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Anyone done these shows?  I applied to both the Balloon Fest one (wait list) and am accepted into the Thanksgiving weekend one (indoors).  It's a two-day drive for me.  Is it a decent show?  Is it worth it?

First and foremost, I need to say that in my opinion and based on my experience this past weekend, this event IS NOT AN ART OR CRAFT EVENT! It was advertised as such and there was the usual jury procedure to go through to be accepted. All of which along with the estimated 35,000 attendance looked like a good event. From my perspective, it was not. That is not to say that someone else may or may not have had a good show there, but simply my observations. Out of 200 advertised booths, 20 were set aside for art/craft vendors. The other art/craft vendors were mixed in among all the other stuff. My estimate would be that about 75-80% were buy/sell, maybe handmade but not either fine craft or art, or just plain imported junk. We saw a lot of bubble machines.   Not my idea of a fine art/fine craft show. 

Now for the gory details. 

Friday was set up day from 6 a to 6p. We arrived around 3 p and managed to find our booth spot. Unfortunately, it was located in a man made wind tunnel formed by two large buildings. The wind was a sustained 25-30 mph with gusts. We unloaded the trailer and tried to stack our tent and display items on the street in anticipation of erecting them once the wind died down a bit. I mean the wind was so strong that a 4 X 4 piece of 1/2 inch plywood if left unweighted would start moving down the street. As we waited, we got to meet our neighbors around us. On one side was a man selling a new yard game which is a cross between golf and badminton. On the other were two young ladies giving away free stuff to advertise for a personal injury lawyer. Next to them was a buy/sell clothing place. Hmmmm, starting to look a little strange for a art and craft show. We had all been told that we needed to be set up by 6, then it was by midnight, and then finally that we could come back early in the morning around 6 a and set up. 

Saturday, we arrived around 6 am and began to set up. Everything was looking better as far as wind was concerned. We got set up and then waited. The parade started at 8 and the festival started at 10. By about 8:30 the wind was back up to speeds that required that we both hang on to the tent in addition to my very heavy tent weights. (4 inch pvc filled with concrete) During all this we learned that the wind at this location is a known problem and that has happened most of the past 5 years. Fortunately, the event staff lady assigned to that block was very sympathetic and worked very hard to find us other locations. We were second in line to be moved. Right after the glass folks that had already lost a bunch of stock. They were at the other end of that block. "Our" staff lady was seriously trying to help out in a bad situation while the higher ranked staff simply ignored our pleas. In all about 6 booths had to be relocated. 

Once we got moved, which was about noon before we finished the move, we were ready for business. Now our neighbors were a group of young men selling Jesus t-shirts and a young lady making  wire necklaces. There were lots of folks at the event. My wife kept count and we interacted with about 200 folks in an hour. That is not just the people that walked by on the street, but the people that either chatted with us, touched my items, (which we encourage because wood is a tactile medium) , or looked at the items and commented on their beauty. So, a lot of admiring comments and looks, but only one sale of one box. We watched to see if folks were carrying items purchased. The two that stood out were pvc bow and arrow sets and inflatable alien dolls about 5 ft. tall.

 I talked with some other art/craft  vendors including the aforementioned lady with the wire jewelry that was next to us, a couple potters and another wood turner. They said that  they were doing ok, but only selling items in the $10-$15 range. One jewelry lady from FL had stopped by earlier and she had been absolutely livid with the event. 

As one gentleman on this forum has mentioned, there clearly were not that many " good shoes" at this event. There were some older couples that commented that my work was like the good old days when this event really was about art and craft. 

Sunday, well we decided that enough was enough and loaded up early Sunday morning and left the event. We tried to salvage something from the trip by touring the USS North Carolina memorial berthed across the river. That was a nice tour and as we left we looked back across the river at the event and it looked like the crowds were not there. 

Needless to say, I will not be going to this event again. Also, if anyone did well there, that is great, I am just relaying what I saw and experienced. 

Hello,

I was invted to participate in the Heart of Texas Arts & Crafts show in Plano, TX.

I would like to know if somebody has a review of it.

Thanks a lot!

This is the second year for The Spring Festival on Ponce.  It kicks off  the spring art show season in Atlanta.  I wrote a long review last year,  set up and tear down all the same.  Friday set up, some need to dolly, we are all set up along a walking path through a beautiful park.  If you want more info on the location just read last years review.  http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/festival-on-ponce-atlanta-and-security-scans-at-art-shows-first

Weather for set up was great, not too hot.  What a treat for an Atlanta show.  Saturday the weather was perfect (except for the chartreus colored pollen that comes in cloud form this time of year, dusting required all day)  The press for this show was crazy.  Every local TV channel, news and morning shows, talked about this show, interviewed people involved with the show, Facebook was blowing up, online info, everywhere you could think of finding info about events Festival on Ponce was mentioned.  Saturday we had a great crowd in my area.  At a few points it was a bit over crowded but nothing too crazy.  Nice steady crowd all day.  The patrons that come are mainly 30s with young kids.  Most of them have a new home and some money.  Great for 2D artists IMO, plus most of them have big SUVs or Mini Vans so they can fit your work into their car, no deliveries J!!!  Since this is the first show of 3 in Atlanta in the month of April people are out looking but they are also thinking about Dogwood next weekend.  It is hard for them to pull the trigger.  So if you are doing both Ponce and Dogwood and you don’t close the sale, make sure to get their info and get them to come see you again at Dogwood. 

Atlanta show Saturdays for me (2D artist with price points at $550 $1600) are usually not my sale days.  People need to think, measure, take things home on loan.  Sundays are my days for real sales.  Like I said the weather was as perfect as it could be and I had a lot of interested and a lot of be backs.  Sunday I arrived to the show with talk of rain, ouch.  I set up early and then went to walk the show and catch up with other artists I hadn’t had a chance to see yet.   Most 2D folks had a similar experience on Saturday, interest but be backs.  When I got back to my booth I checked my phone and I had a message from one of the be backs.  She was coming to pick up the piece before the show opened,  great news.  30 minutes later another couple walked into the booth, didn’t even say boo to me and handed me a credit card.  As they were walking away another be back showed up and wanted the same piece.  Snooze you lose.  All this was before the show even opened officially.  Now I was praying they didn’t call the show because I could tell this was going to be a strong Sunday.  The rain did come, but there was still a decent amount of people, and as you know if people come in the rain they are there to buy, at least in Atlanta.  Sales were great, be backs came back and if I didn’t have what they wanted they ordered commission pieces.  Sadly around 3:30pm the show was called because of too much rain.  At this point there really wasn’t any patrons left.  The rain was just going to get worse.  So we all tried to pack up a wet booth in the rain (no wind so no problem) and get home safely.  I want to send a special thank you to Albert for helping me get out.  It was  a special treat to have some help. 

Next we have Dogwood then Inman Park.  Two of the biggest crowd shows of the year in Atlanta.  There is only two days, today and tomorrow, before Dogwood set up.  I am short on inventory already,  and don’t know when I will have time to make good on custom work but these are good problems to have. 

Hi Friends.....Here is my review of the Great Lakes Art Fair Spring Show 2013 in Novi, Michigan.  As usual, I will break it down into the positives first and then the negatives, enjoy!!

The positives:  Load in for the show was easy, easy, easy.  This show is indoors in a very nice convention center.  I arrived to find Andrea Picklo, show director and her assistant sitting at a desk just inside the door.  They checked me in and were very nice and offered me a large cart to use to unload my van.  I got my whole rig moved in in just 3 trips with that cart, it was so nice.  I set up everything and went to my hotel for much needed rest, that was Thursday night.

This is a 3 day show that began Friday afternoon.  Friday had good but light crowds.  I sold my first piece within the first hour of being open. 

I met my neighbor, Paul Adams on Friday and he turned out to be a great neighbor and a very nice man.  We visited a lot and I bought a piece of his work.  I also met Debbie Ferenbach on Friday and we had dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.  Everyone I met at the show was very nice and friendly. 

Saturday was busier with bigger crowds.  I feel that the crowds were light-medium throughout the whole show.  It wasn't overwhelmingly crowded and it wasn't too light or thready either.  I sold well on Saturday, selling 8 pieces between $100-$300.  I never had to "sell" the work.  The people were interested in what I had and were buying.  I do found object sculpture with pricing from $75-$600.  Saturday ended up putting me ahead of all expenses for the show.  There was an artist reception Saturday night with nice hors d'ouvres and free drinks/cocktails.  We were given 2 free drink tickets from the show and if you wanted more drinks they were available for purchase.  They announced the winners of the awards as well. 

Sunday was a bit lighter on the crowds than Saturday, but I noticed a change in the type of patrons that were there.  It seemed to me that the show had a more affluent, serious art buyer crowd on Sunday.  I sold well again on Sunday and within the first few minutes of the show opening, sold a $300 piece and a $200 piece.  I sold 3 more pieces throughout the day, finishing the show with all expenses covered and a nice, "paycheck" profit for the show.  I was very pleased with my sales.

Boothsitting and artist amenities:  First of all, my sincere compliments to Andrea Picklo, show director and her staff, they are all amazing.  I do shows alone right now and need booth sitting usually a few times a day.  The show gave us a phone number to call to request a sitter and within minutes they were there.  On at least 3 occasions, Andrea herself was my booth sitter!  Talk about hands on.  I was impressed.  They have a roaming snack cart that comes around with drinks and snacks, good snacks and you can have whatever you want.  Coffee and donuts, bagels and healthy items every morning.  They also had a show office on the floor of the show where you could rest if needed.  It was very comfortable at this show.   

The negatives....

Ok, there were a few things negative about the show.  First, while I felt the show was well juried, and had a good mix of artists in fine art and fine craft, I do not feel that a Tarot card reader belongs at an art fair.  Call me a purist or a b+++h, whatever you choose, but that did not sit well with me.  I am sure she is a nice person, but not appropriate for this type of show.  I felt this cheapened an otherwise nice event.  The other negative about the show is this:  There were some wonderful artists there that did not have good sales.  I felt bad for them, becuase their work was wonderful.  For whatever reason their buyers just weren't there.  It always sucks when good artists have bad shows.  We have all had them, but I just hate to see it.  That's it on the negatives!

In summary, I felt this show was very well ran, organized and artist friendly.  It is always nice to have good sales, but even if I hadn't had a good show financially, I could not see how this show could have done any more to promote itself and take care of the artists.  I personally saw the promotion efforts first hand:  I saw the billboards as I was driving in, saw the ads in the newspaper, and saw postcards at the hotel I stayed at and a restaurant that we ate at.  I think they did everything possible to promote this event.  Special thanks to Connie Mettler for placing me and 9 other artists in her special newsletter for this show.  That was a touching surprise and the piece in the photo sold!!!!  I will give this show an A+ for promotion, organization, artist treatment, good patrons and people enthusiastic about purchasing art! 

I will do this show again and most likely return for the fall version of this show in November 2013. 

I will be in Stillwater, Oklahoma this coming weekend for the Stillwater Art Fair and will post a review on Monday.  Thanks for reading!  Elle            

June 22 & 23
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Sat. 10am-8pm; Sun. 11am-5pm
150 Artists
Deadline: April 19

The Shaker Heights Arts and Music Festival, now in its 4th year, continues to get bigger and better.  Last year, over 10,500 shoppers attended this vibrant community event.  The festival is presented by Ohio Designer Craftsmen, a non-profit organization serving artists for 50 years, in partnership with the City of Shaker Heights and the Shaker Heights Arts Council.  It is endorsed by the mayor of this affluent suburb, and located in a high-traffic location.

Necklace by Kim Arden

Location:
Between the Van Aken Shopping Center and Shaker Heights Country Club.  High-visibility paved surface in a busy shopping, dining and residential area with ample, free parking, ATMs, restaurants and a gourmet grocery

Event Features:

• Free Admission
• Live music by area bands
• Variety of food and drink vendors
• Children's activities and entertainment
• Artist demonstrations

Artist Amenities:

Teapot by Elaine Lamb

• Reduced rates at nearby hotel
• Sunday Breakfast Party
• complimentary beverage
• Proximity to shops, restaurants, hotel and services
• Booth sitters
• Courteous, professional staff
• Show limited to 150 artists
• Booth fee is just $299!

Apply today!  Go to www.ohiocraft.org to apply online or to download a paper application.  For further information or assistance, call: (614)486-7119.

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Find even more shows for your 2013 schedule: www.CallsforArtists.com

"We, the under-signed artists, believe exorbitant jury fees are un-necessary and unfair.  Starting December 31, 2013 we will no longer apply to art shows that charge more than $35 for an application/jury fee.

We believe that with fair-warning shows can adjust their budgets accordingly and plan ahead as we, artists, have to do."

Anybody with me on this?  If sent to every show in the country, would they respond?  Would they, boldly, go ahead and release their new show announcement with a $40, $45 or $50 application fee?

You tell me....

September 28 & 29  
Madison, Georgia
10am-5pm 
125 Artists
Deadline: April 28

If you only do one show in the Southeast this year, this should be the one!   

• Developed through the input from dozens of top Festival Artists   
• dedicated to  showcasing the best in contemporary fine art and fine craft, while also  enabling the engagement and exposure of many local and nonprofit  interests.    
• In our first year we are implementing a Homestay Program for  Festival artists, with the aim of defraying some of the upfront costs  artists typically have to bear. 

Our goal is to create a national arts market that recognizes and rewards the investments artists make to being here, while also giving our art patrons and supporters significant value for their investments as well.

Admission will be charged, and will be offset via our Festival Merchant Discount Program, giving Festival artists and visitors a 10% discount on purchases at participating local restaurants, hotels, and retailers.

The setting for the Festival is the beautiful historic antebellum town of Madison, Georgia, known as "the town Sherman refused to burn," and "the #1 small town in America" (Travel Holiday Magazine). 

It has a reputation as an internationally select destination, and perfectly reflects the qualities of our Festival namesake...The Cotton South. Surely hope you will join us in our inaugural event.

For more info: http://www.cottonsoutharts.com/
Application:   http://www.zapplication.org

(sponsored post)

Mark Rogers and his company FrameDestination.com has been a sponsor of this website and our newsletters for many years. We thought you would be interested in their news and this opportunity:

Frame Destination Inc. produced and sold 12,000 GalleryPouch™ Gold premium bubble bags. To mark the milestone, the company has made $12,000 in e-gift certificates available for new and existing customers.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mark Rogers, founder and President of Frame Destination says: "We're overjoyed to have reached this milestone for our line of GalleryPouch™ bubble wrap bags, and we're very happy to be able to extend a special offer for our clients in April and May."

GalleryPouch™ premium bubble bags are heavyweight bags made from 3/16-inch polyethylene that is smooth on both sides. The product was invented by photographer, author and consultant Andrew Darlow, and co-developed by Andrew Darlow and Mark Rogers after much research and testing. Darlow notes: "I feel very fortunate to have partnered with Mark Rogers and Frame Destination to develop the GalleryPouch™ line. What began as a something that I needed to protect my own work and the artwork of my clients has become a product that has been used to protect thousands items, from framed or stretched pieces of art to a host of other products. It gives me much satisfaction to know that I've been able to help many others solve the very common problem of being able to quickly and easily protect artwork, electronics, etc. with a bag fit to size, while still being able to see the internal contents."

Frame Destination has made $5 e-gift certificates available to new and existing customers in the form of a special discount code that can be redeemed on Frame Destination's website. The company has made the code valid until 5/31/2013 or after 2400 uses.

For more information, visit http://www.framedestination.com.

Congratulations to each of the artists. I'm pleased with mine! Each of the awards is hand-made by a fabric artist and comes with a nice monetary award as well. None of this store bought stuff!

In March, I drove from Virginia to Arizona, painting, doing a show and visiting my dad - and buyers paid for the whole trip in advance! 

I'm working with a prosperity coach, and he suggested the idea. It is somewhat along the lines of a Kickstarter deal, but much more grassroots. 

For each $100, a sponsor receives a 10-inch-by-10-inch painting, a discount on a larger painting, and a chance to win any piece of mine or a commission, up to 36x60. In addition, sponsors got postcards from me on the road, daily sponsor-only emails, access to a sponsor-only blog (this was essentially my daily Constant Contact emails, plus extra photos), a chance to win a paint-splattered T-shirt in which I painted, and a collage that I still need to figure out and create. 

I promoted this notion on my own blog, The Accidental Artist, on Patch, and on Facebook, and via Constant Contact emails I sent to buyers and friends. 

I was hesitant, at first, and initially didn't promote it very hard. Though I am working full-time as an artist, and self-promoting All The Time, I still wrestled with the notion of asking people to pay in advance for paintings! But as soon as I posted it on my blog, people began to sign up. 

I ended up with 23 sponsors who signed up for 28 paintings! WOW! 

I made 20 10x10s while I was traveling, and made a few larger paintings, too, most of which sold at the show in Tucson. (To see my review, click here.) I took a ton of photos, and will make paintings from the trip through the end of the month. 

If the sponsors don't see a painting that they want from my trip series, they can have a 10x10 from any time throughout the year. This is a size I paint all the time. Started as a project (100x100, 100 10x10 paintings that I sell for 100) and has continued as a low-cost line for shows. 

It's a great idea, and one that I will use again. You can make it work however it works for you, of course. I already have a sponsor for my next trip. 

People loved getting the daily emails from me. They loved seeing photos of where I was, people I talked to, and the Dog of the Day, a part of the email I sort of fell into. They really loved seeing photos of my painting and my painting in the landscape (I will include one of each here). 

Questions? Ask away. I'll answer all that I can. I really encourage anyone to try this sponsored approach. It's great for plein-air painters, but could work in all sorts of situations. 

I applied for the Fourth Avenue Street Fair as a lark. It would be part of a painting trip and visit to my dad, who lives about an hour south of Tucson. 

I had a very good show, good enough that I would happily consider doing it again. 

When I told people here and elsewhere that I was contemplating this show, many discouraged me, saying that it really is a street fair, as opposed to an art show. And it was - but there were tons of people there, and they were buying everything from jams and jewelry and tie-dyed T-shirts - to sculpture and ceramics and, yes, paintings. 

It's a three-day show, in a funky, artsy, hippie neighborhood in Tucson. Parking is atrocious, set-up can be dicey, and take-down is a madhouse. For lots of reasons, I rented a tent, and while that came (as it always seems to) with its own share of issues, it solved even more issues for me. I did manage to get a good parking place, so my set-up was easy, and I dollied out and avoided the take-down madness. 

So that's the downside - and that's it! 

There were TONS of people at the show. All three days, from before the official opening to after the official closing, the street was jammed. People were friendly, interested, polite. 

Volunteers came by regularly with water, snacks and offers of booth-sitting. Saturday, there were not as many volunteers, or at least they didn't visit as frequently, but Friday and Sunday, I'd say they came by every hour. 

An odd thing at the start bears mention - homeless people, or I am assuming they were homeless, or at least down on their luck - came by, seeking work helping putting up. Several of my neighbors used these guys, and said they worked really hard and did an excellent job, for $20-$30.

Other good things included decent food, plenty of port-a-potties, and a restaurant/coffee shop nearby that was OK with letting people use their facilities. The merchants put on the show, and were generally happy to have us there, though the show does close down the streets for three days. Security was evident and abundant. 

The show was organized really well, it seemed to me. The director came by on Sunday and introduced himself, wanting to know how I was, how I'd done, and how the show could improve. 

I made about $3,000, and was pleased. 

An Open Letter to the Jury:

Part II:The Artists' Statement:

Again, our conversations have evolved quite a bit on this issue. As juries have become more and more anonymous through the use of application software like Zapp Management and Art Thingy, the conversation between artist and jury is, at most, limited and often entirely missing. Often, it isn't until you've been accepted and payment has been made before a bio and statement are even requested. Often, the only two words we read when checking our application status is: "not accepted."

For the first time in twelve years, I was contacted by a jury two weeks ago. I was surprised and frankly, caught off guard by their questions, but I was also flattered and pleased they took the time to discuss my art. Regardless of their ultimate decision, I was given an extremely rare opportunity to explain my philosophy; to tell them why I choose to marry beautiful art and good business sense...why I prefer to buy gorgeous and completely unique glass from amazingly gifted glass artists who create their pieces for artists like myself. This gives me time to create a body of work and to make good business sense. While components may look similar to a casual eye, the possibilities of color and design are virtually infinite. Combine that eye for design with technical skill and adeptness and the work around a single focal bead evolves into a wearable work of artistic beauty. I like to call myself an artisan. It emphasizes creativity and originality for designs with a practical application; endowing the practical with beauty.

Please let us make a statement with our submissions, it may be the one thing that separates a hobbyist from a professional. I am convinced the worth of someone’s art or craft is whether the artist takes his or her work seriously. Trying to distinguish between fine art and fine craft may require different vocabularies, but they meld, cross over and are intertwined.  When it comes right down to defining or even doing art, every artist has an emotional, subjective prospective. But better art is about creative thinking, depth, spirit, skill, discipline and patience. Longevity depends on being able to make good business decisions. Photos alone cannot indicate dedication or how we've met any of these standards.

Unless we know them personally, we never get an opportunity to meet the judges; to elaborate on our desire to be included and why.  I'm sure that after carefully listening; mulling things over with my artist neighbors at the many art fairs in which I've been lucky enough to participate, and from being an avid reader of artists' blogs, that I am speaking for hundreds, if not thousands of us. If we are given an opportunity to shine, we will.

Thanks for allowing me to be thought provoking,

Gayle Weiss

Gayle Weiss Designs

July 5 & 6  
Muskegon, Michigan
Downtown Muskegon
Noon-7pm
300+
Deadline: April 15

For 51 years, Art in the Park has been held in historic Hackley Park.  This year, the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce is taking over the historic event and making it into a true Lakeshore Arts Festival.

A unique blend of arts, crafts, music, food and fun along the shoreline in historic Downtown Muskegon.  More than 300 artists and crafters will be showcased with fine art in the park, crafts, children's activities and Michigan food market all wrapped up in a street party atmosphere.

Event Categories:
Fine Art: Art in the Park
Art in the Park is held in historic Hackley Park, a grassy square block that features beautiful mature trees, interior and perimeter sidewalks, and a center circle. It is located in the heart of downtown Muskegon's Heritage Village, home to the city's library, art museum, county museum, and theaters.

Crafts: Craft Fair, Children's Lane / Michigan Food Market
This portion will flow through downtown Muskegon and will include various forms of entertainment in designated locations along the way. Crafters will be selected in 3 different areas 1.) Arts & Crafts, 2.) Children's Arts & Crafts 3.) Michigan made pre-packaged food.

Location/Space:
Each vendor display space at least 12'x12'. Spaces will be allocated at the discretion of the Lakeshore Art Festival organizers. Requests will be considered and met whenever possible. Corner spaces are not charged or allocated as prime locations. See exhibit rules regarding the sharing of display space. Electrical or water service is not available.

Registration: www.lakeshoreartfestival.com Apply: www.Zapplication.org
Lakeshore Art Festival Director: Carla Flanders; email: artfest@muskegon.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking for more shows for your 2013 summer schedule? Visit www.CallsforArtists.com

Hi all,

Just wanted to post a review of my experience at Fest for All in Baton Rouge, LA this past weekend. It was my third year doing the show and this one reached a new personal best for me.

Saturday was a bit slower than I had expected but still very steady. I sold 9 pieces beginning at 10:15 and ending around 5:00. Lots of interest all around. The show has long hours but luckily the show organizers provided lunch for all of the artists. The sandwiches were a great boost and considering I had left my water in the car, I was grateful for the bottled water they provided for us. I do think that the show could have ended a bit earlier on Saturday....maybe 6:00 instead of 7.

Sunday was fantastic. I sold another 9 pieces and received two commissions. Sales were steady starting at 12:30 up until 6:00. Two pieces were higher price points, (over 1k). My work is 2D mixed media, works on paper.

Load out and load in were very straightforward and easy. I was really impressed with how accommodating the organizers were- they even let me set up early knowing that I was on my own. One of the show organizers even stopped by to help me load up my vehicle. I thought that the show was run well and am looking forward to returning in 2014. I hope they will accept my application next year.

Dear Jurors;

My name is Gayle Weiss and I am a Chicagoland jewelry designer with 12 years of art fair experience. Erin Malloy was kind enough to offer to forward this email for your consideration. The reason I am writing is to foster a meaningful discussion around the criteria for show acceptance. Because having a conversation without input from the decision makers who most impact our outcomes is just plain unproductive.

I hope it doesn't sound like sour grapes, but please understand that none of us have any argument with competition for limited opportunities or coveted spaces  and none of us are strangers to a full category. But, when all else is equal, many of us are mystified by a rejection and many of us are prized participants at seemingly similar shows. I've been listening to this evolving conversation amongst artists pertaining to submissions and how guidelines impact judges' final decisions. There's a growing feeling that art fair decisions can really come down to two crucial components. First, having a single booth photo from which to judge and second, disallowing a meaningful statement with a submission about artists' work and approach. In actuality, these may be the only substantive determinants when it comes down to a difficult choice for a judge, especially in the most crowded category of jewelry design.

So, the following thoughts are based on my distillation of this ongoing community conversation, as well as my own feelings on the topic.

First the booth issue:

Some very high end shows seem to value uniformity and a "jewelry store" showcase model for booth layouts. As beautiful and professional as this approach might be, there's a sense of distance that's created when a potential customer is separated from the art and the artist. And, of course, I realize each artist makes a decision as to how they wish to display their work, but there are only a few layouts of this type for a 10' x10' space. After a while they all begin to look alike.

This past summer, I had a lovely opportunity to work the Port Clinton show with Sandy Matasick, an award winning jewelry designer from Gainesville, FL. As the proud owner of one of her pieces and as a fellow artist, we've become great pals and she now stays at my home during this Amdur Productions show.
Not all shows are like this, but while I was helping Sandy with her sales, I noticed an almost benumbed crowd. I recognized a feeling like this in myself while walking through art fairs and noticed the similarity of the jewelry displays. It seems the less interactive a booth and the more space that is put between an artist and their wares, the less engaged the audience. I couldn't help but notice that booths with inviting, open space are far more accessible, active and engaging than booths that create a separation with glass cases or the likes. Yet, the professional look and a great booth photo would never indicate there might be a concern.

In my own booth, I highly value openness because it invites a conversation; I get an opportunity to tell the stories behind my designs. It's a great choice for me because of the unique and vintage elements in my work. I search long and hard to find components that make my designs different and inimitable. It's true that I am not a metal smith, also true that I cold-connect my work, true again that I construct similarly to other jewelry artists. What makes me different is exactly what my client values....that no one else will ever have what they have....alone, they own the bragging rights to a one-of-a-kind piece. I cannot make that happen if I cannot let my client touch, feel, try on, and allow me to help them adjust and visualize their accessories. A closed off booth cannot foster that kind of interaction and it would hurt my sales.

I guess what I'm saying about judging booth photos, is that unless there is a statement allowed to support an artist's booth choice, it wouldn't be fair to exclude them based on only a jury's aesthetic. On a point system, one judge's consistent opinion of what a booth "should look like," can kill an applicant's chances.

To Be Continued - Part II: The Artist's Statement

Have any members of Artfairinsiders done this show? Anything I should know about it before accepting the invitation? Any info would be appreciated. TIA. Judy Peterson