I am reaching out to this amazing community to get feedback from artists who participate in Art, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak, Michigan.

It looks like the latest review is from 2011, and I wanted to know if anyone has feedback who participated in 2012 and 2013.  I think the potential is huge - but so is the commitment.

Thanks so much!

Kelli

There is good and there is bad to report--let me start with the good.

THE JOURNEY THERE--FROM SAUGATUCK,MICHIGAN

This is always a beautiful journey.

From Michigan I can make it one day or one and a half days, depending on how I want to travel.

I first did this show in 1987.  I have done it 15 times since.  Had not done it since 2011.  In 2012 I was scheduled to do it  but instead elected to have my chest sawed open--quad-triple bypass and two valves replaced.  I am ok now, stronger than before.  I wish I could say the same for the show.

But back to the good stuff.

When I take one-and-a-half-day trips it is because I get to stay in Madison,Wisconsin and reconnect with great Norwegian brothers who have their own little kingdom of restaurants there--the Birge Brothers.

Also the neat thing is the journey to Madison.

In the 1980's there was always this one old barn off I-94 going to Madison.  It had this great mural on it.

It was like a rendition from the album cover of a rock group called Its a Beautiful Day--the LaFlammes.

The mural had this giant blue bird of happiness that covered one third of the barn side.  Then there was happy flowers.  It was a trippy 1960's flashback.

So I was energized  this trip to look for it.  It sits out there in the nowhere and then, boom, there it is.  You can easily blow by at it when going 75 mph.

So I was looking for it.

I was wondering was it still there, was the farm sold, was the  mural painted over.

I kind of remembered to where to start looking for it--about 27 miles east of Madison.

Sure enough, I came up a large rise, a bunch of trees blazed by me and there--it was still there.

I quickly braked, almost ran two Walmart trucks off the road, hell, its Walmart, who cares.

The mural is definitely on its last legs.  It barely reads on the side of the barn.  But that Bluebird looks just as great to me as the first time I saw it.  If that mural ever disappears, then I aint going to Madison anymore via I-94.

HANGING OUT IN MADISON

Madison is a throwback to the 60s, liberal and hippy.

I hooked up with my buddy Chris Birge, he and his brothers own a little empire of restaurants, coffee bars and wine stores.  I first met them in the late 1980's, they were in their 20's I was in my 40's.  When I did Madison on the Square, they had a restaurant there, the Blue Marlin, and they would always park a car in spot in front of their restaurant and save it for me.  I would get to eat great seafood, drink awesome wines, and have my van ten feet from my booth.  I took a cab back and forth.  So we became best of friends.

So I had not seen or talked to Chris in three years.  I just showed up at the Weary Traveler Restaurant on Williamson Street(The locals call it Willy Street).

I reconnected with him.

Luckily for me he had bought a pool table for his house by the lake.  Luckily for me, I had misspent most of my youth shooting pool, so I trimmed him for a nice debt where we got to go to three different restaurants on Willy and he picked up the tap.  I paid the tips.

First, we went to a cool new bistro called Pig in a Coat where we munched on lamb carpaccio with a Malbec from Argentina.  Personally, I would have favored a redhead from Madison, but I savored what  my host offered.  (Geez, I hope Ellen is not reading this)

We foliowed up this with a neat little sojourn to a Laotion restaurant next.

We had great prawns, spicy and gritty.

Finally, we hit a Japanese noodle restaurant and did, pickled veggies, poke, and Ramen noodles--with lots of Sake.

What the hell, Minneapolis was only four and a half hours away the next day, and I was going to set up the booth.

Tte journey to the twin cities.

You cut north on I-94, GO PAST TOMAH, PAST EAU CLAIRE.

You see three million silos and barns, they are everywhere--you are in the heartland.

The hills roll for miles, corn is just starting to pop.  You see dairy cattle up your ring-yang.  You see goats.  You see these giant tourist destinations for water parks.

You pass by Osseo, Wisconsin.  If you care to venture in, off the freeway, you come downtown to the Norske Nook Restaurant.  There, you encounter the tallest pies you have ever seen in your life.  Yep, the meringue maybe three feet above the fruit--who cares.  

You can pick apple,raspberry,mince, lemon and 20 others.  This is pie heaven.  You have to go at least once.

OK, WE ARE ALMOST TO MINNEAPOLIS--WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED AT THE SHOW?

Gee, I thought you would never ask.

Here are the basics.

This is a three-day show with a previous day setup, or if you are on Hennepin, a Friday morn setup.  Also the rest off ya can set up that morn.  Show starts at noon.

Booth fee is close to $500, it s a rip off.  Most artists don't get the return here anymore.

Also it is further ripoff, because of booth location,

The show has 350 exhibitors.

About 125  are on Hennepin Avenue.  This is on a main road where all the restaurants, retail and bars are.

The rest of the show is on the mall.

This is on a two-sided road with a green patch of grass down the middle.  Booths are back to back on the median, with generous space behind.  Then there are booths on both sides of the streets.  The mall runs a good four blocks,DOWNHILL, which means patrons must walk four blocks back uphill.

Guess what?

Over 50 per cent of them don't even walk all the way down.

OK,OK.

FROM HERE ON IS MY ASSESSMENT OF THE SHOW, STRICTLY FROM A 2-D POINT OF VIEW ( I am a photographer) WITH INPUT FROM SOME 3-D FRIENDS, MOSTLY GLASS GUYS I KNOW.

By now, some of you newbies are thinking, "Geez, the guy is finally going to tell us something about the show after all his hippy and travel-loge bullshit."

Yeah, well here goes, take this with the following proviso.  This used to be a $5k-$8K show, no more.

I know what I know, after doing this for 40 years.  I watch closely, I observe what people are carrying.

Also, I greet everybody that comes in, I am not on my cellphone.  Oh, I have new work, too.  Not the same old,same old.  Gee some of it gets me into shows like, Gasparilla, Saint Louis and Fort Worth.  So pay attention to my patter.  I am telling it like it is--and folks, I know what i is.

FINALLY, AN ASSESSMENT OF THIS YEAR'S UPTOWN.

First off, up front, it was a big down year for most of us in all medias.

I talked to friends in jewelry, glass, clay, painting and photos.

For most--it was way off.

Oh sure, there are those lucky few. I had the guy with stone birds across from me.  He had to do a cool $8K or better.  Those birds never should have been in the Uptown.

A photo friend of mine did $8K last year and barely made $2K.

Most people did not do above $2K for the show.

All they bought was the lowest end possible.

Forget about be-backs.

Most of them did not have $50 cash in their pockets.

The show was an Ann Arbor redux.  They walked by without really looking at anything.

I had my worst show,ever, there.  All I could sell was $25 photos.  Only sold four pieces at $150 the whole show.

It was not pretty.

Weather was decent.  Not too overly hot.  Had a storm Saturday nite that ended the show two hours early.

Sunday, was my best day, and it was pathetic.

My two glass buddies from the twin cities, who only got in off the wait list, had pathetic shows.

Interestingly, both these guys routinely get into the best shows like Coconut Grove, Winter Park, St. Louis, et al, and they barely got in the show off the wait list.  What does that say about that sharp-eyed jury.  Stone birds were better than original glass art.

Unfortunately, the director of this show is not that sharp.  She don't get around and see how other shows of their magnitude are run.  She collects a paycheck.  

She is happy, while hundreds off artists are unhappy.

This show is spinning downward.

The booth fees too high, the rewards too low.

The committee is clueless and their jury is mediocre at best.

The twin cities deserve better.

SO THERE IT IS.  THE JOURNEY IS A BEAUTIFUL ONE BUT I DON'T THINK THE FINANCIAL REWARDS ARE COMMISURATE.

Love to hear others comments.

Again, I caution, my observations were based on"  Being there and looking, being a 2-D guy,

and having 25 years of perspective there.

Later gators.  Nels.

I don't often feel motivated to report on a show, but sometimes it's a must!  This was our second year at this oceanside event and worthy of a review.  

First, the venue - the Chincoteague community center is the location for both indoor and outdoor booths.  I can only really report on the indoor, but the outdoor vendors seemed to be happy.  Indoors, we have either a 10x10 or 8x8 space, with power available at extra cost.  The Air Conditioning is great, event with all the doors opening and closing.  Linoleum Tile floor is immaculate, as is the rest of the building.  "Dan", the center coordinator, is on-site all the time and ready to resolve any challenges that may arise.  The Wi-Fi is free, password protected, and great!  Plenty of ingress and egress for load in and out.  Tables and chairs are complementary.

Next, the promoter.  Sam Serio owns and runs the event.  Sam has years of experience as a vendor and it shows.  He is the Jury, and is very good at it.  No buy/sell indoors for sure, very little outdoors and those that are there do NOT compete with the crafters.  Sam also allows a few commercial booths like Bath Fitter, and that's fine by me.  They pay dearly, and keep costs under control.  Sam charges a $5,00 admission fee, with multi day discounts, coupons, and late arrival deals.  Sam also does a drawing on Friday and Saturday for a total of 4 - $50 coupons for next year's booth fee!

The Crowd - this is a largely tourist crowd that loves this event.  They buy.  They are not broke.  Super bunch of shoppers, and we make new friends every year.

The Vendors - first rate bunch.  Positive attitudes abound

The weather - last year hot, but this year was amazing

Hours - Friday and Saturday and Sunday, 9-4:30

The Island - Chincoteague is a vacation paradise.  Whether camping, Hotel, B&B or vacation rental, you will have a magnificent stay.  The annual Chincoteague Pony Swim is the Wednesday after the show.

This is a very nice event and the sales are great to good.  Our take is that if you can spend 2 weeks in a beautiful place, eat, drink and hang out, spend 3 days at a show and come home with more money than you arrived with, it's a big win!

I am planning to do my first round of Christmas shows this years. I am a 2d artist- ( decorative fiber- or 2d mixed media ) My work is fabric but looks like paintings-www.sharontesser.com I create pieces of every subject matter. I wondered at Christmas time if people purchase a certain type or genre of work for the holiday. What I know is in Kentucky I sell every horse I make- in Michigan the same is true for beach scenes. I am completely at a loss for Christmas in Ohio- except price point- my expectation is to keep things under $100. All experiences and advice welcome. Thanks in advance 

I guess I was in the wrong fair. But why did they market me so heavily since Maple & Main in Sylvania, Ohio in the beginning of June. Did they just want my booth fee and nothing else? This was the first fair in a long time that I did not get above the booth fee (let alone the application fee). The booth fee was $100 and the application fee was $20. All I made for the show was $80. The last time I was under like this was in my first year form the 2012 Ella Sharp Art Beer and Wine Festival. I paid $65 for a booth that year and only sold one 5x7 for $25. This fair feels similar to that one. WoodsStock was put on by the Schedel Arboretum and Gardens in Elmore, Ohio.

So, if I was not a good fit - why did they go after me so heavily? I was $40 out of all the money put into this fair. Maybe it was the weather. For for the first three hours of the fair there was a heavy rain. Maybe it was the patrons of the fair. They were a lot older then my demographic crowd that buys my prints. I hate being under like this. It was an extremely frustrating day. And this fair reminded me how frustrating my first year in art fairs was.

So, did they just want my booth fee. Did they know that I was not a good fit? Did they just want want to fleece me? I may never know... This is one to take off the list for next year for sure!

The spinkler guy across from me was having a very good day. Me not so much...

How am I going to make any money here?

"Art is making something out of nothing and selling it." - who said this?

You're at the show. People are interested in your work they are about to leave (empty handed!!). And they turn and say,

do you have a card?

Your reply: Sorry, I don't want to be bothered when I'm not at the show. I'm here now. What can I do for you?

do you have a website?

Your reply: the show is my livelihood, what can I do for you?

how can we get in touch with you for a piece for our anniversary/new family room/cottage when it is time?

Your reply: how about now?

I have seen this scenario many, many times. The people walk away dazed and confused, and empty-handed. This may seem extreme, but you know it is factual. Do you have business cards? Do you always have them on you?

At the show they can carry them off and have a tangible piece from you that may bring them back today because you've written your booth # on it. Away from the show they are a visual memory jog about you and your work. A good card is the cheapest viral marketing and advertising you can do.

Here are a few cards I've picked up recently that show some very good basics:

What's missing from this card? Nothing I can think of. How about you?

Front of Wendy Bedolla's card

Back

And, we need to have our house painted - great card, no?

Do you have a business card? Can you show it to us here?

I received this today as part of a newsletter from the Indiana Arts Commission and thought you all might want to read about how happy we all are whether we knew it or not.

National Study Suggests People Involved Professionally in the Arts are Happier

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

Learn more about all of the Howard Alan Events at www.ArtFestival.com

Well, it's been another successful one day show. I beat my last year's totals by about $50. But this year more people came through my booth because I requested a different booth location. I put last years map back into this post because I changed from booth 53 to booth 14. While no framed pieces sold, but just a lot of 5x7s and 8x10s plus postcards, that means that I had higher traffic though my booth this year.

Art on the Mall is produced by the University of Toledo's Alumni Association. Yes, my $100 booth fee as always a donation to my Alma Mater. The volunteers there are great and I really like this show. A volunteer would come into my booth and offer water or a soda of let me take a break. The were like clockwork about ever hour. Since it only runs from 10 AM to 5 PM reaching nearly $900 is a successful one day show. Maybe one of these years, I break the $1000 mark. But my sales totals have gone up each year. Plus I had three orders that I need to ship. Yes, three orders of stuff that I did not have in my booth. 

One patron wanted a fireman shot. I showed her my flickr stream (https://flic.kr/p/a2SnTY) and she purchased a print right there. I think that is pretty cool...

Please keep in mind these shots of the fair were taken well after 4 PM, There was a thunderstorm in the area around 3 PM and I think after 4, the scene was mostly dead.

Our brick in the Alumni Pavilion...

I had a great time this year at Ann Arbor.  Amid the lovely, heartfelt compliments there were a few comments I "collected" and thought you all might get a chuckle out of them...

Two separate buyers assured me I shouldn't worry because my work would be "going to a good home."

A lady with a very obvious Chinese accent and a large camera pointed at my ceramic art:

"Is all of this made in the US?"

Another  lady scrutinizing the sculpted ceramic herons I make:

"Where do you get your birds?"

And my all time favorite, overheard from a man crabbing into his cell phone on State Street:

"There are all these stupid white tents everywhere, and I can't find my bus stop!"

(Doesn't it just make you wonder if he noticed there weren't any buses?)

Hello, I just had my EZ up tent collapse at the Akron Hardesty Park show last night in a torrential downpour. The gods were watching out for me though, because none of my work, miraculously, was damaged. So I tomorrow am buying a Trimline for sure. My question is, for displaying my photographs, is it acceptable or a good idea to buy Flourish's mesh panels, or is it necessary to buy Propanels? I currently am using metal grids, that are going the way of my tent (the dumpster). I just don't know if I'll have room in my compact SUV for the Propanels along with everything else. (Jim Parker, I just reread your post for newbies from November. I don't have an Element, but close) :) 

Thanks in advance for your help. 

Jeneen

What to me in the last two shows and one that I was hoping to get in but did not happen. So finally got time to write these two shows reviews but one it had discuss widely. Main reason I was in the wait list for Geneva, IL show run by EM Events but I could get in. I sad about because I won a merit award in this show last year and was my best show of last season. Anyone I hope to ear good things from this show even as I write the weather could be nasty at some periods during this weekend. I hope the weather hold because this how we make our living and want everybody to be successful.

I started this month against my better judgement doing the Chicago Botanical Show with Amy Amdur. Lisa (staff member from Amy) told me that I should give a try to this show. This a dolly only show. The show is a local show for and it less than 100 artists at this show. The booth is around 625. The set up is slope down which made the set up very easy specially since they set up deliver time. The show was pack with people Saturday and by the end of the day I cover expenses including COGS and I was telling myself wow this could be a good show after all (only sold small pieces nothing big and nothing over 100). Then Sunday came it happen what I was concern. The weekends it hard to get in and with the show the lines to get was starting at the Ednes. Also it cost 25 to park. Still the show was pack but sadly for me there was no buyers for 2d work. Most artist told me that they nothing on Sunday. Another artist told me he just finish a zero show. The people that seems to do well was jewelers and wearables. I think even some of them was not to happy. I do not think it was Amy doing anything wrong. The REALLY BAD THING is taking the stuff to the car. Remember I mention slope down. Now you spend the entire day at the show and you break down. Now you need to dolly back to car. It is a very short distance but man it is FREAKING WORKOUT. They offer help to brings things back a small fee. I will tell as older I get I do not want to do this kind of breakdown. No matter how much make you taking a chance of hurting yourself.

NOW if you are in Chicago Land Area take time to visit the Botanical Garden. I got home in 30 minutes or so and eat dinner. Wow I need to rest I am heading to State College on Tuesday (Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts) the number one show in sales according to Sun Shine Artists.

Going to State College is a little weird because is the middle of nowhere but the key is the home of Penn State. Yea that Penn State College. The traveling time is about nine hours from Chicago. I decide to head out Tuesday because the check in time was 4 pm and set up was at 6pm. I figure out this will be best way to do it. Since I took off at 8am I miss most all the really bad weather and I only have to deal with three tornado warning. The last one was near to State College and if I a tornado was in path I basically dead. I found out if you can risk it is better to leave at 5am on Wednesday and check in into your hotel and then go to check in because no matter what you can not set up until 6pm. Also depending if you are in the residential or campus may make difference how much you set up. The rumor is if you are in the campus you fully set up if you can. If you are in the residential just put up the display and finish next day. One thing No matter what in my case I should only put the display because you need to stop by 9pm. The show seems to very low in traffic in my area but my friend told me it was very busy in the residential area. My Thursday was a zero day. Friday I did over 1500. Saturday and Sunday I did 1000 each day. It does not sound like a lot of money but considering is my first time and the traffic was way down I do not know if I was lucky or not. At the end of the show I was very happy and heading home think I need to move my 72 old mother what a drag. Anyone I hope to get in next year again. My hope for next year could be Lakefront or EM Event, Des Moines (original or the other show) Botanical with Amy because I not get in Cherry Creek, State College, Ann Arbor, Geneva and Loring Park, MN. After that set head home which could be in Boise Idaho next year.

Well Greg I guess I need your book. Happy days to come to everyone.

I stumbled across this today and just had to post this.  Here are 25 amazing sculptures from all around the world.  It would be hard to imagine a world without sculptures.  Take a look:

http://pulptastic.com/25-stunning-sculptures-world-pics/

My favorites are the Passersby in Poland and the Nelson Mandela in South Africa.

St. Joseph, MI - July 12 & 13

Best in Category

Acrylic -   Tim MacDonald

Clay Functional - Rob Wiedmaier

Clay Non-Functional - Karen Bell

Digital Art - John Ames

Drawing / Pastel - Sabrina Zhou

Fibers Decorative - Jean Yao

Fibers Wearable  - Francia Patti

Glass - Douglas & Renee Sigwarth

Jewelry Non-Precious - Lisa & Scott Cylinder

Jewelry Precious - Samantha Freeman

Metals - Scott Nelles

Mixed Media 2D - Corrine Smith

Mixed Media 3D - Mark Reynolds

Oils - Brian Eppley

Photography - Rusty Leffel

Printmaking - John Furches

Sculpture - Jack Hill

Watercolor - Randall Higdon

Wood - Robert Daily

Krasl Board Choice Award

Wood - James Barnes

Shore Magazine Best Booth Award

Mixed Media 2D - Ginny Herzog

Ann Arbor, MI - July 16-19, 2014 - 4 shows in one and plenty to see

Yes, it is true, Ann Arbor's weather was exactly what you want for an art fair. I was there the first day. I've attended it since 1976 (exhibited in one or the other of the shows from 1978-2006).

In our part of the country it is a rite of summer. At other shows in the region artists are continually being asked if they are going to be at Ann Arbor. You know how that goes.

I started at the western edge of the show on Main St., covered all of that street, all of Liberty, part of State, part of Thompson, North University, all of the original show and the South U. Show. There were steady crowds both days I was there (like John Leben in his post I stayed with friends in a nearby downtown hotel on Wed. night) for two days. 

(just want you to know that I did NOT punch up that sky -- beautiful --this is Michigan, not Colorado)

Wednesday afternoon I booth sat for Anne Schroeder for several hours as she "won" me in the Pledge Drive. Her work consists of amazing arrangements of feathers from exotic birds that are naturally shed and come from parrot rescue groups and rare bird aviaries.

The people interested in her work were an eclectic group: biologists, environmentalists and a couple from Xian, China, who wanted to know if I could ship the work there. Anne said she sold a couple of pieces last year at this show to someone from Dubai who had their own plane, to let her know there was no problem about importing these natural materials.

You just never know who it is standing in your art fair booth.

Michael Terra of Terra Cottage Ceramics

Photographer Lou Zale, always found on Main St. with his intriguing images

Dawn & Don Shurlow - for years they have done shows selling their heritage toys, finally leapt off the cliff
and brought only his fine heirloom chairs. I hope he had a good show. The chairs were lovely.

I spent the first day on Main St. and Liberty. At the end of the day I was very disheartened. There is so much "product", so much that was not special, so much commercialism that I felt like going home. Very depressing. I was with my two art fair going friends, Sandy Dunstone and Barb Burkhardt.

I asked them about what I was seeing (I was sure the quality was worse than back when we were doing the show) and they both said it was just the same. It wasn't worse and besides my standards were too high. I'd seen too much good art over the years. They thought it was fine and enjoyed the variety.

Not to say I didn't see good art in these areas. There was plenty of it, but I didn't think about half of it wouldn't be better somewhere else. It was "product."

Then off to dinner with the best of friends, Nels Johnson and Larry Berman, and Barb and Sandy.

Thursday we started up North U. and covered the "original show", where suddenly the work looked like it was all "juried." Booth after booth of interesting fine work. Another beautiful day, nice crowds all day long, people carrying packages.

Ronna telling her story to collectors (who took home one of those large pieces)

Original show: Ronna Katz "won" me on Thursday. She does mono prints and monotypes with price points from $275 to $3000. Large abstract pieces that definitely have an appeal to another demographic. Ronna is very personable and never tires of explaining her processes and has a nice connection to her buyers. She had a good sales day while I was there and later told me it was her "personal best AA" for sales. Folks, she does not take credit cards! Somehow people pull out checks and out goes the work to its new home. I saw her make a nice sale to a couple who had come from Cleveland specifically to find new printmakers.

Using the space on the ground to continue showing your work in the Street Fair

In the Street Art Fair they also have large tents where you can exhibit

You hear patrons at AA saying they only go to the "original show." Others deliberately do not go there because the prices are higher, so they'll head to one of the other sections. 

Caught up with Greg Lawler on Washington St.

We participated in the State Street Show in what we called the "pants" department (because of all the merchant goods right next to the art exhibits) for 14 years and always had good sales. Then we went up to Main St., where we found had a whole other crowd of people who never attended the other sections. 

Considering doing the show one of these days? Here are my conclusions:

• Summer Art Fair (Main, Liberty, State) - lots of lookers, good traffic and many people who won't/don't go to the more chi chi sections
• State Street Area Art Fair - huge, sprawling over many blocks with spurs that probably do not get visited. I think this is the chanciest show for making sales. Some of the "art stars" here but uneven quality. It looks as though they have trouble filling up all the real estate this show takes up. The North U. section is excellent though. If you are ever accepted to this show find out where your booth will be before you send your money.
• South University Art Fair - where the "original" show started geographically. Way s-p-r-e-a-d out for blocks, but pretty much in a row. Some of the artists who made that show so special are still exhibiting in it. I think an "also ran" for sales with spotty quality and an empty feeling. Needs to be consolidated. I like that in the last two years it has moved down S. University to meet up with State, giving good traffic to artists on both of those streets. 

Kristin Perkins on S. University

• Ann Arbor Street Art Fair - very fine work in just about every booth. This is the area where out-of-towners who are in the know will shop and the most affluent buyers come to shop. It is the most pleasant setting (adding in the North U. section of the State St. show) and a place where you feel comfortable and like you are actually in a fine art event, more like the high quality events in Denver and Chicago.

If I was doing shows again it would be a toss up which I would choose as each one has its pros and cons.

Out hotel, the Campus Inn, was full of well-dressed people, shopping teams, getting up early to hit the streets and coming back in the evening to show one another their purchases, all very excited to be there and who have attending it on their annual summer schedule.

Shoppers love this show. Ann Arbor is a lovely town, the restaurants are delightful, easy parking and access to the shows, the art fair unlike any other in the country with treasures every ten feet.

I'll return!

3 Jewelry booths for those of you who are always trying to figure out how to show off your work:

How about this (on the left) for a minimalist booth? I've seen it before -- patrons love milling around it

And please note the wheels on the bottom of these jewelry cases. Pretty cool!

Winner of the most pristine:

Please read Nels' Johnson's review of the show here: Ann Arbor Art Fair, The Guild Shows, Slow and Low

John Leben's review: Ann Arbor (the Original), Good Weather, Good Sales

Scott Pakulski's adventures: New to Ann Arbor

While writing this I came on this post, worthwhile reading for artists:

http://blog.entrepreneurthearts.com/2010/06/13/trouble-and-joy-at-the-old-town-art-fair/

Video to come!

September 20 & 21 

Heritage Green

Sandy Springs, Georgia

120 fine art and fine craft booths

Deadline: July 25

Highlights:

• Present your art to an affluent, art savvy clientele
• Extensive Marketing through paid advertising, media sponsorship and editorial publicity
• Drive up loading and unloading - event is held on the street.

Each year, over 20,000 attendees gather at Heritage Green to shop the street-lined booths with more than 600 artists, crafters and vendors, and enjoy good times with music, food and fun. Come join us over the weekend at one of the largest community festivals in the area.

The crowds show up for new surprises and fun events each year, including:

• The Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn and Stage offers great live music, dancing and entertainment
• Sports enthusiasts can compete to qualify for the Peachtree Road Race in the fast-paced Doug Kessler Sandy Springs Lightning 10K and 5K. 
• Kids will have a great time participating in all the children's games at the Children's Park.
• Visiting the Heritage Sandy Springs Museum and celebrating the heritage of our community through interactive crafts, demonstrations and exhibits both inside and outside the Museum. 

The Sandy Springs Festival is the largest fundraiser for Heritage Sandy Springs, a non-profit organization that operates Heritage Green, a four-acre city park in the heart of Sandy Springs.

Founded in 1985 to oversee the preservation of the original "sandy springs" and the restoration of the Williams-Payne House, Heritage Sandy Springs presents a year round calendar of educational, cultural and heritage programs and events for the community. 

Located in the center of the Sandy Springs business district, the site also includes green space gardens with a gazebo bandstand, the Heritage Sandy Springs Museum, the Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn, a Research Library and Archive, and meeting venues including Heritage Hall.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS:

Deadline: July 25, 2014

Accept Invitation and Purchase Deadline: August 30, 2014

FEES

Application fee: $25 ($35 for paper app)

Standard booth fee: $250 (Up to 120 total exhibition booths)

Double booth fee: $500 (Limited availability)

Booth size: 10' x 10' or greater

Corner upgrade: $75 (limited availability) 

Electricity: $50 (limited availability)

Tent rental: $50 (limited availability) 

To download an application or find out more information visit www.sandyspringsfestival.com. Application also available at www.zapplication.org. 

This event is hosted by AFFPS and is organized by artists for artists.

I am preparing for my first art festival.  I have a 10' x 10' tent but I don't have walls.  I need some suggestions for walls.  What works the best.  My art is on wood so it does have a little weight to each piece.  Thanks for your help :)

I was on my way back home and had been mentally preparing to go to my next show in Grand Junction, CO after having survived the long week in Oklahoma City at the end of April. My wife informed me over the phone that her father had taken a turn for the worse.

Let me back up a bit. Five years ago my wife had resigned her position as an administrative assistant in the police department, after much decision making anguish, to return to New Mexico to take care of her mother whose Alzheimer's had progressed to the point where her father could not take care of her very effectively. Five months later, after she passed on, it became apparent that her father was unable to live independently. He had a form of Parkinson's and associated dementia. Now it was time to take care of him.

He had been in a group assisted living arrangement for the last four months as taking care of him on her own had become more than she could manage and, as she was the sole caregiver, she needed a break. This was to be a short term respite for her, and maybe for him too! Even while he was in the group home she would visit once or twice daily. It was during the second visit that particular day she noticed he was considerably different than in the morning, slumped over and unresponsive. The house staff only thought he was napping! (That's a whole 'nother story) turns out he had become seriously dehydrated, had a UTI and probably was on deaths door at that point. Some significant intravenous fluids and broad band antibiotics at the hospital brought him back sorta. She was planning on bringing him home anyway but this incident forced the issue. He came home and was able to make his passage in his own home on his terms.

So what's all this rambling about? Well, sometimes you make plans and things go along smoothly and other times your plans are short circuited or need to change, I'm sure we've all been there for one reason or another. I won't pretend that I always do the right thing and that it was a no brainer on my part to decide to bail on the Grand Junction show. After all, the time of his departure from this world, let alone anyone else, isn't printed on the bottom of your foot. I had all the work ready to go. I drove down to NM in the "art van" in case things weren't too serious (a three hundred mile "detour" in a southerly direction). The hotel was booked and all the fees were paid. At the very least I already had to pay for 1 nights lodging, as I didn't read the fine print on the cancellation policy, as-well-as the booth fee! After some serious soul searching I decided to forego the show. I had been there for the last five years why wouldn't I be there at the very end? Time will take care of the rest.