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Well I am finally get around to talk about my TRAF experience Connie! LOL 

2014 TRAF was the second year for me for this show and my first return to a big show. At first, I did not think it was going to happen as I was placed on the wait list but I received an email that there was an opening!! So of course I was super excited to be back! Why? It is a great show! 10 days of music, art and awesome food. 

Now my BBB (Best Business Buddy), Cathy, was also accepted into the show and here is where it got fun! TRAF is 10 days long and they have to divided into 7 different artist sessions in three areas. #1- Point Park, #2 Gateway Towers, #3 Liberty Ave   If you are in the park, there is the South and North Walkways. This is where the huge stage is set up and great bands play all festival long. Cathy and I were in the North Walkway but in different times. She had the first 7 days and then I was in the last three days of the festival. Since I have the "Big Girl" tent i.e.: Light Dome, I let her use it. When her session was done, we literally walk the tent down 7 spaces to my booth assignment! It confused a few people because the artists are to be open from 12 -8 every day and when your time is up, you only have 2 hours to get out of the park so that the next artist can get into the spot. So there I was tent already up and over half way done!! 

Now to those who have no idea about the festival, here is the scoop. It is located downtown Pittsburgh. If you ever see a shot with the fountain flowing and the city behind it, well that is where it happens for the most part. 

Check in can be a little confusing if you are not from here since the check in area is 2 miles away in the a parking lot in the 'Strip'. The Strip District is where one can get their fresh goodies and go shopping and at night go to one of the clubs that used to be a church. Once you are checked in, you head to Gateway center to unload. There is lots of walking involved if you are in the park FYI! You can't drive up to your booth since it is in a State Park. BUT - they have loads of volunteers to help you unload and carry it to your booth! They are extremely helpful and nice. Once the car is unloaded, you have to move it somewhere else. Lots of peeps get pissy about this but seriously there where lots of street parking around that was free that I saw and was using! 

The electric is free as it comes with booth fee, 500 watt I believe. Which is nice if you are in the second session, because it is dark by the time you start setting up. My neighbor guy was so mad at the late set up time saying that the artist should close earlier so we could set up earlier. But that would not work since being in the park, the bands are still playing until 8pm. Cant please everyone. And yes it sucks to have a very late setup, and set up until 1 am or whatever and then have to be there at noon the next day…. but I rather do this any day than be back working long hours in the mall! 

So what else can I say? I really believe this is a great show to be in for many reasons. The staff is informative and helpful. The weather updates for any pending storms by receiving texts on the phone help a lot. Because over 10 days, it will rain but how badly is the question. (AND it was proven that over the last 40 years, it only rains 34% of the time during this festival. There was an article in the paper about it!) The crowd was amazing as tons of people were there and were buying. There were only two crabapples that we had to contend with the whole time as I was my friend's assistant and she was mine during TRAF. It was delightful. 

In my opinion, this year show had tons of photography booths but a good even mix and good quality of art. There were a just a few booths that I was asking myself 'how did they get in?" as there are 700 artists over the 10 days. I know I maybe bias since I live in the area for all my life but it is a great show. Also there is a stand in the park that is always here and has the best hummus! I was going to turn into a chick pea if I ate anymore. 

As for parking, I parked in a lot that is by Heniz Stadium for $6 and I take the free subway ride to Gateway (which is the main center point for the festival) and walk in. I do get my exercise in during this time. There are other places to park that are closer but are $10-20 daily. 

The only thing I can say that was negative was a few of the artists, and just a few, that were are upset with 'all the rules.' One being you cannot use the benches in the park as storage, they are for sitting on. The show will be fined, not the artist, for doing so. It is a state law not a festival one. And since the artists in the Gateway Tower area can't have things outside of their 10x10 space because of how it is set-up, the artists in the park can't either. This is done is be fair and even across the board. Also I found these same people did not read the artist packs. All the answers are there along with maps, and info to where to eat and special promotions around town. 

Also I had the best new customers! One of which came back a few times bringing her friends which helped my sale greatly. PLUS, she whipped out a small bottle of booze and gave it to me! AHHH Bailey's, thank you!

I know I had a great time being there and being apart of the festival. I look forward to being there again! If you have questions, please ask! 

TUESDAY - JULY 8 - 5 PM ET - Call in with your questions: (805)243-1338

In the beginning art fairs were created and artists and art buyers flocked to attend. You were one of them. Your mother and your friends thought your work was wonderful and maybe they were right, so off you went to the marketplace. How did it go? Was it a triumph or a humbling experience?

A panel of beginner and experienced artists from various media discuss their "first time." What you will learn:

• how they prepared
• where they were, big or small fairs
• how it impacted their lives
• their biggest disappointments and their biggest surprises
• the good, the bad and the very ugly

Read more: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artfairs/2014/07/08/my-first-art-fair-a-zero-or-a-hero#ixzz36mgDBDM6

If you can't join us at 5 pm you can always listen later at this link: www.ArtFairRadio.com.

Deadline: 7/13/14 midnight

Many thanks to Karen Holtkamp, Kathleen Caid, Mark Loeb and Carrie Jacobson who shared helpful info on AFI in June that led to good discussions.

Please vote now to determine who will win AFI's coveted "Post of the Month."

Click here: www.FrameDestination.com

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

August 9 & 10 
Monroe, Michigan
Sat. 10am-7pm, Sun. 10am-6pm
around 90 artists
Deadline: July 17

Monroe is halfway between Toledo and Detroit, easily accessible for the many artists who live in this region.

The 11th Annual Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair is located in the Historic District of Monroe, Michigan.  Our art Fair corresponds with the River Raisin Jazz Festival.  Enjoy a relaxing weekend in our downtown full of spectacular Fine Art juried in from around the country.  

The Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair has an elite number of artists.  Jurying to select only fine Art has limited the attendance to around 90 artists, but gained in the quality of work.  The true art lover will enjoy a sophisticated show and the Fine Artist will be in good company with others who share the same quality of work.  Because neither the Downtown Monroe Fine Art Fair nor the River Raisin Jazz Festival charge an admission to the public, the shows are very popular with tens of thousands of people in attendance.

This in a non-profit show, all of the booth fees and donations go directly towards growing, improving and promoting the show across the Midwest.  Monroe is in an optimal location for pulling in crowds we are a short drive from Detroit, Ann Arbor and Toledo.

The show is run by a group of volunteers who are friendly and willing to help everyone have a wonderful and successful weekend.

For more information and an application:  www.monroefineartfair.com 
Christy LaRoy: www.christylaroy.com 
 

September 19 and 20
Adrian, Michigan
Main and Maumee streets, downtown Adrian
Friday 4 to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
80 exhibitors
Deadline: July 7

Art-A-Licious has set a goal of becoming the best small-town art fair in the region. Supported by numerous foundations and grants, a passionate committee, and the businesses and the citizens of Adrian, we aim to put on an outstanding event.

I am in my second year of art fairs and have been using square since the beginning. This weekend in Chicago at the Highland Park Fine Art and Craft show I had a disaster happen. I had a $510 sale which looked like any good sale I've ever had. The payment authorized. The signature line was given,  the people signed, they declined to give me an email and they accepted a paper receipt. I pressed the "no thanks " for the receipt page and continue, and we were done. Off they went with the art. That evening I went thru my square payment activity and the sale wasn't there. I thought maybe because it was after a certain hour on a Sunday. I called square to ask about it, as it never appeared, and the reality is the horrifying part. The sale was voided apparently during the authorization process. Square said it could be an incoming call, a text or questionable wifi which may have faded for a brief moment and that's all it takes. The authorizing process failed but you won't know that until long after your buyer has left. I didn't do a good job on my end getting the buyers info which I should have done as a part of doing good business, but I didn't get contact info and now I have no recourse. There is no way to tell when a payment is voided. Square does not notify you. This is a truly sickening live and learn experience . I hope this information saves someone else a lost sale in the future. 

Des Moines, IA - June 25-27

Best in Show: Dylan Strzynski - mixed media
Not only the changeable weather but the rest of the story caught him off guard. First he was on the wait list, then he got interviewed by the Des Moines Register about his successful Kickstarter Project, a video called "The Life You Make" about earning a living at art fairs, then he won Best in Show! Congrats, Dylan. 

(Detail from Dylan's mixed media painting, "Is that a barbecue I smell?")

The rest of the winners:

• Longtime exhibitor and frequent winner Nicario Jimenez of Naples, Fla., for his intricate, shrine­like dioramas inspired by the "retablos" of his native Peru.

• Grant Silverstein of Mansfield, Pa., for his detailed black-and-white etchings of allegorical scenes.

• Deborah Mae Broad of Hawley, Minn., for her elegant wood-block prints of real and imaginary animals.

• Susan Frerichs of Abiquiu, N.M., for (mostly) silver jewelry designed to suggest scenes from the Southwest — tiny buzzards circling above miniature train tracks, telephone poles and animal skeletons — all dangling from delicate silver chains.

• Anthony Hansen of Morro Bay, Calif., for his brightly colored scrap metal sculpture.

Each of the three jurors also awarded a prize for one of his or her personal favorites: the mechanical-parts sculptor Michael Schwegmann of Champaign, Ill.; the nature-inspired drawer Helen Gotlib of Ann Arbor, Mich.; and glass artist Patty Roberts of Marysville, Wash., who makes jewel-toned, gritty-surfaced bowls.

For the second year in a row, Sodam Lee of Iowa State University won best of show among the Emerging Iowa Artists for her dreamlike prints of landmarks and fairy tales.

Fun for me to see is that Dylan and his long time partner Helen Gotlib (both from Ann Arbor ) both were winners. I first met Helen and Dylan at probably their first art fair, in Detroit's Greektown, where they couldn't afford separate booths but shared a space. 

Nice article in the Des Moines Register with a cool video: Weather keeps artists, visitors on their toes

The Other Show in Des Moines, Iowa.

I apply to show before but I needed to cancel due a death in the family and my divorce. The show is very organize and seems to run extremely well. Another artist told me to give a try and I apply and got accepted. Main reason to do show instead of the downtown: Hours are normal, indoor, no worries about your tent, people park in fair ground and the take the bus to the downtown show. These weekend and rain very hard in the area and flood warnings. Sunday it was under Tornado Warning.

This was the third show of the month and needed the show to be good. I meet Nels at Virginia Beach I told him I was doing this show and his respond was that show produce more losers than winners. Munks told me that people in Iowa do not support art buss as well as you hope. I could misunderstood the comments but that what I got from what I understood. Still I was willing to give a try because I could be a winner.

To get from Chicago to Des Moines it take 5 hours. The set up is Friday at 4pm sharp. You have 4 hours for setting up and 3 hours before the show start Saturday morning. The hotels in the area was full due to the Rodeo so I took a hotel for Friday night near to 80 (bad idea) and Econo Lodge across the Fair Ground  for Saturday and Sunday night (very good choice). Since is a short trip I took off Friday morning got to my hotel by noon. Check in and head to Fair Grounds. I ate lunch and just wait until 4pm. The only part that is hard about the set up is dolly in and no AC.  

Saturday and Sunday you can see a good amount of people walking but very few sales in my end of the show. There was and Artist that paint his cooper with a flame and he did very well Saturday. At the End of Saturday I decide to head back home Sunday night and give my hotel fee to another artist instead. Sunday it was very slow sales wise for everybody. I did my expenses on Saturday and have a normal day on Sunday but it was a very difficult crowd, polite but difficult.

This a show that even if I would made 10,000 I will have a hard time doing again but I made still give it one more try.

Why, in general people do not want expend money in art or paid for what I consider a fair price. It was dishearten to see at least five artist next to me no make enough to cover expenses (painter, drawing, jewelers) I saw things that look like buy and sale but that was my concern. PRICE POINTS WAY BELOW THE NORMAL.  I think what I got was this year people walking the show was looking for bargain and is the second year in row that the newspaper are telling buyers to get things below 200 or less because people complain of things that they can not afford or do things that had nothing to do with art. When I see things like this makes me wonder.

So one more time Munks was correct.

Like or not it could be a down year but something is wrong.

So I had good sales at the Crosby Festival of the Arts (at the Toledo Botanical Garden) this year. I jumped my 2013 total by over two hundred dollars. But I overheard a lot of artists were down this year. The weather was mostly dry this weekend with a one minute passing shower on Sunday. But boy was it hot! Sweated the show out both Saturday and Sunday. Just standing in your booth, it was very warm and a constant sweat poured off my head and body in general.

Ah, art fairs in the Summertime. And a few visitors in my booth did sing "Everything is Awesome". Well, I did not earn a ribbon this year. But sales were much needed income for my two big July shows... Plymouth's Art in the Park and the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair. Plus, I am still baffled why I did not get into Ludington's West Shore Art Fair this year. You would think with my two big July shows, Ludington would be a piece of cake.

But the focus of Crosby was the sales. I like Crosby. They feed you with an Artist's dinner on Friday and have breakfast for you on Saturday and Sunday. Snacks are out during the fair in the artist's lounge. And a family member is a volunteer there. I also like when they schedule your breaks for the day. They roam around the fair with a clipboard and ask you when you want to take a break. Being a one man show, this is great. The only fair that I know if that does this.

Some sort of GoPro drone helicopter thingy...

The cramped red section. Good thing I was not there...

My yellow section..

My blog post today... taken at the Toledo Botanical Garden

October 10-12  

This is a high quality fine art event held in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, named as Missouri’s 2010 Creative Community by the Missouri Arts Council. Co-sponsored by Summit Art, an artists's organization, Downtown Lee's Summit and St. Luke's East. 

• Summit Art Festival will be held in Historic Downtown Lee's Summit, MO
• Our event is nestled in the Central Business District of Lee's Summit.
• We are excited to partner with the Downtown Lee's Summit organization to put on our 7th Annual event.
• With a population of almost 94,000 people and land area of 65 square miles, Lee's Summit, MO, is the sixth largest city in the state. Despite a rapid growth spurt in the past 25 years, Downtown Lee's Summit has remained the heart of the community.  

Greetings,

I was checking the weather forecast for the festival, and up pops this winner.  Pretty much a sad commentary on the current state of affairs, eh?

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/arts/2014/06/26/arts-festival-need-to-know/11435827/

-just thought you should know...

This small show, which took place June 14 and 15, is put on by the New Milford Historical Society. It's situated on the green in downtown New Milford, a pretty, well-off, traditional New England town. It's in western CT, relatively close to Danbury. Lots of New Yorkers have second homes in New Milford. And they are lovely homes. 

Set-up on the village green was easy. Because of where my tent was, I did have to dolly, but it was a dolly of about 10 yards. The lawn was fairly even and the grass was thick and rich. You're not allowed to use spikes of any kind to anchor your tent, because of an extensive sprinkler system. 

I'm a painter who uses a palette knife to make contemporary, fairly realistic oil paintings and my sales were pretty good. Not great, but solid. Some people had clearly come to the show to buy art, and I was lucky to encounter some of them. The booth fee was cheap, and I had a free place to stay, so I count this as a successful event, though it wasn't among my top-earning shows so far. 

The one difficult point for me was that my booth was beside a gazebo in the park. This would be a prime spot, were it not for the group of homeless and alcoholically inclined people who hang out at the gazebo. My heart went out to them, but as each day wore on, they became louder, and their language rough enough that it clearly scared potential buyers away. If I'd been in a different spot, this would not have been an issue. 

Though this is a small show, it has a fairly long history, and it attracts people. This was the first year that crafters were allowed in, and the craft was of a pretty high quality. I'd encourage 2-D and 3-D artists and crafters to apply to this one, especially if you live in or happen to be in or near Connecticut. 

The Manayunk Arts Festival takes place along one very long street in Manayunk, a funky, hip village adjoining Philadelphia. I had thought it was a neighborhood IN Philadelphia, but people who live there said otherwise. 

I have to say that I had no idea how big this show was until I was leaving. I was near one end, and as I drove out, I could see that the show was at least three times as long as I had imagined or could see. The website says nearly 300 artists, and 300 artists on one street is a lot of artists (and food tents, too). 

Set-up is on Saturday morning, starting at 5, one of my least favorite options. But it was handled well, and in my area, was orderly. Parking was in a lot that was free for artists and very close to my booth. 

Tents are set up on both sides of the street, though there was a coffee house across from me, with an outdoor patio that precluded tents on that side; there were a few situations like this in my area, and to my mind, they were helpful. People tended to stop or at least slow down. Also, with no one across from me, I had a good chance to get potential patrons' attention.

While the initial check-in was easy, the later check-in, where you got your nametag and packet, involved standing in a line for about 30 minutes. This was after setting the tent up, and it seemed inordinately long. Later in the day, I saw roving volunteers distributing nametags and packets to people who hadn't waited in line. That's something to remember for next year. 

There were tons of people at the show, and my sales were fairly good. Not great, but OK. The people were very nice, and seemed to know art. I suspect that repeat artists get more business - this was my first year, and I would try it again. 

In the area of the show that I saw, some of the work and some of the displays were surprisingly weak. This show did not seem to have the percentage of very high-end work that many shows I'm in have - but it is possible that those artists were down the road. Jewelry was particularly weak, in my opinion.

The volunteer force was strong and visible. I did not ask for a booth-sitter, and there was no system for getting one, but I believe I could have had one, had I asked. The head volunteer in my area, Ed, was excellent. He was visible and present, he communicated well, and he was supportive.

The first day, we were given tickets for two bottles of water when we checked in. Like many of the artists, I took my bottles right then and there. Later in the day (it was hot and sunny all day), volunteers came by with water. They wanted to charge me $1 because I'd already used my tickets. This really seemed penny-ante. Many shows I've been in hand out water right and left, to keep the artists from keeling over. Sunday, the volunteers distributed water for free.

Take-down was a little more chaotic than set-up, but most people adhered to the take-down-your-tent-first rule, and so it was not a total disaster.

As an aside, the neighborhood where the show takes place has lots of excellent and funky restaurants and shops, and was a pleasant place to spend a couple days, showing and selling paintings.  

December 5-7 
Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Expo Center
Presented by Ohio Designer Craftsmen
Fri. & Sat. 10am-8pm; Sun. noon-5pm
400 Exhibitors
Deadline:  July 8

Ohio Designer Craftsmen invites artists to a rewarding experience selling their high quality, original, handmade work at our "Columbus Winterfair".  Now in it's 38th year, the show attracts an audience of 18,000 who look forward to holiday shopping at Columbus' premier fine craft event. 

Winterfair is held at the Ohio Expo Center, a well-known location with easy access from major highways and ample parking.  Visitors shop throughout the weekend using free return passes.

The show is supported by a powerful marketing plan, including:

• Direct mail postcard sent to 60,000 past customers.  Additional postcards and e-cards made available to artists for their own customer lists
• Email blast reminder to past customers the week before the show
• 12 billboards seen by thousands of drivers beginning one month in advance
• Television and radio commercials reaching over 1 million viewers and listeners an average of 4 times
• On-air ticket giveaways on television and radio
• Reduced price tickets sold in advance through newspaper, online and at the Ohio Craft Museum
• Print ads in major local newspapers, magazines and entertainment tabloids
• Online ad campaign reaching 150,000
• Listings on all area events calendars
• Twitter and Facebook promotions beginning two weeks before the show
• PR campaign attracting media coverage of the event

Artist amenities include:

• A wide selection of conveniently located hotels and a lot for RV's
• Convenient hours and setup, allowing artists to enjoy fine restaurants and entertainment in the Short North arts district and Polaris shopping area near hotels
• Six cash awards for excellence, two judge's choice awards and a drawing for one "Dinner Winner," who enjoys a great meal for two, on the house!
• Convenient parking, now including some under cover
• Friendly, helpful staff with experience running a well organized show; Booth sitters
• Printed directory listing booth location for every artist and offeringartists individual ad opportunities
• Online directory on our web site with photos of artists' work and links to their web sites

What exhibitors say:

• "You guys put on a classy show, and we love being a part of it.  Thanks!"
• "This is an event that we do not want to miss.  ODC has been wonderful!"
• "This year's show easily outpaced last year's for me, and last year's was my previous best!"

For more information:

Contact: John Barr, Fairs Manager

(614)486-7119

jbarr@ohiocraft.org

Applications available at:  www.ohiocraft.org

Chicago - June 14 & 15, 2014

Digital Art, Drawing/Pastel & Painting:

Best in Show - Katie Musolff, painting (in photo)

Second Place - Taylor Mazer, Drawing/Pastel

2D Mixed Media, Photography & Printmaking:

Best in Show: Mikel Robinson, Photography

Second Place - Chia Haruta, Printmaking

Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Stone and Wood:

Best in Show - Steve Uren, Wood

Second Place - Norman & Hetty Metzger, Fiber

3D Mixed Media, Jewelry, Metal & Sculpture:

Best in Show - Theodore Gall, Sculpture

Second Place - Ann Marie Cianciolo, Jewelry

and maybe the best award ever!!

People's Choice Award - a trip for two to Barcelona

Jeff Zachmann - Jeff's work is kinetic sculptures that stop people in their tracks
http://www.zachmann.com

Congrats to all of them.

i would like to weigh in on this topic as it crosses many categories, not only photography.  I believe honesty is the best policy and it should be reflected both ways, in the jurying: quaifications and in the artists booth: by price and format (like the difference between a print and an original.) If the show does not allow prints or restricts the proportion of prints to originals then those are the rules.  If something has been licensed to someone else I would expect to pay a percentage of an original and certainly not more than another licensed piece of art.  The artist who finds himself in the position of selling something someone finds in target will be losing that future sale if he misrepresents it The art world has many levels of prints from famous artists like picasso, miro, etc.  you can find it on a postcard, a lithograph or even a poster.  The prices are reflective of the medium.  It doesn't make the art any less good.  I would be happy to own a litho or painting version of the dove of peace by picasso.  The fact that it has been reproduced does not lessen its value but probably the opposite.