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On a cold morning in January 2018, I was asked by a client who has bought images of horses why have I don’t have pictures of big cats. I was surprised. I smiled and answered if you are interested I certainly will attempt my luck on the big cats.

After she left I sat in front of my computer and started my search; I am very attracted to the snow, so the first question was how do I find a big cat that lives in the snow. It was not too long before the pumas showed up in my search, I soon realized that Torres del Paine National Park has a lot of pumas. It was the start of my research on the pumas.

I researched Torres del Paine National Park is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia and its accessibility on allowing photographers and videographers to take photos or film in the park. Will I need permits? Will I be safe sleeping in the tent? How close can I get to the pumas? Will I disturb them? What will I do with the puma pictures to inspire people? And so the questions came to my mind.

How I captured Images of Puma

After a good eight months, I made my expedition to Chile to take images of the mighty puma. I flew into Santiago also known as Santiago de Chile, which is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. From there I took a flight to Puerto Natales and then drove with my tracker to Torres del Paine National Park. It was a very scenic route I photographed a lot of landscape images; the lakes were blue as though the sky was on the ground, it was a feast to my eyes I just could not put the camera down. Before we got to my hotel, I saw a lot of beards and the famous guanacos. Guanacos are a cousin of the lama they inhabit both the Pampas plains and mountainous regions of South America. Found in the altiplano of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, and Patagonia, with a small population in Paraguay. In Argentina and Chile, they are more numerous in Patagonian regions, as well as in places such as the Torres del Paine National Park. I kept stopping our car and taking pictures of the guanacos, after the 5th stop I made my tracker politely remind me that I was there to take photos of the big cat puma also known as cougar or mountain lion. He then pointed up at the mountain and said they are watching you.

Next morning we got up at 4.30 am and started our search for the mighty cat. After driving for 1 hr I asked my tracker to stop again, he looked at me and smiled, I had just seen the footprints of a mountain lion in the snow. We parked the car on the side of the road and followed the footmarks for 30 minutes and then I was rewarded. I saw and photographed the puma on my first morning. From that day onwards I came across the big cat for 9 days, I had a great time photographing and making videos it was an amazing experience. My tracker had never had any trip where he saw the cougar for 9 days straight he told me I was very lucky.

The memories of those 9 days always make me smile when I look at the black and white photo prints and the short film at my New York art gallery. Chile and the people I met will always hold a special place in my heart.

View more black and white wall art

More info: ejazkhanearth.com

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Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Early Morning. Photographing a horse in the ocean has not been one of my favorites. When in this location, I am normally playing around and not focusing. I’m just present physically, not mentally. I have also never taken a good photograph from here, I blame it on the quality of light, location, horses etc; never taking responsibility.

This day, a friend of mine got upset at me because I was joking around and distracting him not allowing him to focus. He said, “why are you here if you don’t want to be?” That put me into place. I decided to focus on fine art photography and make it work, even though I didn’t like anything about the location. After looking at some of the images from this location, I realized it was all in my mind. It had nothing to do with external elements.

View more photos & stories at ejazkhanearth.com

TRAVEL WITH US | Contact us to join our next expeditions.

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My passion has always been pushing the boundaries of human endurance, coming as I did from the bylines of Mumbai to the Big Apple and exploring the harshest extremes of nature. The lure of Alaska had beckoned, but now I wanted to push the envelope beyond that to the rugged terrain of the icy arctic snow to Grise Fiord, in the northernmost part of Canada, population 132. The planning for such a journey has to be meticulous and took 7 months with someone finally willing to take me to a space where no USA photographer had gone before & tracked the Arctic Wolf at the North Pole.

The desolate location found me sitting in a tiny 6seater aircraft, which took 5 days to reach Grise Fiord, due to harsh conditions. The tiny aircraft was forced to land midway in a swirling snow blizzard, with no one around, & no connectivity to normal life as we know it. I was hit by a panic attack, scared of the isolation & fearful of dying alone & anonymous in the cold Arctic snow, I broke into cold sweat despite the sub Artic temperatures. Finally, I reached the tiny town of Grise Fiord and met a sprightly 72-year-old man called Raymond who was to be my wolf tracker! I went into another bout of shock looking at the elderly man, whom I thought would need help himself, let alone be able to support my quest for the Arctic Wolf. Nevertheless, we left the one-horse town, on a snowmobile ride for 8 hours. The destination was a desolate wilderness, which had no trees, no grass, no signs of life other than the two on the snow.

No roads, no paths to follow, just oceans of snow and my tracker and me. We pitched our tent in the freezing cold of -56 Celsius and that was to become our home for the next 9 days. The artic could just as well have been the land of the midnight sun, since the Daylight shone even up to midnight on a clear night, and yet it felt like it was only 4 pm. Since we were two of us on a snowmobile, there was a weight restriction & so we carried limited supplies. We awoke the next morning to search for wildlife so we could eat for the next 9 days. The biting arctic cold was oppressive & hostile and even 6 layers of warm clothing could not protect me from the elements of nature. Covered in polar bear skin pants, I began to understand how the animal felt, in its own natural habitat.

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Searching Wildlife Animal to Captured Fine Art Photography For Wall Art Decoration

Our hunt began for food, and that proved to be one of the highlights of my trip. Once our search had ended, we pitched the third tent as a base camp which was more than a mile away, from where I would stalk my arctic wolf prey to shoot on celluloid. Few people can relate to the isolation of being alone with yourself, the elements and your maker, and it holds a mirror up to your soul when you spend 15–18 hours alone in nature. The wilderness offers you no second chances and no toilets, no showers, and no bedrooms. Dinner each night is frozen air cured slices of wild Musk Ox served cold, and sleep in a basic sleeping bag deep within the snow. Sitting in mounds of snow for hours on end in total isolation brings home the stark reality of who you are & how insignificant a being the human is, amongst Gods Creations.

The frailty of humanity is best expressed when confronted with solitude & battling the elements of nature’s fury — be it snowstorms, blizzards, hurricanes, tidal waves or earthquakes, making you one with your maker, brings reality to the forefront. I became delusional, like the protagonist Pi Patel in Yann Mattel’s “Life of Pi”, seeing things in the -50 sub-zero temperatures and freezing cold & loneliness, the only solace is that I could meet my aged tracker at nights when I returned for the day. Less than 7 days into the expedition, my delusions became more vivid and I began to see artic snow wolves in the moving blizzards of snow. My fingers numbed without sensation, my feet frostbitten and my personal organs that had developed a mind of their own. From Mahim to Manhattan, the cacophony of human chaos presents a symphony of sound when compared to the high pitch of silence in the Arctic circle, and at times I prayed for the cacophony to return. Having faced all the adversities one could think of in one week, I decided to call off the expedition on the 7th day, frustrated and broken within, that I was defeated, not by the elements of nature alone, but by the gremlins within my mind.

Once the snowmobile was packed and on its way, en route the nearest town, 8 hours away, I was suddenly stopped in my tracks — the elusive Arctic Wolves appeared on the horizon, almost to bid me goodbye, as I was giving up my expedition into their native territory. Divine intervention or poetic justice, it was the highlight of a week of adversity and terrifying loneliness, facing nature’s elements, yet meeting the beauty of the Wolves in their pristine natural habitat, untouched by a human hand or even a cell phone tower. There are times that one marvels at the magnificence of a solitary existence, this was one of those times. I have been fortunate to learn to make myself one with my nature and surroundings and have shot the magnificent Musk Ox in Norway, the Puma in The Chilean Andes, the Arctic wolves in the arctic circle, the Alaskan Bear in Alaska and the magnificent Arabian Horses in the beautiful valleys of France.

My journey and travels now bring me to my motherland, India, where I will dare to confront the greatest Mountain range on earth and picture the magnificent HimalayanSnow Leopard, one of nature’s enigmatic animals, almost extinct and reclusive.

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Global Warming Effect the Arctic

With Global warming and the snow receding, the Himalayan snow leopard is forced to lower altitudes for its food. The cattle of hill tribes & natives play a great role here and their livestock is easy prey. It is time that we educate our natives to care for these precious animals like their own family.

Human beings are the most efficient predators on earth and the snow leopards will lose this battle, like many of the great beasts that went before. Educating natives & humans to co-exist with the snow leopard will help in elongating their lifespan into the next century.

Our world needs to recognize these beautiful beasts and rescue them so future generations of our children can admire God’s creations for what they are.

View more Wildlife Fine Art Photography

Visit OUR BLOG for more amazing stories.

Watch the Arctic Expedition Short Film

 

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Camargue is perfect for wild horse photography, I have been going to this location for the past 7 years or so. I know what the weather conditions will be like, the smell in the air, the mosquitoes, the muck water, and also how the horses will run through the water, etc. Here, for the most part, I functioned on autopilot. So I didn’t think about the environment, beautiful wild horses, or how to take the photographs, things happen, and I come back with decent-looking images. I knew I was not growing anymore at this location, familiarity had made me comfortable but I still just continued without making an effort to change or seek out wild horse black and white wall art for decor.

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Before I left for this trip to take wild horse photography, a friend of mine and I were having dinner at a restaurant in NYC. She asked, “what are you going to do differently this time?” And, ” how will you photograph beautiful wild horses?” It was as though someone stabbed me with a dagger. However, she was right. I was coming back with similar-looking photographs and nothing different as well to have people shop for wild horse photography. So I consciously made a significant effort to change things around to capture wild horse decor, and not function on autopilot to achieve my wild horse pictures. Since then, I do my best to improve my daily routines. I don’t like all the results, but I love having variety in my life now.

HORSES HUMANS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Humans & horses — a relationship that pictures can’t do justice to It is so true a photograph speaks a thousand words, but even an old black and white wild horse photography picture cannot tell us how long humans and horses have had a codependent relationship. The horse has been a tremendous support to humanity, helping with transportation, farming, war, sports; you name it, the horse has always supported human.

Riding a HORSE has traditionally been associated with power, prestige and was reserved for the ruling elite. The horse has been so intertwined in human lives that we even measured the power of the engine based on a horse’s strength and called it horsepower. As we evolved, the horse has been right there shoulder to shoulder as a building block for humans and a reason for us to shop wild horse photography. Now we all face a challenge, CLIMATE CHANGE is real and affects both humans and animals, will humans be there to support the horse? read more

CREATING WILD HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Creating wild horse photography and wild horse decor is such an honor, I feel so lucky. Sometimes I can’t get over how real they look when our printer prints and mounts them on plexiglass, they come back to life again. At our art gallery in New York City, people shop wild horse photography, and we hold some huge wild horse pictures from France and also North Carolina, Stallions or Mare in our signature black and white as well as in full color.

View more of our WILD HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY below.

If you wish to go on a Camargue horse photography tour, contact us for details.

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MY WILD HORSE PHOTOGRAPHY

My passion for wild horse pictures has taken me to the most amazing places in the world. Understanding the movement and thought process of every wild horse and the beautiful wild horse I have encountered has been a rewarding experience. I have learned so much of what it means to be one with nature and to appreciate what mother nature has given to us. Camargue, France is my favorite place to visit some of the most beautiful wild horses. Their stature, manes, and also their poses are incredible.

Since one of my greatest passions in life is exploring the world’s coldest destinations, photographing wild horses in the snow is a thrilling adventure. Therefore, being in front of a herd of wild horses running towards me is an event like no other. They are smart and gentle creatures but I love exploring their strength, power, and fortitude. Each wild horse has its very own characteristics and personality. This makes each photograph I capture, whether my black and white horse pictures or fully in color, unique and memorable.

I can’t wait to explore more locations and photograph different breeds of wild horses. Enjoy this collection and make sure to come back for new and exciting wild horse photography!

Enjoy More Animal Pictures

Horses | Lions | Tigers | Elephants | Monkeys | Bears | Birds | Snowy Owls | Arctic Wolves | Mountain Lions | Musk Oxen | Bald Eagles | Bison | Reindeer | Arctic Fox

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Call for Artists: Summerfest Arts Faire

10038970686?profile=RESIZE_400xJune 16, 17, & 18
Logan, Utah
 
Summerfest Arts Faire
Cache County Fairgrounds and Event Center
Thursday & Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday 10am-9pm
170 Artists
Deadline: February 6
 
Application fee: $45    Booth fee: $300-$600
Summerfest is a fine art/fine craft event popular with collectors and visitors (over 60,000). Our community is a university town in a mountain valley of around 100,000 people. Logan is a strong arts town, with museums, live theatre and opera, galleries, and more. Summerfest is a juried event with quality original artwork, outstanding performances, and fun food. We are constantly expanding our advertising in order to attract an even larger art-buying public.
Due to the overwhelming response to our new 2021 location, Summerfest Arts Faire will once again be held at the Cache County Fairgrounds and Event Center. Parking is free, and located close to artists. Artists are able to drive onto the event grounds for ease in load-in and load-out.
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10038377881?profile=RESIZE_400xJuly 21 - 23
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Streets around the University of Michigan's Central Campus
Thursday & Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday 10am-8pm
189 Artists
Deadline: February 9
 
Application fee: $40 Booth fee: $650 & $800
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original (AASAF) is the original of three concurrent and contiguous fairs that transform central Ann Arbor into a massive outdoor art gallery each July. Established in 1960, the AASAF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts organization with a mission of increasing public knowledge and appreciation for contemporary fine arts and fine crafts. Over the past 62 years, the Original Fair has continued to focus on the art, the artists and the art buyers.
Known for its consistently high quality, all original work, the Original Street Art Fair takes place on the streets surrounding the historic Burton Bell Tower, and the tree-lined central campus of the University of Michigan and does not host sidewalk sales or vendor booths. The AASAF was voted one of the “Top Ten Best Art Festivals” in the country in a USA TODAY Reader’s Poll and is consistently in the Art Fair Calendar's “Top Ten Best Art Fairs", Art Fair Source Book's “Elite 25”, and in the top 20 in Sunshine Artist’s “Top 100 Fine Art Shows” poll.
 
  • "You run a great show, you have a huge following"- 2021 artist
  • "Thank you so much for everything! Everything was great! From setup to tear down. Thank you for all of your hard work." -2021 artist
  • Mark Stryker of the Detroit Free Press - “The Street Fair boasts the greatest concentration of high-quality art; it’s not the spot to find crafty knick-knacks and the like.”
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10038340059?profile=RESIZE_400xJuly 15, 16, & 17
Salem, Oregon
 
Salem Art Fair & Festival
Bush's Pasture Park
Friday & Saturday 10am-7pm & Sunday 10am-5pm
200 Artists
Deadline: February 11
 
Application fee: $45 Booth fee: starts at $525
Salem Art Association (SAA) invites artists to apply for participation in the 2022 Salem Art Fair & Festival. This honored 73-year-old event is one of the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and draws artists from around the country. The Salem Art Fair has an outstanding reputation among participants and visitors alike, attracting 36,000 attendees annually. Salem Art Fair & Festival is held in the heart of Salem in Bush’s Pasture Park. The 100-acre park is filled with majestic fir and oak trees. The park’s standing as a community gathering space makes this an ideal setting to celebrate creativity and showcase art.
AWARDS
Artistic excellence is the sole criterion for the festival awards. Best of Show will be awarded $500. Four artists will receive Merit Awards of $250 each. All five artists are automatically invited to return the following year. Awards are presented Friday evening on the Main Stage prior to the headliner entertainment. 
ARTIST AMENITIES
• Complimentary meal on Thursday during set-up
• Light breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings
• Daily treats and beverages
• Artist Hospitality Tent available throughout the fair
• “Artists Only” portable toilets
• Booth sitters
• Merit Awards
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10028440299?profile=RESIZE_400xApril 30 - May 1
Sanford, Florida
Historic Downtown Sanford

Saturday 10am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm
160 Artists
Deadline: February 26

Application fee: $25   Booth fee: $235
 
The St. Johns River Festival of the Arts in beautiful historic, downtown Sanford, invites you to apply to the Eleventh Annual FINE ART & FINE CRAFT JURIED art show held April 30 & May 1st, 2022. The festival takes place along charming brick streets lined with specialty shops, cafe's, pubs and restaurants. 
 
Sanford 2022
We offer over $15,000 in award money. Anticipated attendance throughout the weekend with good weather is estimated at 50,000. Strong advertising and marketing campaign surround the festival with TV, radio, billboards, newspaper, magazines, calendars, social media and more. 
 
Booths are $235 for First Street with limited space available on First Street so apply early! Side streets $185 (subject to change).  Easy load in and load out setup on Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning. 
 
Sanford crowdThroughout the year we host Artist Patron parties to secure buying commitment during the festival weekend. Artists can enjoy the artist retreat serving continental breakfasts and a light lunch provided Saturday and Sunday. Booth sitters and water available.
 
 
More info: https://stjohnsriverartfest.com/artists/
Contact: Kimberly Allen-House (407) 416-1779
StJohnsRiverArtFest@gmail.com
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Call for Artists: Geneva Arts Fair 20th Annual

10024082863?profile=RESIZE_400xJuly 23 & 24
Geneva, Illinois
Downtown Geneva
Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm
150 Artists
Deadline: February 1
 
Application fee: $30         Booth fee: $400
Geneva, a chic and charming historic town located on the Fox River, will celebrate its 20th annual Fine Arts Fair in 2022. Its prestigious reputation of offering a superb selection of original fine art by renowned artists and cutting edge newcomers attracts beginning and avid art collectors. Presented by the Chamber of Commerce, the show is tucked among 100+ specialty shops located in Victorian-style homes and century-old buildings. Warm small-town hospitality offers a picture-postcard setting for this juried art celebration.
WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING 10 FEET IN BETWEEN EACH BOOTH
FOR ALL BOOTHS (APPROXIMATE).
This allows ample space to display artwork, move about your booth and have several patrons in your booth area at one time.
 
  • Snacks, morning coffee and light breakfast
  • Easy loading and unloading
  • Flexible booth fee payment schedule
  • Event marketing & publicity: web, social media, print
  • Close artist parking reserved
  • Booth sitters and volunteers
  • Overnight security
  • Air-Conditioned break room
  • Festival programs with listing of attending artists
In order to maintain the quality of our shows and offer our visitors and buyers a fresh look at new work, we prioritize artists who are new to or unique in the region. We value being a high-end show that promotes quality artwork and attracts an enthusiastic crowd. 
 
It's About the ART!
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Call for Artists: 9th Annual Uptown Art Expo

10018809473?profile=RESIZE_400xMarch 26 & 27
Altamonte Springs, Florida
 
9th Annual UpTown Art Expo
Saturday 10am-7pm & Sunday 10am-5pm
140 Artists
Deadline: February 11
 
Application fee: $30     Booth fee: $320
The streets along beautiful Cranes Roost Park at Uptown Altamonte in Altamonte Springs/Orlando will come alive with artisans showcasing their talents, color and music. The free admission Art Festival is limited to only 140 juried art & fine crafts artists and features chalk street paintings, festival foods and live entertainment.
Noteworthy:
  • 25,000 Patrons
  • Friday Drive up Load-in
  • Free adjacent parking
  • Overnight Security
  • All booths have small storage behind
  • Sunday Morning Artists' Breakfast
  • Extensive PR and Marketing
  • Highest household buying income in the region
  • $7,800 Artist Awards
  • Limited electric available additional fee
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10009678664?profile=RESIZE_400xJune 25 & 26
Muskegon, Michigan
 
Lakeshore Art Festival
Saturday 9am-6pm & Sunday 9am-4pm
350 Artists
Deadline: February 1
 
Application fee: $35   Booth fee: $180-$250
 
The Lakeshore Art Festival is a unique mix of fine art, fine craft, hand-crafted goods, food and family fun in Downtown Muskegon, Michigan. Guests will enjoy a juried fine art and craft fair, as well as vibrant streets brimming with unique artisan food products, children’s activities, entertainment and more! With exhibitor perks, outstanding accommodations and restaurants nearby, this is a must-attend event!
Artist Information
  • Highly Ranked Festival by Sunshine Artist and ArtFair Calendar
  • Past Attendance 55,000
  • June 25th PM & June 26th AM Set-Up
  • $3,000 Fine Art / Fine Craft Cash Awards
  • Booth Sitters
  • Overnight Security
  • Warm and professional staff dedicated to the arts
Testimonials
We can’t tell you how many positive comments we heard throughout the day from our shoppers regarding the show. We heard comments such as, “best one ever,” “love that they added additional streets,” “great quality of vendors,” “happy it is right downtown,” and the list goes on and on!
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10009742478?profile=RESIZE_400xAugust 5, 6, & 7
Park City, Utah
Historic Main Street
Friday 5pm-9pm, Saturday 10am-8pm, & Sunday 10am-6pm
200 Artists
Deadline: February 8
 
Application fee: $50  Booth fee: $775-$1850
 
The Park City Kimball Arts Festival is an award-winning, jury selected visual arts festival located in the heart of the world-famous resort community of Park City, Utah. Now, in its 53rd year, the Kimball Arts Festival is Utah’s longest-running visual arts festival and is one of the most highly regarded art events in the West. For three days, the Park City Kimball Arts Festival proudly features professional fine artists across 13 disciplines, providing visitors with an opportunity to meet and purchase art from a wide variety of talented artists. In 2021, the Festival drew more than 26,000 ticket holders to Park City’s Historic Main Street and reported art sales were over $1.8 million!
ARTIST SERVICES AND SUPPORT:
  • Kimball Art Center partners with a variety of hotels and other accommodations in Park City. Prior to the Festival, we will pass along special artist discounts from our lodging partners! 
  • Website listing with artist images and link to artist website.
  • A customized map just for Participating Artists with addresses and important locations.
  • A Welcome Tent with bagels and coffee at the Artist Check-In location Friday morning.
  • An Artist Lounge with coffee and all-day refreshments, plus electrical outlets for charging devices for Participating Artists during the Festival.
  • Early morning load-in option for those with long or delicate set-ups.
  • Staggered assigned load-in times for an organized load-in with space to unload.
  • Complimentary artist parking for one vehicle (and 1 trailer) per artist in dedicated lots, including oversized parking.
  • Participating Artists will be given festival credentials for themselves and one assistant or co-artist (two total). Additional credentials will be available for purchase.
  • Lunches available for purchase delivered directly to Participating Artist booth during the Festival.
  • Water and snacks delivered by volunteers throughout the Festival.
Accolades from Past Participating Artists:
 
“This is our most profitable and enjoyable show every year!”
 
“I thank you for running a terrific show. Artist friendly and very well-run show.”
 
“Well run, well attended, attentive staff, great sales.”
 
 
 
Contact: Hillary Gilson artsfest@kimballartcenter.org
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Art Fair News from 2009

Back in 2009 before Facebook was even a glimmer in Mark Z's eye, there was ArtFairInsiders.com ... an exciting place for artists to discover. So many of us work alone in our studios and it was fun for all to share the life of being a creative who stands on the streets of the U.S. selling our soul created work. The post below had over 60 comments from artists across the country dishing on the Krasl Art Fair, Magic City Art Fair, Coconut Grove Art Festival, etc ... If you've got the time to read, you'll find lots of interesting information from the good old days when people stood in line to buy art ...

You'll find so much good information, such as this excerpt from Jim Parker:

"... the weather was excellent for the most part. My sales were about what I expected for this economy. Ann Arbor has been four days of work for two days pay for several years now. Too many artists, a confusing layout with lots of dead ends, and waning interest on the part of the public for real art bought from real artists in favor of Walmart and Costco crapola. Canvas prints haven't helped this at all, nor has cost-cutting and lower pricing structures from certain groups of photographers in a vain attempt to compete on price alone.

I bucked the trend this year and only showed split-toned black & white digital photographs at a higher price point. I've been at the same spot three years running, at a slower area of the State Street show. Previous customers do know how to find me and email marketing pre-show helps a little. I was on Channel 7 news on Friday, and a few people mentioned seeing me. Publicity was great.

My sales were about the same as the past two years in this location. However, my newer work does not look like the cookie-cutter Tuscan landscapes, or the national park sh... "

 

"In the interest of getting all the show reviews in the same place we are incorporating the Show Reviews section into the Blog. Please post your show reviews here. One of the advantages is that you can add "tags" at the bottom of each review so it is easier to search the reviews for specific events.

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This is the place! Tell us about your art fairs, short or long reviews, we all want to be in the know.

Please include your media as, for example, a jeweler's experiences may not match a painter's. Also, include the state in which the event took place. There are way too many cities with the same name!"

 

And here's where you can find the rest of the story:

https://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/show-reviews-archive

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The Truth About Art Fairs

Arts, Farts & Applecarts
A Blog about Being an Artist

I published this blog in two parts on my website. It is mostly directed at people who buy art, but I thought other artists might find this interesting as well.

There are a lot of different kinds of art fairs. Typically, they are gatherings of artists, usually outdoors, where artists can exhibit and sell their work. In recent years, the New York City-centered, gallery establishment, has co-opted the term, “Art Fair,” to mount expensive and extravagant exhibitions by high-end galleries from around the world. That’s not the kind of art fair I participate in. I’m talking about grass roots, artist-centered, localized art fairs.

These days, local art fairs are sprouting up all over the country. Too many, in my opinion. These art fairs originate in two ways, by arts organizations and civic groups, or by entrepreneurs and promoters. 

The majority of art fairs are profit-making enterprises organized by promoters. It is a business for these entrepreneurs, who depend on us artists to pay entry fees and booth rentals. In return these promoters guarantee an audience to buy our work. These entrepreneurial businesses provide a service to us artists by bringing artists and customers together. But, the more art fairs they can organize and sell to us artists, the more profits they can realize. Some of these businesses have 100 or more art fairs going on in any given year. Some of these art fair promoters are good, with a healthy respect for us artists. Some are not so good. But, in an effort to make more money, they continue to organize and establish ever more art fairs, diluting the market for buying art.

Art fairs organized by arts organizations and civic groups are the other category. These are non-profit art fairs run, mostly, by volunteers, although some of the big ones have a paid staff that work year-around to organize and promote their art fair.  The goal, in most cases, is to provide their communities with access to the arts. The best of these community-based art fairs have a long history and tend to draw the best crowds. Over the years I have participated in both promoter art fairs and community art fairs, but I prefer, and do better, at art fairs run by arts organizations and community groups. 

In my art gallery I might see a couple dozen people on a weekend. At an art fair, I see thousands. Art fairs are a terrific venue for selling art but they are expensive to do. Some misconceptions about art fairs: 

First, art fairs are not all alike. There are thousands of art fairs around the country but only a handful will provide the audience and the income to satisfy the professional artist. The good ones can be very profitable as long as the weather is good.

The good art fairs are difficult to get in to. Artists have to apply to art fairs with samples of their work. A jury reviews the samples of all the artists who apply and selects only the best artists in the application pool. A good art fair may have up to 2000 applicants but only 150 booths. Only a fraction of the applicants get to exhibit.

Art fairs are expensive for an artist to participate in. Besides the application fee, which ranges from $30-$60, a 10x10 foot booth fee will range from $400-$1000, depending on the show. Add the expenses of lodging, transportation and meals and an artist’s investment in a given weekend show can be over $2000 before selling a single piece.

Art fair equipment is also expensive. Most professional artists own their own tents and exhibit panels. The best setups cost $2000-$3000. And then, there is the vehicle for getting all that equipment and artwork to the art fair. A reliable van or a trailer and SUV devoted to the art fair business can easily cost $20,000 and up.

How can artists afford to participate? Here is a short statement from the application prospectus for the Cherry Creek Art Fair in Denver (one of the best): 

…historically very high art sales potential, estimated at $19,400 per artist in sales for 2021…

Yes. Art fairs can be very profitable.

Another misconception is that us art fair artists travel en mass from art fair to art fair… like a circus. All artists are different in their approach to art fairs. Some travel with RVs to sleep in. Some use hotels or B&Bs. Some seek out nearby campgrounds. But, no, we don’t sleep in our art fair tents. It is a gypsy lifestyle, but each “gypsy” has his or her own agenda and interpretation of that lifestyle. I know art fair artists who sleep in their cars and brush their teeth at a local gas station. And I know art fair artists who travel with an entourage of helpers and stay in the best hotels. I know a high end jewelry artist who travels with an armed guard to protect his gold and diamonds.

Part 2

Art fairs are a lot of work, and they are also very stressful. The work is setting up the outdoor art gallery, and the stress comes from the uncertainties of weather and the mood of the buying public. After renting the booth space, reserving a room for the weekend at a local hotel and traveling hundreds of miles to an art fair, an artist might have $2000 or more invested before selling a single item. Hopes are always high among artists before an art fair begins. We are an optimistic breed.

If severe weather hits the art fair and the public stays home (or the art fair is cancelled for safety reasons), there are no booth fee refunds and the hotel still has to be paid. All art fair artists have their own personal horror stories about those lost weekends. Marcia reminds me of some of the more memorable disasters that we survived over 20 years of exhibiting at art fairs… the tornado warning sirens going off in Columbus,… cowering in a campus building watching the wind and rain batter our tent in Ann Arbor,… sloshing through puddles up to our knees, in Winter Park, Florida,… hiding with our fellow artists in the brick rest rooms with tornado sirens blaring in Peoria. 

I especially remember one show we did in St. Louis. This was before we invested in a heavy-duty tent. After setting up the booth on a cloudy, threatening day, Marcia and I went back to our hotel and had a nice dinner as the rain and wind picked up. Early the next morning I got a phone call from the art fair. “You better get down here. Your tent has been knocked down by the storm.” We rushed to the art fair and, sure enough, the tent was all bent out of shape and lying on its side with all my art scattered around… my precious framed artwork lodged under the devastation. Volunteers from the art fair sprang into action. They showed up in force with towels and tools to dry off the artwork and help us get the tent back up. After we realized the tent was a complete loss, the committee, somehow, found another tent that we could use. With the help of about a dozen volunteers, we got our booth set up again. Lots of artwork was ruined, but a lot was saved as well, thanks to a terrific art fair committee.

There were a couple camera crews from local TV stations recording the destruction caused by the storm. We weren’t the only artists who had storm damage, but, apparently, we were the most photogenic. We were featured on several local newscasts and, over the weekend, we were the beneficiaries of a sympathetic audience. We sold lots of artwork and had our most profitable show, ever. Yes. The bad with the good…

I now have a 10x10 foot Trimline tent; a dome-style tent that is one of the best brands for withstanding foul weather. But it is expensive and very heavy. It is a beast to set up. I use 7-foot tall pro panels (carpet-covered walls) in my tent and I’ve designed and fabricated many additions to display my artwork and to keep my tent from blowing away. It typically takes me about five hours of back-breaking labor to set up my exhibit. I prefer art fairs that have an extra setup day before the art fair begins (which also adds an extra day to the hotel bill). Although no tent is impervious to bad weather, this heavy Trimline tent gives me a little peace of mind when the wind picks up.

A long time ago, when I made my living as a TV producer, I produced a documentary called “Art Fair.” It opened with scenes of artists setting up their exhibits at an art fair in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. One of the artists tells this story: 

“Two ladies were admiring all the art exhibited at the art fair. One asked ‘All this beautiful artwork. Where do you think they find the time to make all this art? The other one answers: Well, you know, they don’t work!’” 

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9996434069?profile=RESIZE_400xJuly 9 & 10
St. Joseph Michigan
60th Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff
Lake Bluff Park
Saturday 9am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm
175 Artists
Deadline: January 24
 
Application fee: $50 Booth fee: $475-$675
 Overlooking Lake Michigan, the Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff (KAF) is known for having outstanding volunteers and providing a great artist experience. Each year a new jury of professionals in the arts is recruited to review applications. The Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff is one of the most prestigious and well-attended events in southwest Michigan.
 
The City of St. Joseph was recently ranked the 23rd best place to live in the U.S. by the website 24/7 Wall Street. Neighboring Benton Harbor, Michigan is home to appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation. KAF is a 1-1/2 hour drive from Chicago and Grand Rapids. This established art fair attracts fine art and fine craft artists and an educated and inquisitive buying audience from all over the US and Canada.
Awards
  • Krasl Art Fair Best of Category (highest score from on-site jury in each category): $200 cash award, invitation to return in 2023 with a waived application fee.
  • Board of Directors’ Choice Award: $200 cash award, invitation to return in 2023 with a waived application fee.
  • NEW!! 60th Anniversary Award - cash award, invitation to return in 2023 with a waived application fee.
  • 3-5 members of the jury return to jury on-site Saturday. Awards will be presented on Sunday morning.
Amenities Include:
  • Booths are located in beautiful Lake Bluff Park on grassy lawn with trees, lake breezes, and gorgeous views of Lake Michigan.
  • Free, artist-only, off-street parking no more than four blocks from the fair; plus reserved overnight parking for RVs and vans (after 5 pm on Friday).
  • Curb-side unloading and loading.
  • Roomy booths spaced 6’ - 10’ from one another with storage space.
  • Police officers patrol the park Friday and Saturday nights and are present and ready to respond as needed during the event.
  • Booth sitters available to provide breaks for artists.
  • 10% discount for KAF artists in Krasl Art Center Gift Shop.
  • Package Pick-Up for the convenience of purchasers of oversized items.
  • A staff and volunteer committee dedicated to making our show the artists’ favorite.
  • Coffee & pastries provided Saturday & Sunday mornings.
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9996419681?profile=RESIZE_192XMay 13, 14, & 15
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis Art Center
Friday Preview Party 6pm-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm
150 Artists
Deadline: January 24
 
Application fee: $35  Booth fee: $400
 
Now celebrating its 50th year, the Indianapolis Art Center’s OneAmerica Broad Ripple Art Fair attracts an average of 12,000 visitors and offers an opportunity for the public to meet fine art & craft artists from the U.S. and Canada. The OneAmerica Broad Ripple Art Fair is located on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center, designed by Hoosier Architect Michael Graves, and its 9.5-acre ARTSPARK. Located in the Broad Ripple Village Cultural District— a cultural arts, shopping, night club, and dining district—the Indianapolis Art Center is next to the popular Monon Trail urban greenway.
 Show Features
  • Extensive advertising and promotion worth at least $30,000.00
  • Booth Sitter Text Hotline - Get a friendly booth sitter right when you need one!
  • Overnight Roving Security (Indianapolis Police Department)
  • Friday Night Preview Party for select areas
  • Saturday and Sunday Artist and Volunteer breakfast
  • Food Line passes; get to the front of any line, so you don’t miss a sale!
  • Warm and professional staff dedicated to the arts
 
 
Contact: Shannon Bennett sbennett@indplsartcenter.org
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Professional artist - Part 2

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Please notice that the “a” in artist above is a lower case “a.” It should have been lower case in my previous blog about being a professional artist. I’m proud of the fact that I can make a living selling my work. I’m proud that there are enough people in the world who consider my work relevant enough to actually pay me money to buy it. That makes me a professional artist. But that certainly does not make me a great Artist. Upper case “A” I reserve for Artists who history deems to be “Great….” Artists like Picasso, Dali, Georgia O’Keefe… you know the ones. I know a lot of professional artists who make a living selling their work, but are (in my opinion) terrible artists. So, “professional” is about money. It’s only about my art-making as a job. 

I’m pretty prolific. I make a lot of art. I sometimes wonder if I would work so hard at it if I was rich. If I was rich, would I be making the same kind of art? Maybe I would be more experimental. Financial independence provides a lot of freedom. If I was rich, would I be making art at all? Necessity and, even desperation… are great motivators. (…the mortgage is due… I gotta sell some art!). Maybe I need a little panic to motivate me.

As idealistic art students in college, we looked down on artists who had actual jobs… especially jobs that had nothing to do with art. Even our teachers were suspect. There’s an old adage… “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach”. But, I’ve come to learn that teaching art, to some, is a passion equal to making art. The question still remains… if those artist/teachers were not teaching and not receiving that paycheck every week… would they be more highly motivated to make and sell their art? It doesn’t matter at all for those dedicated teachers who have a true passion for teaching. My only point is that desperation is a great motivator.

Another ongoing conversation I had with one of my professors in college, was the concept of the “selfish artist.” To be a great artist, do you have to be so self-centered that the art takes precedence over everything else? Maybe your family, or your students, or that 9-5 job you have, are distractions from your true calling… making art.

Personally, I’m distracted (happily) by my family, my friends, my dog, my cats, my house, etc…

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Arts, Farts & Applecarts - by John Leben

Yeah... I just started publishing a blog on my website. It's called Arts, Farts & Applecarts. It's about being an artist and it is designed to drive traffic to my website as well as a place for me to vent. This is my first blog entry. I thought I'd share the blog here on Art Fair Insiders as well. This first entry is called:

"Professional artist?:

I’m a “professional” artist. All that means (to me) is that I make my living by selling my art. When most people think about “professional” artists, they picture the elite, New York Gallery artists who sell paintings for many thousands of dollars. I’m not one of those. Most professional artists aren’t either. We work hard to, not just make the art, but to promote it and sell it as well. We make and sell the art because we have to… to make a living. 

How do I sell my art? Lots of ways. I have my gallery in downtown Douglas, Michigan… the LebenArt Gallery. I sell some art at the gallery, but not as much as I sell at art fairs. And I sell my art at other art galleries around Michigan as well. Then, there is the Internet. I sell art online, but not as much as I would like. I’ve come to realize that most people like to see the art first hand before buying it. Most of my online sales come from people who have already bought my art, or from people who have seen my work at other places… either at other galleries or at an art fair. I sell my art to pay the mortgage, to buy groceries, and, (HA!) to buy more art supplies. Most “professional” artists that I know fall into this category. Making and selling art is a challenge and a necessity. It’s our job. But… it’s a job that we love.

Now… you should realize that I’m using a very narrow definition of “artist” in this blog. Of course there are a lot of different ways to be a professional artist. Commercial artist, for example. Lots of different kind of ways to make a very good living as a commercial artist. I was one, myself, for a long time. I sold my “artistic” talents to my clients, creating logos, brochures, designing sets for TV productions, creating animated sequences for educational programs, producing programing for corporate clients… all very profitable and satisfying endeavors. But, in all these commercial endeavors, I was creating someone else’s vision… the vision of my client. So now, as a “professional” artist, I am creating my own vision. I’m making art and putting it out there for the world to see. No client. Only myself to interpret the vision. If there are enough people in the world who appreciate my vision… appreciate it enough to actually spend their money to buy it, then I am successful. I’m a professional artist. It’s the best kind of freedom.

I’ve noticed that there is a pivotal point in every artist’s career when, for the first time, a stranger actually buys a piece of their work. Not a relative… not a friend… not even an acquaintance of a friend… but a bonafide “stranger.” A stranger who buys the piece because it means something personal to them. That is a moment worth celebrating. That is the moment when the artist sees his or her potential to actually create a vision that others can share and appreciate.

If you would like to follow my blogs on my website, here is the link: 

https://www.lebenart.com/blogs/on-being-an-artist

 

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June 11 & 12
Royal Oak, Michigan
Washington Street
Saturday 10am-7pm & Sunday 11am-5pm
120 Artists
Deadline: March 13
 
Application fee: $30    Booth fees start at $395
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  • A unique event, featuring 60 clay, glass, and metal artists. The nation's only show dedicated to clay, glass and metal. 
  • Extensive demos in each medium.
  • Educated audience that loves this art and supports it with their purchases. 
  • Artists that demonstrate or offer hands-on projects get additional space at no charge. 
  • A narrow focus on work created with minerals and heat attracts an audience specifically looking to purchase these items.
 
Our artists tell us it is a pleasure having customers who understand their work and techniques. Drive up to unload, convenient artist parking. 

Intentional events for extraordinary results: www.integrityshows.com

Presented by the Royal Oak Chamber of Commerce with the assistance of Mark Loeb and Integrity Shows.
 
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Fine Art photography for decoration

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What is fine art photography Exactly?

When it comes to photography, some would argue that there is no need to define what really is and what may not be fine art, which leaves the question open to interpretation. However, while fine art photographers may take any subject, their aim is very different in contrast to how commercial photographers depict subjects aimed at showing or selling a product or service, for example. This says a lot about the intentions of both types of photography and we can see that there are differences between the two.

How to decorate your home with Fine Art?

When it comes to photographic trends, we will rely on images with powerful 'black & white' and impactful colour that really draws one into the subject matter in order to depict our deepest desires and duality of life. The growth of surrealism and philosophical subjects fuels the popularity of fine art photography and photo manipulations that tell compelling visual stories. Creative uses of makeup make a huge impact because now artists can photograph their favourite sketches onto an already finished portrait.

 

Let's explore the premium quality wildlife luxury wall art for decoration.

 

 

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