Well, for the second time this year (Ft. Worth being the other) Sunday rain killed sales for a big show.
Practically all day rain on Sunday killed the crowds and made sales almost nil. Usually Sunday at this show can be a big sales day as the crowds have three days to walk around and make decisions. Most exhibitors make more than half their sales on this day, so when you lose it to weather, it really sucks.
And, it did.
LET US START AT THE BEGINNING--WEDNESDAY
Ellen and I were both accepted, and they actually put us side by side for once. Although I had a 9 AM setup time and she had a 5:30 set up time.
We set out from Saugatuck in a hard rain that followed us all the way to Columbus. It was nasty driving weather with all the trucks splashing us along the way.
Luckily, we made it in just as the rain stopped, and we saw a great sunset.
We stayed at the Westin hotel which is near the show and had a special artist discount--$99 a night. Of course parking in their lot was extra--$24 per day for valet, or $12 a pop for each time you went in and out. Also, Wifi was $9.50 per day extra. You could take your device down into the lobby or into the bar and get free reception, which is what I did.
We both have our own vans. So we parked Ellen's in the free artist parking lot and left it there until teardown. During the day I parked on the street in a handicap parking area (Yes I am handi-capped, I am left handed and I know Gary Seidel).
At night I parked in an alley by the hotel. The meters don't charge from 6 PM to 8 AM. So that's how you do it to avoid the Westin's ripoff parking fees.
BTW. The room is very small, with one dinky chair, no table, a dinky TV an an even dinkier ice box. But it is a Westin, so I guess we are supposed to kneel down and grovel and be thankful for them letting us stay there.
The one good thing about staying at the Westin is that you have Dempsey's restaurant 20 yards away.
OK. LET'S CALL THIS A TEQUILA REPORT--DEMPSEY'S RESTAURANT
One of the drawbacks to doing this show is its ridiculously long hours. Friday and Saturday, they want you their around 10 AM (Sat.) and 11AM (Fri.) til at least--9:30 PM. Artists have the option of staying open later til say, 11PM. Woopie!
Well, when you get out at 9:30 that leaves your dining options few and far between.
Dempsey's fills the bill nicely.
They serve food til 11 PM with a full bar.
They have great menu and very reasonable prices. There is something for everybody, even if you are a vegetarian or are on a low salt diet like me.
For instance, they served a yummy risotto dish full of fresh veggies, which I had them add some roasted chicken to for $17. It was filling and lip-smacking good.
They have a great beer and ample wine selection, and cocktails are under-priced.
They serve breakfast too.
I noticed a good number of artists who stayed at the Westin that ate there.
Also in your show goodie bag was a coupon from them that allowed artists 15% off on one meal. Not a bad deal.
So cheers for Mr. Mark Dempsey.
He even went and got a prescription filled for Ellen while she was at the show.
Well, there you have it --a Tequila Report--now, on with the show.
OK. OK. Nels--Tell us about the show.
I thought you would never ask.
SOME SALIENT FACTS--THEN I WILL GIVE REVIEW OF SHOW STUFF, DAY BY DAY.
This is a well-run show. It flows like a well-oiled machine, and it makes the show a lot of money. They sell a lot of beer and food. The artists are used as a come-on. We make a little bit of money and they make mucho.
This is a big show, lots of exhibitors. It flows over a large area--two streets on both sides of the river, plus exhibitors on both bridges, then a cross row on the west side of the show, and then two dead-end sections that run on Rich street and on the water.
It is an exhausting walk for the average patron. Most of them are going to think a long time before they go back again to your booth to buy that $40 photograph.
So, for most of us, you get one shot at them.
They have a volunteer committee that is very proactive led by Patty who has been the Artist Relations chairperson for 17 years. They listen to you, they have prompt booth-sitters. Setup and teardown go very easy. They stagger the setup times so you don't have a neighbor's van in your way.
The overall honcho, Scott, is hands-on. That boy is everywhere checking on details all the time.
Here is some meat.
Practically everybody has ample storage room behind there booths. If you don't buy a corner spot then your neighbor will be tight against you and you can forget about hanging anything on an outside wall.
Most of the spots are on curved streets, so things can be leaning with the angled slope.
Bring weights, it is all on concrete. Bring a fire extinguisher, although they did not check on us this year.
They give ya free electricity so bring lights, bring the blender for smoothies and margaritas, and bring the electric wok so you can do some stir-frying in the rear. Heck, sales are hard to come by, so maybe a little stir fry special of the day will get you throughout those long hours.
Just kidding.
But, I always thought, wouldn't it be kind of cool to be cooking a little tuna stir fry in the rear, along with some couscou and a shitload off siracha. It would drive your patrons nuts.
You could look them in the eye and say, "Hey, how good is that Kettle corn your eating, and oh, did they cook that darn Turkey leg long enough?"
Show is three days, and on Sunday it ends at 5 pm, unless it is like this year where it rains all day and the show never really gets off the ground.
OK. There is some meat for you.
SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SHOW THIS YEAR.
A little perspective.
I have done this show since the early 90's, off and on. It has always been a strong selling show. Always in my top 10 of shows to do.
I am a tropical guy, I sell tropical images, I like bright pastel colors, and I really love Key West.
So do most of my patrons.
Many of them can winter in Florida especially on the west coast, Naples to Sarasota. Even the panhandle.
For years, I have sold lots of big images here to folks who put them in their Florida home or their Columbus sunporch. They always bought in a big way.
But, for the last five years or so, I have seen the big purchases drop off the face of the earth.
As my friend Bill Sargent is fond of saying, "They buy precious little pieces of paper."
This has become, increasingly, a low-end selling show for me, and a lot of my fellow artists in all disciplines.
This year, I $30 and $50- ed them to death. Sold a few meager 16x20 frames ($170 range) and not one large piece. Last year I sold four large pieces.
Don't get me wrong, I had a good show, not as good as 2013, but I lost Sunday, when I made a mere $300 in sales and had to teardown with wet stuff.
On Friday, we saw sluggish sales, most artists were lucky and happy if they did $1K in sales.
Ironically, I saw more big pieces go by my booth that day, then compared to Sat. and Sun when I saw very few.
Most of the crowds had nothing in their hands. If they had something, it was stuff in small bags, or art on the stick.
I know of at least 10 artists who had a killer show. But for everyone of them, I know 10 others who were lucky to go home with $3K in sales.
A great furniture friend of mine, had a killer show. He sold steady every day.
A good travel/nature photographer friend sold a biggie on Saturday and ended up with a killer show.
Most of my glass artist friends we're very disappointed with their sales. Not enough good shoes people showing up.
Here is an interesting observation.
I did not have even one person the whole show come up and say, "We are looking for a piece to put over the fireplace or the bed." Not a one.
Years ago, that was my bread and butter market.
I just did not see enough of the "Good shoes" crowd there. Saw way too many tattooed-and-pierced-with-little-money there. You get great compliments and zero sales. Try paying your mortgage with that.
Ellen had one tiny flurry mid-Saturday afternoon. Three customers in a row. That was her entire show except for three other very small sales.
So the bottom line is this.
This a big EVENT. Notice I did not say this is a BIG ART SHOW.
You can make money here, especially if you have killer lowend line.
But this is an event. It is more about the live music, the beer tents, the food booths--and, oh yeah, there is art you can buy too.
We have lots of competition--and it aint your fellow exhibitors.
And that is the biz we have today.
Would I go back? Hell yes. I would rather be in Columbus than Kalamazoo or anywhere in Amdur-land.
But this biz is changing, and in a bad way
I just don't think that American public prizes good original art, like they used to.
They would rather have electronic gadgets. They bring them to our shows. They are more engrossed in them than the art that is surrounding them.
We are just those people in the white tents, and there will be plenty more of them somewhere else next weekend.
Oh well. It is on to the ocean at Virginia beach.
In fact I typed this blog while sitting on the Atlantic.
Let ya know how I make out.
