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The next time you are tempted to invest your time and money in a "filler" show, take that travel time and your $$$ and invest instead in building a website or updating your beginner site. Think of it as building your retirement.

1. Buy a domain name. Choose a name that reflects your work, or identifies you. Try to think of a name that someone would use to search for your work. E.g., bigcypressswamp.com, bestrakuever.com, Amishphotography.com, bronzesculpturesbyjean.com, ShererSaddles.com, finestfeltedfiber.com -- or if you think you can get people to search for you, use your name: Bermanart.com, Herzogart.com, Schimmelart.com.
   
   Learn more about choosing a name here: http://www.domainsuperstar.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-name
   
   Godaddy.com is the definitive place to go to buy the name.
   
   
2. Choose a website building platform where you'll find a template to build your site. See this link for some of our members favorite sources for hosting artist websites: http://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/have-a-website-but-am-clueless-what-to-do-now
   
   Think about what you want the website to do for you. Will it be:
   

   a. strictly a gallery where you showcase your work and bring people to find you at art fairs, (a WordPress site) or
   b. a selling site where you sell directly from the site (think BigCommerce.com that has all the bells and whistles for handling ecommerce)

   Most specifically it should be easy for you to update.
3. Install some way for people to leave their email addresses, an email sign-up box so you can start collecting addresses for marketing. Here are the top choices for email marketing programs: http://email-marketing-service-review.toptenreviews.com/. I have five websites. They all have an email sign-up box in the upper right hand corner. I have built an online business as a result of being able to collect emails. It works.
4. Market your website. Put your URL on all of your marketing materials. Make it part of your signature file in your emails.
5. Download and listen to these podcasts while you are working in your studio or driving to that next show:
   
   
   • What Good is a Website for Artists? (strategic beginning info from an expert)
   • Online Marketing for Artists 101
   • Email Marketing Works! Top Tips for Success
   • Happy 4th Birthday AFI - 10 Tips for Selling Art (includes 5 tips for selling online)
   • Artists, Are You Homeless? (finding a home online to host your site)

I'm from Saugatuck, Michigan, the same town that the venerable Nels and the irrepressible Fulweiller come from. We're all down in Florida now trying to make a living. I scheduled five art fairs for my stay in Florida. Arti Gras, last week's show in Jupiter was a big success. But this week, the South Miami show was a big disappointment.

It is a small show with most booths set up back to back down the middle of 72nd Street. Booths are small... exactly 10 by 10 without any storage space to speak of. Setup is early Saturday morning, which I hate. It typically takes Marcia and I four to five hours to set up, and we used up every minute before opening at 10am. The Rotary Club runs it and they do a good job, but they just didn't bring out the buyers for this show. One of the big problems is scheduling. This show runs the weekend right after the big Coconut Grove show, in a close by neighborhood. Too many shows too close together.

I managed just around $750 in sales for Saturday and eeked out $850 on Sunday bringing my take to $1600... not enough to make it worthwhile. Hotels are expensive around Miami and the booth fee ain't cheap, so, we just about broke even when you factor in gasoline and meals.

I'm on the wait list for Gasparilla next weekend, but don't have much hope for getting called (although I've been pestering them). I do have Lake Wales as a backup, but, judging from my performance there last year, I'm not overly optimistic. I'm heading to Naples for a few days to spend some time with some friends, so, I'll save a little in hotel bills before taking off for Lake Wales.

August 8 & 9
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Downtown Milwaukee
10am-5pm
135 Artists
Deadline: March 16

The Wisconsin Designer Crafts Council proudly presents the 41st Annual Morning Glory Fine Craft Fair. Join this group of talented craftspeople dedicated to the art of fine craft.

The Fair has been popular with artists and patrons for 40 years and features 135 fine crafts artists exhibiting in ceramics, digital, enamel, fiber, glass, jewelry-metal, jewelry-non-metal, leather, metal, handmade paper, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood and 3-D mixed media.

Morning Glory is held in downtown Milwaukee on the grounds of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, alongside the Milwaukee River, and the adjoining Red Arrow Park.

Morning Glory includes many amenities for artists:

• Friday afternoon set-up
• Overnight booth security
• Parking in a covered lot available
• Booth sitters
• Over $3,000 in prizes
• On-site caterer/food service with an indoor hospitality area
• Saturday and Sunday continental breakfasts, including complimentary Starbucks coffee both mornings
• Saturday evening reception and awards presentation
• World's greatest volunteers!

Here's what previous year artists have had to say about us:

Morning Glory also includes many amenities for our patrons:

• Sally Bright at Morning Glory

  Outstanding exhibition and sale of jury-selected fine crafts from throughout the country, sure to please the most discriminating patrons
• Opportunity to meet the artists and learn firsthand the personal story of what's behind the artwork
• Ample, nearby parking
• Free admission to Morning Glory
• Delicious food available on site
• All while enjoying a relaxing setting in the shadow of the Marcus Center, designed by noted Chicago architect Harry Weese 

Application deadline is Monday, March 16.
Visit www.zapplication.org to apply.

Morning Glory Fine Craft Fair - you know you've always wanted to try this one! Make 2015 the year you join us, in this our 41st year.

Questions? Need further info? Contact bethhoffman@wi.rr.com, 262-894-0038

and it's a tie!

Congrats to Barbara Bloom for stirring up a lot of helpful information from artists young and old for her post, How do you Handle the Fluctuation of Income in your Art Business? Look at the discussion and check out some of the links added to help you navigate this very tricky terrain.

and R.C. Fulwiler (who had two posts in the running) for Something to Think About, which has garnered (so far) 2924 views on this site alone and five pages of comments.

Here is something else to think about:

R. C. also was chosen to receive the Community Leader award for his contributions to AFI.

Thanks to Barbara, R. C., Nels Johnson, Alicia Eskanos and everyone else who contributed to the site in January.

(Sponsored promotion)

Last winter I participated in three art fairs, Naples in Cambier Park, Gasparilla in Tampa and Lake Wales. The trip was successful last year with the weakest show being Lake Wales. This year I booked five art fairs, but ran into a string of wait list invitations in the process. Ft Myers, Cambier Park (Naples), Gasparilla and Winter Park all put me on their wait list (so frustrating).

So far I haven't heard from any of them. Anyway, I thought I'd make the best of it and do the shows that I was invited to: ArtiGras in Jupiter, S. Miami, Lake Wales, Bonita Springs and Downtown Naples.

I chose ArtiGras in Jupiter because I really didn't like doing Coconut Grove a couple years ago. And it turned out to be a good decision. ArtiGras is much easier to do, is well run and has a pretty good turnout of people.

Weather was cool but sunny all three days, making the art fair a better destination for many than the beach. We were lucky enough to find parking on the street not far from our booth location on all three days of the show (this one runs Saturday, Sunday and Monday because of Presidents's day). 

Setup was pretty easy on the Friday before the show. Marcia and I had all day to setup. I wanted to work on a better booth shot so we took our time and initially did a setup specifically for the booth shot. Then, we set up for the show itself. I also needed a lot of extra time because I made some major changes in the artwork I would be showing.

Until this show, I exhibited a wide variety of artwork from landscapes to a new line of rather surrealistic (and sometimes humorous) landscapes I call "Urban Punk." They sold well last season in the midwest, so over the winter I created more in the Urban Punk series. And, since I needed to bring enough inventory in my van for five shows, I drastically cut the variety of art I used to show. For the Florida art fairs I decided to show mostly Urban Punk.

It turned out to be a good decision. Customers responded well, and so did the judges. I sold $5200 worth of artwork for the three days and won first in the Digital category for another $1000. Saturday was the slowest day, and as the day wore on, I began questioning my decision to show so much Urban Punk. But Sunday was gangbusters, with sales over $3500.

But the biggest surprise was when the committee showed up with a bugle blaring and the announcement that I won a prize. I was given a crown (really) and a ribbon and they took some pictures of me with the crown and a silly smile on my face.

Monday was a little slower than Sunday but I still raked in over $1200. Break down was pretty straightforward, especially since we had the van parked on the street only about a block away from the booth.

I'm very pleased with the show and I plan to participate next year, but my success was not mirrored all over the art fair. There were a lot of unhappy artists who did not sell well, but, I guess that's the case at every art fair. I'll be doing one of those nasty early morning setups tomorrow morning in South Miami. I'll post the results of that fair next week. Keeping my fingers crossed for another good show.

September 12 & 13

Chicago, Illinois
Intersection of Broadway and Belmont
Sat. 10am-6pm; Sun. 10am-5pm
175 Exhibitors
Deadline: March 2

The Lakeview East Festival of the Arts is Chicago's premier fine art and fine craft festival showcasing 175 juried artists.  Lakeview is located on the north side of Chicago, near Wrigley Field, north Halsted and Lincoln Park in a very diverse, culturally with unique boutique stores, cafes and restaurants.
The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce has hosted this event for the past eight years.  More than 40,000 attendees are expected to attend this year's festival.  The festival is set on Broadway Avenue just north of Belmont Avenue.

This festival has a strong marketing and media plan and hosts an annual artist reception.  Other  amenities include artist reserved parking, Saturday night Artist Party, and a full breakfast served Saturday and Sunday.

The Lakeview East Festival of the Arts is one of a series of Chicago area art fairs managedby Erin Melloy of EM Events, a well-established promoter of art shows in the Chicago area. EM Events works closely with some of Chicagoland's most innovative and creative communities and organizations to produce premiere art festivals of distinction. At EM Events, it's about the art.  

For more information and application:  www.emevents.com/lakeview-east.html

My southern Florida tour.  I was hoping to get this out sooner, but that didn't happen.  So here we go. 

I left and drove my art van for Florida the beginning of December to visit Art Basel and Art Miami.  What an amazing place to go as an artist.  Each venue is so different and the art ranges from amazing to what the heck.   Most of Miami stops during the time of Art Basel and events all day and night are going on through out the city.  I can only handle the tents and convention center for so long before I head out to alternative art spaces, Wynwood being my favorite especially for night time events.  Spectrum was fun as well, it felt like I was back at an outdoor art festival.  I believe I recognized at least 50% of the artists there.  If you haven't had a chance to attend the art mecca that is Miami during Art Basel then try to go, at least once.  This was my second year.  It is overwhelming in many ways and a first visit is difficult.  This year it was much more enjoyable knowing the lay of the land a bit better. 

Right after Art Basel I had 6 weeks before my first and only show in Florida for the season.  For the past few years I have been going on inexpensive cruises between shows but this year I opted for something else.   Instead of going back to Atlanta where it was cold, or staying in Florida where it is expensive, I left my art van with another artist friend in Miami.  I used my air miles I had collected from all the show expenses for the year and got a plane ticket to Peru.  Great decision.  Flights are cheap from Miami, the dollar is strong in Peru and it is cheap in Peru.  I was able to travel and enjoy the country for 6 weeks and spent less there than I would have just staying at home in Atlanta.  I was also able to find unique materials for my art that I can't get back in the States.  What an amazing experience. 

After the six weeks I flew back to Miami and picked up the art van and got ready Beaux Arts Festival at The University of Miami in beautiful Coral Gables.  This was my third year.  The weather in Miami is almost always wonderful at this time.  This year it was perfect again.  You can set up on Friday. Depending on where you are you will get a morning or afternoon time slot.  Some booths are on grass, some on pavement.  Be ready to dolly if you are on the grass and the terrain can be rough.  The women that run the show are very nice but besides having a check in tent for you to get your packet of info, that is all you will see of them during set up.  It is up to the artists to work together getting in and out.   It goes pretty smoothly considering.  Booths are set up all over the place.  Some back to back, some across from each other.  Some booths have a lot of room around them some have none.  It just depends on your spot. 

The show runs Saturday and Sunday and falls on a holiday weekend, MLK Day.  Many patrons think the show runs on Monday as well, but it doesn't.  I try to mention this to people when I talk to them.  Both days the crowds were good, not huge, but a steady crowd both days and pretty much all day.  Many artists say Miami shows are Sunday shows, but I had a fully booked evening delivering art on Saturday.  Even had to go to Fisher Island again this year.  It was 11pm before I got back to my place that night and I hadn't even had a chance to eat dinner yet.  Sunday was another beautiful day.  Around 1pm the booths near me started to take big pieces down and wrap them up.  I looked around and at least 1/2 of the booths were closing sales.  I had more deliveries to make that night and deliveries the next morning north of Miami, which I could easily do sense I was heading home the next day. 

Breakdown, again pretty much a free for all.  There are no passes, you don't have to break you tent down first, you just figure it out and do it.  Depending on where your booth is, it may be best to break down then go eat dinner, then come back and load.  My spot was along the street so I was able to get my van in asap and was out in 30 minutes after closing. 

If you are interested in more details about logistics for this show just check out my past two years reviews.  

This show was a good one for me, and thankfully it was because it was the only Florida show I decided to do this season.  I wanted to mix it up this year and do a few more things back at home base.   Not everyone had a good show.  I heard a lot of artists saying they would never be back.   The patrons at this show are very cultured and ready to buy original art.  Many of my clients each year tell me that they don't go to Coconut Grove anymore, it is too much for them, and they do their shopping at Beaux Arts.  It is difficult to find shows for Original only artists.  Glad there are still a few around.  

I know next to nothing about the Arizona shows, but came across this article from AZCentral.com about Fountain Hills. I'm linking to it here because the organizer not only talks about the attractions of the event but has something to say about the economy, the number of artists applying and how she sees the economy changing.

Read on to find out about artist Robert Shields and his art career.

Okay -- the AZCentral site doesn't want to stay open or even reopen, so I'm going to do something that is frowned upon - copy the entire article here because it has useful info for you: 

The link if you can get it to work for yourself: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/events/2015/02/17/fountain-hills-great-fair/23549487/

Robert Shields of Clarkdale is ready to talk about his art this weekend at the Fountain Hills Great Fair, which is expected to draw as many as 200,000 people.

Shields, who paints, sculpts and makes jewelry and glicee prints, knows they'll have plenty of questions.

"They ask, 'Can this be hung outside? Do you have this in green and blue? Where are you from? I love your work. This would be great for my sister. Where's your studio?' '' he said. "Then there are people who just look at you. It's all part of theater. Some people are very friendly. Others sort of look, and you know when not to talk."

Sheilds knows about theater, because he was half of the popular Shields and Yarnell comedy mime duo in the 1970s and '80s. Now he's an Arizona artist.

Shields and the other 500 artists at the 27th annual Great Fair will need their schmoozing skills. Sharon Morgan, events planner for the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce, described the setup as a "huge, huge mall" of art, with four rows of booths lining the Avenue of the Fountains.

"It's like going to the mall," she said. "You see something, maybe you buy it and maybe you don't. You walk around and look at the artists' work."

If you work up an appetite, 20 types of food will be available, she said, as well as a beer garden. Hot-air balloons also will be part of the festivities.

Returning this year is the Native American music group Brulé, which last played at the Great Fair in 2011.

"They are a big crowd favorite," Morgan said, and fairgoers had noted the group's absence.

Eight hundred artists applied to be part of the Great Fair this year, which is an indication of the toll the Great Recession took on the arts. Morgan said that before the recession began in late 2007, the fair received more than 1,000 applications in some years.

Now the number of applications is on the rise, "which tells us, evidently, the artists are happy because they see a reason to get back into their fields of art," Morgan said.

Shields know well that the economy has been tough for artists. In 2006, he had four galleries in Sedona and one at Paradise Valley Mall in Phoenix. They all closed, and today he sells at fairs and through his website (robertshields.com). He started selling at the Great Fair in 2008.

"I lost my world and it's just me doing it all. I decided to sell my art directly to the people," Shields said. "I make everything myself.

"I think Fountain Hills is phenomenal, and it's a beautiful venue. Sharon brings in new and interesting people."

And it's good to be out of Minnesota's below zero wind chills to do a couple of shows in Florida!  I knew I was taking a big risk doing the 30 hour trek (should have been less but I got lost in Tennessee for two hours) to do two totally unknown to me shows in Florida- St. Stephen's in Coconut Grove and Naples National (next weekend).  It really helped to do some research on Art Fair Insiders but I was still coming here with fingers crossed.

Well it paid off big time- St. Stephens was my best show in 22 years of doing shows!  I tend to do a pretty good solid average at most shows so it was very exciting to hit it out of the ball park.  I credit two main things- being totally new to the area and having the larger pieces to sell in the first place.  (Besides all the usual stars that need to align- great weather, steady traffic and well run show!)

I usually stick to Midwest shows with a few in Colorado but this year my kids were finally old enough to leave behind and try out the Florida scene.  There are pluses to doing shows where people know you - a lot less explaining of my technique but then again it is fun to be the booth that gets a lot of "I've never seen anything like this before".  I also get the feeling that the Florida crowd is a little more free with their spending- Minnesotans are very cautious and can scare at the slightest blip in the economy.  Of course this is just my take on one weekend in Florida.  Other booths around me had a mix of results- some great, some average and some not so good.  

I am also happy that the risk I have taken of making more large pieces in the over $1,000 range is paying off.  Even having multiply pieces in the $300 range is somewhat new to me and it really makes a difference.  In the past when I let myself make these more elaborate pieces I would consider these pieces the "Draw in the Crowds" piece but as I've made more of them it means they also become the pieces that sell!  

Now we'll see how Naples goes but I think I'll be heading south next winter too! 

June 13 & 14  
Royal Oak, Michigan
on Washington Avenue in the downtown
Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce
Sat. 10am-7pm; Sun. 11am-5pm
120 artists

Mark Loeb, Integrity Shows President, has been producing and consulting with events since 1982.  Integrity Shows offers artist friendly policies such as a three year acceptance system, helping to create a less stressful experience and allowing artists to plan their show schedule.  Among the shows produced by Integrity Shows is Royal Oak Clay, Glass & Metal Show, Funky Ferndale Art Fair, Jazzin on Jefferson, Chelsea Invitational Craft Fair and several Christmas shows. 

Terry Adams, 14 year president and CEO of the hugely successful Cherry Creek Arts Festival, has resigned to take a position as vice President for advancement for Denver-based Up With People.

The organization is a global education organization which aims to bring the world together through service and music. Terry held a leadership position with Up With People before he became CEO of the CCAF.

He'll be missed by the artist community as he has always been accessible and attuned to artist's interests. Under his leadership the show has retained its position as a model for art fairs throughout the country. 

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_27522986/cherry-creek-arts-festival-ceo-terry-adams-departs?source=infinite-based ;

Thanks to Jim DeLutes for sending me the info.

So, I was kind of shocked and surprised at how this post went. It received 1840 views, 27 likes and one comment. Normally my posts reach about 50 people. So I took out the vintage Fisher Price airport and three vintage Fisher Price jets and other pieces too in winter storm Linus. I set the scene and took the photograph. The title is Airport Closed...

Maybe I should bring this print to art fairs for 2015...

July 31st-August 2

The charming and eclectic town of Crested Butte, a National Historic District, is the venue for this outdoor show. Crested Butte is a tourist town, bringing in an affluent, educated crowd of 12,500 for Arts Festival weekend. 

Artist Amenities:

• free snacks and water, booth sitting, 24 hour security, reserved parking
• an artist's VIP area with indoor bathrooms 
• a Saturday night Artists Awards Dinner
• color thumbnail and links in artist gallery on our website

Admission and parking are free and entertainment. Children's programs, culinary demonstrations and hands-on workshops are scheduled throughout the weekend. 

Truly one of the industry's best kept secrets, the Crested Butte Arts Festival must be experienced to be believed. Join us!

Jury fee: $30; booth fee: $350; doubles are available

Email questions to Juliette@crestedbutteartsfestival.com or call 970-349-1184 to speak to Juliette Eymere, executive director.

Does anyone (female) have a room to share at the Naples National Art Festival next weekend.

Cecile Keith

June 13 & 14 
Toronto, Canada
Queen's Park Crescent
350+ Artists
Deadline: March 1

Moving into its 54th year, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is excited to announce new dates and a new location.  The Exhibition is Canada's largest showcase of contemporary fine art and craft, attracting over 100,000 visitors annually.

• Artists can apply in up to 3 categories (fees apply):  Ceramics, Digital Media, Drawing, Fibre, Glass, Illustration, Jewelery, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Print Making, Sculpture, Watercolor, Wood
• Artists have a choice between two booth sizes-10x10 or 10x20
• Artists' retain 100% of all sales
• Accepted artists' are automatically entered into the Best of Exhibition Awards, with over $25,000 in prizes
• Apply early-booth space selections are based on first-in-first-choice. The earlier you apply, the better chance you have to get your first space choice

As the largest outdoor art exhibition in Canada, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition offers a fresh-air alternative to conventional art shows and galleries. Side by side, established artists, undiscovered talents, and innovative students sell their work directly to the public and make lasting connections with art dealers and collectors.

The Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition is a non-profit charitable organization supported by a group of volunteers active in the at and corporate communities.  The exhibition is financed through registration fees, corporate sponsors, and individual donors.  No percentage of artists' sales are retained by the organizers.

For media inquiries: media@torontooutdoorart.org

For more information please contact: rachelle@torontooutdoorart.org

(416)408-2754

I’d appreciate any input, gut reactions, or other advice, from those who might give it. I’m a long time lurker and while I haven’t had much to add to discussions here (haven’t done any fairs in 6 years), I really value AFI!