annual event and understand that this first attempt must be successful and we are committed to "doing what it takes."
• We have started receiving sponsorships. Honda of Lake Jackson has agreed to be the Title Sponsor and Honda of Greater Houston has approached us about doing something on-site to "enhance the experience for Honda owners." This indicates to us that our event is attracting  attention from the bigger markets.
• We will conduct an after-festival survey with participating artists to obtain their feedback for what worked and what we can do better. We ARE serious about artists suggestions!
• Our setting is lovely, with plenty of trees and free parking.
• Artist set-up will be Friday (5/15), and load-in/load-out assistance will be available.

I just got my annual rejection from Cherry Creek and it got me thinking.  There is a problem in our business that effects many artists like me.

The last time I did Cherry Creek was 1992 (its second year).   I was 11 years into my art fair career and still showing tried and true photography,  That year I showed an ironic new image, that combined with a provocative title, caused people to see themselves in a whole new way.  My sales went up dramatically and I had my best show to that date at Cherry Creek.  

After that, I began to look for more image/title combinations and soon ironic turned to comic.  I became successful beyond my wildest dreams topping out a few years ago at Main Street; Fort Worth with a $21,000 show.  People come in my booth and chuckle constantly, then, before leaving, they say, "I love your sense of humor".

Well, 34 years into my career, my body of work has progressed to the point where what I do is very popular with patrons of art shows, but because of the restrictions of 10 second viewing by jurors I can't include my titles and even if I could they wouldn't have time to "get the joke".  A glance won't do it!  So, of late I'm getting more rejections because I'm jurying with my new work assuming shows want variety and diversity.  Wrong!  It seems to me, that shows want the same-old-same-old work every year.

The problem with the whole system, is that the entire jury process is disconnected from the buying of art.  Shows choose their jurors from the same pool every year.  The jurors are all from the pool of people who are "suppose" to know art.  NOT people who consume art.  So, the same artists (many great ones) populate the best shows year after year.  However, the public is denied the experience of seeing a greater variety of artists (many great ones).  

We all know the serious type of people shows recruit to their juries (e.g. Museum directors, gallery owners, artists and academicians).  I don't believe they take humor seriously!  

If you have four eye-popping images that take no thought to process you're in.  It's the same with judges at shows, they glance at a wall of work but consume none of it.

I know the people of Denver would love my work, but they will probably never get the chance to see it. 

An artist friend of mine thinks the best shows are commission shows, because the public votes with its dollars and the top sellers are invited back.

Something to think about.

 I thought you artist friends who, like me, produce and sell our work, might be interested in a look at my studio. Warning: it might get ugly. 

  http://sandyartparts.blogspot.com

       I've heard it said by artists in discussing their future dreams: "I just want a small house and a big studio!"

    And why is it important to us artists to have that place to make art? So important, in fact, that a big studio is preferred over a big house. When my husband David got finished with art school in the '70's, he built a studio space in the pole shed at the farm. He enclosed a space, added a wood floor, put in insulation, a chimney and a Jotul wood stove. 

   Then he met me, married me, and embarked with me on an adventure that has taken 36  years to bring full circle. Now we are literally right back where we started. (Our first date was at the studio!)

      So we are older, wiser, and all that. And very much still needing a place to make art. Our art is varied;it requires supplies, time, and a lot of tools. And cats. Our art includes painting, jewelry making, mixed media collage, leather craft, decorative painting, and wood working. Our future art will include ceramics. There is no end in sight of the need we both have to make art. 

     The need to sell  our art goes hand in hand with the need to make it. Neither one of us is cut from the fabric of making art to just give it away. It's the selling it, the finding the right client for the work , that scratches the itch and completes the cycle.

   Of course all this comes at a price. When I think about the length I have gone to to get in the right shows so I can meet my ideal client, well, it makes me shudder. And if we were to count up the actual hours David has spent on his art that he would not, could not, get paid for, it's pretty insane. And yet there is this need to make art. So we keep figuring it out. How to make it, how to sell it , and how to have that big studio next to the small house.

   So we're doing a little bit of renovations. Like a new floor, insulation, rain gutters, varmint proofing, and lighting. Hopefully we will get it done before the weather turns freezing. 

I have to keep  my vision up of the big studio, because, as you can see, it's little more than a dirt hole right now. Our cats love it, they think it's a huge sand box/ litter box. My work area is the table in the upper right of the photo. Pretty primitive, huh? 

 But you should see the view from here.

 So what does your studio look like? Do you have a big studio and a small house? 

I am going to exhibit at the Woodlands Waterway show in Houston April 10th but since I am coming out from California, to maximize my trip, I thought I would apply to other Texas shows around that same time period. I was just accepted to the Lubbock Arts Festival for the following weekend but before I accept, I wanted to check if anyone out there has done this show and what they have to say about it. I could find no blog threads on the site relating to Lubbock. Anybody? Beuller... Beuller...?

February 6-8
McAllen, Texas
Art Studio by Design 

• We will be advertising on radio, paper and Beyond Magazine. 
  
• We are located in the heart of the art's district in McAllen.
• The McAllen Art Walk is 12 blocks long and people stroll up and down the street and in and out of the art galleries. 
• Friday night is our big night for showing and selling art.
• Saturday brings in sales from those who came to the Art Walk the night before. 
• Sunday is an after church group that is looking for something to do on Sunday...we have three churches within one block of the Gallery.  It should prove to be a great turnout for the event.

For many artists this is the down time of the year until the Spring shows come around. How to make productive use of it?

1. Get your vehicle ready. Clean it out. Refit it so stock packs easily for in and out.
2. Go through your inventory, clean everything, put new price tags on, make new signs. Remove anything that has been in your stock for over a year.
3. Analyze your 2014 sales to find your best price point and create work for that niche. (Listen to Alison Thomas and Leo Charette on this podcast to hear their tips.)
4. Prepare new images for jurying. Review your Zapp/JAS portfolio. Share it with a friend or a person you respect and get feedback. Rewrite your Artist Statement.
5. Get out a calendar and plan your year's schedule. Remember this is a business, be systematic in your choices. Does it seem a place where you can earn a profit? If you are new to the business do not overextend yourself financially. Be conservative. Here is a varied list of events in all price ranges: www.CallsforArtists.com.
6. Review all of your insurance: vehicle insurance, health insurance, business insurance, studio.  Try ActInsPro.com for event insurance and RLI.com for small business insurance. You saw the stories on this site this year: high winds blowing through shows, bad auto accidents, robberies, medical problems. Be prepared.
7. Review your business cards or other print materials you hand out to customers. Design/order new ones.
8. Close your books. Get your paperwork together. Renew sales tax licenses for the states you visit.
9. Find an open jury to attend. Read some books on sales.
10. ________ help me out here. What else?

Bored yet?

Has anyone ever done a show in Guntersville, AL called Art in the Lake? it takes place the 3rd weekend in April. It sounds small, but sometimes small shows can surprise you. I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks a bunch!

I'll be exhibiting at the Cherry Creek Art Festival for the first time in July. I wondered if anyone has suggestions about where to request a booth. It looks like the show is spread out all over the place.

Thanks,

John Leben 

Certain media and styles each have venues that lean towards them versus other mediums and styles.  For example, I did a show in Lexington. I thought that the location would be ideal for my work.  It turned out that the show was organized by a gallery that specialized in abstracts and the show was pointed toward, and marketing concentrated to, their customer base.  A lot of fine crafts, some photography but no realism (or very few including me).  Actually, the closest was an impressionist. A wood turned friend was there (does excellent stuff) did well. The turnout was fair - not great; but still...

 I read the comments/show reviews with keen interest; but when I see the comments are from photographers or people who do fine craft work, I have doubts whether those ratings/comments are germane to me.

I am interested to know which members do realist works and work in oils, pastels or sculpture so I could key in on their comments.  I also encourage those who take the time to comment, which I very much appreciate, to comment on the presence of other mediums and styles that participated and whether they had similar results.  I promise to do the same with shows that I do this year.

May 16 & 17 
East Lansing, Michigan
Downtown
Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 10am-5pm
200 Exhibitors
Deadline:  January 31

Established in 1964, the East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) kicks off the festival season each spring in the beautiful streets of downtown East Lansing.  The popular festival attracts 80,000-70,000 attendees.  In addition to the 200 juried exhibitors, the ELAF encourages future artists through the Emerging Artist Program.

This non-profit event is beloved in the greater Lansing area and attracts devoted art buyers from across the state of Michigan as well as Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. Informally known as the "City of the Arts," East Lansing welcomes the finest artists in North America to exhibit at this highly promoted event.

East Lansing is a charming university town with a variety of shops, restaurants and galleries. The beautiful Michigan State University campus is right across the street, which is now home to the renowned Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum.

The combination of the University and the State Capitol nearby brings a well-educated population to attend and appreciate the handmade work.

At the ELAF---ranked #54 by Sunshine Artist magazine---exhibitors can expect:

• well-educated visitors, including professional people
  from state government and the university
• friendly volunteers who welcome artists and make load-in and load-out run smoothly
• perks such as booth sitting services and Friday set-up as well as free artist parking, coffee and break area
• affiliation with local public TV and radio---bringing the right people to you
• eclectic live music that enhances the art rather than distracts from it
• international flavors in a unique food court
• a hand-on area for children
• a festive mood---this is the kickoff of the local festival season!

Apply today:  www.Zapplication.org

For more information please contact:

Michelle Carlson, Art Festival Director

East Lansing Art Festival

410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823

(517) 319-6804

e mail:  info@elartfest.com 

www.elartfest.com 

The festival is presented by the East Lansing Art Festival Board in cooperation with the Arts Commission/City of East Lansing.

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Find more art fairs around the country looking for artists: www.CallsforArtists.com