If you've been doing art fairs for awhile you really don't notice when you haven't seen someone for awhile. You meet so many people at the shows. So I always appreciate it when one of you gives me information about friends who have left the fold and go on to other things. Thanks to Barbara Sucherman for sending this link about former fiber artist and doll maker, author and journalist, Nancy Camden, who I last saw at her home in Jackson, MI, about two years ago just before she moved to Milwaukee. She said at the time she had done her last art fair. This is a link to a piece Nancy did for NPR on a local dog park. Hello Nancy!!
TheDogParkMarch4,2009.mp3Read more…
Usual 7: a.m. radiation thing.......1 week down, 6 to go...sigh.It was 76 yesterday (unusual) and today it's supposed to drop 40 degrees in the next couple of hours (usual). I was gone most of the day and now I feel so guilty that I couldn't leave the kitties out on the screened in porch. The redtail hawks are back and busy adding to the old nest out back.Today I plan on going to see The Reader, working on the sign design for my son's new restaurant in Sierra Vista, AZ, cracking a bottle of pinot noir and doing some beading/tv watching in bed with the kitties.
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September 19 & 20 Artsfest '09 Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center Solomons, Maryland in Association with the Smithsonian Institution 120-150 artists Deadline: March 31 Annmarie Garden is a thirty acre public sculpture park and arts center located in scenic Solomons, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay. The Garden also features a shady walking path that meanders through the woods past permanent and loaned works of outdoor sculpture, much of it spectacular works on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. Established in 1993,
Artsfest is an annual juried arts festival organized recognized as one of the top outdoor arts festivals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Artsfest brings together some of the country's most accomplished artists for a weekend of art, music, food, wine and micro brews at beautiful Annmarie Garden. Bands and entertainment acts perform continuously throughout the Garden. Artsfest welcomes a broad array of art media and styles in an effort to provide a diverse selection to Artsfest visitors. Artists working in fine art, fine craft, and folk art categories are encouraged to apply. Artsfest offers three VERY different exhibition options: *inside the Arts Building *around the Tent Circle *and along the lovely Wooded Path What else? *Cash Awards will be presented in several categories, Artsfest '09including the Best of Show and Best Display awards.
* Hussein Saidi receiving a well deserved Best of Show *Arts Organizations can also participate in Artsfest! Are you looking to increase exposure for your arts organization, then consider applying for a booth at Artsfest. Reach thousands of visitors interested in the arts. All organizations must provide an activity or demonstrate. *Artsfest has gone paper-less! All of the festival communication is now being done via the Internet and through email. *Emerging Artist Program! Emerging artists are invited to submit their applications for consideration. This program is intended to provide emerging artists with professional show experience. For complete information, including call for entries, please visit the website at
www.annmariegarden.org. Or contact Melissa Daman, Artsfest Coordinator at
gardenevents@chesapeake.net Thank you! Artsfest is one of the most important fund-raising activities for Annmarie Garden. We cannot express enough our extreme gratitude to all artists. We know there are so many details to worry about when undertaking a festival, and we are grateful that you are willing to share your talents and participate in this event. We hope it is a mutually beneficial experience. Artists, if you apply to this event, please tell them ArtFairCalendar.com sent you! Thanks.
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Your art lesson for the day:
Take a break today from whatever is bothering you, log on to this website and learn a new craft in only a minute, turning an ugly t-shirt into something fashionable. Here's the link: OneMinuteU.com
I look forward to seeing your creation at the next art show.
OR
Even better, take a photo of it and upload it to me at here. The best one will receive a copy of my e-book "Secrets to Success at Art Fairs."
Here's what you do:
1. visit the site
2. get a t-shirt
3. make a new t-shirt
4. take a photo
5. upload the photo here
Ingenuity and creativity count
Extra points given for Best Use of an Art Fair t-shirt
Deadline: March 17
Show us your t-shirt!
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You've seen those young people with the Red Bull cans strapped to their backs at events in recent years - now you have your chance to have some fun with the cool Red Bull images. Red Bull Art of Can is a national juried exhibition featuring artwork in a variety of media that have one thing in common—they are all inspired by Red Bull or crafted from the iconic blue and silver cans. The juried exhibition is open to anyone with a flair for creativity and the talent to transform an original concept into a compelling piece of art that can be shared with a public audience. Registration is free and open to artists nationwide through May 15, 2009. Sculptures, paintings, digital/graphic designs and various forms of mixed media will all be considered. Registration forms and details can be accessed at
www.redbullartofcan.com.
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October 1-4 Akron, OH 120 Exhibitors Presented by the Hywet Hall & Gardens, a Historic House Museum and Country Estate An outdoor event held under large tents Deadline: March 10 Searching for a new venue that is accessible to a great number of shoppers hungry for creative, one of a kind, hand crafted items? Read below for a possible solution. Ohio Mart is held on the grounds of the country estate of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, OH, and is in its 43rd year of being the premier Arts and Crafts festival in the state of Ohio. The Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens location is in the heart of over 15,000 shoppers that come from Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh. This is a destination event. Patrons come to find wonderful art work and spend the day on the lovely grounds--a perfect setting for bringing you the patrons who appreciate fine goods. This is a juried event, accepting only handmade original art and held on a date when there are few other venues available.
Benefits include: *Assistance the day of set-up and the evening of take-down *Booth sitters for breaks, morning coffee *Free accessible parking for vehicle *Booth space tented Where is the Stan Hywet Hall?
Visit this link. For more information and to download an application visit:
www.stanhywethallandgardens.orgRead more…
I know some of you are very scared about the near future. If you continue to listen to the news it doesn't help much. I am here to tell you that you can make it through this. You are brave and resourceful, otherwise what in the heck are you doing in the art fair business? You have vision and creativity and lots of guts. Who else in this country stands on a street corner on the weekends showing the world the products of their imaginations and standing beside it for all to see? You don't think that takes guts?
You are going to love this article. Here are the four reasons:
1. You are self reliant. "Back when we moved from farms to factories (and later, to cubicles), once we got a few things like child labor and worker safety straightened out, a lot of us got into the habit of letting a company take care of us." That is not you.
2. You have a great imagination. "... in the emerging economy, the means of production are between your ears."
3. The village is your customer. "...if you make something handmade (even if it’s delivered in pixels), personal, and/or magnificently useful, your village can and will find you."
4. It’s in your DNA. "The human being is an inherently creative, flexible, resilient creature. You are an inherently creative, flexible, resilient creature. The times may well get worse before they get better. But compared with a lot of history’s darker moments, this one’s pretty comfortable."
Read the whole article, then print it out and read it again when you get discouraged: http://www.copyblogger.com/recession/
Thanks to Sonia Simone, Senior Editor of Copyblogger for this revealing article.
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recently I recieved an inquiry from a prospective collector in Australia. This person ordered 3 very expensive pieces. They were in a hurry, the command of the english language was spotty, wanted to use a credit card. I responded that the shipping costs could be prohibitive and that did not seem to phase the customer. Indeed they offered to arrange for pickup of the pieces. They said they would handle it, implying they would handle the costs but it did not feel right. They would not respond to my request for a cashiers check(reccomended by my bank).I offered some information about the work and there did not seem to be any curiosity or interest about the work which is unlike the normal customer. I discovered that this is a common scam put upon international used book sellers.I recieved another inquiry from a different australian , much the same but sent to a large number of on line merchants, only some of whom were artists.Beware international orders. insist that your arrange the shipping and have the costs covered by the customer. I found that UPS to Australia was in the range of $450 for a medium size box containing an $600- 800 sculpture. insist on a cashiers check and check with your bank before you let the merchandise go. Dangers include the customer charging back the credit card and shipping companies that bill you the shipper later. Go with your gut.
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August 15 & 16 Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania 35th Annual Outdoor Art Show Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Chautauqua Under the oaks of old Chautauqua 285 artists Deadline: April 1 In mid-August as many as 18,000 festival-goers will plan on enjoying a weekend of art, crafts, entertainment and gourmet food. Where is Mt. Gretna, PA?
Visit this link. Every year, during the third weekend of August, this community of some 700 homes and cottages suddenly springs to life, welcoming 285 artists chosen through juried competition and 20,000 visitors who-by their presence acknowledge the role that art plays in their homes, hearts, and lives.
And every year, as thousands of art show patrons return, many others discover Mount Gretna for the first time. For everyone who comes, it is a return to an earlier era: to a time when neighbors greeted neighbors from their front porches, when going for ice cream meant going for a stroll rather than getting into an automobile, and when life itself pulsed at a rocking chair pace. Learn more about the event at:
www.mtgretnaarts.com Contact them at:
mtgretnaart@comcast.net or 717-964-3270 Apply online at
Zapplication.orgRead more…
Don't be sounding the death knell for art fairs in Michigan just yet.
Saturday morning I arrived at the Kalamazoo Country Fairgrounds for the
Garage Sale Art Fair and to my amazement the parking lot was packed! I had to park in the last row. People were standing in line to enter and others were heading out of the building with armloads of packages. Money exchanged hands.
Inside it was a melee of people jostling others in the aisles and standing in line to buy pottery, photography, glass, paintings, etc, from one hundred + artists. What a happy sight.
My art fair shopping companion, Barb Burkhardt, and I came home with work from jeweler B.J. Jordan, pottery from Michael Kifer and Mike Taylor, a scarf from Dinah Morrison, fabulous glass from Earl James and there were two objects I wanted that others bought before I got back to buy them.
Yes, it is true, there are people in this region who do have jobs and will spend their money on art. Click your heels together and believe that! Turn off the news now and then and think good thoughts and meet me at the next art fair!
Congratulations to artists Bonnie Blandford and Michael Kifer who are responsible for putting the event together. Thanks, Bonnie! Put this art fair on your calendar for next year.
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Come check out Cafe Handmade's Weekly Virtual Craft Show. We Have over 70 great Artists to see. Visit us at www.cafehandmade.com. We have a couple thousand of people visiting us every week, and we continue to grow.If you haven't already signed up for our eNewsletter please do so on our site, you'll be automatically entered everymonth in our Reader Rewards. 1 lucky reader will win a $50 shopping Spree the first monday of every month. 1st Drawing is to be drawn on April 6th. Get extra chances in the drawing by completing the Scavenger hunt at www.cafehandmade.com.We're excited to see we are growing at a rapid pace. We appreciate all the artists, and the people who visit every week.Thank youRead more…
The call for entries for this event in downtown Royal Oak, MI, on June 13 and 14 has been extended to March 13 and 14. Mark Loeb, organizer for the event for the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce has this to say:
Hi Connie- Clay, Glass and Metal Show is still needing more metal as this is the first year accepting that medium and not getting enough applications for that medium yet. Anything you could do to help me would be appreciated. We're fine on the other media.
Jurying is next Friday, so I reset the deadline on Zapp to allow apps until Thursday night. THANKS
Mark Loeb
Integrity Shows
734 216 3958
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if you should be so lucky to have someone come in your booth with fabric/color samples or what i like best a tape measure...at least you have a serious customer. they are in your booth because they like your work and it is your job to convince them that YOU are the best ...if it's not the perfect color can you change that? if your art is one of a kind and you really repeat nothing...then it becomes your job to make them realize the value of the work and how it will make a statement that will be a joy for them to live with. it certainly should not be an insult to the artist when people want to match...be nice and positive and helpful...guess that sounds like too much like work to most of the "artists" but as a craftsman i know it can make a difference in your sales. we are not better than our customers and consider this...they have the money!vicki munntired furniture maker of 30 years...connie, i know the article was not really about this subject but this is just what i wanted to say.
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or should the painting BE the sofa?
I know some of you cringe when a customer enters your booth with color samples of fabrics and paint samples. You will love this article which explores the art vs. furniture debate and shows you how to pimp your house. Me, I'm out to recreate that chandelier....
Art Meets Interior: Highfalutin’ Ways to Pimp Your HomeRead more…
Could it be because they have business/life partners who devote themselves to the success of the artist? Yes!!
This month's issue of the Crafts Report explores the role of the "non-artist's" role in an artist's business life discussing this often unsung person's contributions to the business.
As an artist's partner myself this is not an eye-opening expose, but it is great to receive some recognition. As art director of Arts, Beats & Eats we have a revolving award, The Golden Dolly, that is awarded each year (with an award check!) to the best artist's partner. The first recipient was Richard Nash, hauling the work of Jeanne Nash around the country. Year two it went to Michael Strailey (an Art Fair Insider) who is still setting up Nancy's booth innumerable times each season. Other awardees: Carole Weber (spouse of Michale Weber), Judy Lederer (spouse of Ron Lederer), Sam Kuznets (spouse of Svetlana), etc. Many thanks to these great people.
Enjoy the article at this link: http://www.craftsreport-digital.com/craftsreport/200903/?pg=36
Read the article and then get back to this and let us hear what you think.
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June 13 & 14 Royal Oak, MI on Washington Avenue in downtown Royal Oak Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce 125 artists Deadline: March 1 A simple concept: Focusing on a core audience will bring you the best results. That's why Royal Oak continues a fifteen year tradition of celebrating artwork created with heat. What does that mean for you? A world of difference. You are not competing with prints, photos and corndogs. Everyone is coming because they have an interest in your artwork. Artists report that it is a pleasure to work with customers that already have an understanding of the medium. We encourage artists to showcase their methods by giving additional space free to accepted artists that wish to demonstrate techniques. Any loud music is buffered by our restaurants and then sponsors, assuring that no artist loses out to music and smoke. This festival features 125 clay, glass and metal artists, demonstrations and related activities. As a result we get a large focused audience. Our artists tell us that it is a pleasure having customers that really understand their work and techniques. The Royal Oak Clay & Glass Festival provides:
-Qualified Buyers -Cash Awards -Overnight Security & Free Parking -Artist Breakfast To be artist friendly while also assuring new booths every year, we have a three year jury rotation. If you have participated in the last three years you are automatically accepted when you send in your booth and application fees by deadline. The art fair is organized by Mark Loeb of Integrity Shows a veteran organizer of metro Detroit events. NOTE: ONLY CLAY, GLASS AND METAL ARE ACCEPTED. WORK MAY INCORPORATE OTHER ELEMENTS BUT MUST BE PRIMARILY CLAY, GLASS OR METAL. SORRY NO POLYMERS SUCH AS PRECIOUS METAL CLAY. For more info:
www.RoyalOakChamber.com APPLY TODAY:
www.zapplication.orgRead more…
Look what web browsing finds you:
Documounts.com, "Framing solutions for today's digital & traditional artist." Finding the right partnership can really help your business take off. From what I have seen
Documounts is a useful partner for your art business. The site sells quality mats and bags for your art at prices that help you make a better profit.
This page even focuses on artists who participate in art fairs. You will find great Market Ready Kits and Pre-Cuts mats along with lots of helpful information and tutorials at
Documounts 101 (everything you ever wanted to know about matting and framing) and on
their blog (full of tips about the art business).
Bookmark this site!Read more…
Posted by Jan Kaulins on February 25, 2009 at 9:29pm
Sonny, Sonny, Sonny. You can't fool an old dog like me with your I NEED OXYGEN GET OUT OF WORK QUICK SCHEME--I know you only too well and I'm not buying it. Are you sure that your problems are from welding smoke, or could it be some other sort of more esoterically oriented smoke? Sonny, Sonny, Sonny. That's probably not an oxygen tank, but one of those that makes you sound like Donald Duck when you inhale it--you know, the stuff they blow up balloons with. Now that I think about it, I think you might be on to something. I've been doing shows almost as long as you have--you know that. We go back a long time my friend. I think I'll go blow some Welding Smoke, quit my job (doing shows) and join you on that tropical island beach hide-away that I think you've got lined up. We can both sit on the beach and swap lies and dirty jokes and make fun of all the other artists still working and pounding the pavement. Yes Sonny, I think you've got it figured out my dear friend, and perhaps I'll join you on that beach one day soon. Love ya old pal. Big hug to Roxie for me. Jan Kaulins
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2-22-09 An innovative new web site, the
Arts Acquisition Project, devoted to connecting artists with collectors seeks
pieces for its inaugural exhibition. The
Arts Acquisition Project aspires to be the premier arts web site to date, bringing a fresh approach to the online gallery business. The focus will be not only on the art, and revealing it to a wider audience, but also to introduce the general public to the artists as people, innovators in action. Commentary and review will also be an integral part of the
Arts Acquisition Project, as AAP strives not only to sell art, but to also cultivate an environment of artistic growth and conversation. One of the
Arts Acquisition Project's biggest assets will be its close relationships to regional and national artist and buyer communities. AAP will also have a commanding presence on the web, where its over-arching relevancy in the arts community will make it one of the top hits on Google whenever someone searches for 'art.' Quite simply, the
Arts Acquisition Project is going to become synonymous with purchasing art online. AAP is interested in showing all forms of visual artistic media, including but not limited to painting, drawing, photography, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, and crafters. You are invited to be part of the inaugural group of artists included in this gallery. Artists should submit a brief biography and up to five pieces (as jpegs) of work, preferably of the same theme.
The Rest of the Story:Arts Acquisition Project is an innovative economic solution to an eclectic art market. Historically, artists have asked patrons to come to them, whether it be to galleries, exhibitions, or art fairs. With AAP, the art will be going to where the consumer is already shopping: the Internet. A sleek, hip, user-friendly website like AAP will entice a new type of buyer to consider purchasing original modern art. Natanya Willis, the founder of the Arts Acquisition Project, is an interior designer and arts hobbyist. Her appreciation of the visual arts and design has seamlessly brought her to the next generation of arts appreciation. Her understanding of the power of the Internet and its unlimited potential to convey interest in the arts will prove to be both provocative and engaging. Creating and delivery of a new online forum for the arts is no easy task, but the rewards of ingenuity and creativity are well worth the efforts. You are invited to be part of the inaugural group of artists included in this gallery. Artists should submit a brief biography and up to five pieces (as jpegs) of work, preferably of the same theme. For more information, or to submit, visit
www.artsacquisitionproject.com. Entries will also be considered for publication in the biannual print journal.
2-25-09 After artists contacted Ms. Willis for more information after reading the above "call", she has updated it. Here is her response:
Thank you for you interest regarding the Arts Acquisition Project. We are delighted with the responses so far. Please review our artist update regarding detailed questions that each of you requested. The AAP is in its development stage and the process is moving quickly. Again, I would like to thank each of you for your interest in this special project. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly and stay tuned, the site will be evolving everyday. Thank you, Natanya Willis Click on this link for the latest updates: Artist Update.doc Arts Acquisition ProjectRead more…
Artsfest '09 Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center Solomons, Maryland in Association with the Smithsonian Institution 120-150 artists Deadline: March 31 Annmarie Garden is a thirty acre public sculpture park and arts center located in scenic Solomons, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay. The Garden also features a shady walking path that meanders through the woods past permanent and loaned works of outdoor sculpture, much of it spectacular works on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. Established in 1993,
Artsfest is an annual juried arts festival organized recognized as one of the top outdoor arts festivals in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Artsfest brings together some of the country's most accomplished artists for a weekend of art, music, food, wine and micro brews at beautiful Annmarie Garden. Bands and entertainment acts perform continuously throughout the Garden. Artsfest welcomes a broad array of art media and styles in an effort to provide a diverse selection to Artsfest visitors. Artists working in fine art, fine craft, and folk art categories are encouraged to apply. Artsfest offers three VERY different exhibition options: *inside the Arts Building *around the Tent Circle *and along the lovely Wooded Path What else? *Cash Awards will be presented in several categories, Artsfest '09including the Best of Show and Best Display awards.
And every year, as thousands of art show patrons return, many others discover Mount Gretna for the first time. For everyone who comes, it is a return to an earlier era: to a time when neighbors greeted neighbors from their front porches, when going for ice cream meant going for a stroll rather than getting into an automobile, and when life itself pulsed at a rocking chair pace. Learn more about the event at:
www.mtgretnaarts.com Contact them at:
mtgretnaart@comcast.net or 717-964-3270 Apply online at
Zapplication.org
