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Amdur Productions has been running the Gold Coast Art Fair in Chicago for quite a while now. Not to get into the politics and reasons for why it is no longer in the River North area of that city, but a few years ago it moved to Grant Park, on the lakefront, a popular destination for all kinds of festivals.

There is no doubt that there are lots of logistics to figure out in this location (security, traffic, city permits, insurance, health department, etc.), but the location is pretty terrific for attracting attention and if Amdur can get all of this to work well (not for the faint of heart) it has solid potential.

What a great way to get your show noticed in such a large city.

This year seems to have marked a turning point, as evidenced by word-of-mouth and the reviews at ArtShowReviews.com.

Here is a link to photos from the event that tell the story: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kxl3c1ltvy32zoz/Pjrrb4uNqc

Held June 22-23, 2013, this used to be in my top 3 art festivals.  This show has been disappointing the last few years and this year was no exception.  It used to be a wonderful show, always some new, really fun artists with really great pieces that you had to have.  

There are good artists here, it is a solid show but it is just another art show.  I guess I am damning this show with faint praise but that is what it is, another show.  With the excessive number of shows located in the northern suburbs of Chicago, having them all look the same is definitely not a good thing.  This once unique show has been Amdurized.  

In addition to too few new artists, out of 121 booths, 49 were jewelers.  By my calculations, that is 40% of the show taken over by one medium.  That isn't fair to anyone, patron,  jeweler or other artists.  From the patron's point of view it is an overwhelming number to have to decide from.  If you are a jeweler, the pieces of the pie can be very small and if you are an artist of a different medium, all of the potential customer's money may have been spent on jewelry before they even see your work.

Before i wrote this review, I read the ones I wrote the last two years.  Ironically, the thing I kept commenting about at the show this year was something I had mentioned previously------

This show has the best looking dogs of any show I go to.  The dogs were more interesting than a lot of the art (remember, I have seen most of the artists, it wasn't that the artists weren't good).  I realized I wasn't enjoying the show as much as I may have liked when I commented on the dogs for the 3rd of 4th time.  

I don't know why The Art Center, the original producers gave up control of the show, probably not enough time or volunteers, but I sure miss the originality of the old show.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

I tend to just lurk on these forums or comment on posts and haven’t really made a blog post yet but have been inspired to finally. 

Artists, I wish there would be less judging and publicly expressed prejudice about buyers at art shows.  Should we stick to the facts and tell it like it is when a show doesn’t go well?  Sure we should….but we can explain when sales are down without tearing buyers apart and making derogatory comments about them. These are PUBLIC forums, and it’s been said before, BUYERS can get on them. In fact folks, some of your fellow artists are even your buying public. 

We recently went to a local art show and I came back on here to talk to an artist about potentially getting a piece of his once I got through my next art show.  We couldn’t look too seriously when we were at the art show since we have a little one on the way and the budget is tight until I get through my next major art show myself (about a week away!) I come on to find out he didn’t do so hot at the show (huge bummer!) but I took a slight offense at the customers being called “wal-mart shoppers”…..and based on their SHOES! (Considering we were some of the customers!)  

Now for the record, this event is held at the bottom of a ski resort, in a national park, on a hot summer day, and the paths through the event are all dusty and covered with small pebbles.  It’s basically like walking on a hiking trail.  I’m not sure what the artist expected, but it’s not the kind of place where you wear fancy shoes, or dress up.  It does however happen to be a show that people pay $ 8 to get in per person, and in an area where honestly, a lot of the people are a little more affluent and in the middle-class to upper-middle class range. 

Whatever reason they weren’t buying, it certainly wasn’t because they couldn’t afford it.  I made some comment about it not being a good idea to publicly bash customers, and got blown off.  Did the artist just lose a potential sale.  Yep….he just judged me, and all my neighbors based on clothing.   Kinda killed any impulse I had to inquire about getting a piece.  Absolutely silly.  

Let’s not degradate people because we don’t do well at a show.  There are lots of varying factors for why we might not do well.  Indeed, people may not be in the mood to spend money.  That doesn’t mean they are poor or stingy.  It may in fact mean that our art isn’t tugging at their wallets.  Any number of factors from cold weather, hot weather, rainy weather, grumpy artists, distracting commercial vendors, poor marketing, the wrong type of art for the wrong type of crowd (e.g. traditional art at a more industrial/modern show), or the art just simply isn’t what they are looking for no matter how good it is may influence our sales for a weekend.  

It breaks my heart to see artists who don’t do well automatically tearing down buyers to pieces and publicly at that.  How does that encourage anyone to support artists if attitudes like that are made known widespread? It makes us ALL look bad and sours buyers perspectives of a show. 

It would be nice to think that prejudice doesn’t exist at the same percentages in the art world as it does in society but unfortunately I’ve seen buyers at art shows judged all too frequently on what they are wearing, the color of their skin, the questions they ask. 

I’ve been able to witness this from a buyers perspective and I know what it feels like to be judged based on our “cover”. Being younger my husband and I sadly, frequently have had to walk away frustrated from potential purchases because we couldn’t get the artists attention.   We’ve stood by as artists took care of older clients and didn’t even bother to acknowledge our presence in the booth.  I kid you not, not even a “hello” let alone, “I’ll be with you a second.” Somehow, being younger and probably dressed more casually makes us appear to be less likely to be seriously interested in buying.   

I never understand how they fail to hear us actually discussing budget, and where the piece would go and saying things like “so this is the piece you want?  Yes.”  The funny thing is, though I’m an artist too and don’t have this whopping income, both my husband and I are VERY committed to buying only original art.  My husband’s father was an artist, I am an artist, and we’re young with an entire house to decorate.  Is it a struggle sometimes?   Absolutely, but we cut things out in other areas so we can support independent artists like we believe in and have pride in the objects we own. Most people would never peg us for art buyers, but with one exception, every single piece of artwork in our house was handmade by an artist or done by an independent photographer.  

At the supposed “wal-mart” show I was also seriously eyeing a delectable handbag.   I actually had even managed to capture my husband’s attention at the quality of it.  (Who for the record, does not get my obsession with handbags, and does not understand why anyone would pay more than $40 for one.  So to have him actually acknowledge a handbag as a stunning work of art is quite a coup.) The husband of artist working the booth literally picked it up right from under my nose to show it to a gaggle of older women.  Who went “oh, that’s nice” and then walked out of the booth.  Sigh.  Why, when you have a bunch of items in a booth would you take one right out from under a person who is looking at it?!!!

I can tell you of at least four separate occasions in the last few years in which an artist probably missed out on selling an original because we simply could not get their attention away from someone else they deemed “more worthy”.  Of course, you could say stick it out, come back to the booth later, but when someone acts like you aren’t worth their time it takes the fun out of the buying experience.  We truly are the type of people where half the fun is making connections with an artist and knowing we are supporting someone. 

Some artists get it totally right.  I still remember one Boston Mills Artsfest where we fell in love with Andy Chen’s photography.  Seriously, madly in love with it.  We went in and looked around and were greeted warmly, despite the fact that the poor guy had to be baking (it was something like 95 degrees and he was in the outside sunny section with absolutely NO airflow)  We ended up taking a card and walking out because we knew we really shouldn’t get the size piece we wanted. Of course we walked around and spent the rest of the show figuring out how to juggle the budget.  Came back to the booth later and spent probably a half hour still debating, comparing photos and deciding on the perfect piece.  I still remember when it dawned on me that poor Andy was standing there holding up a 3 foot framed photograph with sweat pouring down his face while we debated.  I felt so bad….we had turned into crazy customers. 

Long story short, because his work was phenomenal and he was so patient and so friendly we walked out with a large original and I joked with him that I just basically traded an entire art shows worth of inventory for me for one piece of his since we liked it so much.

Can we always afford it? No.  Have we walked through plenty of shows and not bought? You better believe it.  Do we collect business cards?  Yep.  We have totally been “lookers” However, we don’t forget the nice artists whose work we really love.  We have indeed returned when the budget was right and bought sizable pieces.  Had we got gruff or attitude for being lookers, or ignored or insulted in some way by those artists it wouldn’t have happened. 

As an artist myself, I’d have lost a lot of money over the years if I wasn’t respectful to EVERYONE.  (At least I sure try to be….I know I’ve had some days where I need to work at it more) Literally about 50% of my MAJOR sales have surprised the living daylights out of me, and I’m super glad I didn’t have any sort of attitude with the customers.  At a major art show last year, my most expensive piece probably went to the most casually dressed buyer I saw all day.  She wasn’t wearing a lick of jewelry, but picked out my showcase piece and off to her it went. 

At one of my holiday shows the tiniest little grandma came up to my booth and just started pointing.  I think she bought something for every single daughter or granddaughter that day (and the pieces weren’t on my lower end either!) I was a little fearful of the credit card being declined to tell you the truth as the sale was too easy, too quick, and she seemed like such an unlikely customer.  I am a little shamed I ever thought that. 

Quick disclaimer:  I know, I KNOW that there are shows where crowd makeup means we definitely won’t do well.  We’ve all picked a few shows to do in which we came back and went “whoa…def. not my crowd.” When we find shows that aren’t for us, let’s keep it at that though.  How hard is it to say “Not my crowd.  They weren’t buying what I was selling.” We do not need to make derogatory comments about people’s clothing, wealth, character, etc., when we do not do well. I'm not saying not to vent about someone who was particularly rude or degrading to you--that's a whole different story.  Just be careful not to make judgements about an entire populace simply because they're not buying what you're selling or to pre-judge customers based on pre-conceived notions, as they just might surprise you.

4th Cannon Falls Wine & Art Festival

July 20 & 21  
Cannon Falls, Minnesota

10 am to 5 pm

50 exhibitor spaces
Deadline: NOW, a few spaces left!

The Cannon Falls Wine & Art Festival is now in its fourth year and will be held July 20th & 21st at Hannah's Bend Park in the city of Cannon Falls, MN. The park, made famous by a visit from President Obama in 2011, is located next to The Cannon River and has lots of trees, a picnic area and a frisbee golf course. Last year approximately 50 artists and 15 wineries were involved in the festival.

The winery booths are interspersed within the artist booth spaces to make for a casual, fun atmosphere. Tasting tickets are sold for $20 (including a souvenier wine glass) and allows participants to taste 10 different wines.

Live musical performances scheduled throughout the weekend and several food vendors including streudel, woodfired pizza, kettle corn and others.

Rules/Regulations
Jury Fee -nonrefundable $25

Booth Information
Fair hours are 10:00AM - 5:00pm. Artists are expected to stay the entire time.  It is an outdoor event and each artist is expected to bring their own set up display and tent.  We will have security in place over Saturday night.

• All booth spaces are 15'X15'.  Tents need to be weighted.
• Booth fee - $65
• Artists provide their own displays, handle sales and collect MN sales tax.
• The Festival is a RAIN or SHINE - event held in a grassy park along the Cannon River
• Exhibitors may set up their booths Saturday morning from 7am-9:30am.
• Security is provided during non-selling time.

Had my regular dentist checkup yesterday, and got one of the nice hygienists that like to chat. She asks how our art fairs are going and I reply as best I can "rowh ayy". She asks about our next show and when my mouth is empty of metal devices I tell her we'll be exhibiting in Ann Arbor.

It reminds her of a ceramic pair of cruets that she purchased from a potter at the Ann Arbor fair last year. She loved them, bought them for $100 and upon wishing to use them in her kitchen, found that one had a stopper that didn't fit, and the other one leaked. She tried switching the stoppers which didn't help, and spent time examining the other to find the source of the leak to no avail. So neither was functional. She contacted the artist and although he said he would do something, he did nothing instead. She called again and did not get a response.

So after she's done with my cleaning, we talk about it a bit more and she says something that rather startles me - and asks if the people that put on the show can stop this potter from exhibiting. My initial reaction was that they would not, and probably could not, do anything other than perhaps help her find the artist, and she already had his contact information.

She presses, and says that since it's a "juried" show, because this potter sold her "a bill of goods" shouldn't the show essentially blacklist him?

I ended up advising her to see if he had his events posted on his website and if possible to visit him in Ann Arbor again and take the pieces with her. Assuming he is a stand up guy, he would probably make things right for her.

But remembering the conversation still hurts my head. First, my opinion is that jurying is just the selection of pretty images, and has nothing to do with the work. The juries cannot tell the size, weight, material, craftsmanship or if the stoppers fit, and "art" is forever subjective. A totally different subject. But blacklisting an artist because one set of cruets does not perform? That introduces a whole new set of rules about functionality, intended purpose and defects that some shows may write about in their contracts - maybe a small paragraph - and that no show would ever try to manage, not that I would want them to!

Still, it makes me feel for the customer that has little other recourse and it reinforces my beliefs that like Paula Deen, your empire can come crumbing down by saying or doing one stupid thing, and you should always put out only good work that you believe in and can stand behind.

Over the years I have always looked for upgrades, better service, better pricing, etc re: credit cards. AND no, this is not an advertisement for either, it's an FYI.

I was part of the test for Paypal's similar program to the Square before they introduced it to everyone. (yes I had the SAIL too...but that proved to be way too limiting and according to Verifone they did that on purpose to get you hooked so you would purchase into a larger program with them, per the phone conversation I had with them..ugh canceled THAT).

Always on a quest for better, easier record management, processing time you name it.

I now have both Paypal Here (Paypal) and Square.

I use Paypal first and foremost and these are the reasons:

1. Better percentage: 2.7% Paypal / 2.75% Square

2. Paypal: 1% back on the associated debit card purchases. So, I can actually "add" more funds to my paypal account, use the card for purchases like gas for the barge and what have you, and make back 1% of what I pay in the initial credit card processing fees. That means, my percentage is lowered to 1.7% if I am diligent about using the card.

3. Square does have a program where you pay a flat fee per month (by the month) that is beneficial if your sales are over X amount.

4. Funds availability. Square for me is 2-3 days in my account. Paypal is 2-3 minutes. Paypal has free transfer of funds into my regular bank account.

5. Square has a POS attached to Ipad devices, Paypal has one that I haven't had the opportunity to try since I don't have an Ipad yet but allows limited information entry if using a smartphone just like the Square does.

6. When I wish to look up a transaction - in my regular Paypal online account all transactions are listed with the purchasers name.

7. Paypal is attached to my online shop. It makes it very easy for me to compare between the two to see my crossover repeat customers, it's all in one place.

8. Paypal accounts can be attached to Outright - a "gathering" online service that gathers information from various accounts and gives you a weekly update as to how your business is doing, categorizes transactions and what have you. I haven't looked into the Square since it dumps directly into my bank account and sometimes it's just too much information out there for big brother.

9. A biggie - connectivity. Many of you may have experienced what I call the Saturday 10-2 "blackout" as I have with the Square. It's a real pain waiting to get the transaction to process,because everyone and their brother is doing the same at shows across the nation. When I have a line trailing out my booth with cash/cards in hand this can be difficult at best. Paypal, I have only had 1 experience to date at one show that simply had poor connectivity regardless of either device.

10. There is much more that I can get into, Square by far has had Starbucks dump a fortune into their service, so the possibility of creating coupons/cents off, what have you is in place along with the customer being able to pull up what businesses in the area are using the same service so they can easily shop there and what have you. So, there is the possibility of a loyalty program that I wish Paypal would have, but with the development of the POS that may be in the future. And, paypal does have POS 3rd parties that can be used, but at a fee, that I don't agree with, so I am waiting as this develops to see where they go.

11. I keep both just in case, as when I do have poor connectivity, it's a matter of one working better than the other.

12. Both will send out additional swipe thru devices free of charge, usually with a period of time between each request. I always have 2 back-ups of each as I never know when one may get wonky.

13. Trick if a card is simply not being read and you don't wish to pay the additional fee for typing in the information. Take a piece of saran wrap, cover the card on both sides and hold it taunt, swipe it thru. It has worked every time for me, and others when this occurs.

14. While I realize there are still people with the belief that credit cards are a scourge or the fees are too much, etc. Here are the facts, credit card purchases on average make up 66% of my sales. The relief on my potential customers faces when they start shopping is - great I am just about out of money, I used up my checks and now I don't have to worry about having to choose between purchasing from you and lunch. We are fast becoming a cashless society, and I barely carry on me more than $50 when I can use my cards instead, have it all recorded and be done with it.

So, what do you think?

I hate that my the first review I do for the Art Fair Insiders is a poor one, but I need to get the word out about this stinker of a show!

I spent the weekend at the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival, in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Chicago. As a first timer to this show, I didn't know what to expect, but I was excited about this one. I usually do well in urban areas. 

The second we checked in for set-up, I knew we were in for trouble. We were handed name badges and a booth number, nothing more. No info about booth sitters, sales tax, restrooms, parking, or where to grab lunch. Nothing. Bad sign #1. And when I tried to find someone to inquire about these things, there was not a member of the fair staff to be found. 

Set up was fairly easy and convenient. There was space right on the street to park and unload and the weather was cool and comfortable. The fair grounds were right on a street on the lovely DePaul campus, so the surroundings were nice. Unfortunately, this is where the the nice and good about this event ended.

The show opened on a perfectly lovely Chicago afternoon to a trickle of patrons. From experience, I that the first hour or so of any show can sometimes be slow, so I patiently waited for the buyers to emerge. I passed the time talking to my fellow artists and soon realized that this was the first time that any of my booth neighbors had done this show. Bad sign #2. If this was a good show, you'd expect to meet some returning artists, right?

An hour passed, then another, and then another, still just a trickle of people walked past my booth. After 6 hours, I sold just one $20 print and one $18 set of cards, so we decided to pack up early for the night. (The fair hours were 12 noon - 10, but artists were allowed to close at "dusk".) The non-existent event staff didn't seem to care that we closed up 2 hours early. Bad sign #3.

We came back Sunday, trying to be optimistic. Again, the weather was perfect...Buyers should be piling in, right? Not so much. By 5:30 pm on the second day, I was nowhere close to making enough to cover my booth fees, so we decided to pack it in. Most of the other vendors were doing the same. We weren't allowed to bring our cars onto the street, but luckily we scored a parking space right around the corner. As we walked past the entry gate with our things, the event staff just looked at us and continued to charge their admission fees even though most of the vendors were dismantling. They even joked that they were tired of seeing walk past. Ha.

In summation, the Lincoln Park Art and Music festival was a complete waste of time. There was obviously no promotion. (An event in this neighborhood on a beautiful summer weekend should be teeming with buyers!) The art fair website was a joke....Just listed event times and the bands playing. The event staff provided absolutely no amenities or support for the artists. They just saw us as a paycheck and didn't care if the artists were happy or not. Out of the 55 artists there were just a handful of good quality vendors and quite a few buy and sell booths. Boo! Artists beware! Avoid the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival at all costs! 

Jay's mom, Myra Brill, died peacefully z'l this morning around 8:20 a.m.  Jay, Mark and I were with her.  Gary, Jay's brother and his wife Kathy were in Toledo and are on their way back home now.

The funeral is Friday at 11:00 am at Judean Memorial Gardens. Olney, MD - at the chapel.

Deborah

Hi. I'm preparing for my first art fair in 2 (!!!!YIKES!!!!) days. Math has never been my strong suit. Is it ok for a person to charge a price ... let's say 40.00 for a piece, and have it include the tax which you would then subtract from your profits? I just got a smartphone with the square card reader, but haven't even activated the phone yet, so I don't know if it's easy to calculate tax with that or not.

.... really starting to sweat now.....

Thanks for your help!

Sandy

I sat down at midnight on Wednesday night the 5^th of June to write down my thoughts before the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival began – though this entry may have been filed away for me to look back on years from now – I thought it was worth sharing since so much of it rang true…

Its midnight…35 Hours before we open the doors at the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival.  A mere 2100 minutes before the first of what will be more than 400,000 patrons passes through our gates to enjoy the 52^nd annual Columbus Arts Festival.

I check the countdown clock daily, it reminds me how fast the time passes between the closing of one year’s festival and the opening of the next.  I stopped to ponder though, and realized that a festival year really is close to a thousand years all rolled up into a nice tight 365 day package.

We have more than 280 artists who have spent an entire year creating the art that is shown and sold in their booths – hoping that their work will catch the eyes of our patrons and find its way into their homes. Tens of thousands of hours are spent throughout this short year by these talented artists creating pieces for patrons to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

There are hundreds of performers who will grace our three stages, who have spent an entire year in recording and dance studios, in theaters and in front of their bedroom mirrors practicing and honing their skills so that they are the best that they can be when they perform at the festival. They work very hard all year long so that perhaps they can give their audience a moment of happiness while watching their performance.

Hundreds of food vendors create new recipes and perfect those that have been handed down to them from generations of cooks so that they can see the smiles on their customers’ faces when they take that first bite of their delicious creations.

More than 300 volunteers have spent their year being devoted to the notion of giving their time so that others can enjoy all of the wonderful events that Columbus has to offer.

The countless electricians, tent professionals, cleaners, police officers, production workers and other vendors who help us put this event on; spend the year perfecting their skills and services as well.

Hundreds of people who work for our sponsors have spent the year earning profits that they then share with us so that we can afford to pay the nearly half a million dollars in costs that the festival generates.

And most important to me are the more than 60 members of the Arts Festival Coordinating Committee who have each spent the year creating and implementing new ideas that make the Festival one of the finest in the country. This wonderful group of people gives a great deal of time throughout the year with the sole purpose of putting on a wonderful event for our artists, our patrons and all who enjoy the three days of the festival each year.

Yes, it’s midnight and many of those committee members are out on the streets preparing for the arrival of the artists early in the morning, and I praise them for their dedication. Tomorrow, it will most likely rain and they will be out there smiling and happy, knowing that at 11:00 on Friday morning – when the sun once again shines on the beautiful Columbus Riverfront – their year of work will all be paid back by the smiles on the faces of everyone who comes to the festival.

It did rain on Thursday, in fact at times it poured! I saw all of the dedicated Artists, Vendors, Police Officers, Electricians and of course, our happy group of Committee members with big smiles on their faces, making the last preparations for the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival. It rained all night, and through the final set up on Friday morning the sky was still spitting on Columbus.

At 10:45 AM – just 15 minutes before our Festival officially opened, the clouds parted and the sun broke through as if to say thank you to all of the people who worked so hard preparing for The Columbus Arts Festival – a thousand years in the making.

I will add my thank you to that of Mother Nature – The Columbus Arts Festival was by all accounts one of the best ever – To those artists who joined us this year - thank you for being a part of it.

I wish you all the greatest success throughout the year!

First off, the weather was the best I have ever seen for this show.

It is a well-produced show and they do a good bit of advertising.

I have done it off and on since the 1980s.

I showed up with 30 new pieces of art, I wasn't just churning old stuff.  I had my second worst show sales ever this weekend at Boston Mills.

Last year was the worst.  But it was 95 degrees every day and I was slowly dying of congestive heart failure.  So I had a good excuse.

This year, great weather, a healthier heart and sucky sales.  Go figure.

This was just me.  Other people did darn good there with big sales and numbers, like Wilbat Glass, the Sterns, Vick and his Loungers, Betty Neubauer and others.

I felt the crowds were thin all weekend.  There was no real buying energy.  Very few be-backs.

Will I do it again.  Probably.  Will try for the July 4th weekend in 2014.

This is one of those shows where you have to try it yourself and see what happens.

Hopefully, others who did this show this past weekend will weigh in with some helpful comments.

But don't bet on it.  More lurkers out there than ones who contribute.

A person on my previous post took umbrage with me because I called it a "Walmart" crowd.

Sorry, that is the way it looked.  I just call them as I see them.

It was nice to see Larry Berman, in person, at the show.

The one really nice thing about this show is its location.

It is in the floor of the Cuyahoga Valley outside of Cleveland.  The scenery is breath-taking.

You are surrounded by nature every where.  Saw lots of deer.  Got stood up by Siri, but I will get over it.  At least I still have Ellen.  Jeez!  Do ya think she reads my posts.  If she finds out about Siri, I could be in some deep do-do.

Later, Gators.

So June 30th was notification day for the Bethesda Row Arts Festival. I was rejected yet again.

The application fee/jury fee/seed money generator was $40.00.

The whole application/jury process was done through ZAPP.

I have applied several years in a row.

I have been at the show once in an end of the row booth show position which functioned more as an exit rather than an entrance.

Due to location, my booth was in shadow until 5 PM approx., both days of the show. My sales from the show all came once the sun shone on my booth. I believe I would have made money on the show if I had either had a lighting system or had a better booth position relative to the sunshine.

Despite the negative experiences of my first exhibit, I believe the show has potential in my exhibit schedule.

So here's what I got from the ZAPP system on June 30th... My emphasis is in bold and/or underlined in the quote:

"Dear Artist,

It is with much regret that I must inform you that the jury has not accepted your application for this year’s Bethesda Row Arts Festival. The jurors assigned each applicant a numerical score based on creativity, originality, technique, design and presentation. The applicants receiving the highest scores in their category were invited to exhibit. Many artists who receive this notification are curious as to why they did not obtain a higher score. We do not request the jurors to explain or record the reasoning behind their decisions. Consequently, we can offer no insight on the juror’s scores. 

In the past sixteen years, the panel of jurors has never been comprised of the same three people. This gives the Bethesda Row Arts Festival an opportunity to change from year to year. The panel of jurors this year included Rebecca Cross - DC Gallery owner, Jane Milosch - Director the Smithsonian's Provenance Research Initiative, Office of the Under Secretary for History, Art and Culture and Susan Goldman - a working artist in print/graphics and Professor at the George Mason University School of Art and Design. The show received a record number of applications this year, making the process more competitive across all categories.

We thank you for applying.  We use a new jury every year, so we do encourage you to apply again next year. 

Sincerely,

Robin Markowitz
Festival Director


Contact Info:
   Bethesda Row Arts Festival 2013
   14803 Southlawn Lane Suite L-N Rockville, MD 20850
   info@bethesdarowarts.org
   301-637-5684"

So, they made money on the jury process due to the huge number of entries.....

They do collect and obviously retain numerical scores for categories that they use to jury entries, or they would not be able to notify the entrants who juried into the show...

So, I wrote Robin Markowitz back requesting my scores...Here it comes

"From: Mark V Turner [markvturner@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, June 30, 2013 8:58 PM
To: Robin Markowitz
Subject: Scores please

Hello, having recently receive my notification that my entry failed to score sufficiently high to be admitted to this years Bethesda Row event, I would like to request my scores for each category and my composite score. I would also appreciate knowing what the scoring cut-off for the composite score in acrylic painting was in order to perhaps understand what the judges were looking at.

Being a multi-award-winning artist, I am constantly seeking to improve my entries and widen my audience

Thanks,

Mark V Turner
markvturner@yahoo.com"

And, here's the all too familiar reply... except, it's misleading and doesn't say what the ZAPP notifications says. Again bold and underlined are by me:

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"Hi Mark,

We do not release scores.  There are no comments or feedback from the jury.  You should know this was a record breaking year for artists applying to the show.  In the Oil/Acrylic category we had 198 applicants for 22 spaces.  This was a numbers game and the jury changes each year.

Your work is obviously amazing and we are certainly hope that you will consider the show for the future.  The best and most frustrating part of this show is that there is significant artist turnover each year because the jury changes and we have an exceptional group of artists each year that apply to the show - like yourself.

Best Regards
Robin"

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So, because I am a glutton for punishment and hate the lack of transparency which is involved in the process, I wrote back:

"

Many artists who participate in fine art exhibitions feel that the jury fee pays for more than just an accept/reject letter after the jury makes its' decisions. This consensus has developed after analysis of jurying costs and subsequent potential revenues realized in the jury process. 

I just have admit that in the past when I had kids coming to my booth and started touching everything would drive me a little crazy, but it is not always the case. I have learned to listen to them, pay more attention and explain them why I love to paint and do shows. Sometimes they look and after couple hours you see them coming back with their parents and their cash. I am so proud when I see them the next year, taller, more grown up, more mature and to purchase a second piece. They see the artist with respect and admiration, something that I wish some adults will do. These little guys won't try to bargain with you or tell you "I could do that" (like a woman just told me this weekend "40.00 dlls for this?? It's only a piece of wood with paint!") They just watch, listen, learn, look at you in a WOW way and can't wait to come back to see you the following year. I see a good future in art :) Cheers to kids! And cheers to their parents that teach them to love art young :)

Best of Show - Aaron Hequembourg 

Aaron has intriguing work, mixed media, painted on old wood salvaged from sharecropper houses and imagery he has rescued from old family farms in Georgia.

Best of Show Emerging Iowa Artists - Sodam Lee

Awards of Excellence 
Don McWhorter
Shellie Bender
R Michael Wommack
Taman VanScoy
Susan Hill

Juror Awards
Sarah Rishel Juror Award - Jim Ochs
Rebecca Ekstrom Juror Award - Michael McKee
Ann Harmon Juror Award - Seung Lee

Storm takes out $25,000 in glass 

My old friends Mark and Julie Glocke had nearly $25,000 in glass destroyed by a wind gust.

A sudden gust sent a half dozen glass sculptures by Mark and Julie Glocke shattering onto Grand Avenue, prompting a collective cringe from everyone within earshot.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130628/NEWS/130628034/0/SPORTS10/?odyssey=nav%7Chead&nclick_check=1

At Arts, Beats & Eats in 2011 Mark and Julie's glass got caught up in high winds also and they had to pack on Saturday night and head home. Julie got hit by flying debris that time. Hope this is the last time this happens to you two. Best wishes.

I had to share with you an email I rec'd this morning from a young man that was looking at my artwork, with his family at the Gold Coast show in Chgo.  As I talked with his parents about my artwork/life/how they're visiting out of town, I noticed their son fixating on one of my antique pieces.  A small metal item with an antique griffen, embellished with a crystal.  My small, affordable items.  As they were saying good bye, I asked him why he was so absorbed by the piece.  He told me he loves mystical creatures and recognized the griffen.  I told him I want to give it to him as a gift from me to him.  He couldn't believe it.  His dad kept trying to offer me money and I said that no, his appreciation for the arts was priceless.

This was his email:

Hi Friends...Here is my review of this show.

Spring Green, Wisconsin is a small town of about 1,675 people.  It is a resort destination for people visiting various attractions nearby and those vacationing on the river.  At first glance, this looks like a small town with not a lot to offer, that perception would be very wrong.  Read on....

I arrived in Spring Green on Friday evening for set up and was able to unload at my booth and park less than a block away.  Easy, straightforward set up, no issues. 

The show ran from 9am-5pm Saturday and 9am-4pm Sunday.  Saturday crowds were very impressive.  I don't know where all the people came from, but they were out in droves.  Very busy crowds for the 200 artists.  We had good weather, with a light rain that lasted about 10 minutes in the afternoon that did not seem to phase the crowds.  Buyers were out, although mostly lower priced art was selling for myself and most others with some exceptions.  I had the dream client here, with a single very large purchase of what amounted to 90% of my inventory.  Yes, I sold 90% of my inventory to one person.  This was, for me, the mythical buyer we all dream about come true.  I was over the moon with excitement and also a bit of concern because I have withdrawn from my show this coming weekend, due to not having enough work to show.  A good problem to have, but I hate to cancel.  I will be working non stop to get ready for the rest of July this week and next week.  God give me strength and inspiration.

Anyway, after the big sale, I sold one larger piece and a few smalls and that was it for the rest of the day and Sunday.  The crowd is conservative for the most part in spending.  Lower priced work was selling ok for my neighbors. 

The show is well ran and organized and easy to do from an artists perspective.  Make hotel reservations as early as you can, because reasonable rooms (less than $100) are scarce.  I stayed 17 miles away in Dodgeville and was just fine.  The Super 8 there is clean and comfortable for $79 per night. 

The show has "hostesses" that wander the show and will answer questions and booth sit for artists.  They were all very nice and accommodating.  They wear green sashes that say hostess in white letters.  Kind of a throwback to old times and I thought they were adorable and charming.  I hope they keep the hostesses and the sashes, it was quite a welcome change. 

Load out was a breeze to do.  I pulled up about half a block from the booth and used the dolly to load up.  I had the whole thing down and packed up in 50 minutes.

Overall, I give this show an A and will apply again.  My only concern for others is to bring as much work that is lower priced to ensure success.  The crowd does buy larger work, but I think you need the lower price points to basicly guarantee yourself a profit.  

With regret, I am withdrawing from Boston Mills this weekend, due to not having much of  anything left to show.  I will be in Krasl in two weeks and will review the show here.  Thanks for reading!            

October 4-6

• Summit Art Festival will be held in Historic Downtown Lee's Summit, MO
• Located less than 5 miles from our previous location the New Longview Business district you will now find our event nestled in the Central Business District of Lee's Summit.
• We are excited to partner with the Downtown Lee's Summit organization to put on our 6th Annual event.
• With a population of almost 94,000 people and land area of 65 square miles, Lee's Summit, MO, is the sixth largest city in the state. Despite a rapid growth spurt in the past 25 years, Downtown Lee's Summit has remained the heart of the community.  

Historic Downtown  Lee's Summit is known for its many locally owned shops, boutiques, fabulous restaurants and vibrant nightlife.  New residential lofts and adjacent historic neighborhoods also make the Downtown an excellent place to call home. A unique combination of preservation of history and place, with progressive attitudes and entrepreneurship, make Downtown Lee's Summit the perfect location for our fine art event.

New name and branding