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The Venice Art Festival has been my launchpad for the winter season since I got in the business six years ago.  The crowds that visit this Howard Alan show are good sized, they come year after year, and many of them are newly-arrived snowbirds from the upper midwest and Canada who are looking to decorate the winter homes. 

I've never had a bad show here, but in most years the visitors buy small.  That wasn't the case this year: it wound up as the best Venice show I've ever had.   The buying energy persisted all weekend, except for an understandable lull as a cold front and squalls moved through late on Saturday morning.

When the front passed, it took the overbearing humidity with it: Sunday brought crystal blue skies and a feeding frenzy, at least in my space.  I sold six good-sized Gallery Wraps on day 2 (not a record, but typically the kind of sales I see in deeper-pocketed Naples and Sarasota). 

More tellingly, perhaps, I had no less than a dozen folks tell me that they had either just bought a home, they were redecorating one they'd bought a few years ago, or they had a new home under contract.  Last year, at the same show, I had two or three folks say the same. (And yes, I keep track by maintaining a New Homeowner's mailing list).  The numbers of artists who told me they had a good show was in double figures--not everyone I talked to, but pretty close.  The buyers didn't seem to discriminate: Jewelers, 2-D, functional pottery, glass all did decently, from what I heard.  I was 'way too busy to take a survey.

One show does not a trend make, of course, but coupled with the reports I'm reading about the housing market heating up, and what I hear from my brother (who is in the mid-to-high end furniture biz for a Fort Myers/Naples chain, and is writing business with both hands these days), maybe there's a glimmer of hope for the winter season.

I thought I'd reviewed this show last year, but couldn't find it.  So here's some additional scoop for the unfamiliar: 
* The show runs along Venice Ave., the main downtown district, filled with small-storefront retail and restaurants.

* As a Howard Alan downtown show, there's no Friday setup.  Officially, check-in starts at 5 AM Saturday, but some artists were around as early as 3:30 AM to get started.  Drive up to your space, unload, then move to artist parking in a bank parking lot.  (Some parts of Venice Ave. are divided by a concrete barrier dividing east-and west-bound traffic; if you have a space in those sections, you can park right behind your booth, on the east-bound side.)  As in most Alan events, the tents are pretty tight side to side, but most booths have some storage area behind. 

* There's a Costco booth where you can grab cold water, pre-packaged muffins (on Saturday), or fruit (on Sunday).  No coffee either day.  Lunch is on your own, but several of the enterprising restaurants delivered fliers offering meals at a discount. 

* There are a couple of hotels (Best Western Plus, Holiday Inn) off the Jacaranda Rd. exit (#193) of I-75, about 10 minutes' drive from the show.  There are also a couple of national chain hotels in North Port, 20 minutes south, and lots more in Sarasota, about the same distance to the north. 

I hope some of the other artists chime in with comments--and that someone takes on reviewing Alan's St. Armands show being held this coming weekend (Nov. 9-10) in Sarasota.  I'm taking the weekend off to attend a workshop, but it would really be nice to hear on AFI if the buying spree continues...or not.

Now back in Florida, I thought I'd take a couple of minutes and wrap up the telling of my show experiences in the Northeast.  It was a challenging summer for show sales, but a great opportunity to expand my inventory and my marketing presence.  We'll see, in time, if that work pays off.

But first, let's look at the last few shows on my agenda. After about 10 days of R&R back home in Florida,  I flew back into Atlantic City International Airport (via Spirit Air, which sends a direct flight from Ft. Myers once a day)  on Oct. 10.  First stop:  The Chesapeake Bay Art Association show, a scheduled two-day affair in the park at Ocean View.  This is a small, inexpensive show  ($110, tops!) that draws mostly regional artists.  It's not a show that I'd advise an artist to travel huge distances to do, but as an entrée to the surprisingly active arts scene in and around Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, it can't be beat. Friendly, well-run, casual: lots like old-time art shows used to be.

It's close to the water, in Ocean View park, where a path winds its way along the bay. Artists along the path contend with ocean breezes nearly all day long, no matter the weather (about which, more in a paragraph or two).  If you're even fifty yards inland, the wind is less of a problem.  If you make it to the show in time to set up on Friday, you can drive right to your booth and set up.  On Saturday morning, you need to park along the street or in a nearby parking lot and dolly from there: a little more work, but not a problem. 

Last year's show was surprisingly good, and I was hoping for a repeat performance.  The show gathers a lot of support from the local community (Norfolk's mayor even came by, waited politely while I wrapped things up with a customer, then graciously introduced himself and thanked me for coming from Florida to do the show.) 

But, as so often has happened this summer, the weather didn't work in my favor.  A late-summer storm driven by a weather system off the coast had been lashing the east coast for several days, and it just refused to move on.  So although Saturday started on time, crowds were light under stiff breezes and cloudy skies.  "We'll get 'em tomorrow," I thought, after counting less than $300 in sales.  But the forecast called for even stronger winds, with possibility of thunderstorms, for Sunday.  With the result that, much to my surprise, I arrived Sunday morning to find artists packing up.

The show director called off the show based on the forecast high winds and chance of lightning, she told me.  And for sure, in the two hours I was packing up, breezes did pick up to about 20 mph where I was (and perhaps to 30 mph along the aforementioned pathway).  But the thunderstorms never came, nor the rain.  Was it the right call?  Well, it's tough for me to be impartial: Having counted on the show revenue to at least cover the week's stay before exhibiting at the following week's Stockley Gardens show, I was disappointed.  I did learn later, however, that Norfolk city regulations for outdoor events give city officials the power to call events when lightning is in the area.  So maybe it wasn't the show's call decision at all. Either way, they opted as they did out of concern for artists and their artwork.  And given the oceanside venue, with booths set up individually rather than  pole to pole, I can't say it was the wrong call.

After a week's stay in the Ocean View EconoLodge (one of the best values for the money I've ever encountered: clean, impeccably well-run hotel, and less than $350 for the week), it was on to the well-known Stockley Gardens fall show (Oct. 18-19).  This locally-run event occupies three square blocks in Norfolk's Ghent neighborhood, one of the nicest older residential areas in this history-rich town.  The streets and parking are tight, but it's an inexpensive ($250 single booth) well-organized show and (much like the Rehoboth Beach (DE) Art League show I had done two months earlier) is eagerly awaited by art buyers. 

It had been one of my strongest shows ever in 2012, but this year the mojo didn't strike twice.  Saturday was a browse-fest, with a less knowledgeable crowd than I remembered, and artists I spoke with at the great-as-always Saturday night barbeque dinner might best be described as "puzzled."  

Sunday was a really beautiful day, and the art-savvy buyers came out in force, but for many of us it wasn't enough to meet expectations.  Although I wound up with a decent profit, the show was down about 50% for me; the folks I spoke with during load out reported overall sales that were a bit lackluster, as well. 

I'm not sure why: In a city with so many military employees, it might have been the lingering nervousness over sequestration. Whatever. This is still on my "must do" list for next year, but I'd hoped for more.  Maybe the gubbmint can get its act together in 2014 and lessen buyer anxiety a bit. 

I'd started my northern journey 'way back in May, spending time in Stone Harbor NJ to add to my knowledge and inventory of Northern bird life, and shooting aggressively wherever I went for the next four months.  From that standpoint, the trip was a success.  Many, if not all, of the images I created and sold up north will remain staples of my inventory all winter.  (Early indication is that they'll sell just as well down South.)

But of the eight shows I did in June, September, and October, only one (Seawall, in Portsmouth, in late August) exceeded their 2011 or 2012 totals.  Only three were strong enough to make them likely candidates for 2014 (Rehoboth's two weekends, plus Stockley), and with average expenses of more than $700/week on the road, precious little profit was had even at those venues. 

All of which puts my summer 2014 plans in a bit of a pickle.  I've got a few months--only a few--to sort things out.  The lingering effects of Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy can't be denied: only last week, at the storm's first anniversary, did hard numbers on the storm's lingering economic impact come into sharp focus.  Over one-third of damaged homes along the New Jersey coast, for example, are still awaiting insurance money.  Even when money has been forthcoming, it hasn't been timely enough, or sufficient enough, to rebuild to the new housing codes.  And lastly, the insurance premiums for said homes have skyrocketed, leading many long-time homeowners to simply walk away.

The impact on the communities there will last for years, not months.  The success of art shows, at least at the shore-based venues, likely will take time to recover as well.

For context, see earlier posts in this series:

• Under the Oaks, Corolla, NC (June)
• Ocean City, NJ, Rehoboth Art League (August)
• Rehoboth Art League 2, Seawall, Westhampton, NY (Aug/Sept)

So, I added a few craft shows in November thinking Holiday sales would help. Well, I was mistaken. I participated in a craft fair this weekend and only had $235 in sales for a two day show. I think my photography (even though it is Lego minifigures) is still too high end for craft shows.

I am an original artist. I have no buy sell items in my booth. This show had a lot of exhibitors who were selling buy sell items. Maybe my prices were too high for a craft fair. But I had little traffic in my booth. People were buying, just not my art. It was a very frustrating weekend. But a learning experience nonetheless...

So, next year I vow not to participate in craft shows. They do not work for me. I earn much much more at art fairs. Is the clientele different for those who attend art fairs and those who attend craft shows? And why are there not a lot of holiday art fairs? I would like to finish out my year with a few nice shows in November and December here in the midwest (Michigan and Ohio primarily). I think my work does do well in the Holiday Season. My Etsy shop always sees a spike this time of year. I would like Holiday art fairs to finish out my year...

As the season changes from fall to winter and art buying changes from "collecting" to gift shopping, what are you doing? Filling up your schedule with shows because that is how you have always done it?

Or will you use this seasonal change to stop and reconsider and think about creating something you've always wanted to create rather than filling the show boxes with "product?" The challenge is to make our lives meaningful. The greatest gift of being an artist is to exhibit creativity in all facets of our lives.

Photo from the HuffingtonPost.com.

MONDAY - NOVEMBER 4 - 4 PM ET

There have been recent problems with artist's processing throughout the country. We'll find out why and answer the following questions:

Free credit card processing? What does free mean?

• 24/7 live customer support?
• immediate deposit of funds into your account? 
• reception/connectivity you can rely on?
• merchant services dedicated to you as a mobile merchant?

Maybe, maybe not. Somewhere, someone needs to pay. Credit card processing policies and options are changing rapidly. I chose my credit card processor years ago because of his good reputation taking care of artists needs. Life is too short to be chasing the cheapest fees.

Listen in as Steven Ballan, Vice President of 1st National Payment Solutions explains the latest technology changes, alternative processing systems and the risk/reward of opting for free processing. 

1st National Payment Solutions will answer your questions in advance:  877-964-1622

Will you be listening? 

Can you call in? Here's the #805-243-1338

Do you have questions we should ask Steven? If so, please put them in the comments below and we will cover them.

I think you'll like these four shows hosted by Janet and Howard Rose (organizing fine art and craft shows since 1981) in upscale New Jersey neighborhoods.

October 7-8, 2013, WESTAF presented the 5th Annual Arts Festival Conference in Louisville, KY, in conjunction with the St. James Court Art Show and NAIA. I was there and here is why you should have been there also:

5. The Meet and Greet. Spending time with like-minded individuals in a relaxed atmosphere has a great payoff. We have so much in common and can learn so much from one another. You may meet someone whose work you have always admired, or have a chance to ask some questions from seasoned artists/show directors.

4. Hanging with the Pros. Hear speakers from many spectra. Thought leaders talking about the arts whose information challenges you to put your career in perspective. Consider it "professional development" that can extend your vision beyond your current thought process and expose it to a larger context.

3. Jury review. Have you ever attended an open jury or seen your images on the "big screen", or heard them critiqued by professional jurors? People literally stumble out of these presentations with new information to revitalizes their own jury images.

2. Solid professional workshops:

• Creative Connections. The importance of the arts visible in the community - when people see arts performances (drama, dance, visual, music) they see people who are having a different life experience than they are. These events connect people to festivals.
• The New Wave: Fairs and the Next Generation - what makes young people buy art? How do we attract younger patrons
• Weather Planning for the Unknown - great tips for show organizers and artists for weather emergencies. Joe Sullivan from the National Weather Service recommended Radar Scope
• Money 101 - strategic info for melding the creative side that creates the art with the business side for healthy businesses and a secure financial future
• Entrepreneurship for Creatives - how you can reach your intended audience
• Art of Sponsorship - finding the ideal partner for your art festival
• Marketing more effectively - revamping your marketing to increase sales in your booth or online

1. Networking. I can't emphasize this enough. Seeing old friends, meeting people you've only met online, rubbing shoulders and eating a meal with show directors who have an effect on your financial future, spending time with artists from across the country whose name you may/may not recognize and sharing ideas with them is so stimulating I drove home for five hours and was still buzzing from all the interaction. Conferences are a great leveler. The payoff in time and money can have long lasting consequences well worth the investment.

This bag folds up into this little bag! It took me 3 weeks to figure this out.

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

I really appreciated meeting many people, especially members of this community: Amy Welborn (who won the conference pass), Chris Coffey, Gloria Danvers (who has amazing jewelry), Judy Kean, Lee Wilson, Michael Brown, Teresa Merriman and Kathleen Caid (more amazing jewelry).

Since Dick Sherer gave us such a thorough report on the Sloan's Lake Art Fair (cancelled because of the heavy rains) I got the inside story on that from the show's organizer, Danna Tullis, who also runs the Salida Riverside Fine Arts Festival. At the end of the day over drinks she laid out the work they had done with the City of Denver and subsequent marketing and the anguish when they had to cancel the show even before it opened.

She said that they weren't sure that all the traveling artists had gotten word of its cancellation so on Saturday morning they got to the site early and set up a tent to alert anyone who showed up.

I'm already looking forward to next year's conference. The organizers, Leah Charney and Christina Villa do a solid job of putting together an agenda of insiders and outsiders in the arts business to help us all in our careers and giving us a lot of ideas for the take away. Thanks, ladies.

See photos from the conference at the Zapplication.org Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/zapplication

An interesting tale of 2 professional photographers working in the field, one a well known wildlife photographer and the other for capturing rustic charm, character and the essence.  Both members of the prestigious New England Photographers Guild.

John Vose is motivated by how Tom connects with the subject and conveys his passion to the final print.  A short simple article, but an excellent juxtaposition of two genres' 

http://thomas-schoeller.artistwebsites.com/blogs/a-tale-of-two-genres-see-what-i-see-.html

This was our first year participating in this show on the west coast of California. We had spent a week in Half Moon Bay State Park last year between shows and loved it, great beach, nice little restaurants, a wonderful bike trail, we saw a few whales and overall really enjoyed ourselves during a “working vacation”.  This year we arrived the day before the show and left the day after the show, no time for play, we were just here for the show.

 Half Moon Bay is due west of the San Francisco area with one small highway leading into the community from Hwy 101.  I understand traffic is horrendous getting into town on either day of the event.   We arrived mid-afternoon on Friday and after getting stuck on Hwy 101 in the Bay Area for 2 hours due to a traffic accident, if I were a patron, I’m not sure I would want to put up with the difficulty of getting to this event.

Details:

Set up is difficult, no other word to describe it.  It’s a very narrow street with a same day set up.  They do assign the earlier times to people who pull trailers or who have large trucks so with our monster F450 DRW we were assigned the 4:30 AM load in time.   We pulled in, dropped all our “stuff” off and were not even close to being the first people in our section to be setting up, some of the artists got there at 3 AM or earlier.  Many of the artists hand trucked everything into the show.  Parking around the show was very difficult, after unloading Dale moved the truck 4 blocks away.  At 5 AM?? The closest parking was 4 blocks away??  OK, that was just a sign of how bad parking was going to be this weekend. We set up with little fuss other than feeling like we were freezing to death.  The marine layer was still very thick and everything felt damp and cold, thank goodness for gloves.  We then left, went back to our RV park and cleaned up, made some more hot coffee and headed back to the show.  This time parking was even worse but we lucked out and got a close spot due to someone who was leaving.

Show:  Packed with people, even  before 9 AM on Saturday.  Our first sale came while we only had about 1/3^rd of our jewelry out and still had a mess in the floor of the booth.  We quickly tried to finish the set up and make sure we were ready to sell.  Our Saturday sales were “OK”.  Most other shows we would have been quite happy but given the difficulty of doing this show and the GREAT reviews we had heard about it, we were sort of expecting more.  Not sure how much our booth location impacted our sales, we were right across from the main stage and the food court.  The music was great at this festival, some of the best we’ve heard lately, but it was very difficult to hear. 

By Saturday afternoon the road was so packed with people that I think some folks were afraid to walk into a booth thinking they would never get back into the flow of traffic.  We also had numerous issues where people were standing in front of the booth, blocking access to it with their backs to us watching the crowd or the music.  More than once Dale took out the glass cleaner and “chased them away”.  When that didn’t work with some particularly obtuse people, 2 different parties blocking both corners of the entryway into our booth I went up and diplomatically told them they had been there for more than 30 minutes, we were paying for our retail spot this weekend and they were interfering with our ability to make a profit.  One lady actually said we just wanted to get out of the crowd, to which I replied, I understand, but please don’t inhibit some of that crowd from becoming our customers, we’re here to make a living.  If we go back,  we really want a different booth location.  The only upside of this location is that our booth was one of the closest to the artist hospitality room which I wasn’t too concerned about, more importantly there were flush toilets in that building and it was so nice not to stand in line to just the porta potties.  By the time the day was over we were so happy to be headed back to the RV, we were exhausted.  Traffic was at its worst, we were so glad we were slightly south of town, the traffic heading north on CA 1 to CA 92 to get back to the Bay Area was backed up for miles and we were passed by 3 emergency vehicles.   I heard a lot of comments on Sunday morning that Saturday evening traffic was worse than usual, but not by much. 

Sunday the crowd was a little smaller, definitely less packed in the morning, but still very large on Sunday afternoon.  Our sales were very close to the same as Saturday sales which is unusual for us, usually we see a drop off on Sunday, but I think we had $100 difference between the 2 days.  Wish we had more shows where the sales were more equally distributed between both days.  Much to our surprise, we had 2 customers who came to this show for the first time just to find us.  One of the customers was someone we had made a custom bracelet for at last year’s Mountain View show, her Mom and Sister loved the bracelet so she wanted 2 more in different lengths and was planning to take them back to Germany with her at Christmas for gifts for Mom and Sis.  We had to cancel Mountain View this year due to an issue with the upgrade on our truck and being stuck in Colorado so it was really nice to hear that she came to Half Moon Bay from the Bay Area, fought the crowds and traffic just so she could buy 2 more bracelets.  Gotta love customers who really make an effort, especially when she could have just called us. 

Sunday around 4:00 the crowd started slowing down, but even at 5:00 there were still way more people on the street than I’m used to seeing at most of our shows, especially considering some of them had a long, slow drive back to the Bay Area.  We finally started packing down about 5:15, the show officially ended at 5:00 but the music was still playing, people were still in the streets and we didn’t notice anyone else packing down.  Load out is just as difficult as load in, only with even more of a time constraint.  The city requires the street to be cleared by 8 PM.  We figured we would never be able to get our truck in, so we started hand carting past long lines of patron cars creeping slowly out of town.  I think it would have taken at least 30-45 minutes just to get our truck into the show, if there had been room.  After the first 2 loads and getting everything packed in the truck, the street was really clearing out, we had our canopy, weights and a few miscellaneous items so Dale decided to get the truck in so we wouldn’t have to hand cart the last 2 loads.  Well, that turned into a fiasco when the honey bucket truck was blocking our entrance into the show, he had to drive around the entire show to come in from the west side instead of the east side which took an extra 30 minutes.  By then the volunteers were reminding us we had to be off the street by 8 to which I replied we would have been gone already if you hadn’t blocked our entrance into the show.  I literally sat there with the rest of our stuff for 30 minutes, the truck was 5 minutes away, we could have been out of there much quicker if they had kept our access open.  We were finally driving off the show site around 7:45, a much longer load out for us than usual and by then we were once again chilled and tired and just happy to be going back to our RV.

Weather – Saturday was decent after the marine layer finally burned off around 11:30, I think the highs got into the mid 50’s with sunshine so it was nice, but the first few hours of the morning were kind of chilly and by 4 you were starting to feel the chill in the air again.  Sunday the sun never came out, temps in the 50’s and it was downright chilly all day.  This was definitely a show to bring your gloves and warm layers to and lots of warm beverages.

Our final assessment of this show, a very difficult show to do with a same day load in, very early start to the show at 9 AM both days with the crowd already packing the streets at 9 AM on Saturday.  It was  a fun show to do, a lot of great artwork, didn’t see a lot of evidence of buy / sell, but there were a couple of booths that I know are “family operated” or that use “apprentices”, but overall it was well juried, well balanced, tons of people, great music and ok sales.  Will we do it again?  Maybe, we will consider it, we would like to try a different booth location and see if we weren’t in the most crowded area of the show if it would be better.  This is not a show for the faint of heart to do, but it’s very well run and very well attended.

Another year, another tour of shows by Carolina Shows, Inc.  This year we signed up for all seven Christmas Made In The South shows plus their Springtime in the South last February = eight.  Why?  #1) Because the Hunts take care of their exhibitors like they are family.  #2) They do a great job of promoting the shows and bringing in the buying crowd.  #3) They have a long standing excellent reputation.  #4) The shows are all indoors.  YEAH!!!

The results - people are lined up at the gates with their big bags and personal shopping buggies.  The shoppers come with checklists and plans of who they want to see.  Many shoppers come all three days!  Within minutes of opening of the doors you see customers with arms full of bags.  We've been doing the CMITS shows long enough now we even have people seeking our booth so they can add to their collection of Wolfgang photography.  We even had one person who bought something the previous year come back for more.  When asked how he liked the piece he purchased last year he said there was a slight problem.  The colors did not do as well as expected in the room.  So he re-painted the room to coordinate with the new art.  Love it!!!!

Concord was a long 5 hour drive for us.  Load in and out easy with plenty of parking.  Everything must be kept strictly within your space.  No bins pushing the limits here.  But there is plenty of storage  for back up inventory behind the curtains around the perimeter of the arena.  If you can manage to get across the flow of traffic up and down the isles you can re-stock in short order. Christmas music is played over the loud speakers (at a comfortable volume) to enhance the shopping mood.  Most exhibitors add holiday decorations in their booth.  I welcome my visitors with "Merry Christmas!" and always get a smile and holiday wishes back.  I wear my Christmas shirts and jewelry.  It's FUN.  I love Christmas.

The arenas have concession stands so if you don't pack your own lunch fast food is handily nearby.  The CMITS shows also have Christmas Buffets for the exhibitors and shoppers.  Turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie and the works.  

Did you notice I say exhibitors instead of artists.  Mainly because the CMITS shows are predominantly crafters.  Very fine crafters I might add.  Tom Brown's rocking horses are almost (if not always) a sell out. And there are jewelers with beautiful necklaces and rings and bracelets and earrings. There are quite a few skin products and flavored oils and dips.  There are proportionately fewer 2D artists at these shows.  The ones that are there are really good.  My friend Dan Williams has the most amazing bird pictures you will ever find.  Watercolors by Janice Lippincott and Ron Taylor are beautiful.  Mike Johnson's pen and Ink - I don't even know how to describe their detail and beauty.  So why do 2D artists participate?  Well, we are the other option.  We stand out.  We are different.  People notice.  We are not one of 100 other 2D artists.  And we do well.  

But I am running out of time.  I have to get back to making more prints.  Time to pack up for the next show this weekend in Columbus, GA.  If you are there - come say HI.  I'm in booth 426.

Here are the images.  Really poor images for a photographer but I was in a hurry and using my iPhone just trying to grab some shots for you all and get back to selling.  Enjoy!

Thank you Lori Kay, Alison Fox, John Leben, Robert Wallis and everyone else who shared their St. James Court experiences. A show that has this many exhibitors deserves to be reported. I was there too, but have been so distracted by getting the statistics together for the Best Art Fair Survey that I am finally reporting in.

Here is a quickie video:

Spotted on the Court were Tara Brickell and Terry Adams from Cherry Creek and Katrina Delgado from Coconut Grove.

I didn't arrive at St. James Court until 4 pm on Saturday. I would have been there earlier but was sitting in my car for an hour on I-65 south of the city in a traffic jam. What did I miss? Maybe a few downpours, but surely did miss seeing a bunch of friends.

Probably the happiest creature in the show, thankful for all the water - ceramic sculpture by Dennis Thompson

I had a list of people to see: Deidre Nabors, Sharon Tesser, Robert Wallis and Greg Little who had contacted me earlier that I wanted to meet and I was invited to a reception on 4th Street that evening. So sorry to have missed you, and the party also.

As I hustled through the show I saw Nels Johnson, Chris Maher, Annette Morrin, Chris Coffey, Aaron Reed, Sean McDougal, the Hand Jive folks, Lee Cohn -- who else? Not enough time.

This is a show I know well as my husband participated in it from 1984-2005. From the quick look around I saw that some very good art had migrated to 3rd Street, so it looks like there is a war going on for hosting the best artists that I hadn't seen before.

As you can imagine from being in the show all those years we've seen all kinds of weather but I'll never forget the first time we were there. It rained all day Friday and Saturday and it was raining when we got up on Sunday morning and people were loading out. The artists were complaining a lot, but this was my first season not to be working in the public schools and my feeling was "any day at an art fair is better than a day in the classroom."

I don't have the name of the found object artist nor this glassblower. Can anyone help me out?

So pleased to see 2nd generation artist Jason Stoddart (son of our friends Jack and Lynn Stoddart) and his wife Beth carrying on the family tradition shooting and selling images of the Tennessee backwoods at St. James

Picnic tables in Belgravia Court waiting for a better day

Who was there that I missed?

Two galleries in my area are closing. I removed my work from one gallery because of lack of sales and the continued space expence, and I'm going to take work out of another gallery because of no sales action after the holidays.

Yet another great show in Mt. Dora!  The weather was fabulous.  The crowd was huge.  Even though our sales were down by about 30% over last year, still a very very profitable event.  Why were sales down?  Don't really know.  Our display and setup were improved.  Selection improved.  Only things that make sense is that with a 20% increase in booths, the "Buy" was diluted, and it did not help to have a vendor 4 booths down from us selling a similar, yet inferior product, and shortly into the show offering "Buy 1 get 1 free" (I can only assume it was a response to our presence).  We do NOT change prices or discounting at a show, simply don't think it's fair to the customers that bought under normal terms.  The team in Mt. Dora did a fabulous job of managing the move in/out, Janet and Brian are amazing.  Tons of volunteers, and a real 'small town' feel.  This is, and will remain, a must do show for us.  Still, with 400 booths and 4 selling 'Ear Pins', one would think they could space a bit better.  Regardless, this is perhaps the best crowd we see all year, and I would estimate this year's crowd at about 300,000, as advertised.

What an amazing event!  Tons of Buyers!  Incredible Seafood, and so many shoppers!  Great organization and setup.  Super Venue.  And the best?  In the fine art category, a Jeweler won Best of Show!  A jury that is not afraid to buck the trend and looked at the ART, not the category.  There were plenty of deserving 2d, mixed media, 3D and everything.  Tremendous works, but the Jury found that a Jeweler was worthy, and that is not a bad thing.  We will do this show whenever we are accepted, for sure!

December 14 & 15
Hallandale, Florida
The Village at Gulfstream Park
Deadline: November 1

Amdur Productions proudly presents the second annual Gulfstream Park Art Festival at The Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach.

The Gulfstream Park Art Festival moves to a later date in the season - right in the heart of the shopping season: Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15.

"We are thrilled to return to Hallandale Beach and the beautiful Village at Gulfstream Park for the second year," says Amy Amdur, founder of Amdur Productions. 

"By moving the festival to a later date in the season, we are guaranteed an even greater number of art lovers attending the show.  We know the exquisite location and new date will prove to be a winning combination for the exhibiting artists!" 

More than 100 artists will showcase their original works at this FREE outdoor art festival at The Village, South Florida's premier outdoor shopping and entertainment destination.  

This beautiful outdoor enclave, located adjacent to the legendary Gulfstream Park Racetrack and Casino on South Federal Highway, boasts a sizzling collection of fashion boutiques and signature restaurants, cafes and nightclubs - adding to the art festival experience.  The Village at Gulfstream Park provides the perfect setting for artists and art enthusiasts to unite for a weekend of perusing and purchasing original works of art.    

Artists interested in applying to the Gulfstream Park Art Festival can visit Juried Art Services and "APPLY NOW."

All applications must be received before midnight on Friday, November 1, 2013. Selected artists will be notified on November 4, 2013.  The jury fee for the Gulfstream Art Festival is $25 and booth fees are $450 for a standard space.  

Here are the first 25 winners - congratulations to them! 

Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, Winter Park, FL - March 21-23, 2014

Old Town Art Fair, Chicago, IL - June 14-15, 2014    

Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, Ann Arbor, MI - July 16-19, 2014

Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines, IA - June 27-29, 2014

Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Miami, FL - February 15-17, 2014

La Quinta Arts Festival, La Quinta, CA - March 6-9, 2014

One of a Kind Show and Sale, Chicago, IL - December 5-8, 2013

Krasl Art Fair, St. Joseph, MI - July 12-14, 2014

American Craft Exposition, Evanston, IL - August 22-24, 2014

Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Denver, CO - July 4-6, 2014   

Port Clinton Art Festival, Highland Park, IL - August 23 & 24, 2014

Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA - August 30 - Sept. 1, 2014

Mount Dora Art Festival, Mount Dora, FL - Feb. 1 & 2, 2014

Columbus Arts Festival, Columbus, OH - June 6-8, 2014

Summer Art Fair (The Guild), Ann Arbor, MI - July 16-19, 2014

57th Street Art Fair, Chicago, IL - June 7 & 8, 2014

State Street Area Art Fair, Ann Arbor, MI - July 16-19, 2014

Park Forest Art Fair, Park Forest, IL - September 20 & 21

Bayou City Art Festival (Memorial Park), Houston, TX - March 21-23, 2014

Gold Coast Art Fair, Chicago, IL - June 28 & 29, 2014

Brookside Art Annual, Kansas City, MO - May 2-4, 2014

Naples National Art Festival (Feb), Naples, FL - Feb. 22 & 23, 2014

Art Fair on the Square, Madison, WI - July 12 & 13, 2014

St. James Court Art Show, Louisville, KY - October 3-5, 2014

Riverwalk Art Fair, Naperville, IL - Sept. 13 & 14, 2014

Find more of the winners at this link: http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/best-art-fairs.html

The purpose of this survey is to have a solid list of "best art fairs" that patrons can refer to when they are traveling or looking for a great place to buy art. Consequently, we have deliberately not put numbers  in front of each one.

The results are a resource for people to use and it is listed on our website, ArtFairCalendar.com, whose purpose is to alert interested parties to the best shows all over the country and bring them to the shows to see your work. They're all terrific shows.

We had a wonderful response to our long survey (22 questions). It was apparent by the participation and the enthusiasm of the people telling us why they thought a show was the "best" that art fairs are alive and well in America and that as long as you keep creating compelling work they will be there to see it.

Learn more details about the survey at this podcast: WINNERS! America's Best Art Fair Survey

This has been a big project for us and I specifically want to thank all of those who helped. Lisa Fritsch at the Rosen Group who shared the American Style magazine survey to get me started. To the artists who helped me build the survey: Ginny Herzog, Larry Oliverson, Michael Hamilton, Kathrine-Allen Coleman and Daryl Thetford. Also thanks to Allan Teger whose previous experience as a psychology professor helped me streamline the survey.

Thanks to Carolyn Edlund at ArtsyShark.com for sharing the story on her popular blog and to Leah Charney and Christina Villa at Zapplication.org for getting the survey info out to the shows.

I know several show directors also "got out the vote" by sharing the links and posting on Facebook. Thank you for expanding our reach. Most of all thanks to all the patron voters. Your love for art and the nation's art fairs was apparent in your responses. Thanks for all your great tips on "how to make shows even better." 

We have lots of information to share with show directors, artists and the public coming up, fascinating conclusions to be drawn from the 1000's of responses we received.

Do you have a favorite art fair that you think should be on the list?

Art Fair Insiders Get Free Shipping 

Free Shipping on Orders over $75

Art Fair Insiders get special treatment from Frame Destination. You will find real value in our  frames and framing supplies. Our commitment to providing quality products at reasonable prices (with flawless customer service) will make your job all the easier and make your work look great at the same time.

Order $75 or more and get free shipping! Use coupon code ARTFAIR at checkout. Expires Nov 1st 2013. Not valid with other promotions.

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Details

Ends November 1 at 1159pm CDT.         This offer cannot be combined with other coupons or offers.

Before I even get in to the festival I just have to say the Bluffton Seafood House has the most amazing best tasting She Crab Soup and Seafood Gumbo I have EVER in my life had.  We also had their Po'Boy Shrimp Salad with real whole shrimp and Grilled Shrimp Po'Boy.  After eating at BSH the first night we could not resist.  We went back there the second night.  I had Tina's Seafood Pasta - to die for. And then had lunch there on Sunday.  I'm missing their good food already.

So now to the festival.  I've heard this is a great festival with nationally acclaimed artists from all over the country.  And I saw and met some of the best this past weekend.  I was honored to be included.  Layout is simple.  Both sides of the main street with most spaces having some good space behind the booth for back-up supplies.  Drive up to booth for set up and take down.  Parking on the other hand was a little tricky but with some good will and ingenuity everything seems to have worked out just fine.  Saturday was a bit warm but no too bad.   Sunday the temperatures were perfect as far as I was concerned.  The rain held off except a little sprinkle Friday night but we were already set up by then.  

For me sales were a little slow on Saturday but I was not too concerned since my sales are usually after folks go home and measure their walls and talk it out with their other half.  But actually by the end of the day, thanks to a couple large framed canvas (photography) sales I came out fairly good. At least i knew I would go home in the black.  Sunday I had a good sale as soon as I opened the doors.  Sales were steady but did not sell another large canvas until time to shut the doors.  As it turned out I came home quite satisfied.  

Rumor had it someone up the road sold $10K on Saturday.  Hurray for them.  At least three of the artists I talked to (one a photographer, another a painter and the third stained glass) said they did not sell a thing all weekend.  A couple others seemed go have a pretty good show. 

Saturday night there is food, beverages and music in a nearby park.  We went for a little bit but Bluffton Seafood House Restaurant kept calling my name so we did not stay long.  

If accepted I would love to do this show again - just for the She Crab Soup at BSH!  

Now we are slated for 7 shows in 7 weeks with Carolina Shows Inc, Christmas Made in the South.  Love those indoor shows.

Focus not so great but it was one of those extend your arm in the air and click the shutter button and keep on walking kind of shots.  

After show picnic and music by the river.