Blog

OK, 

#1: I have a very small market, so I try not to "Upset" them

#2; I don't want to annoy my friends.  
#3; I'm not asking for a new Kiln, Studio, Medical bills, or Funeral expenses.  

This is just the tips that I have discovered, I'm sure that there are Plenty More.    While I wouldn't complain, I'm ONLY inserting the campaign as an example.  I think Insurance is a better bet.  

http://www.gofundme.com/RoundPottery

Tips

#1, Try to Globalize your request.  "All Potters need your help"

#2, Hit your mailing list Hard.  They are Clients, not Friends.  They have proven to buy your stuff, and have money.  Suck it up and hit them hard.

#3, Post at appropriate times.  My original post was, late night on a Thursday.  But my post, 4AM on a Sunday, got 5 times the page views as all previous posts.  Evidently people have time to surf FB on Sunday mornings.  That way your post doesn't get lost in the shuffle.  15 page views vs 453 page views.  Got 30% of my total in one day.  Too significant not to share.  

I've only done this once, This is what I learned.  That is all.

Art show was in Pensacola, Florida, November 7, 8, and 9, 2014.

HERE'S WHAT AWARD OF HONOR ($800) LOOKS LIKE. WOOHOO!

Just when the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair has settled its "footprint" on the real estate of the University of Michigan campus, construction rears its head again! How many years has it been since the show moved to its new location, leaving S. University behind? Five? Six? The early years it had to keep changing its layout because of building construction around the university.

This just in -- new construction! What again? In 2015, there is planned construction in the Rackham/Ingalls Mall section of U-M’s campus, impacting the show.

What does this mean for the show and its director, Maureen Riley?

I don’t know the extent of the construction footprint yet, so I don’t know how much it will impact us at this point,” said Street Art Fair director Maureen Riley. “ …

We’re working with the University to determine the construction footprint, and seek out alternate spaces in our immediate vicinity that we might use.  … If part of Ingalls Mall is accessible, then that may allow me to create a whole different scenario than if Ingalls Mall is completely inaccessible.”

The University's plan:

The university is considering a project, which can only be done during the summer, on the utility tunnels in the area of Ingalls Mall. This is similar to work done in other areas of central campus the last two years. The work has not been finalized, but we wanted to give Summer Festival and Art Fairs leaders plenty of time to make alternative plans for this year.

The Ann Arbor Summer Festival will also be impacted. Its director is Amy Nesbit. How will this impact these two events financially?

Neither Riley nor Nesbitt, at this early stage, is able to estimate the financial impact of the adjustments on their organizations.

“It’s too vague right now, because I don’t know the ‘where,’” said Nesbitt. “Once I know the ‘where,’ we can build in real estimates on what this translates to for us in terms of budget. But no matter where we end up, expense will be there. There’s just no getting around that.”

Riley, meanwhile, said, “We do anticipate this having a negative financial impact, if for no other reason than additional resources that need to be put into developing an altered footprint.

Interested in the financial concerns of events, then read the entire article and be glad you are not trying to host a major event in the heart of a University campus. http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/11/ann_arbor_summer_festival_and.html ;

Tuesday - November 11 - 5 pm ET

How do I get into the good art fairs and how do I make money when I get there?

These are the universal questions that need to be answered for earning a living in the fine art and fine craft show business. Our expert guests Larry Berman and Bruce Baker lead the way.

Larry Berman lends his expertise on creating great images that will "wow" they jury and Bruce Baker shares his experience on creating a great booth and meeting the customer. Between the two you'll have the answers and there is only one thing left for you to do: make great art.

Larry Berman has a long career in photography, including being the staff photographer for the NY Nets ABA basketball team. He has been exhibiting at art fairs for over 30 years and was one of the first to recognize the importance of digital imagery in the art fair business, and was responsible for the ZAPP image format which displays all jury images the same size. He has built a career improving jury images for artists and/or photographing their artwork. He has done seminars on jury images and does consulting with artists and art fairs.

Bruce Baker began selling his jewelry at retail and wholesale shows in the 1980's. Taking what he learned there he began consulting full time in 2005 sharing his retailing and business experience with a variety of groups ranging from Artists, Main Street Merchants, to Farm Market vendors, conducting over 600 marketing and production related workshops in the past two decades.  He leads training sessions helping artists be more productive and competitive in the international marketplace.

Between the two you'll have all the answers and there is only one thing left for you to do: make great art. 

People wonder why ATL shows are hit and miss?  Here is a recent news piece that focuses on a group that has added 12 new annual events to the Metro Atlanta Art Festival calendar. Since the population has not grown at quite the same rate, many existing shows have been damaged. Shows like Dogwood, which by the way is preceded by an event organized by this group and is less than two miles away.

http://www.cbs46.com/story/27294043/money-to-popular-nonprofit-festivals-may-not-be-going-to-charity

Had not done this show in 20 years.  Might be another 20 before I try it again.

Daytona is an interesting, iconic beach town on Florida's east coast.

They love their car racing, big time here,and they love anything to do with the beach.

Unfortunately, art does not seem to fit into one of their abiding loves.

I am a photographer, so much of my report and perspective of the shows I blog about are based on 2-D observations.  Believe me, I monitor the 3-Dside as well.  After 40 years in the biz, I know a good bag of Kettle Corn from a so-so bag in a spectators hands.

I went to Photo School in Daytona in the early 80-ies.  So I did this show then.  It was a better juried fine art show then.

Believe me, sales were tough then, but now, they are absolutely decrepit.

In the entire show I saw less than a dozen 2-D parcels go down the aisles.  Some of these were  painted palm tree husks that were placed on a plywood base with a hanger.  That is how bad it was.

The show is held by the riverfront downtown.  Runs about three blocks.  Artists are back to back with a wide median in between.  Plenty of room for storage.

Easy Friday setup.  Mellow committee.  Nice awards, some free food.  They try hard and they have a loyal corps of followers.

This was my first show since the great car crash incident into my booth at Bluffton,SC.

I had a LightDome canopy, courtesy of Lou and Terri, and eight Propanels courtesy of my wife, Ellen.

It all went up with stock in less than three hours.  I tore down in one hour.

The potential customers there are thin, very thin.

Not a lot of interest in art or acquiring it.

That said, I barely broke even with expenses, and I was staying with good friends in New Smyrna Beach.

BTW.  Friday night, Hallow-ween, NSB put on a great downtown get together with parades and bar-hopping.  It was great, it put my Ybor City to shame.  No edgy drunks, just lots of people all ages having fun.

I would only recommend this show to someone if they are not coming from afar.  Don't expect a lot, and you will go home happy.

BTW.  I saw very little 3-D purchases in anybody's hands.  The Kettle Corn guy was the king.

I am now parked and waiting to register and setup in Pensacola.  Usually this is a very good show for me, and most others.

I will do a blog next week.

Aloha!  Nels.

I was all set to do "Best of the Northwest" in Seattle Nov. 14-16th. Sadly, I broke my left arm in an accident Nov. 2nd. Doctor has said not to do anything for 2 months. My left arm is immobilized. I immediately contacted them so they could fill my space. I had asked them to at least consider a partial refund if they filled it. They refused, saying it wouldn't be fair to other applicants, plus admin time. They filled it immediately the same day and received  another $400 booth fee. I am upset with their practices. I don't think this is ethical. I would like to know of any actions I can take, and your feedback.

Hi Everyone,

I just realized that I had not updated my e-mail and as a result, a post I sent a few days ago didn't go out--plus I realized I wasn't getting any blogs--and a day without AFI blogs is truly a day with out sunshine of the enlightenment kind. With changes under my belt, here goes a request:

I'm going to do a show in Deland, Florida this month for the very first time. Has anyone ever done this and if so, what advice can you offer? Art Fair Source book says the set up is tight and easy. I'm not so sure about the easy part since there's no prior day set up and that we will have to set up at 6 a.m. with only 4 hours till show time. My husband is concerned that we won't have room for a work station or chairs. We use a podium type work station that my hubby built (it holds my computer, cash drawer, scanner etc. in an orderly manner) and it's painted to match the frames I use for display. I use a computer and scanner because I use software that allows me to inventory everything I take to the show floor, create my own bar codes--I program it with the tax rate--it breaks things down for method of payment, tells me how much change to give--and so much more.

My hubby's concerned we may have to revert to belly bags and calculators (ugh) if space is really that tight. I hope, hope, hope, that won't be the case.

So, if you've ever done this show, please give me your advice.

Many thanks, Susan

Here is this years Chastain Park Arts Festival review. Links to past reviews for info on logistics like set up, break down, booths and the basics plus more pics are below. None of that has changed.
http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/chastain-park-art-festivall http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/chastain-park-arts-festival http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/buckhead-spring-arts-and-1 http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/chastain-park-art-festival

This location is where the wealthy live in Atlanta. Big houses many many mansions. There are smaller beautiful million dollar homes that are considered tear downs to build monster homes. This show is where the people in this neighborhood go to shop and it is one of those rare shows that people have a bunch of empty walls.

Since the show is the first weekend of November the weather is a crap shoot. This year it was COLD and windy on Saturday. First real cold snap so many hadn't been in their attics getting out the winter coats, gloves and scarves. The forecast was bad. Wind advisory and freeze warnings. It scared the citizens.

I even fell for it. Saturday morning I did something I never have done. I called my friend who was showing a couple booths away from me and asked her to open up the front of my booth and I stayed in my warm bed an extra hour. I figured there was no way anyone, not even the dog walkers, would be at the show before noon. I arrived at 11 am, an hour after opening, and was surprised that a women was waiting for me. She came and walked the show and had decided on one of my pieces and had already bought 2 more large 2D pieces from other artists.

An artist not far from me sold an original pen and ink drawing in the first hour of the show. Another artist on Friday during set up had a designer walking through the park and bought the entire booth before he had even finished setting up! There was even an artist who opened then left the booth to go stay warm.

One of the show directors made an $800 sale for this artist since they were A.W.O.L. Now it was cold, really cold to the bone. We couldn't really sit, had to keep moving. The crowds were not there. Mainly artists, but the patrons that did show up were on a mission. A photographer sold 5 framed pieces and I teased him that 80% of the people who showed up bought from him.

Back to my cold Saturday show, most of the people I talked to had already bought from me. I have showed here many many many times. I was starting to think maybe I needed to take a break from this show. Well I started to have people come to me that had been thinking about a piece or were finally ready to buy a piece show up and we talked commissions. Saturday I closed a few commissions. In the afternoon I sold the biggest piece I have ever brought to an art show, 65"x80".

The show closed at 6pm. It was dead and so so cold by 5pm. I decided to deliver my work early, and warm up in my clients home until 6pm then went back to close up for the night. If any of you know me, I am usually a Sunday girl, almost never sell on Saturdays. This was my Saturday. Almost every patron that came bought from someone, BUT there were not many patrons and not everyone had a good day. Especially those that had lower price points and needed a big crowd.

Sunday, daylight savings. I have found when a show is in a park and you are dealing with daylight savings you need to remember that the dog walkers still need to get up and walk the dogs at the same time. I don't like this because I am always ready for an extra hour in bed BUT I make it a point to show up early on these days. The weather was much better, sunny, no wind and a bit warmer.

Everyone had gotten their winter gear out of the attic. After I opened my booth early I walked the show and talked to the other artists. Like I said, the higher priced point folks had decent Saturdays, lower price points were hoping for a better day. By the time I got back to my booth, around official opening time, patrons were ready to enjoy a sunny late fall Sunday. Crowds were decent. Not huge like we all hoped but good enough. I saw my regulars and more folks ready to buy a piece.

After break down I delivered my three next largest pieces to a beautiful mansion that had an elevator in the home large enough to fit 50"x68" piece. They also had an amazing art collection and I walked around the home recognizing 9 different artist that I know. My point is this is an area where people collect art.

All in all a wonderful show again, but the weather kicked my butt. Recovering these past two days and no rest for the wicked, installations scheduled all week. Also wanted to add the show has added Nuloo. I love this trailer bathrooms. Usually I love it for the A/C but this show it was great to go in and warm up. They also offer wifi and a charging station for tablets, phones and laptops. Another thing to keep in mind for this show, it is the last one in Atlanta, people are wanting to get their homes ready for the holidays plus buy gifts. 

Take a look:

Historic Pewabic Pottery in Detroit looking for:

• Executive Director
• Community Programs Coordinator
• Development Associate and more opportunities

Ann Arbor Street Art Fair:

• Bookkeeper/Office Manager
• 2015 Program Coordinator
• http://www.artfair.org/main/main

University of Michigan:

• Associate Director of Development, Foundation & Government Relations at UM Museum of Art
• Web Software Developer
• Communications Marketing Manager
• lots more: http://www.creativemany.org/resources/job-opportunities/creative-job-opportunities

Ann Arbor's favorite co-op Gallery 16 Hands is looking for Holiday Sales Associates: 

http://www.16handsgallery.com/

Thanks to The Arts Alliance Newsletter for sharing this information, www.a3arts.org.

Think you're the only one? Hardly ... even the best marketers, most optimistic folks like Abraham Lincoln (well, not exactly an optimistic guy, but you know what I mean) and the fabulous Napoleon Hill experienced disappointments and complete failures. 

Surprised? or had that somehow eluded you? 

You push and push, you keep trying something new and what you had envisioned as a dream come true keeps ever in the mist leaving you with a huge sense of disappointment and regret.

Shall we dwell there? should we blame _____ and ____ and you know that worst one ____, your personal nemesis. 

What kind of perspective do you use, what do you believe in? What do you do so you are no longer as susceptible to the old patterns, and they naturally begin fall away? Any secrets to share?

Did you listen to the podcast with Nawal Motawi from Motawi Tileworks? Nawal has a ceramic tile studio that employs 30 people. Her business wins awards for its culture and commitment to the local community. It even has a manifesto: for the workplace to be healthy, emotionally and physically while taking great craft and fun seriously.

Some highpoints of the podcast:

• She learned the craft side of the business at the art school at the University of Michigan and later at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. She taught herself the business aspect by devouring INC magazine's articles and reading books recommended there. She also attended conferences where she could meet others in the business and network.
  
  
• Nawal's goal when starting the tileworks 20 years ago was figuring out how to make the kind of tile she wanted for her living, not just to survive but to thrive.

• The tileworks has five income streams: 1) the showroom at the factory; 2) a storefront in downtown Ann Arbor; 3) a wholesale gift business; 4) installation commissions and 5) e-commerce

3 business tips:

• make sure you price your work so you sell it for a price that is high enough to thrive.
• you need sheer persistence, pursue your goals unstintingly. Have a vision. If your customer doesn't want to buy what you are offering listen to them and change it so they will. You are a creative person and you can find a way do to it so that will work for you.
• be willing to change. Find a different outlet, another store, change the price, the color and don't neglect to get some help.

Inspirational reading: Small Giants: Companies that Choose to be Great Rather than Big, by Bo Burlingham

Listen to the rest of this talk with this very smart business person and see where it takes you: What to do with a BFA: How Nawal Motawi Created a Robust Ceramic Tile Studio

The show was held in Hanger 30 on the Magnuson park grounds.  Set up and tear down was easy with parking at 4 doors to get in and out.  Artist that had purchased electricity found it easy to access from their booths. plenty of booth sitters and an energized organization. 

The show boosted 110 artist and charged a hefty price to be there.  There was also a charge at the front door, but that allowed patrons access throughout the weekend and for the next show that will be held in November.

they had an artist dinner of pizza, pasta and salad and a pay bar.

the down side is even though they said numbers were up through the gate, the wrong demographics were showing up.  This translated in very slow sales.   I sold 4 framed prints and cards.  2/3 of my sales were in cash and averaged less than 30 dollars.

Given the high price of the booth,  if you did not live in the area and had to have a motel room you would be pressed to break even on this show.  Even the jewelers appeared to be struggling. 

Given the name of the show I was also expecting the show to be regional artists, but it was not.

With only two more events for the rest of the year and I won't be back until April or May of 2015, it's time to focus on my Etsy shop. These are the highest months for my shop. I've already had four orders in October. This is what I do. I have a Etsy shop and I do art fairs. But since I live in Michigan, this is the hibernation season for the art fairs. I am trying to get up to 100 items in my Etsy shop. That is still not close to a fully stocked booth but 100 items on Esty gets you some more exposure...

February 21 & 22 
Miami, Florida
31st Annual Festival
Downtown South Miami on Sunset Drive
10am-6pm Saturday, 10am-5pm Sunday
145 Exhibitors
Deadline: November 5

Started as a small show in 1984, the event has grown into one of Miami-Dade County's most anticipated festivals. Dozens of friendly and dedicated Rotary volunteers staff the event, ensuring a pleasant experience for exhibitors.

The festival attracts a diverse group of art lovers.  Public admission is free and includes live jazz throughout the weekend and an international food court.

The proceeds of the festival benefit South Miami Rotary charitable efforts including college scholarships for local school students as well as international and local community service projects. The festival is produced by the dedicated volunteers of the Rotary Club of South Miami and its Rotary Foundation.  Our artists come from all over the U.S. and Canada. 

The area is filled with historic buildings, restaurants and unique shops. Just 3 miles south of Miami's Coconut Grove, South Miami borders the University of Miami and the upscale neighborhoods of Coral Gables and Pinecrest.

We provide:

Tuesday - October 28 - 3 pm ET

Nawal Motawi joins us to talk about her journey from art school graduate to founder of an award-winning Ann Arbor-based nationally known art studio, Motawi Tileworks, that creates unique handmade tile reflecting the classic styles and craftsmanship of 20th Century American design.

Nawal Motawi founded Motawi Tileworks more than 20 years ago. A University of Michigan art school graduate with a restless spirit and an interest in applied arts, she moved to Detroit to learn tilemaking at Detroit’s storied Pewabic Pottery. She returned to Ann Arbor after a few years and began making her own tiles in a garage studio and selling them from a stand she rented at the local farmers’ market.

Today, Nawal is still designing and making tiles in Ann Arbor. Her companies, Motawi Tileworks and Rovin Ceramics, employ more than 30 people. The tiles are sold in over 350 shops, galleries and showrooms across the country.

The Motawi business philosophy:

We make distinctive ceramics in a healthy way. We share our story. And we have fun.

Why?

We believe that we can make the world a better place by making beautiful things for everyday places and modeling healthy company practices.

How do we do this?

We make things that are valued for their design and quality.

We cultivate an intentional workplace culture that fosters constant improvement, positivity and consistently high performance.

Listen to learn how Nawal made the move from her first art class to becoming a successful business owner, plus her best tips for building a sustainable career in the arts.

nels%20booth.jpgIMG_1079.jpgIMG_1086.JPG For some reason you have to click on these, others show in my blog  (WTF! Connie)

Well, what a pisser, not only did my booth get destroyed, but this blog I was writing, (and I was halfway thru it) just mysteriously disappeared off my screen.

So, back to square one.

Maybe you saw a brief post of mine on Facebook about it, maybe you did not.  Here is the full Monty.

Ellen and I went to Bluffton,SC last weekend for the their Seafood and Art Festival.

It only has 100 booths all along seven blocks on a main drag with some houses, restaurants and bars on it.  They have police security at both ends of the show.  Nothing in the middle.  I guess they let some cars in, even after the show is over for the day, if they got biz on the street.

We shut down Saturday night with $550 in sales for the days and visions of crab cakes and wine that night.

Sunday morn I woke up with dreams of having some Starbucks robust roast coffee while reading the NY Times, and enjoying mouthfuls of savory Low Country shrimp and grits.

My darn IPhone kept ringing .  Three times it was a caller from NC.  I ignored it.  No voicemail, no foul, I aint answering it.

Finally, a fourth time there was a voicemail.

"Nels, you better get down here fast.  Your booth has been seriously damaged and mine is too."  It was my show neighbor, Kathy Oda, calling.

Well, I hurried as fast  as it took Ellen time to apply lipstick and makeup.  Never hurry a beautiful blonde, beautifying herself.  Some wise man told me that years ago.  I married one, so I took those words to heart.

When we turned the corner onto the main drag, I realized three things, pronto.

First, I would not be swilling any Starbucks that morn, two, I could forget about the NY Times and three, there would be no shrimp and grits in the future for  me that morn.

My booth was still there.  Just not in the condition I had left it the night before.

Kathy's booth had already been cleared away.

I had hoped I would be seeing just a panel or two pushed in, slightly bent, maybe a few frames on the ground and some scattered sprinkles of photo-glass calling from hither and yon.

Not.

In 40 years of doing shows I am used to seeing severely damaged booths.  I have seen ones blown over a bridge rail in Columbus.  I have seen some blown into the seawater at Images in New Smyrna.  I have seen booths blown and scattered apart all over the park in Vero Beach.  I know what nasty winds and pummeling rain can do to our temporary show rooms (Some people, not very smart ones, think that these show rooms are also our bedrooms at shows.).

Well, mine fit into anyone of those scenarios.  Without water.

As we like to say in the biz, "Parts are parts, pieces are pieces."

It was barely standing on one side.  Twisted and leaning like a mean drunk that had had 25 shots of tequila, and was going to have another 25.

Shards of glass pointed menacingly at us.  Bent frames stuck out under the tarps.

The roof was laying low as to say, "Thats it, Jack, I aint carrying this load no more.  I am taking Social Security and you are on your own.  Go get a pretty orange top.  I am out of here."

People stood around respectfully.  They were waiting for that IPhone moment.

SO I complied.

Whipped it out and shot pics of the damage.  I would continue to do it as different levels of damaged exposed themselves.

Obviously, this would not to be the moment to do the booth shot for Cherry Creek.  Although, if they had a Sympathy  category I was a lock to be in.

About ten artists and bystanders offered to help.

We gently unzipped the twisted front awning and tried to work our way back, panel by panel, truss by truss, while dodging shards and sharp edges.

Miraculously, none of my photographs were cut.  Mats were trashed, frames twisted and glass broke.  Some bins took a hit.  Same with a table.  It was not very pretty.

Finally, we had worked our way to the very rear and cleared all the damage to field behind me.

I profusely thanked all and then went about deciding what I could do that day to make some moola.

I had a Newtons Porto-Canopy, made in 1986.  It has eight display panels, wire, with four trusses that span the width,  Comes with a canvas roof, skylights in, and rear and front awnings.

Four of the eight panels were trash.  Same with two trusses.

I managed to cobble a booth together using four bent panels joined together, using bungees and duct tape.  I managed to put up one table with print bins, and one 16x20 print bin.  No roof, but I fashioned a shade awning off the rear to sit under.

During the day, I assiduously picked broken glass out of frames while conducting biz.

I managed to pull $1K out of the day.  A miracle in itself.

While this had happened, a fellow artist, Christine Reichart, took up a collection for me from my fellow exhibitors.  She presented me with a manila bag stuffed with fives, tens and twenties.  Enough to buy a new table and replace all my broken glass and frames.  What a doll! What a bunch of great fellow artists.  I was speechless and amazed.

I went around and thanked everybody at the show for their contributions.

We have a wonderful family of fellow artists.  We are so fortunate.

Then, the Art Association that helps run the show told Kathy and me they were going to reimburse us for new booths.  I was again, speechless.

I then had at least ten artists tell me they couldn't wait for somebody to bump into their booths.  Hmmmm.

We tried to figure out how this all happened.

Kathy says, that when she first got there, my booth was dragged into hers.  One of my John Deere anchor weights was a good 50 yards down from her booth.

Oh.  I guess I forgot to tell you.  Whoever hit my booth also stole three of my pieces off the front panel.

So here is our reconstruction of what may have happened.

Somewhere after 10 PM that night, a vehicle got let in by security and drove down the street.  My booth was near the middle of the show.

They may have been looking just for my booth to take some art they spotted earlier in the day. Isn't that so special.  I was chosen.

So the Midnight Rambler unzips and steals the pieces.

Then, when making his getaway, he snags one of my front anchor weights with his car.  Zoom,zoom, he is gone.  Bang, bang, our booths are down and gone.

They never caught the guy.

This event may cause them to consider putting security in the middle of the show next year.

So, I am now shopping for a booth.  Maybe a LightDome, maybe a Trimline.

In the interim, Lou Garofalo has graciously lent me a spare LightDome.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

My birthday is Saturday.  I turn a really big number.  I am happy.  I am married to a beautiful blonde, and she is a great artist too.  What more can a guy ask for.