Well, I go to lunch, after promising Geoff Coe I was gonna write about Naples, and RC sneaks in on me and spills the beans. Good report RC, you covered the basics, now I will give you all an extra filling of meat to whet your appetites on for 2011.
Back in September I was faced with a very hard decision. One, I could go to the annual New Years Party at my best buddy, Richard's, in downtown St. Pete right across from the Vinoy Hotel. We all would of course get to drink about 25-30 of the very best bottles of wine that come out of Napa and Oregon (think yummy Pinots). We would eat deicious orts and just have the time of our lives. I have been fortunate to do this with Richard for more than 25 years.
On the other hand, I could send my money in and try to get accepted for the New Years Show in downtown Naples, now run by the local Art association. Course that meant going to bed at 9 pm on New Years Eve, then getting up at some atrocious hour like 3-4 am in the morn to go downtown, cue up in an adjacent field and set up my booth. Set up a booth or drink good wine--tough choice. This year I went with Set Up the Booth.
Eh, times are tough, just came off a miserable December where you don't make diddle yet everybody still wants their money. Looking at the prospect that I still had booth fees to pay for Des Moines, Artigras, Mt. Dora and Artisphere and a myriad others, it was an easy choice. Go out and make moola on the first day of the year.
The Naples Art Association took over the former Howard Alan show for the first time this year. I know Mariane Megala well, she runs the shows down there for the association. She is very knowledgeble and gets a tough job done well every time. The show ran down the center of 5th Avenue for six blocks like the Howard show. Difference was, there were about 50 less exhibitors with artists set up in quads of four. This left you back to back with your neighbor, but you had a whole open corner on your booth with room on the other side for storage and hanging as well.
Ellen, my wife and I got to stay with our good friends Terri and Lou Causey up in Ft. Meyers. It was a 45-minute ride down Hwy 41 to the show. Yup, we went to bed at about 9:30 New Years Eve--that sucked. We decided to get up at 5 am and then roll on down the road to Naples for setup. Worked perfect for us. Easy setup, still had time for coffee, breakfest and the New York Times.
There were about 200 exhibitors in the show. I figured with booth fee, gas, food expenses and a few tequilas, my nut for the show would be about $800.00. Some had higher costs, some who slept in their vans or trailers had a little less.
Naples has always been a good venture for me over the years. They are my kind of people. Lots of mid-westerners who I sell to in the summer, and now they are here--and they buy, how can you go wrong?
Crowds were fast and furious for times until about 1 pm both days. Then it got quiet and slow until show end at 5 pm, then we got a little finishing flurry each day. Lots of europeans at the show. I sold to more Germans then I have ever seen in 35 years at the shows. Most are well-dressed, a little on the elderly side, but they are out there. I had a great opening day, started off with a $300 sale and never looked back. Sunday sales for me were a little less, but when I totaled it all up--IT WAS MY BEST SHOW OF THE YEAR!
Sunday morn I walked around and talked to about 30-40 people I know to get an idea about Saturday sales. It was very uneven. Some did real great, others had barely made expenses. One european photographer I know, did as much on Saturday as I did for the whole show. One woodworker had major sales on Saturday. My wife Ellen sold one piece for $265--that was it for her on Saturday. Many oldtimers who had done the show during the Howard years opined that this could be a rollercoaster show going up and down from year to year.
Sunday brought great weather (which we had all weekend) and some busier crowds. Many artists who didn't do well on Sat. made up for it on Sunday.
Here is some real meat to think about if you are going to do this show. You are selling primarily to older well-off couples who have very traditional, I would even say very conservative tastes. They buy for the decor not as much for the spirit of art. Know that going in. Also being early January in Florida, there are no real deals for hotels. If you have number in a row to do in January, then I would definitely include this one. That said, this show favors those of us who live in the south.
For me, this is great start for 2011. I have Cape Coral, Bonita, New Smyrna Beach and Ft. Meyers all in a row. Could be a great start for my 36th year in the biz.
