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I've had a busy autumn (fall) with five shows in five weeks in March/April - I was a bit frazzled at the end, considering I'm meant to be a "regular" mum in between the particular days the shows are on.  

Here's a quick rundown with a few quick pics (when I remembered to take the camera!)

I started with a trunk show hosted by a friend in the central coast area of NSW, about 3 1/3 hours drive from home.   We were staying the weekend with the kids and she was kind enough to offer to host the show as so many of her colleagues commented on her jewellery (that I made).   We sent the hubsands and kids to the beach and for a 2 hour period it was flat out - women almost fighting over the same item and afterwards,  the table looked as though someone had grabbed everything and tipped it upside down!  But sales were decent and everyone had fun.

Next was a brand new handmade & homegrown quartlery market in a town called Scone, about 1 3/4hours drive away.  Just a hlaf day and I was invited along.  The night before was wet and wild and I drove there in the early morning dark very worried since it was supposed to be a rather stylish outdoor event.   The organiser valiantly arranged for us to occupy the lovely cafe on the site (with reduced space naturally) if we wanted to stay and I managed to get allocated to a good spot with substantially more room than some (helps when you've drived a fair distance obviously).   My stet up wasn't ideal as I hadn't brought lights which  I always do for indoor shows but I made do, and the customers didn't seem to mind, as they came out in the weather in droves.  I made my first sale (albeit a small one) at 8.30am which for me is unheard of - I don't usually sell any jewellery till after 10am, perhaps people need to be awake to consider a purchase of this type!?   I had a decent day out well worth the trip and gained a few new clients.

The entrance to the cafe

Part of my set up in the cafe.

The following weekend was an ag show at Dunedoo, about 40 min from home.  I've beed doing it for about 5 years now and each year my sales have slowly increased.   Located in the ladies pavillion along with the cakes, handicrafts and art, I have become a regular sight there and people look forward to seeing what I have.   There were 30 odd booths outside as well and 4 others inside the pavillion with me that had been invited by the head steward as being of interest to the "ladies".   This year was mind-blowing in the sales dept, perhaps the good seasons lately have helped and confidence for my rural clientele was up.  Whatever the reason, they bought and kept me busy for the 12 hours  I was open.

I stopped for a couple of minutes on the drive to Dunedoo to take a photo of the paddocks in the early morning

I went a town 40km further along from Dunedoo to another ag show the next weekend, to Mendooran.   A much smaller event I'm the only booth located in the ladies pavillion and have no trading whilst the judging is going on - and this year it went on, and on  and on!   My selling time was reduced to just a few hours because of this and this did impact on sales.   But I still had a good day... until I got a speeding ticket on the way home!  One of those annoying areas that they've kept the speed limit low even though everything has closed down at the edge of town and all houses are on access streets.  Pure revenue raising... but I digress!

The old cafe in Mendooran is covered in murals - a bit of a tourist attraction for this tiny town.

To finish off, I had the Art Vine Makers Market in Mudgee.  This is a yearly event in a town about 100km from home with a large tourism interest (wineries) with lot of people from Sydney visiting on weekends.  Another half day event, it was an early start and I had chosen to go indoors in case of poor weather.   However the weather was spectacular, the people turned out in droves at about 9.30am and I was busy, busy, busy till it suddenly stopped at 1pm.  This was my second year there and I had people seeking me out that had bought from me last year.     Sales were up on last year and the only downside was one pair of earrings that appear to have been stolen as I was the last to pack up indoors and there was definitely nothing on the floor and I've been through all my things looking for them.  A bit disappointing as theft at shows is quite rare here.

The crowd at the Art Vine Market , Mudgee

After all this, I had to go for a holiday to the beach with the kids to recover :)   

Back home now and 2 one day shows to do next weekend, a private school's autumn fair that I have attended for the last 5 years or so, 2 hours drive one way then home and the next day a new Art Festival, 2 1/2 hours drive in a completely different direction.    Perhaps I'll need another holiday after that LOL.  Or maybe I'll just hide for winter!

For nearly three decades, Howard Alan and American Craft Endeavors have allowed more than 10,000

Welcome to Chicago

artists to exhibit their original work to millions of art fair patrons across the United States.  When our company began, our art and craft shows showcased a handful of exhibitors.  Today, a typical Howard Alan or American Craft Endeavors event features 100-300 talented artists and fine crafters.

No matter where you are, you are sure to find one of our stellar events nearby.  Our shows take us to destinations like Aspen, Chicago, Alexandria, Vail, and Fort Lauderdale ... just to name a few!  Our great outdoor venues, fantastic crafters, and talented artists allow us to consistently be ranked among the top art and craft shows in the country.  Visit a show and see for yourself why we are the very best!

A May Highlight

May 18-20 Kansas City, Missouri 5th Downtown Art Annual Kansas City Art Fair Fri. 5-9; Sat. 10-8; Sun. 11-6 Free Admission Kansas City: Boasting over half a million square feet, The Kansas City Power & Light District is the premier epicenter of the Midwest. 150 Fine  artists and crafters will be on hand to display at this first class  affair. With mediums such as paintings, sculpture, jewelry, photography,  pottery and much much more there is something for everyone at this top  notch event. The Power & Light District creates the perfect setting  for this event featuring fine dining, retail, and live entertainment! There is something for everyone at the phenomenal free event. We look forward to seeing you in Downtown Kansas City!  More info: www.artfestival.com/Festivals/Kansas/City

A July Premiere Event

July 28-29 Aspen, Colorado    Downtown Aspen Art Festival Sat. & Sun.: 10am-5pm Free Admission Aspen: 10 years of sweet success at this year's Downtown Aspen Art Festival.  Swanky and affluent Aspen, Colorado, welcomes us each year. Aspen's scenic  Wagner Park plays host yet again to this fabulous, free outdoor art  festival. Showcasing an all-star line-up of the nation's finest artists,  the Downtown Aspen Art Festival will provide you an exclusive  opportunity to experience a broad range of phenomenal creations ranging   from life-size sculptures, photography, glass, paintings, ceramics,  one-of-a-kind jewelry, and mixed media. Take in fabulous views of  Downtown Aspen, grab a delicious bite at a local eatery, and purchase  original artwork from the artists themselves. See you at Wagner Park! More info:  www.artfestival.com/Aspen

September's Premiere Event

September 8-9 Alexandria, Virgina 10th Anniversary Alexandria Festival of the Arts Deadline: May 1 Sat.: 10am-7pm; Sun.: 10am-5pm Free Admission Alexandria:  This show is rated as one of the top art fairs of the country by The Harris List and Sunshine Artist Magazine. Voted one of the top 100 art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine.   Discover spectacular paintings, life-size sculptures, jewelry,  photography, ceramics and more. This popular outdoor event will feature  art for every taste. More than $15 million in art will be on display and  visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists behind the work  and hear first-hand what inspired them to create their pieces. Artists travel from California, New York, Maine, Florida and New Mexico,  as well as throughout the state of Virginia. Selecting artists based on  quality and originality, an independent panel of judges chose the  exhibiting artists from more than 1,000 submissions. The show is set up along King Street in Alexandria's Old Town, a quaint,  historic town with many different shops, restaurants and more. The show  stretches all the way down the street to the Potomac River.    More info: www.artfestival.com/Alexandria

November Highlight

November 24-25 Delray Beach, Florida 13th Annual Downtown Delray Beach Thanksgiving Wknd Art Fest Sat. & Sun.: 10am-5pm Delray Beach:  The artsy neighborhood of Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach, Florida, anxiously awaits this show each year.  Expect large buying crowds during this holiday weekend. Walk off that  turkey and pumpkin pie at this annual Thanksgiving Weekend tradition.  Pineapple Grove, a fabulous arts district in Downtown Delray Beach is  the spot for uniquely created and inspired fine art and crafts. From  sculptures to earrings--there's something for everyone on your holiday  gift list! More info:  www.artfestival.com/Delray/Beach

Hey all! 

   I am headed to Richmond, VA for Arts in the Park this weekend!  It's actually the first juried show I've ever done so if anyone has any general or show specific advice for me, I would love it! Thanks so much!!

        -Paige :-)

Is it only me, or do your feelings get hurt at art shows?  Do you find being an artist a little lonely sometimes, especially if you had a corporate job?

I used to love to write and while drawing for a living has been very rewarding, I'm finding I've really let my writing muscles go slack.  I'm misspelling words or even using the wrong words.  I think sometimes the visual focus takes over and the verbal skills can atrophy a bit, at least for me!

To combat my degrading writing skills and to entertain myself, I've started writing a blog about being an artist and what it was like to make the transition to a full-time corporate career: http://www.pencilenvy.blogspot.com/

 I'll bet that some of my fellow artists can appreciate my experiences, especially in today's post, which is partly about the pain of watching busy jewelry booths get all the attention while wonder if you'll break even:

http://www.pencilenvy.blogspot.com/2012/05/boo-hoo-water-balloons.html

A warning... I have a rather juvenile sense of humor and my language can get a little bit dicey.  Also, let me also say that I buy jewelry at almost every art show... I mean no disrespect to jewelry artists! 

I hope everyone has a wonderful outdoor art season... mine is just starting and I hope I have less crying fits on the way home than I did last year.

I am an art to waer artists with prices ranging from $160 to $ 320 , my customers are over 45 years old...Do you think it could be a good show for me???

Thank you so much..

This past weekend (April 27-29) we participated in the Astoria Crab, Wine and Art festival for the 3^rd time.   This is a show put on by the local chamber of commerce and is very well organized with good communication prior to the show.  Astoria is a small town in far Northwest Oregon that attracts a lot of tourists who are passing through town on the way to the Oregon beaches.  It’s located  very close to where the Columbia River dumps into the Pacific Ocean, so seafood and fresh fish are wonderful treats when visiting the area.  This festival has been operating for 30 years and attracts local residents primarily on Friday and Sunday with out of town visitors on Saturday.  The show includes local Oregon wineries, a couple of breweries, artists and gourmet food vendors.  Art is NOT the primary focus of this show, this is not a show that works for everyone, but jewelry is small and easy to carry so we’ve had good results from this show in the past.  The 2D artists who do this show and offer shipping seem to do better than those who do not offer that service.  It is a show I hesitate to recommend to other artists because results can vary greatly.

Friday the show doesn’t start until 4 PM so you have all day to load in, or you can also opt to load in on Thursday.  The Friday night crowd is not there for shopping, they are there to sample the wine and party.  That being said, we did have our best Friday night thus far at this show, but just by a mere $50.  The show runs until 9 PM by which time there are numerous patrons who need to be poured on the shuttle buses to go home.  For the attendees there are some challenges for the show, shuttle buses run from the local high school and is provided for free.  Parking at the fairgrounds costs $10 for the patrons and is somewhat limited.  The lines waiting to get out of the parking lot on Friday night were quite lengthy making us grateful that our RV was parked on the outside of the parking lot and we didn’t have to deal with driving anywhere that night.  The shuttle / parking situation does discourage some patrons from buying large artwork unless they can have it shipped or delivered after the show. 

Saturday the show runs from 10-8 and is the day for sales for most of the artists who participate.  Our sales were good this year on Saturday, but not nearly as good as last year.  I feel I need to add a qualification here in that last year on the Saturday of this show we achieved our highest 1 day sales total EVER, so we weren’t going in with the expectation that we would top that.  In fact our sales for just Saturday alone last year were higher than our overall total show average, so I was trying not to be over optimistic this year.  So, while our sales were good, we were surprised at what seemed like a lot lower attendance than usual.  I could actually see some of the other booths across from us for most of the day which has not been our experience the last 2 years.   The last 2 years have been wall to wall people from about 11 – 3 on Saturday, not the case this year.  Also, the sales we made were more evenly split between locals and out of town visitors, in past years the majority of our sales on Saturday have been from visitors from Portland and Seattle.  Made us wonder if the high price of gas was taking its toll.  Another measurement of the smaller crowd, lines at the women’s restroom was generally shorter this year.  Sorry, I know some of you could care less about that,  but with all the wine tasting, usually the lines on Saturday afternoon are way too long.

Sunday the show only runs from 11-4 and is a very quiet crowd, mostly local.  In the past Sunday has always been our lowest sales day and by about 3:30 on Sunday we were beginning to think we were going to hit a new show low with 0 sales for Sunday.  Our first and last customer of the day came in at 3:45 and bought 3 pieces causing us to breathe a sigh of relief that we didn’t have a 0 day.  So a few hours of total boredom on Sunday with one customer in the last 15 minutes of the show.  What a way to end the show.  End result – we were up about 10% over the first year of doing this show but definitely down from last year’s stellar show.

Load in / load out is fairly easy with a little bit of a crowded parking lot, but a very flat load in / load out for dollying your stuff.  Some vendors park around the building but then you’re parked on the grass or in mud and that adds a little more challenge to the load in / load out.  We opted for a little longer walk to our booth, but it was all flat and on concrete.  The show is held at the local fairgrounds in a large building with pipe and drape already provided as part of the booth fee.  This is our last indoor show of the year and given that it’s held in late April on the Oregon Coast, it was great to still be inside, out of the rain. 

The show provides the option for RV parking on site, however, we park along the perimeter of the gravel parking lot, in the grass, at the end of April so it’s a somewhat muddy camping experience at the end of April in Oregon.  This year they pointed us to a spot that was impossible to level our RV so we spent the weekend feeling like our equilibrium was a little off.  However, it’s great to have the option, the parking lot is across the highway from the show facility with a foot bridge over the highway so we never have to deal with driving anywhere once we’re set up and be concerned about patrons who have sampled too much wine.

Is this a show we’ll do again?  Probably, it’s a relatively easy show to do, 4 hours from home and decent early season results when we have limited options for shows in this part of the country in April.  Is it  a show that works for everyone?  No, I know of at least 3 artists who say they won’t be back, this was their 2^nd or 3^rd attempt at this show and the results just weren’t good enough for them to feel like they want to come back.  There were also a couple of artists who have been there in the past that were noticeably absent this year, so again, not a show that works for everyone. 

Now we’re enjoying a quiet week in a campground outside of Portland before we take off on Friday to continue our Oregon road trip to 2 new shows for us over the next 2 weekends. 

I'd like to hear from anyone who has done the Santa-Cal-Agon Festival in Independence in August.  I haven't been able to find out a whole lot about it except for the fact that it seems to have huge crowds, long hours and they allow buy/sell.  I'd especially like to know if there is any indication of fine crafts being sold there or is it more of a "canine sunglasses" sort of festival.  I have read that they have watermelon-seed spitting contests and root beer chugging and that sounds sort of scary.  Sunshine Artist had some pretty nice things to say about it but price points seemed to be on the low side of the scale.  Any comments would be appreciated.

So many of you have been generous and helped build this site that it is time to do some serious recognition of the people who have made it happen. A volunteer editorial board of members has sent me nominations for the most important people in the community and we are rolling out our first AFI Community Leaders.

These people can be identified by the "Red Dot" insignia on their pictures on the site. This first group have been members here for three years, in fact, Geri Wegner, was member #51, and she is still here explaining the business and shopping at the shows! Way to go, Geri.

One of the editors said:

    ...let me say that there are several who would be at the top every time.  They always respond.  They always give their opinion, not always agreeing but that is what makes reading those topics interesting.

And another said she made her choices because she liked, "their insight, conversation starting and willingness to show their vulnerability and strength as artists and businesspeople."

And the Leaders are:

• Larry Berman - joined March 2009 - always ready to answer, teach and learn, over 1600 discussions!
• Barry Bernstein - joined February 2009 - participated in 275 discussions, occasional blogger, our resident curmudgeon
• Geoff Coe - joined July 2009 - excellent reporting skills, over 50 blog posts
• Nels Johnson - joined January 2009 - his writing is one of the reasons to turn on your computer in the morning
• Linnea Lahlum - joined January 2009 - quietly helping and sharing in the discussions. Count on her for thoughtful questions and generous answers, over 400 discussions
• Munks - joined September 2009 - watch out when he shows up, straightforward, honest answers that can make you cry or laugh
• Jim Parker - joined January 2009 - friendly, useful reporting. Makes you want to be next to him at the next art fair; nearly 500 discussions
• Geri Wegner - joined in November 2008 - personally making the rounds of the Florida and Illinois shows and reporting back; probably has more friends in the business than anyone
• Diane Wright - joined July 2009 - practically a one woman welcoming committee on AFI, greeting the newbies and bringing them into the fold; over 400 discussions

Many thanks to all of you for their generosity. May your kindness return to you in the same beautiful way it was offered.

Every month we will be choosing a few people to add to this elite list. I'll be looking for your nominations. We all really appreciate those who contribute to this community and help the rest of us make sense of this peripatetic life. What makes you get up and visit this site? Who do you love?

June 16 & 17
Lathrup Village, Michigan
Hosted by: Lathrup Village community Foundation
Sat.: 11am-7pm, Sun.: 11am-5pm
50 Artists
Deadline: May 12

Imagine the sweet tastes of BBQ fresh off the grill, washed down with the best of Michigan beers.  Listen to sounds of live finger-snapping music while you stroll through a unique art fair.  Hear the laughter of children as they create their own crafts and are taken to the land of magic.

The art fair is situated in and around a lovely park setting that borders Southfield Road, taking advantage of the 50,000+ cars that pass through on any given day. 

Marketing: A comprehensive PR/marketing campaign inclusive of radio, print, and web along with sponsor support from Michigan First Credit Union, Oakland County Parks, City of Lathrup Village, C&G Newspapers, Southfield Parks and Rec, DTE Foundation, Copper Canyon Brewery, and more.

This year will feature an amateur BBQ cook-off, 7,000 S.F. of garden and landscape products and services, live music, activities designed to encourage kids to "get up and get moving", grilling demonstrations, expanded food court & mini pub, home of the $2 Michigan microbrew.

Our first rate hospitality is always a staple that includes:

• Staff who recognizes artists needs
• Friendly volunteers to help you unload and booth sit
• Continental breakfast each day
• Spacious booths 12x12 with ample aisles
• Reasonable fee-$155  

For more information and to download an application: www.summerinthevillage.comand click on the Artist link.

Or contact Maralee Rosemond at:  (248)557-2600, x 224   

Email: recreation@lathrupvillage.org 

*This fair was formerly known as the Lathrup Village Art Fair.

Well, it can't be all doom and gloom, so I thought I could amuse you all with a Tequila Report about Melbourne on the Florida east coast.

While doing a so-so show last weekend (actually I only made $100 less than last year, of course if I zeroed then, this would not be a good sales total, but I did not) at Melbourne I had time to eat and imbibe at two wonderful places there.  Neither will set your pocketbook back big time, but they do deliver a lot of bang for the buck.

Also before I tell you this, here is another gem there.

There is a patron of the arts who lives on Waverly Steet, one of the show venues, who opens her house up to all of us both days during the show.

She gives out free water,soda,beer, even wine.  She has free hot dogs and chips and cookies.  You can even use her air-conditioned bathroom.  She is a life-saver.  If you want to know more, stop and ask me when you see me at a show--I will probably tell you everything.

Back to the TR.

First place on my list is Matts Casbah located right on the main drag of the show on the corner of Waverly.  No, he is not the one giving out free hot dogs.

He always has a kick-ass band play on Saturday at a rollicking outdoor, roof-covered bar.  Drinks are cheap and plentiful.

He is a combo restaurant that serves exceptional sushi as well as fresh cooked seafood.  I had a

whole spicy Red Snapper encrusted with all kinds of yummies.  He does beef and chicken, and even vegetarian.

If you are adventurous try a Tuna Depth Charge.  You get three pieces for $6.50.  They are cut pieces of red tuna wrapped in edible seaweed with a habenaro paste slather on the top.  I managed to eat two of them before they flooded my eye glasses.  They got the taste and the heat.  The chef said they even put a hint of ghost peppers in there.  I would like to see Uncle Dick, photographer from Bonita, eat them with his ghost orchids.

Matts was so good we ate there two nites in a row, neither time cost me a lot and I walked out satiated.

Next, for a real drinking deal go to Duffys Sports Bar, located by the mall off Route 192.  The main drag.  When you see a Fridays restaurant on the west corner of the mall turn on that street.  next on your right is Chicos and right across the street is Duffys.

What I like about Duffys is that they do two-for-ones on all drinks--and I do mean all.  Double Grand Drunks, Patron, Makers Mark, Grey Goose it doesn't matter.  They give a decent pour and don't clip you on the price.  I got two Makers Mark Manhattens for $8.25, that is a good deal.

They have steaks, chicken wings and anything else you would expect at a sports bar.  They give top notch service.  Oh, they must have a gazillion LED TVs all tuned to any sports event going on.  We were exhausted after Friday night setup and hit them enroute to our hotel.  I hit them for after dinner drinks almost every night.  Boy did I sleep like a good lamb.

So there, screw all the doom and gloom. Go out and hoist one tonight to better, future art show sales.

My next Tequila Report will be from somewhere up north, I have almost six months to investigate good grubs and great victuals.

Hang in there lasses and laddies.  We will endure and prosper.  I mean what is our alternative?

I did the Fairfax Paragon show last fall and was not really happy with the results so I was hoping for better this spring.  And I did do better, a little more than double what I did in the fall and I came out just a little above average for shows in this area.  As usual I don’t get around much but the artists near me were happy with their sales. 

This is a fairly small show with around 120 artists held in an upscale outdoor mall.  Booths are on either side of the street with some booths also in a courtyard area.  Although some spots seemed better than others I don’t think there were any truly bad spots. The people seem to look very carefully before they buy.  Some came to my booth three times before they bought something and except for one small sale I didn’t sell anything before 2PM either day.

The weather on Saturday was pretty miserable, cold and cloudy, but it least it didn’t rain (much).  Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day and that was my best selling day.

Load in and out are fairly easy.  I was able to pull my van right up to my spot for both.

Paragon has no food booths (there are plenty of restaurants in the mall) and very subdued sponsor booths.  Artist parking is about ¼ mile away depending on your booth location and it is enforced. 

Most of the hotels in the area cater to business travelers for the many office buildings in the area so they don’t get many people on weekends.  Both times I have done the show I have been able to snag the Hilton on Priceline for a really good price.

I detest going to a show where the organizers don't come by the booth and introduce themselves. And, there are quiet a few of them.  It makes the whole thing so "dirty." Organizers organize, they are not in charge of results. Win, lose or draw, they do their best, at least have the guts to face your clients (the artists).

Well, that said. last week was Magic City, kudos to Eileen Kuntzman, she was everywhere, at the end of the show she even turned up to help my wife and I load out!!!!  

Wow

Congrats to Ellen Marshall for taking away a nice $850 award this past weekend at the Melbourne Art Festival in Melbourne, FL, and to these prizewinners:

More than 250 artists competed this year in nine categories.

Best of Show: Phil Parker, Flagler Beach.

Painting (Oils, Acrylic): First: Patrick Pierson*, Palm Springs; Second: Marta Crawford*, Edgewater; Third: Ummarid Eitharong, Orlando.

Painting (Watercolor): First: Lori Jenkins, Melbourne; Second: Michael Weber*, Port St. Lucie; Third: Terry Denson, St. Petersburg.

Graphics, Drawing, Painting 2D Mixed Media, Pastels: First: Jeff Eckert, Tampa; Second: Ellen Marshall, Ybor City; Third: Stephen Koury, Lakeland.

Sculpture: First: Nancy Cervenka, Gulfport; Second: David Figueroa, Sanford; Third: Charles Hazelaar, Cape Canaveral.

Digital Media: First: Marius Moore, Gulfport; Second: John Margerum*, Oviedo; Third: Laurie Coppedge, Jacksonville.

Jewelry: First: Carol Adams, Lake Worth; Second: Kristin Holeman, Fort Lauderdale;

Third: Pam Fox, Sarasota.

Clay: First: William Kidd, Miramar; Second: Katherine Mathisen, Ocoee;

Third: Glenn Woods, Palm Harbor.

Glass, Wood: First: Chuck Boux, St. Petersburg; Second: Bill and Jon Slade*, Jacksonville;

Third: Barrie Harding, Dunnellon.

Other Media: First: Garry Seidel, Davie; Second: Richard Auger, Summerfield; Third: John Moran, Gainesville

I know a bunch of you were at the show. How about a review? In particular, Jeremy Browne, made the trek from Canada. How did it go, Jeremy?

While working in my booth this past weekend at Southlake, a customer asked what the strangest thing was that I had ever seen at an art show.  My husband and I thought for a moment and concurred that it was something that occurred at a show in Austin, Texas, a couple of years ago.

I had a crowded booth and was completing a sale with a customer.  I glanced up while packaging up the purchase only to be shocked by a woman who had a certain upper body part completely exposed.  A million thoughts went through my mind at that moment.  How in the world could I alert her to her public display of a private body part without 15 other people suddenly becoming aware of the issue?  Well, I did nothing and prayed she would figure it out, or, at least move out of my booth.......

How about you all? I am sure that there is a story to top this one.....(In fact, I heard a rumor about a Park City flasher).....

Well, I have been vey quiet lately, in case you noticed, not many show blogs out of me.

My philosophy being, if I can't say a lot of good about a show,why tear it down with criticism.

This spring has been one of the worst for me in the last ten years.  And it is not just me.  I have talked to countless friends who do jewelry,ceramics, photos, paintings, etc.  They too, for the most part, are crying the blues.

Out of 14 shows I have had maybe three that I called a real success--where I made serious granola.  Most  barely paid expenses with a little left over.  Then three were absolute stinkers.

Here is my assessment on what is going on.  It is only that.  I have done shows for more than 30 years and now weathered at least three great recessions--this one being the worst--with no end in sight yet.

Our beloved middle class buyers out there are decimated in their spending of disposable income.

The rich and well-off still got it and are buying big expensive pieces.  The middle has down-sized their buying--think $50 and under.  The lower middle--they are just looking, they are not even buying pop corn or ice cream.

My sales of 16x20 framed photos, that readily sell at $160.00, are down 60 per cent.  That is a lot.  Even the matted sales at $80 are down 40 per cent.  Low end,$40 and under, are barely holding their own.

My large sales, $200-$500 have held their own with last year, with a slight increase in framed sales.  When I run into a couple decorating their walls of a new home, I have good sale.  There are just not enough of them for me and everybody else out there.

We are more and more standing around at shows twiddling our thumbs and subdueing yawns because there is no action in the booth.

The Bonita-Naples market is over-saturated.  I will probably pass on those shows on Fifth Avenue in downtown Naples.  The sales do not merit the 3 am setup and nearly $500 booth fee.

The patrons are jaded, they walk their dogs, and keep moving on.  It is hard to get them excited about anything other than an upturn in the stock market.

For artists doing originals only, like my wife Ellen, a pastelist, it is especially brutal.  Yeah, if you are in a biggie like Winter Park, you can make serious granola.  But how many Winter Parks are there?

Last weekend at Melbourne she got a nice big red second place ribbon worth $850.00.  How were her sales for the show--zero.

We asked the wonderful people at Bank of America who hold our mortgage if they would consider adding her ribbon to their corporate art collection and gives us a partial payment credit--they said, "Nada."

So I will suffer the crowds and heat at Fernandina this weekend and make a little bit of money--probably more like gas money to power the Ford van north to Saugatuck for the summer next week.

After East Lansing in late May comes the real "tell" Columbus Art festival in June.  Most years it produces steady, great sales. But this year, who knows?

It will be very curious summer, I can't wait.

     This was my 4th year for this show and I had a great feeling going into the weekend.  MCAC is a Friday - Sunday show.  The last couple of years has had terrible weather.  Last year was the tornado outbreak that rolled through the area just a couple of days before the show so people had much more to worry about than an art show.

     All that being said this year started out good.  Set up was on Thursday.  Set up in my location went great.  I was able to back right up to the booth spot and unload.  I was lucky because most artists had to dolly into the park to their site.  We set up the tent, all the walls and some of the art.  I am a glass artist and it was a little windy so we didn't set up all the glass until Friday morning.  We visited with some friends we see every year, some great artist.  Friday night went to Dreamland for the best ribs in America.  When in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa you have to go there.  Ribs and mac and cheese.  Stuffed myself.

     We finished setting up Friday morning.  It was a beautiful day although a little warm.  We waited for the crowds.  And waited.  The traffic flow was sparse but steady.  The judge came through.  A complaint I have with this show is they only have one judge.  I never go into a show expecting to win an award (and most of the time I don't) but when you only have one judge their taste is what wins.  The "Best of Show" award went to a good friend of mine Shadow May.  Well deserved.  He is a talented ceramist and just a good guy.  Some of the other awards were not what I would have deemed award worthy but that's just me.  That's why there should be more than one judge.  Friday turned out to be a fair day.  Friday night the show had an awards dinner.  It was pretty nice for a show dinner.  Lot's of good food and wine.

     Saturday morning was sunny, warm and full of expectations.  The day started out slow but finally the crowds showed.  Items priced between $75 and $150 seemed to sell well.  We did sell a couple of pricer items.  Overall Saturday was a good day.  You saw lots of bags and packages in peoples hands.  It did get hot but the crowds stuck it out.  Saturday and Sunday from noon till 4 was their Corks and Chefs event.  It is on the show site in a tent behind where our booth was set up.  You buy a ticket ($35 I think) and you get to sample food from 10 or so resturants from the area.  You get 7 chips and each chip buys you a small plate of whatever the resturant brought to sample.  Wine, beer and cold drinks were free.  I didn't drink anything but again I stuffed myself.  I spent the next hour setting in my chair trying to ward off a nap while my wife worked like crazy trying to keep up with the customers.

     Sunday was about like Saturday.  It got hot with little breeze.  Crowd was good and steady after the church crowd came out.  People were buying but again the medium priced objects.  I talked to several artists and most said they had a fair show.  I don't think but a few had great shows but I don't think very many had lousy shows either.

     Load out was hard.  It's one of those you have to be totally torn down before you can get a load out ticket from a wandering staffer.  Then you go pay your taxes and you get a pass to go get your vehicle.  The street behind us that we used to unload was where Corks and Chefs took place so we couldn't back up to our site.  We had to dolly out to another road down a bumpy, uneven sidewalk.  The staffers working traffic were easy to work with and let me park as close as possible. 

     I like Magic City.  I will apply again but as with most shows there are some things that I wish were different.  They had a NBA basketball court set up next to the Corks and Chefs tent directly behind us.  It was for young kids to come in and learn technique and play games.  All weekend we either were listening to loud music designed to bring in young people or we had to listen to a guy with a mic call the play by play of the games and basketball drills.  Several older people who came in my booth said they couldn't stand the loud music and said they were sorry but had to leave.  I'm not sure what the basketball drills had to do with an art show.  It was just loud and drew crowds of young kids who had no intention on buying art.  I would also try to get more than one judge to evaluate the art.  It's more fair to those who might not be the kind of art that the one judge liked.  All this being said MCAC is a good show.  It seems like you ramble about the things you didn't like and don't give credit to the hard work of the committee.  I do appreciate the hard work they put in to make Magic City a good show and hope to see them next year.

June 16 & 17

Evanston, Illinois

Custer's Last Stand Festival of the Arts 
Main Street Station Shopping District, Downtown Evanston
10 am to 9 pm daily

Deadline: May 15  

375 Artists  and craftspeople from across the nation come together every  year to  exhibit and sell paintings,  ceramics, pottery, photographs,  jewelry,  graphic arts, wearable art,  country and home craft, antiques  and  collectibles. They are joined by  150 local businesses and  commercial  exhibitors who put on an old  fashioned Sidewalk Sale. Over  30 food  vendors offer a full international menu featuring the old  favorites as  well as new fare. Showcases entertainment on three  different stages.

The Custer Fair attracts over 70,000 attendees.  It has been called, "The North Shore social event of the year."  This fair has been twice voted the best art fair by North Shore Magazine and it is an inaugural inductee into the Illinois Festival Hall of Fame.

The  Chicago Sun-Times says, "This 38 year-old fest of chompin', stompin',  and shoppin' isn't just any old street fair."

The Custer Fair is located  in the Evanston Main Street Station Shopping District.

E-mail: office@custerfair.com

I have been collecting various types of art for for over 30 years.  I collect glass, pottery and jewelry primarily, but in all those years, I have amassed a collection of probably all media.  I buy what I like, not worrying about investment value, usability or popularity.  These pieces are for me to enjoy and if others do, wonderful but my feelings are what count here.

Everyone has bought things that they wish they hadn't but  that is part of the process.  Things will look good in a booth but once you get them home, they just don't work.  That is when I wish that there was a return policy at art festivals!

We are fortunate enough to have homes in Miami and the Chicago Suburbs.  I have art in both places and while both places are totally different geographically, the styles of both homes are similar.  I like what I like so naturally I would be attracted to the same things in both locations.  The overlap of artists in both areas is far greater than I would have imagined.  (although who wouldn't want to be in Florida during the winter than Chicago?)

So what makes a successful piece?  Barring a total change in my taste (and that has happened)  I find that I have pieces that I love just as much now as I did when I first saw them.  When we arrived in Illinois this week, I sat on my couch and just looked at all the art work that was here and it was a visual feast.  I had forgotten a lot of the pieces I had here because I have enough to look at and enjoy in Miami.  When I look at a piece of pottery or put on a bracelet, I will have a visceral reaction to it.  I really enjoy what I have.  

Sure there are those people that want a picture to match their sofa or a pair of earrings to go with that new outfit but I think that most patrons buy instinctively and enjoy their pieces more as time goes on, at least I hope so.

So, if you wondered what happened to that piece that you sold, it is probably in a very happy home.

Bloomington, IL just completed the Spring Bloom Art Show. This one-day show is put together by the McLean County Art Center. This year, they needed to move the show to a different building on the edge of town and move the date. Those are 2 factors that could have affected the show. There were less artists available, because of more options in show for this weekend. But it did not seem to affect the attendance of the show, when it came to buyers.

This is the 3rd or year we have done the show. And it was a good year! Our sales were double from last year. Attendees are very friendly. The staff and volunteers from the Art Center are helpful and take good care of the artits. There is plenty of time to set up on either Friday or Saturday. Coffee and donuts are available on Saturday morning. Sandwiches and soda is available at noon time for artists at no additional costs.

Bloomington Spring Bloom is quickly becoming a tradition for us.