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Nothing like a little scenery when rolling into town for the show. For you "flat landers" this is the Teton Range in northwestern Wyoming. 

Recently, on a private Facebook artist group, an artist asked for advice on dealing with a challenging customer on a custom order.  (The details aren't important here, and I don't have permission to share them, anyway.) 

I read the comments already posted.  Some were helpful, some (a bit snarky) maybe not so much.  And I was about to weigh in with my own two cents, and then I remembered a quote (from Albert Einstein, I think), along the lines of: "To solve a problem, don't engage in the level of thinking that created the problem in the first place."  

And that got me thinking about a "bigger picture": about our relationship to our customers and them to us...and I remembered a conversation led by a master wedding and portrait photographer in a seminar I attended, one that I first heard many years ago. It had to do with "A", "B" and "C" Customers.

I don't know if the seminar leader invented this set of distinctions.  Maybe Bruce Baker talks about this topic in his sales tape series; I have no idea and if he does, by all means go there and listen!  But  I found it a useful way to look at my customers and my relationship with them, and my perceived value ("what am I worth to my customers?  And what are they worth to me?")  so  I thought it worth sharing in this forum.  

You may or may not agree with the categorizations for each "customer type."  If so, heeding Einstein's maxim, change 'em to suit your business and your values.  

You may think the exercise is deeply flawed, or has no value to you.  That's fine.  If so, heeding Einstein's maxim, say "thank you for sharing" and move on.  Please resist the temptation to nit-pick the details in the comment thread.  

So, with all that said, the conversation went something like this: 

A Customers: 
1.Spend money with you, respect you, have integrity in how they operate (keep their word, keep their deadlines) . 
2, Are "champions" for your work and reputation, and refer you to their friends, who may also buy from you. 
3. You feel like a professional when dealing with them, and that owning your work makes a difference in their lives. 

These are the customers that make your face light up when you see them coming to your booth.  

B Customers:

Spend money with you, but not consistently. Sometimes, but not always, fulfill 1, 2, or 3. (Your "bread and butter" customers.) 

C Customers:

1. Spend money with you, but make you work for it in ways that are occasionally aggravating and/or demeaning. Don't seem to understand or value your work.

2. Complain and criticize; may return items while they're doing it. Ask for excessive discounts or to not pay sales tax.

3. When working with them, you feel unappreciated, or that you're "doing it for the money", and that your work makes little or no difference in their lives. 

4. When they leave your booth, you're exhausted.  And more often then not, you're glad to see 'em go. 


The point isn't that we all should strive to work with only A customers (although that's one option!).  Or that we should never work with C's (although that's another).  The point is: know who you're willing to work with, and know who is standing in front of you. What behaviors or comments would you use to place a customer in one category or another? 

And here's a useful "bonus challenge" worth engaging in: For BONUS POINTS: Assess you and your business in the same manner.  Asked another way: "Who are YOU, for your customers???" 

Criminals have struck again

Last month California jewelry artists lost their inventories in two separate thefts.. Deborah and Kevin Healy of Healy Designs had their jewelry stolen from their van when they stopped at a restaurant after a show. In a separate incident, Laurie Lehman of Floral Jewels lost her jewelry while she packed her car after a show. These are devastating losses, and it will take many months for the artists to create a new inventory base for their shows.

“We, jewelry artists, need to remember that traveling to shows is inherently dangerous. We must be very mindful as we move our work about.” -- Deborah and Kevin Healy

It can be very difficult to know if you have been targeted by criminals and, even if you suspect your business is being cased, professional thieves will strike when and where your artwork is most vulnerable. Your best response to potential theft is to take precautionary measures and to insure against loss in case your precautions fail.

Here are some quick measures to take to protect your artwork:

• When on the road:

  • Never leave your artwork unattended. If your inventory is too large to keep with you at all times, shift coverage with a partner. If you're at an indoor show, use the convention center vault.

  • Be especially cautious during transitions -- arriving at or leaving a hotel, setting up or breaking down your booth, for instance. Call the police if you are being followed or have reason to believe your exhibit or hotel is being “cased.”

  • Keep your vehicle well maintained. Have a full tank of gas on the last day of the show so there will be one less stop as you travel from the show.

• At shows:

  • Design your booth so that you will be able to see all areas of your display at all times. No blind spots.

  • If possible, at the busier shows have an assistant. This is one of the best theft prevention measures

  • Thieves often work in pairs. One distracting the artist/seller as the other takes merchandise. Do your best to be attentive to one customer at a time while being aware of others.

• In your studio:

  • Consider having an alarm system installed in your studio if you don’t already have one. If you do have one, test and maintain the system regularly.

  • If your supplies, materials and artwork are of high value, keep them in a theft-proof safe.

  • Exterior lights and possibly an interior light on a timer are important crime deterrents

• Find more theft protection tips and resources at the CERF+ Studio Protector website, including resources such as:

  • Jewelers’ Security Alliance

  • Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company’s safety and security articles

  • Security and insurance ideas for shows and open studios from Harriete Estel Berman’s Artist Professional Guidelines

This article from CERF's Studio Protector Blog. Learn more about CERF here: http://craftemergency.org

So there is a large group of artists who break down really fast and get the heck out of a show. I am part of this group. I usually post my out time after a show to let people know about the logistics. Off the written record the group of fast break down artists compete with each other:). Just another fun thing we do. Honestly it gets stressful and takes strategical planning. It is awesome to get the heck out and get on the road and/or get back to home or hotel for a cocktail.

This past weekend we tried something new. It was HOT. Saturday hit over 100 on the street. Sunday was not as bad but was forecasted to be bad. We planned on a really slow breakdown. I enjoyed the best break down ever. Didn't get overheated, never fought with my partner and hopefully didn't freak my booth neighbors with swear words.

Our booth neighbors had their amazing son at the show. During the show this awesome kid rigged up a "roller coaster" out of dollies and ratchets. Gave him stuff to make signs, 25 cents for 3 rides BUT if you were an artists you got 4 rides. Once the show closed it was free for artists. We had so much fun riding the "roller coaster" and visiting with the other slow poke artists breaking down. Artists camaraderie is the best. I think I have been missing out high tailing it out of shows. I may be a convert of the slow break down. I think we Maybe got out 45 minutes later than if we would have gone fast and furious.

November 25-27 
Covington, Kentucky
Northern Kentucky Convention Center

In 2014, my wife and I participated in the Occassion for the Art in Williamsburg, VA.   This show remains our best show.  Last year, we arrived in Williamsburg in the middle of two solid weeks of rain.  Our RV trailer was up to its hubs in mud but since the show was on solid ground, we didn't worry too much.  What did worry us and the promoter, Leo Charette, who is also a show photographer, was the forecast of a hurricane taking aim on the area.  The storm didn't directly hit us but as it approached land, the winds were punishing and Leo made the only decision possible; he cancelled the show.  We've all gone through situations like this one but the bottom line was very different.   Within a day or two after the cancellation, we received a note from the promoter which stated that he would do everything possible to refund our booth fees, or at least as much as possible.   True to his word, a few weeks later, a check arrived for the amount of our booth fee.  This is something other promoters ought to consider.  No wonder an Occasion for the Arts has such a loyal following and a solid wait list.   It's an outstanding show, run by an artist who understands artists.  

Columbus, IN is a sweet little town about 45 minutes south of Indianapolis and is known for its wealth of architecturally significant buildings, both vintage and new.  So it seems like a perfect place for an art fair.

For many years the show has been held the same weekend as Penrod, a Saturday-only monster of a show also in Indiana.  The Columbus folks apparently decided to quit fighting the beast and changed their date to three months earlier.  Having done so, now the location on the streets of the charming downtown wasn't available for the new dates, so the venue was also changed to a beautiful park on the outskirts of downtown.  The show went on, and on this particular weekend the temps were well into the 90s with suffocating humidity and not a single shade tree in the show area.  Thus the perfect storm occurred.

The organizers did a good job of coordination and planning.  The guy in charge is a show-going photographer himself, so to my mind the little details like set-up hours, driving to the booth to unload and load, quality of art, etc were done well well.  Best, I have to say, were the indoor artist-only restrooms with incredibly soothing ac cranked up to a luxurious level.  Ahhhh.

But the show just couldn't overcome the perfect storm.  Very few shoppers appeared.  Everyone's sales were dismal.  It was what it was.  I did meet some delightful customers, however, so that was the shining light for me.

To his credit, the organizer took it hard and said he would be soliciting artist input by email in a few days, in addition to meeting with the board to discuss changes for next year.  If I had to guess, the location was too remote ... when you're downtown, people who didn't know about the show have the opportunity to trip over you and slow down for a look ... to be able to overcome the other obstacles.

This was my first time doing the Columbus show and, in spite of this year's problems, I think I would actually try the show again.  They get it, so it's just a matter of getting all the pieces in the right places.

I just completed the Wayzata Art Experience and want to share while it is all still fresh. 

First, this show is on no one's radar. At all. There are no reviews anywhere, so I emailed a few folks who participated previously. They said it wasn't great and that I should proceed with caution. Wayzata (Why-zet-uh) is about 40 minutes from my home north of Mpls. It sits due west of Mpls, and for a $190 booth fee, I thought, "I'll roll the dice." The show is right on Lake Minnetonka on the main drag of Wayzata. Cool breezes off that big lake kept things pleasant even when it hit 90F. 

Turned out to be really well run. Good communication, easy, close parking for artists, load in and out at your booth with staggered times; TONS of volunteers checking in on you during the show, giving out free water all day, offering to booth-sit, and free snacks as well. The citizens of Wayzata, MN love their town on Lake Minnetonka and it shows. 

This is a small show with fewer than 100 artists, and under 10,000 visitors, but the demographic base is ideal. Somewhat older crowd, multimillion dollar homes...people with money who aren't afraid to spend it!

Saturday was hot and humid with storms on tap for late afternoon. I made a few sales early Saturday and then it all cooled off with weather coming in. The shut down early at 4 p.m. and we all stowed the breakables. Sunday had to be better, for sure. The weather would cool way down and be clear and sunny. Perfect! 

Sunday was beautiful and the crowds were better, and sales all around me were happening later in the day, but not so much earlier. I got skunked on Sunday and I'm still trying to figure out why. But I made my expenses so all was not lost. There are some pretty high-end artists there who say it's a good show and they make money. There were also good craftspeople participating, a replacement window outfit, canoe builder, gardening exhibit, lawn ornaments, henna, etc. A really wide mix made up the show, and now that I've seen it, I'd call it a community festival, not an Art Fair. but I'm not sure I care if the audience buys. They didn't buy much from me, but I know others did ok. 

Anyway, if you are local to Minneapolis, this one might be worth a shot. Pretty place, well run show, but keep your expectations down. 

September 10 & 11 - Franklin, TN
September 17 & 18 - Memphis, TN
Presented by: ArtWorks Foundation, a 501c3 corp.
80 Artists
Deadline:  June 29

Application Fee: $35; Booth Fee: $300

• Franklin, TN - Sept 10 &11 (set up on 9/9) - in Liberty Hall at The Factory, a 12 building dining, shopping, and entertainment complex listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Franklin is an affluent suburb of Nashville TN. 

• Memphis, TN - Sept 17 & 18 (set up on 9/16) - on the indoor courts of The Racquet Club, in East Memphis (best area of town)...the courts offer phenomenal lighting!

Art Paired is an in-door art fair featuring fine-craft, coupled with tastings of wine and distilled spirits. Expect works in all media categories by talented artists, from across the US and the immediate area. 

What to expect from these shows:

• The concept of this show is new: we're using wine & Bourbon sampling as a drawing card to attract new art consumers.
• Highly Targeted Direct Mail (our mailing lists from visitors to our previous shows + other affluent households), partnerships with glossy, local magazines, and radio that skews to women 35 to 64 for the basis of our marketing plan.
• In Franklin, we also have a an alliance with the home-town newspaper. In Memphis, we add outdoor advertising to the mix.
• We'll also have a strong online presence on both cities, including a Groupon Discount (on our already ultra affordable tickets: full price only $10 pp).
• Both of these are new shows, but we've staged others in these cities (and hopefully learned from our mistakes). We've also worked to develop partnerships designed to drive traffic (for example, the fee of one of the venues is tied to the number of admissions). 

What was said about us:

"...you go way beyond for the artists. I am glad I did the Memphis show but I would not have done so if it had not been for your gracious attention to the artists at the Franklin show. The people that attended the show in Memphis were well educated in the arts and knew what they were seeing." - Mia Tyson

Apply to Franklin: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=4437

Apply to Memphis: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=4436

Learn more:  www.artworks.foundation/our-next--big-show--.html 

Contact:  Greg Belz, gregbelz@hotmail.com, (901)327-4019

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

What to say next without being "salesy" or using a  "hard sell."

(Sorry folks, there seems to be a technical glitch at ArtFairRadio.com, click here to listen)

Just in time for the big July art shows, just as you are getting your best work ready to show in Cherry Creek, State College, St. Joseph, Madison, Jackson Hole, Ann Arbor and all the others (how about sweet little Chautauqua?) we've got some help.

Did you listen to our podcast yet, "Selling Art Face to Face?" If not, download it now to listen to while you are traveling. Get inspired.

Your purpose is to bring good things into people's lives. You know how excited that last buyer was to be taking your work home, it was ego fulfilling for both of you. Here are ideas to keep that happening using (1) empathy; (2) enthusiasm; (3) encouragement; (4) elasticity; (5) emergency

Learn more about how to sell with ease, naturally and authentically. Click here and you'll get a discount with purchase, plus the author Mckenna Hallett is making a donation to ArtFairInsiders.com. 

Deadline for the discount is June 30. 
Here is the special link: http://mygoldenwords.com/Connie/

First time I have done this show.  I have been hesitant to do it because of all the challenges but decided this year I was ready to take it on.  We went in with a great attitude.  We were ready for the wind, heat, sun, rain, and everything else this crazy show had to throw at us.  If you are not familiar with the show  here is some info.  It is set up on the boardwalk right along the beach.  Behind the tent is a rail and the beautiful beach and ocean.  Amazing setting for an art show.  It is a four day show with set up on Wednesday.  That means your booth is out in the elements for 5 days and you are looking at 6 nights in a hotel unless this is a local show for you.  If you want to try this show find a vet who knows the ins and outs.  There is a lot to learn and know.  Brush up on your McGyver skills you will need them.

We arrived Tuesday afternoon.  We received excellent intel and booked the hotel in front of our booth.  Arriving early meant we could park in the hotel parking lot close to our booth.  This was very important to help the show run smoothly for us.  We had dinner with friends that night and had a strategy briefing over dinner for the next 5 days.  There is a drive on option you can sign up for.  Wednesday you stage and can drive right up to your booth.  OR if you get close enough to dolly in you can start setting up anytime Wednesday.  Our vehicle was parked and close to the booth  so we dollied in.  There was almost no wind and the weather was good for set up.  You set your booth up right against the rails of the boardwalk.  You tie the back of the booth up tight against the rails.  Practice your sailor knots or find someone who knows what they are doing to help.  Also figure out wheret to tie to.  This was discussed in the strategy meeting the night before:)   We put all our weights on the front of the booth.  We were building a brick house.  This show is notorious for high winds.  I added a set of gravity weights to our arsenal this year.  With the bad weather we have all been dealing with this year these things are perfect.  They are black bags that fold up very small and flat.   You can fill them with water or sand or kitty litter, whatever you want.  They take up almost no room in the truck.  This was the first time I have pulled them out.  Perfect place to do it because there was lots of sand right behind the tent.  Between the regular weights and the gravity tubes the tent had over 500 lbs on just the front.   You can rent big water barrels for the front of your booth.  This may be a good option but they are big and they  only weight about 100lbs each.   If both you and your neighbor rent the barrels you have a lot in the way in front of your booth.  Our weights took up very little room at each leg and we had 170 lbs on each of the three legs in front . The plastic white weight in the pic is our neighbors. For storage, no room behind the tent if you set up tight but there is some room on one side of your tent if you and your neighbor work together.  This is encouraged by  the show.  They also allow you to place stuff across the boardwalk in front of your booth as long as you keep it clean.  I think they said 4x4 area. 

On Tuesday night we sat on the boardwalk before the artist tents went in.  The rental tents were up.  We watched people duck under the tent walls and party in the booths.  I decided I wanted to add stay bars in the front of the booth to place at night.  Not only to make the brick house stronger at night but to make it harder for the party folks to get in from the front.  Wednesday we set up just the booth with out the art.  I was not concerned about the weather that night but more concerned about people going into my booth and playing artist with my supplies.  The plan was to remove the tool boxes (which have paints and paint brushes inside) and anything else that we might care about at night, like our show bag, contact list and generator.    The truck was close enough to make this an easy thing to do

Thursday started at noon-6.  The other three days 10-6.  It was humid but not bad.  Wind was decent.  It kept us cool enough.  If you do this show bring an umbrella with a really good stand.   We had an extra gravity weight and a big beach umbrella.  We were able to screw the beach umbrella into some dirt, tie it to a director chair and attached the 60lb weight to the chair.  Saturday and Sunday called for full sun.  No sales on Thursday for us or anyone around us.  We were all large two D.  It was mainly tourists.  The locals are known for coming Saturday and Sunday from what I was told.

Friday was the bad weather day.  The show director was excellent at keeping us all updated with emails.  Of course being right on the beach everyone was glued to their weather apps.  Winds started up strong around 1pm.  It went down hill from there.  Most booths closed up around 3 and the show was called at 4.  The brick house survived and so did the art.  What did not survive was our generator.  Friday was a stressful day and we screwed up and left the generator in the tent overnight.  On Saturday morning we woke up and asked each other if the generator made it back to the truck.  I hadn't done it and my partner hadn't.  Sure enough when we showed up to the booth the sucker was gone.  The thieves were good.  The generator was in a wagon covered with a camo tarp.  They crawled through the back of our neighbors tent(there was a ramp going to the beach in the back) and into ours.  They even placed the tarp perfectly back into the wagon so it looked like the generator was still there.  The show had lots of security.  At night we saw a lot of police patrolling the beach but they can't watch everything in a venue like this.  None got hurt, the art was fine and a generator is easy to replace as long as we can make some $$$$.

Saturday morning we had some be backs and a couple sales.  Wind was between 15-20mph and full sun.  Big crowds.  It helped to have the truck and trailer close by so we could bring patrons to see more art.  It was tricky with the wind but we made it work.

Sunday was the perfect day weather wise.  The crowd was good but not as big as Saturday.  The patrons are a big mix but plenty of qualified buyers with expensive purses and big diamond rings.  We were hoping for a big day but didn't have it.  Most people I spoke with were just breaking even or made a paycheck. 

Breakdown was easy since we dollied out but you could pull up close to the boardwalk if you didn't have a dolly space and once enough tents cleared if you still were not out you could drive up to your booth.

 This is a long show.  15 blocks long.  Sponsors and food are mixed in with the artists.  There is a lot going on at a  beach venue.  The MOCA museum puts on a good show with a lot of really good artists.  Lots of volunteers who walk around with flags in case you need a booth sitter or something else (like the police to make at report).  I was impressed with the judges.  There were three.  First a staff member from the show comes up to you and lets you know that the judge is coming so get ready.  The judges pick one piece from you booth, if you get picked, to be considered.  Each judge spent time in the booth to talk to the artist.  On Saturday night there is an artist awards dinner/party.  They do a great job in my opinion when it comes to awards and there is a lot of awards at this show.  The show also has shipping containers every few blocks close to the booths for you to store things in if needed.  We didn't need that since our truck was closer than the containers.  After hours if security saw someone in your booth they would ask for ID to make sure you were suppose to be in that booth.  Every day they had someone inspecting the booths to make sure the artists were showing what they juried in for.  Love that.  I wish more shows would.   I was very impressed with how well the show was run. 

The show is fun to do.  The artists camaraderie is awesome.  Spending 6 nights really gives you a chance to enjoy old friends and to make new ones.   We stayed in the hotel on the board walk right in front of our booth.  What a great view every morning and evening of the beach and the show.  Spending 6 nights on the beach in a tourist area also comes with lots of expense.  For a double booth, 6 nights hotel, travel to and from the show, eating (and I know you have to eat wherever you are but it is expensive to eat in a tourist town) our base cost was $2500 and that doesn't include loosing the generator.  Many artists view this show as a combo vacation/work trip.  Yes we had fun but it was not a vacation for me.  If you consider the show do the math.  In my opinion it is like doing two shows and you need to consider the wear and tear on your booth and supplies.  The numbers didn't add up for us.  If anyone would like to hire a roadie for next year I am your gal.  That would be a perfect work/vaca in my book.  I am really good at setting up trimlines:)

How do you possibly post the horrors of a show without getting "blackballed" by others shows? I have been warned not to do this. So then, how do we know all the pretty words aren't just words so they get invited back?

November 18 & 19
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Presented by the Wisconsin Designer Crafts Council
47 Exhibitors
Deadline: June 24

Application fee: $35
Booth fees from $125 for members to $200 for non-members

Located just 15 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, the Polish Center of Wisconsin is a charming location that is designed in the style of a Polish country manor. Comprised of beautiful architecture and picturesque great rooms, all overlooking spacious landscape and an incredible lake view.

The Polish Center has plenty of ample FREE parking. It comfortably accommodates 47 booths, (31-8x8, 16-4x8) with a wide aisle layout allowing for plenty of accessibility to all booths. Social gathering areas, as well as food and beverage options create a fine craft show with a festive spirit.
The Wisconsin Designer Crafts Council (WDCC) is a statewide organization dedicated to fostering excellence in fine crafts and making them more significant in the cultural life of Wisconsin. 

Amenities:

• Ample and free parking; Booth sitters; Easy load in and out 
• Thursday/Friday set-up; Cash bar and food options
• Color promotional postcards and extensive local print and online media
• Electrical included in booth fee; Handicap accessible

Note: A Friday/Saturday show

format allows us to offer your buying crowd a fine craft shopping experience that will not conflict with the Wisconsin die hard Sunday (Packer or Badger) football fan schedules.

What artists say:

• Very excited to be included in this show at this venue. Impressed with the quality of the work.
• The Polish Center really is a very charming and lovely setting, I liked the intimacy.
• Loved the appreciation and energy of the attendees!

From my mailbox: 
May 27, 2016

Hello Connie,

  Last year and half have been the most difficult for Jin and I, due to my having a heart attack Feb. 2015 on the way back from Mt Dora, losing every show we had for 2015. Interestingly not one show offered to help in any manner such as maybe we can help you with a booth next year. Send us a doctors letter and we will reimburse your booth fee. Nothing. No word.

Beginning this year, again coming out of Florida, again had yet another attack, along with 2 more this year. All with hospitalization being required. Again after contacting the shows with the issue, offer doctors letters describing the severity of the situation.  4 shows have made it clear the time to ask for a refund of booth fee had passed. What the hell is wrong with these people. Something show directors need to understand and clear with their legal team. If an artist shows up, after making it noted he is suffering a major medical issue and something happens, that show can be held accountable. They can deny till the cows come home. My suggestion they check it out before they run their mouths.

I have never been so disappointed in such a callous, group as what I'm am seeing out of the shows these day and the concern they have for the artist. This is disgraceful behavior and shows a total like of concern or respect for the artist. All about there show and thats it.  

And no I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do what I loved for 20 years, "Art Fairs"

John and Jin Powell 

5/31  Got into a medical trial that so far seems to be helping. Optimistic the future will be brighter. So I smile, hoping the world will smile back.

6/18  Did contact most of the directors with the shows Jin and I had to cancel with this year. Reinforcing my heath situation with letters from most the doctors i'm having to work with presently. Most seem to be very understanding under these circumstances so booth refunds have been issued. 

Jin and I will try a small show this fall, but not sure that will even pan out. Pray God will help us through these times. Along with the prayer from so many artist friends , patrons Jin and I have been blessed to befriend over the years.

Hoping by September I will have better news on my condition. I believe hope is to the soul as breathing is to the body. So I'm determine to keep the faith. 

Thank you

John and Jin Powell . 2Js Studio . Memphis.TN 

So I didn’t get accepted to my hometown Summerfair this year, and in a pissy mood I immediately went searching for another show that weekend, knowing the Summerfair jury would be devastated when they learned they had missed their chance to have me.  And sure enough, Zapp dealt up the Butchertown Art Fair held in a quaint historic suburb of Louisville, KY on the very same weekend, June 4-5.  Sold!

The show is set up on a tree-lined street in the 800 and 900 blocks of Washington Avenue.  Set-up was Friday evening beginning at 6, however the street was blocked off early so they let us in quite a bit early.  It was an easy drive to your booth to unload and then drive on to park on the nearby streets.

Rain poured down briefly on Saturday but Sunday was beautiful with a perfect temperature.

I’ll cut to the chase.  This show was awful on several levels.  Not because of the weather.  Not even because of my sales, which barely covered expenses (a problem I had never experienced in 10 years until this show).  Here’s how it went so very wrong.

The show had no business being on Zapp, which of course goes to a nationwide audience.  In my mind any Zapp show should be suitable for an artist who will have travel expenses.  Not this one.

Butchertown is not a real art show.  It’s actually a small, local craft fair that until this year had never turned an applicant away.  Let your imagination wander on that one.  There were some good quality out-of-state artists who had been sucked in by the promotional description on Zapp and they spent the rest of the weekend kicking themselves.

The show seems to be run by a community group who has apparently never looked at the business of art shows from the artists’ perspective.  I know this because when an artist complained to the organizer about several problems the organizer looked shocked and mentioned that that they were “giving back to the community.”  One of the ways they gave back was to spread informational booths throughout the show, and in fact I had one of them next to me.  The info booths were sponsored by – I made a list so I could tell you – a soon-to-be-built botanical garden, a community newspaper, a pet services group, a dance bar, a hospice and, I kid you not, a catholic church.

I had plenty of time to observe the impact of this, because due to no sales I had time to watch the neighbors walk by with their kids or their dogs and run into people they knew – “Oh hi!  How are you?” – and commence to have a 30-minute chit-chat in the middle of the street.  Many, many, many people attending this show didn’t bother to look left or right as they walked down the street.  They were there because it was a block party, and they had absolutely no intention of buying anything except beer.  We were the free decorations.

I observed that the botanical garden next to me would call out to people in the middle of the street and reel them into their tent.  Then the couple would hear the spiel and add their names to the email list.  Finally they would turn away and, as people do, remark to each other their impressions of what they’d just heard – looks like it’ll be nice, I wonder if there’ll be a charge to get in, that play area will be great for Cindy – and by the time they’re finished with their little recap they’ve passed my booth and eventually they look up to find the nearest beer booth.

I get the impression that the organizing staff is very proud of their show, and if it were a community event for a bunch of amateur crafters they certainly should be.  But as a show that’s promoted to professional artists who expect to find a venue conducive to selling their work, this show isn’t even close.

Oh, almost forgot to mention.  The show bestows three awards.  Great, except at least the last two years all 3 awards went to Butchertown residents.  Someone asked if all the awards stayed in town again this year and we learned that no, only two of the awards went to residents and the other one went to someone from “out of town.”  Since Butchertown is a village I assumed this meant the 3^rd recipient lives a few miles away in a neighboring suburb. 

Like I said, this show is a community event.  The rest of us have no business being there.  Best of luck to them.

In the spirit of better late than never, here are some observations from this year’s Broad Ripple Art Fair held on May 21 and 22 on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center.

First and foremost, the staff and many, many volunteers were absolutely awesome.  Smiling good mornings.  Yummy donuts and coffee.  Express line passes for artists to use at the food trucks and very friendly food workers.  Volunteers coming by your booth during the day asking “do you need a booth sitter?”… “how about some water?”… “is there anything I can do you?”  Yes, you can come home with me and be my mother.

The show layout is unusual.  The artists are in four separate locations grouped around the art center building, and after acceptance you’re given a numbered map to make booth requests.  Having not been to the show before, I chose the area with the most artists, figuring that the customers would be least likely to skip the area where the majority of artists are (I believe it cost $13 to get in the gate). I got a space in exactly the area I asked for (!!) and it turned out to be a good choice. 

There are two entrances, and the big Artist Field and cozy, tree-filled Artist Green are both easy to see.  The Field is a big, bare baseball field with unattractive stuff around the perimeter but it is the place all the customers go.  The third area is Artist Terrace, a line of booths next to the Green and stretching behind the back wall of the art center, a pretty area but impossible to see unless you stumble upon it while visiting the Green.  The fourth location was the Artist Lot, with a lovely arbor stretching down the length of the lot.  Trouble is, it’s on the far side of the building, out of sight from the rest of the show, with no booths or food trucks going down the street toward that lot, so unless you know it’s there you’d never see it or expect it.  Maybe this is such a well-known show in the area that it’s not a problem, but I thanked god for small favors and scurried back to my booth, where the friendly volunteer said “oh, you’re back so fast!  Is there anything else you need?”  Yes, you can go home with me and …

Load-in was all day Friday and at least on the baseball field you could drive directly to your booth space.  Artist parking was an “on your own” affair, however the adjoining neighborhoods with the exception of one were fine with our vehicles and trailers clogging up their streets for the weekend.  It was a distance of maybe two blocks between my tent and my van, and I made it a point to arrive early in the mornings so my van could be parked in the same zip code.  I did wonder, though, where the patrons parked since we had snagged all the close spaces.

Another big plus was the attendees.  Almost to a person they were friendly and polite, interested in seeing your work, they oohed and ahhed and asked questions, etc.  You felt like they were really there to see the art.  Novel.  I could count on one hand the people I saw who were so busy talking that they weren’t looking in the booths they passed.

Okay, so here’s the part that gets a sideways thumb.  Money.  All weekend I fretted because I saw few bags walking around.  As I said, the people were nice but I don’t need more friends.  What I need is more money.

By the end of the weekend I had squeezed out about $2500 in sales, and others around me were mostly in the mid-2s as well.  Not so great, considering the booth plus jury fee is $400 and my travel expenses by the time it was all said and done were almost $800.  Some did poorly and failed to cover booth. Several artists had told me beforehand that this is a “really good” show and, yes, the quality of art was mostly very good.  But in terms of dollars and cents it just didn’t feel like a $400 show and the amount of buying going on wasn’t a $400 show. 

Except for one artist who mentioned to me on his way out that he had an 11-hour drive home.  I asked incredulously, “11 hours?  Is it worth it?”  He smiled and said “For $5,500 it is.”

Oh.  Well that puts a different spin on things.