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I have a 10X10 and a  6X10 ( old Ann Arbor State Street Model )  Lite Dome.  I really like them , they hold up in high winds, dont pool water in the rain , and the company is very helpful.    Both are easier to set up with two people but can be done alone. You do need a three step folding stool to make the job much easier.  I use  a PVC tube weight  filled with lead shot for each cornor. .     Do get all four sides zippered  and an awning zipper as they make life easier in the long run.   Also get the cornor braces if you do a lot of outdoor shows in windy places.   It would be nice to have a container with a handle and two wheels to haul around the unit.   Is any thing like this available anywhere?.    

Sanford, Florida

 Wanted: Your ART for OUR Poster!   

THEME: "A Celebration of the St. Johns River"

BENEFITS:

• Selected Art and artist will be promoted through several venues, Special events, social media, print media and our website
• Free Booth Space for the festival (a $225 value)
• Selected artist will receive 40% from the sale of original artwork.*
• Artist booth designated with Festival Poster Artist signage

SPECS:

• Open to all 2-D art in any medium in a Vertical format.
• Recommended size is 16x20 or larger
• Submissions should be sent via email to riverfest@gmail.com  
• jpg format
• 300dpi
• Please send files sized between 2-5megs
• Can't decide on one submission?  We will allow up to 3 images for consideration
• The winning artist and their artwork will be announced on our website: www.stjohnsriverartfest.com no later than October 15, 2012  

*Artist agrees to sign a contract that releases the copyright of the original to the SJRFA to be auctioned for sale as well as for marketing and promotional materials.

www.508gallery.com  

www.raemariegallery.photoreflect.com  

Two blogs for the price of one.

It's been a while for me. I was a full time part timer for a while, up to 24 shows in a year back in 07/08 while running a demanding business back in Chicago. I was working toward retirement and this is what I wanted to do. I had a camera or two, and somehow managed to communicate what I felt, what I saw using the wonderful medium of photography.Whatever I did, it worked. People liked my expressions and I managed entry into some top shows in the country. Then the double whammy of the enconomy taking a dump, and a nasty back injury put my show career on hold while I dealt with what had to be dealt with. We all have our stories, none of us look for sympathy. Just a story.

I learned the ropes from some of the best out there,learned how to market, how to keep things in perspective. How to help out people that needed a hand.Made more than a few friendships that still pay divedends. I knew how to sell, that was the easy part.Selling became more important than expression.More important that what was my art. So in addition to the other issues. Burnout. I stepped back, and for a while, didn't miss a thing. I traveled, did some fun stuff.People portraiture and the like. But I still wondered if I really missed it.

I did one show last year in Crested.Special place, a special show.I did write it up a bit if you care to look backwards. It hurt like hell to do it,the physical exertion about did me in. So I worked on the damn back a bit, between legal and some maybe not so legal in somes states therapy I managed a grip on the pain. This year I received an invite to do Jim Delutes first year show in Littleton, a one day, pay at the gate Affordable Arts Show.

It was a crap shoot. But I have known Jim for a bit, and while some promoters receive justifiable criticism for half assed efforts Jim takes no prisoners in his efforts to organize and promote an event. I said OK. I need to see if a show could still be the fun event I remembered.

The concept is basic, time honored.Starving Artists, and it doesn't work for everyone. Photographers, jewelers,potters, glass people all manage to produce work that can sell profitably within the rules of the show (nothing more than $100.00). Not for everyone, and the one day event is a make or break deal.

I saw Jim as we were setting up. Are you nervous? I asked."Nope.What can I be nervous about? I spent the last three weeks that way,today is show time". I kinda enjoy an attitude like that.Put it all on the line for as long as is necessary, and let happen what is meant to happen. So Sunday came, we opened the tent flaps. That wonderful smell of grass and art work hit me full on. The press to hang, to arrange everything took a few hours within an hour, but I made it. No idea what would happen, then wifeypoo came back from the gate" They are lined up waiting to get in!" Seriously. Fabulous.

So it went, for four hours Cherie worked the CC machine, I wrapped and hung new work on the walls. Colorado blessed us with one of those blue sky and warm sun days, and we rocked it out.Jim managed to get the word out, the place was packed for the first part of the show, then tapered off pretty quickly. My rule of themb for each day of a show

is $2500.00, and we did a bit better than that. For me, the fun was back again. I had people looking for me "where have you been? I bought from you in_____" That felt pretty damn good I must say. Then there was the young kid. He had seen me at several shows in Colorado but could never afford a piece. He heard about this one,brought his Mom and his piggy bank and found the pic he wanted. Like most of you, I have had the good show, the big sale.This one meant as much to me as any other I have had.The look in the eyes,the pure unadulterated joy of owning a piece that was truly art to them. Not something to compliment the couch.Something to inspire.

Back to the show.Jim's relentless marketing brought the people out, and while I might disgree with him on the one day event (It should be two until it really takes off, or do max.$200.00 the first day, $100.00 the second), the layout was superb. Easy in, easier out.Communcation constant and appropriate. There were some good people there showing, the quality was better than I might have thought. Wide aisles, fair booth fees and for sorebacked veterans like me, the tent rental with panels set up was a real blessing.

I gotta give Jim a bravo and a high five for this show, and if I do any circus' next year, I will save a spot for this one.It felt good.I found that little thing that made it all fun again. Trading places for a day .Pretty damn cool. 

"Looking good Billy Ray! "

"Feeling good Louis!"

Dear members,
It's great that together we have built a friendly, open community where people can discuss the issues important to the art fair business.

I hope that we can continue to do that.

However, recently there has been a lot of discussion that has been less than kind, to say the least.

I'd like to remind everyone that typing here in the Forum is not that different than having conversations in the real world.

For example, making statements and accusations about people or businesses that are untrue, defamatory, or damage a business can lead to legal liability.

Informed opinions, polite argument, and even a certain amount of gossip is no problem.

Libel is a problem.

Definition of Libel  (abridged from Dictionary.com)
To publish in print ...an untruth about another which will do harm to that person or his/her reputation... It is a tort (civil wrong) making the person or entity open to a lawsuit for damages by the person who can prove the statement about him/her was a lie.

The primary examples we are struggling with lately here include discussions where people are stating that others are engaged in fraudulent business practices.

If you are making accusations for which you don't have supporting facts, I'd encourage you to please consider the tone and potential impact of your rhetoric to help reduce its potential for getting you into legal trouble.

I'm just running a Forum here - it's not my place, desire, or job to pass judgment. 

When defamatory statements are made here there may be consequences.  Those consequences may simply be removal of your posts, suspension of your membership, or even legal action.

Some of you may want to quibble with my legalese here but the point is really not up for debate.

Unfounded accusations are not welcome here and can get you into real trouble. 

Thanks.

I'm upgrading from a decent EZ-up and I've been pouring over people's opinions and advice about this brand and that of higher end display canopies throughout the discussions here but I'm still teetering between two major brands. I do my set-up solo - am of a 'certain age', who wants set up and tear down to be a breeze. You know, I want the world - in a display tent!

Must Haves:

• 1 person set up
• 10' x 10'
• dome
• zipped high quality side panels
• skylight
• front and back vents
• awning
• durable
• high quality
• replacement parts available

Considerations:

I'm attracted to the lightweight portability of the aluminum frame components of the Show off but love the guys at Flourish who make the Trimline that has taken over and improved on the Crafthut experience.

My research here through the forums and posts has found that there are enthusiastic supporters of every brand out there. I decided to compare apples with apples to get a handle on how things stack up! All prices shown are from the websites of each individual company as of today August 28, 2012. At first I thought there were wild ($300ish) price differences but then I looked into the add-ons and found they all come in very close to each other price-wise.

Comparing with: upper vents, 4 sidewalls, skylight, front awning)

Trimline:

• comes fully loaded 
• shipping extra (~$80 - 100)
• heavy (steel)
• 36 main components to frame
• Many components = time consuming set up
• Very Stable
• Many replacement and upgrades available
• Great Service
• Comes with anchoring kit
• Awning Add $125
• Carry Bags Add $52
• BONUS: Awesome sales support - thorough online presence with tons of info
• Bottom Line: $1152

ShowOff

• 'free' shipping
• light (marine grade aluminum)
• The top canopy goes on the roof frames while still on the ground - maybe not so easy for the person who finds it difficult to squat or bend over
• 16 main components to frame
• easy solo set-up
• Comes with 2 carry bags
• 2 center zip walls included
• Said to be super stable
• Good web site with plenty of info (not as much as Trimline folks though) responsive to email inquiries
• Bottom Line:  $1170

CraftHut = TrimLine (were bought out)

Light Dome - Finale

• Finale configured comparably $1069 + Shipping (+ $80 - 100)
• (Note: doesn't include skylight as they say their tent material transfers light well)
• Aluminum Frame
• Top canopy must slide onto roof frame with legs partially extended - maybe not as easy for the shorter person
• 21 main components to frame
• do-able solo set up
• Has some tremendously enthusiastic users many of whom attest to its rain and wind worthiness
• Replacement parts and upgrades available
• Carry Bags included
• All 4 walls come with center zip standard
• of the 2 Finale seems to have an edge over the Light Dome
• Not the best web site. Actually pretty 1990's-ish, lol - but a nice gal answered the phone when I called.
• Bottom Line: ~$1150

Suggested additional Upgrade: get a center zipper in each sidewall so solo roll-up is do-able without a special tool

Another Thoughtful Recap

An artist/blogger by the name of Ron Frazier went through this process a couple of years ago and recapped his thinking here: http://ronfrazier.blogspot.com/2007/08/upgrading-to-better-canopy-p...

Be sure to read the comments. They're making me lean towards The Finale as of this writing.

Add YOUR opinions below if you like:

1. What canopy do YOU use? 
   Brand and Model if you know
2. What do your LOVE about it?
   your top 3 features.
3. What do you wish was better?
   (if anything) about it?

What I Chose:
I went with the SHOWOFF. Here's WHY:

• fewer overall parts
• The top is set up before the legs are raised - so no struggling on a step ladder to get situated
• Tons of customizations available (I added zippers to both sidewalls so I can roll them up easily without using a contraption or a neighbor - I also purchased the rear awning fittings but not the pricey vinyl lean to - I intend to either clip my back sidewall up when my booth is open or add a lightweight tarp as necessary)

I didn't ask for nor did I receive any % off from the seller for announcing this choice.

All three main companies make excellent tents that work great for folks with slightly different needs.  

If your needs are similar to mine and this post helped you decide to also go with the SHOWOFF please mention me (Marti McGinnis) as your referral when you buy yours. They'll give me a little rebate. Then when you tell people about your purchase you'll get one too!

----------------------

Comment from Discussion (that I closed and moved here)

Permalink Reply by Brandee Ross 14 hours ago

One of the wonderful thing an artist can do in the development of their work is to join an art organization. I belong to it in order so that it may assist in the development as an artist. The best thing about them is that they have an eclectic group of artists from those who are experienced to those who are novice and from professionals to those who do this as a hobby. They support you in your endeavors and can be just as important as doing art fair as they aid in networking and in the artist's development. As a person who tries to look for the positive it's refreshing to have a group that supports rather then tries to discourage one's development.

It amazes me that those in the industry for 10,20 or 30 years can hinder the development of a person at times by their cruelty to new emerging artists. Is art not subjective after all?  Its a good thing that there are many good people with experience for every bad person who tries to humiliate a person. I have met such wonderful people through my Art Group that it is refreshing to be in a competitive city with people who have soulful love to help others. That there are still those out there who remember where they started and don't try to tear other's down to build themselves up.  Perhaps those who tear other's down have forgotten what it is to have a soul and what it is to be supportive and positive of each other's talents.

I wouldn't change the positive interations that I have had with seasoned veterans in the art world for all the money in the world because they remember to have a heart, love and passion for art. They overflow with beauty and exchange of wonderful ideas and experiences. They support and try to teach and share their knowledge. They remember who they were when they first began and remember that they are never too big to help others. I love my NYC Art Group and the Positive People I meet in the art world. They inspire me to create and be a better person.

This business keeps you humble.

Coming off two strong weekends in Rehoboth Beach, I was eagerly awaiting this past weekend's Seawall Art Show in Portsmouth, VA.  Rarely have I seen more positive "buzz" among artists for a show's pre-event communications, ease of setup and parking, and the immense respect artists are accorded during the event. 
And the weather forecast, viewed three days out, looked fantastic: clear skies, temps around 80.  I had every reason to think this would be a solid show, one that would help me gauge the suitability of the Tidewater area for my bird photography.

And the show delivered on all the aforementioned amenities, from being welcomed at check-in like I'd done the show for twenty years, to the high quality of art surrounding me on all sides, to the tasty artists' Saturday-night dinner under the oaks at the art league headquarters, and a solid awards program (up to $5,000 for best in show). Pro-active, helpful volunteers everywhere you turned. Friendly, accessible show director (Earlene Lampman, perhaps the friendliest, warmest person I've ever met on the circuit).  A pretty setting, right along Portsmouth's historic waterfront.  From that perspective, the show was a complete home run.

And then, there was the weather.

Hurricane Irene caused the show to be cancelled entirely in 2011 (and, in keeping with its reputation for treating artists well, the show refunded $100 of the booth fee). Nothing like that this year, but I couldn't help but wonder if TS Isaac, which was churning things up 1000 miles to the south, might have had something to do with the revised forecast, which began heading downhill on Thursday morning.  Each successive update pumped up the possibility of rain another notch.  By Friday night setup, the next-day forecast called for a 70% chance of rain Saturday, and 40% Sunday. 

Skies were only overcast during early Saturday morning prep, but minutes before the show opened the squalls started rolling in from the south.  Then, thunder.  As I was rolling up the front flap for the third time within 45 minutes, a volunteer came by to announce the entire area was under a tornado warning, and everyone should seek cover in the parking garage. 

Well, the twisters never materialized, but the roiling skies sure were a buzz-killer.  Hardly anyone came on Saturday, even though the clouds began clearing around 1:30 and the day ended in sunshine.  Shoshana Matthews (AFI member and Sunshine Artist reviewer)  told me early Sunday morning that the area surrounding the show had experienced even heavier rains and flooding than what we got, and people had difficulty getting out and around even after the storms had passed.

Sunday wasn't much better, unfortunately.  Although it only spritzed occasionally during show hours, there were again squally showers and occasional rumbles of thunder all around us, and the hoped-for Sunday buying crowd never materialized.  Those that came out weren't spending money, and not just with me.  The long-time veterans of the show (and there were many) with whom I spoke reported that sales were off two-thirds or more from their usual take. 

Because crowds were so sparse and the weather so rough, it's difficult for me to draw a conclusion about the show demographics.  Perhaps people would have bought more had they not had to carry artwork in the rain; perhaps not.  But if you strolled about the historic downtown area, it was hard to miss the number of shuttered businesses and restaurants.

I had two sales all weekend--one medium-sized canvas and an 11x14 print on Saturday; I zeroed on Sunday.  And
 as a final flip-o'-the-finger from the weather gods, a half-hour rainstorm rolled in as we all broke down (an hour early) around 4 PM, giving us all the immense pleasure of a wet load-out.  Yech.

The saving grace for the weekend was that I won the show's Morris Award for mastery of my medium and a  nice check during the Saturday-night awards dinner.  And, of course, forging a few new friendships among the artists and the local arts community--which, judging by the quality of work I saw during the weekend, is thriving if not exactly blessed by the weather gods.

I'll post the entire awards list when I get it.

Show link: www.seawallartshow.org

This is my favorite show of the year because it is in my neighborhood, it is run by local artists as a non-profit event, locals get an extra jury point and it defies the usual logic of "if it has music and dance and kid stuff I ain't going near it".  Buffalonians adore this show. We also do Allentown (the "biggie") and by an enormous margin, Elmwood is the show of choice. There is something about the atmosphere that makes people happy and happy people buy stuff.

I took a picture at set up so you can see the neighborhood

The show is on one street, 180 exhibitors, culturals on side streets or set up in front of driveways where artists can't set up.They take those booths down at night.

The show ends with a children's parade (don't scoff, it is great) and that sort of keeps shoppers from leaving early because everyone wants to see it

Most of the people I talked to had a good show, as did I. If you can take one more ramble about trinkets. I'll tell you about the cards. Last week, in discussion with a couple of other exhibitors and with the encouragement of some members here,  I decided to try reproducing my collage on cards to see how they would sell. I am not a photographer, but I have a decent camera and a nodding acquaintance with photoshop. So,  some came out well, others defied my attempts to try to make them copy like they were meant to look. But I figured this was sort of a focus group experiment to see if they were even a possibility.I sold them at $4 each, 3 for $10. I made $300 on them. Well, alrighty then! And I don't hate making them. That seems to be the secret. For me, at least. Bulk up the bottom line with "trinkets" that don't require a lot o time or that tie you to the work bench making things that sap your creative energy. The word "eureka" comes to mind although that smacks of hyperbole. 

The Craft Hut is back in storage, the rest of the year is indoors and I have nothing except a visit to the West Coast and family before the next one in November. 

I may read a book today.

We have just returned from an art show in Lincoln, IL. The weekend is an event of Art and Balloon's  (Hot Air Balloons). And is produced by the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce. On our arrival at 7:00 Saturday morning as we were approaching Lincoln on the Interstate Hwy, we were greeted by  no less than 24 balloons in the air. It was a great welcome to the weekend. I wish I could have gotten a pix, but driving seemed a little more important at the time.

The art show is in the downtown area in a 1 square block area. Some booths are around the parameter of the park, with others on the sidewalk in the park. Most, if not all booths are able to accommodate driving your car right up to your booth for loading and unloading. A very important feature for us, these days.

The show started out a little slow on Saturday morning. There were people viewing the art, but not really buying. This was a change from last year, where buying started early. But as the weekend progressed, the buying kicked in and most artists were happy. We ended up selling our largest piece. Lincoln 2012 is now our 10th best show of all times (in 7 years) Yeah! And it is a 21% increase from last year, which was a decent year also.

We did have some weather challenges. The winds kicked up on Saturday afternoon. There were some very high gusts. To the point that our tent frame has now taking on a new shape. :) Sunday brought some minor rain in the morning (much needed). Most of the day was cloudy, but dry. At about 3:00 on Sunday afternoon, they came through the show and told us that a storm was coming and it was ok to pack up early.

The staff and volunteers are very friendly and helpful. They understand the challenges that an artists goes through at a show and are great to work with, at the show. Thank you! We will be returning to Lincoln in 2013!

In their review,, Sunshine Artist, in their September issue, makes the following statement when talking about the five different sections that make up the St. James show:

"Each event targets different audiences by focusing on a specific style of art, from high-end art to fine craft, providing something for everyone".

Can anyone shed any light on which section focuses more on high-end art and which on fine craft?  Or which ones may lean in one direction or the other?

I probably should have asked this question prior to submitting an application but, I failed to do so.  Now that I've been accepted, I'm following up to see if I applied to the right section or should have done something different.

So, it now becomes an academic question but, I can't help but wonder.  But, should I do poorly, perhaps I can blame it on the fact that I was in the wrong section.  And, if I'm in the right section and still do poorly, I may just have to blame it on my work.  Heaven forbid that that could ever be the issue!

November 10-15
St. Joseph, Michigan
Artisan Market 2012
(formerly known as the HollyMarket)
Krasl Art Center
Hours: 10:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Presented by the Krasl Art Center
100 exhibitors
Deadline: Tuesday, September 4

This juried indoor fine art & craft fair is a unique venue with a long standing history and many dedicated and loyal customers.  Art work is displayed in the Krasl Art Center's three museums galleries.  A special team of artists transform the galleries into a beautiful and tempting artist market. 

Artists, who are accepted, may either ship or drop off their art work at the Krasl Art Center for display.  The artists are not present for the show, making the Artisan Market extremely easy to participate in; apply, ship/deliver and relax.  The Krasl Art Center takes a 30% commission on all items sold at the Artisan Market. 

To bring people to the Art Center during this event we also feature a "Soup's On" lunch each weekday offering homemade soup, bread and dessert to our shoppers for a minimal cost. 

We have made some changes for 2012 with the goal of  expanding our artist base in order to offer new and fresh art to our loyal patrons:

• It is our experience that jewelry and fine crafts have been more successful than fine art. The best selling items tend to be in the $10.00 to $50.00 price range.  
• We have additionally changed name of the event from HollyMarket to Artisan Market 2012 as a reflection of the breadth of art available.
• The Artisan Market opens on the evening of Friday, November 9, 2012 with an event premiere which includes, shopping, wonderful appetizers, wine from local wineries and live music.  Party tickets are available to the public for $25.00 per person.  Artists are invited to attend at no charge as our guests of honor.

        Please apply today through our web site http://www.krasl.org/fall_art_event.php the application process is managed through EntryThingy.  The application fee is $6.00.  There is no booth fee.

We invite you to "like" our Krasl Art Center Facebook page.

For further information please contact:
Sara Shambarger, Director of Art Fairs
Krasl Art Center, 707 Lake Blvd., St. Joseph, MI. 49085
www.krasl.org, sshambarger@krasl.org, 269-983-0271

Collingswood was the worst show I ever attended that was booked as a craft show.  Most was b/s.  Flea Market would have been a better title.

I have done 3 shows with this promoter and I will never do them again.  More and more b/s with each show.  

Surprisingly, the 3 art jewelers I saw said they did well.  Heck, they had no competition. 

I live just outside of the Philadelphia area.  I have done Rittenhouse Square in Philly and am doing Gracie Square Art show in NYC in September.  I'm currently looking for a show for the winter/spring to close the gap between mow and June.  Does anybody know of a indoor/outdoor show around the northeast worthwhile other than Art Expo?  Preferably one that does not carry crafts, only fine art.

Anyone out there use a Ipod Touchscreen with The Square?  I know it needs WiFi so I was wondering if it was good to use at an art fair?  I'm thinking not because of that but would like to know if anyone does use an Ipod with it and what they thought about it.

Well, you all can blame Connie for this blog.

She has been at me relentlessly, to show my surgical scar.  So here it is.

I am 32 pounds lighter than when i went in for the procedure, and a better person for it.  Before, I was a walking time bomb, I could have keeled over at any minute and found myself for eternity locked into Purgatory with Rosie O'Donnell.

Anybody that tells you these kind of operations are a piece of cake, has obviously never been thru one.

You learn to take it one day at a time, it is a steady battle towards recovery.  You claim little victories like being able to bend over and put both legs thru your openings in your shorts.

You learn to juggle taking about nine varieties of pills, some twice a day, some are huge like my potassium pill, it could almost choke a horse.

You revel with little victories like now I can climb in and out of my van without using the little footstool.

Every extra minute you can claw out of a long walk is a victory for you.  On August 10, ten days after surgery I was able to walk for  ten minutes.  Yesterday, 13 days later and 23 days since surgery, I walked 28 minutes.  I hope to do 30 minutes today.  It is going up near the nineties today, so humidity is no friend of mine.  So Ellen and I are going to Sams Club and while I shop for some food I am going to walk up and down each aisle and all around the store til I hit the 30-minute mark.  It will be in A/C rather than humidity--how's that for a good plan.

The hardest part about this recovery is getting a full nite's sleep.  So far that is an elusive beast.  Other "Zipper Club" members I have talked to say it is a common problem for most.  Eventually you get back to normal, whenever that will be.

I feel stronger each day and can't wait to get back to doing a show. I will be exhibiting at Arts,Eats and Beats on Labor Day weekend, booth 42.

I have Ellen as my driver, I have help in setting up and tearing down the booth.  Me, I just gotta sit there in my chair and ask for the money, and believe me, I know how to do it.

I wonder if someone can suggest an indoor art show mid-Nov through 1st weekend in Dec. that might still be taking applications.  If you know of outdoor shows I'll consider that but the weather can be so unpredictable - and that always affects sales.

I live just outside of Austin and have been traveling to Houston / Dallas and surrounding Austin area.  I'm open to other cities - and would like some ideas.  A great show somewhere in Central Texas would be fabulous too.

The shows that I have been doing on those weekends no longer seem to generate my type of client traffic.  My client is more of a fashion client (yup I do original clothing designs in jackets, shirts, scarves, etc.).    I sell to a mix of women from their late 20's to older women - had a lady in her 70's buy from me earlier this Spring.   Usually I do well in a more 'fine art show' that also allows fine 'craft'.

Thanks for your ideas,

Sue Foss

sue@fossions.com

fossions.com

This was our 3^rd year in a row participating in this festival and probably our last.   Results varied greatly for artists, other AFI’ers that were there included David Forster who had a good show, Lisa Foster who didn’t have a good show and we were somewhere in between.  Temperatures for the weekend were above average, making the booths very toasty inside.  There are not many spots in this show that receive much shade, certainly very few that would have shade for the entire day.

So why were we here?  You would think after 2 years we would have decided if the show was worth it for us or not.  2 years ago this was a surprise show for us, with $185 booth fee, 2 days with really short hours (10-6 and 10-4) and much higher than expected sales results, one of our best 2 day shows ever, it was a “no brainer” to return in 2011.  However, 2011 was a weird year for this show, the S&P had just downgraded US Debt, Wall Street went on a roller coaster the week before this show and I think we saw the impact of that.  Most of our buyers at this show are either tourists or the people who own vacation homes in the area.  In 2011 with the Wall Street roller coaster, they weren’t buying.   We left Sandpoint with a profit, but not much of a profit by the time you factor in an extra week of staying in Idaho at a local campground and the extra camping fees with the show not providing free camping for RVs.  We did receive one custom order after the show for a large necklace so that made it into a “barely mediocre” show for 2011.  So, we decided to try one more time and see which year was really the anomaly, 2010 or 2011??

The result?  Average. Yep, 2 days broiling in the booth and we hit the exact average (within $30) of the previous 2 years.  So, will we do this one again? Probably not, unless we decide to combine it with a family visit and that will be a conscious decision knowing that the end results for sales and profit are likely to be less than what we determine to be satisfactory.  My aunt and uncle retired to this area and I have cousins and their kids in the area now so it makes it really easy to combine a family visit with a show. However, it’s not really worth an extra week on the road for us at this time.

Quality at this show is all over the board, good artists, buy and sell that somehow gets in, and some very "crafty" items that don't seem like they really belong.  A lot of booths with a theme that is appropriate for furnishing mountain or lake homes.  We were next to a booth selling bonsai with lots of "hand crafted" garden decor items, I'm sure I've seen some of those same decor items in the local stores.   Of course she had fantastic sales and ended the show with a 2K wholesale order.   Sometimes it makes us think we're in the wrong business!

A few more details: 

Load in/Load out:  This is one of the most grueling load in / load outs we have.  Booth assignments are not sent in advance so you don’t know where to park in the Marina parking lot.  Load in on Friday is 4-6PM, the hottest time of the afternoon.  You have to hand dolly everything to your booth spot. After 2 years of hand trucking everything across the park, we lucked out this year with one of the booth assignments that borders the parking area.  The lot was full when we arrived, so we went to MickDuff’s Brewery for an early dinner, a cold beverage and by the time we returned at 6:15 we were able to back into a parking spot 2 spots away from our booth. Easiest load in we’ve ever had at this show, but yeah, it was still hot.  Load out, same issue, starts at 4 PM when it’s really hot.  We were about 75% done with our tear down when I noticed that the car parked immediately behind our booth was leaving.  I stood in the parking spot while my husband brought the truck around and we ended up with a relatively easy load out with the truck 10 feet behind the booth.  So, it was a much easier load out than usual, not having to haul everything over what can be a very bumpy ground.

Artist Ammenities:

Coffee and muffins in the morning, if you got there early enough, as they seemed to run out really early on Sunday.  Booth sitters were available.

This was our 4^th time in 6 years participating in this show in Coeur d’Alene ID.  The show is the first weekend of August and can be very warm and this year Sunday seemed especially hot as the temperatures came close to the triple digit mark.  I reviewed this show last year, not a lot has changed other than our results.   I really can’t explain why, but by the end of this show we had our highest ever numbers at Art on the Green.  Maybe it was because we skipped the shows in Spokane this year and it was the first time we’ve been to this area in a year. 

http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/coeur-d-alene-art-on-the-green

Load in and load out really didn’t change from last year’s write up.  I didn’t see as many volunteers this year, but maybe that’s just because we were busier than last year so I might not have noticed any of them checking to see if we needed a booth sitter.  I also know I didn’t spend much time wandering this year, another sign that we were busier.

Sales on Friday started a little slow but we had a very steady afternoon and by Friday night had covered booth plus expenses which for us is just gas and meals since we tow a travel trailer and they offer free onsite camping.  Saturday sales started early and were fast and furious the first 4 hours of the show then slowed down as the temperatures climbed.  We had a small rush of sales early evening and ended the day with our single best sales day we’ve ever had at Art on the Green.  Sunday was HOT!  Not sure what the official temperature was, but our thermometer in the booth  was showing 97. Crowd was small, sales were slow and ended as our slowest sales day of the show.  Overall, we were still pleased with the results and most likely will be back to this show.

It was also fun to see AFI’ers David Forster and Dennis Brady.  We’re seeing David at several shows this year and it’s always fun to hear Dennis’ perspective on shows in this area as it is his home base. 

Word of caution for those of you considering the other shows in town this weekend (the show in the park or the Street Fair), all weekend we were hearing very negative reports from artists at both shows and know a few artists who have done the show in the park for a few years and have sworn they won’t return as they’ve continued to see the other 2 shows go downhill.  This town really cannot support 3 shows in one weekend and think that all the artists are going to have a reasonable rate of return.

Thanksgiving Weekend, November 24 - 25

Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington Convention Center 

Saturday & Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm

presented by Holiday Art Shows

100 exhibitors

Deadline - September 7   

Barry Bernstein Makes the Sale

Please join us for the Wilmington Art & Craft Show,

Thanksgiving weekend in Wilmington NC. This is a carefully juried, fine art and fine craft celebration of the arts.

100  talented artists and craftsmen in varying mediums such as fiber arts,  jewelry, glass, mixed media, painting, pottery, photography, sculpture,  and wood will be invited to become exhibitors. 

We  are excited to offer you this premier event which takes place in the  heart of downtown Wilmington during the festive holiday season. 

Show Highlights:

• Reasonable booth fees
• Overnight security
• Easy drive up load and unload
• Free artist parking nearby
• Extensive marketing campaign 
• Artist friendly, knowledgeable staff
• Free postcards for your customers
• Friday set-up 
• By artists for artists  

Holiday  Art Shows offers three options for submitting your application; please  choose whichever is most convenient and comfortable for you. 

1. Holiday Art Shows Online Application - http://www.holidayartshows.com/online-application.html  
2. Zapplication.org - https://www.zapplication.org/index.php 
3. Print and mail application - http://www.holidayartshows.com/support-
   files/application.pdf 

Media  campaign includes: television, cable, regional newspapers and specialty  publications, billboards, NPR radio, posters, flyers, banners,  postcards and social networking.  

Sponsored by: 

WECT- TV, Encore Magazine, The Penguin - 98.3 fm

We look forward to receiving your application!  

www.WilmingtonArtShow.com

www.HolidayArtShows.com/application.pdf

Lynn Wettach, Show Director

lynn@holidayartshows.com

Phone: (904) 794-0084

Subtitle:  Don’t rely just on the word of other artists

I will start out by letting you know that I am on a bit of a rant right now due to feeling grumpy after another artist, who called to ask advice on shows, also “chewed me out” for recommending a show last year that for us was great, for her this year, not so great.   A lot of the new artists I meet are unaware of the various websites that post show info.  Some of them seem to rely entirely on other artists or ZAPP for new show ideas for future months or future years.  Over the past year  I’ve seen several newbies at shows I would not have expected to see them at and they seem surprised when their results are less than what they expected or they tell me about a particular show and complain about how bad it was.  I even got asked by one artist why I didn’t warn her about a particular show.  Well, she didn’t ask about the shows I thought were bad, she only asked about shows  I thought she should consider.   

As has been stated on this site numerous times, as people are asking advice on shows, each artist needs to do their homework including:

• Searching AFI, both the discussions and the blogs
• Searching Art Show reviews
• Searching AFSB if you have a subscription
• Searching the Sunshine Artist Forum
• Reviewing any other art / craft subscriptions you have
• Talking to other artists
• Searching other Internet sites for any input, even if it’s just the local paper giving some idea of attendance, events, parking, etc.
• Review the demographics of the area, number of expected attendees
• See if there are other “big events” scheduled for the same weekend – example: does the show clash with the annual cross state football game, etc.
• Look at previous artists if they are listed on the events website – does your work fit?

Once you make a decision, own your decision. I understand, it sometimes feels like a roll of  the dice, a lot of factors are out of our control such as weather, Wall Street, etc.    Shows also change over the years.  We all know what it’s like to do a show that didn’t meet expectations.  Whatever you do, if you haven’t done your homework, don’t pass the blame to the artist who told you about the show.  

Any other “homework” ideas?  I’m sure I’ve missed something, but I’m about ready to email the list to this other artist and ask her to please do her own homework!  I don’t mind sharing info but I don’t need a rude call that managed to distract me from important stuff, like taxes.  LOL, usually I enjoy a distraction from taxes but today’s distraction was most unwelcome.