To all my dear friends in the Art Fair Community,

I will be leaving my post at the ArtFairCalendar.com websites and social media at the end of the year after 40+ years in the business.

The good news: I’m so proud and honored to introduce you to Mary Strope, our incoming manager. Mary and I have worked together for over 30 years in various art fair related projects. She is the perfect successor who really knows our art fair industry.

Perhaps you read the helpful business articles she wrote for craftspeople in The Crafts Reportmagazine (2000-2004). Surely you met her if you visited or exhibited in George Little Management’s wholesale shows (1997-2004) where she managed the Handmade division at 7 gift shows from New York to San Francisco. During this time, she was a steering committee member for the Craft Organization Development Association which published The CODA Survey: Impact of Crafts on the National Economy (1997- 1998). 

 

If you go way back, you may remember her from The Guild’s Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair (1986-1996) where she started as a student intern fresh out of college and worked her way up the ranks to eventually become the Executive Director, where she met Connie and her husband Norm Darwish.

 

Mary has also worked with or consulted for Integrity Shows, National Association of Independent Artists (NA(A), and Buyers’ Market of American Crafts. Mary, who lives in Michigan, has worked in the fine art and fine craft business, both wholesale and retail, for almost 40 years.

 

“Mary’s background will be a strong addition to the team. Her depth of experience and industry-wide relationships will be a great asset helping us continue to support artists and art fairs nationwide,” says Connie Mettler, founder and Publisher of ArtFairInsiders.com; ArtFairCalendar.com; CallsforArtists.com; and ArtShowReviews.com. 

 

You may reach Mary via email at Mary@ArtFairCalendar.com

 

P.S. You'll be meeting Mary here on AFI, you're going to love her. She'll probably do a better job here than I did!

Hi, 

I live in upstate New York and I'm looking for a gently used light dome tent. 

Sally Packard

QuirkyDigs@gmail.com

As many of you know, Carroll Swayze has worked tirelessly for the benefit of all art show artists for more than a decade. While serving as chairperson for the National Association of Independent Artists (NAIA), Carroll has contacted art show directors to create fair policies and correct unfair ones, to guide their decisions to benefit all of us.

Carroll has never had a job! She has earned her living selling art at art fairs since she was 14! One of my favorite podcasts was with Carroll a few years ago where she shared her methods of keeping going: Fewer Shows, More Money. 

Whether you are "old" or new to ArtFairInsiders.com you are so welcome here. Since we were forced to "update" the website earlier this year there have been lots of changes -- and -- it has brought us lots of new members. (Yes, and lots of talk about selling tents, but we are here to do so much more for you ... and not just buying tents.) We're pleased to see so many of the new members adding a photo of themselves to "My Page". How about the rest of you ... so easy to upload an image to the site. We also encourage you to add a larger background image to your page so we all can see what work you do or what is important to you.

E.g., here is mine: 

We've found many people making connectons at the in-person art fairs as a result of their presence here. This is a network and we are here to learn from one another and to get help.

Best tip if you are new:

• use the search box at the top of the page to see if an artist you know is a member here to get in touch
• to check for info about an art fair you are thinking about participating in. Even if the info is old the authenticity of the review will help you make a decision
• to learn the nuts and bolts of participating in art fairs, what to do and what not to do, what to pack in your van, how to set up a tent, how to be a good neighbor
• probably the most important info you'll find is all the tips on how to "jury" --- specific details not to be missed
• also helpful information about equipment
• best of all, if you find something you'd like to know more about you can directly "message" the person who wrote that info using the system here. Of course, you can also post it directly on this site, questioning the author, then that will help all the rest of us.

What do you think is the most helpful asset of this site?

A must visit if you have the time and it comes to a city near you. A friend and I visited on Friday morning and it was an amazing experience. I posted about 20 pictures on my Facebook timeline but here's a sampling. I used the iphone 13 Pro which did an great job.

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

Just when we thought WeWork, Hertz, Airbnb and the XXX Festival of Art had been killed off by COVID, here's the news:

• WeWork last week became a public company worth $9 billion — after spectacularly imploding in 2019
• Remember Hertz, the #1 company in car rentals? Their stock tanked at $6.09 a share, yet today up over $100 a share.
• Airbnb was on its knees as people stopped traveling. Right? When is the last time you booked an Airbnb on the way to an art fair? Their stock hit a low in early August ... but wait! Here it comes back again. 

Now I can't say for sure about the XXX? Festival, but this we do know, this pandemic nearly killed off the art fair business, the art festival treasuries and the floating income of artists who must float with the economy, let alone the art buyers.

I am hearing of fairs and festivals with empty coffers laying off staff. I am hearing of artists who are hanging it up. I'm hearing of artists at least semi-successfully doing many fewer shows because they have been able to transition online at etsy, virtual events, etc. I also heard them saying, "wow, look how much less money I have to make when I just stay home!"

Are you hearing glimmerings though of really decent sales at the real events that have occurred in the last six months? Are we all emerging stronger afrer the quarantines made us reevaluate? Where do you stand on this? Inquiring minds want to know. 

Death? Resurgence? Hanging on by your teeth? Getting a "real job"? Selling your tent on ArtFairInsiders.com? What about you? (Me, hanging in with all my might).

Monday, October 25, I turn 76. Will be starting my 46th year in the art show biz.

In the photo above, that is me at my first art show in Hawaii in the 1970's while in the Army.  Only made $25 but I was hooked for life.  I am the one with the camera,

Yesterday, was a whirlwind of medical activity for-me.  I got "nuked" and "pinned."

I have a new heart doctor now that Ilive in New Smyrna Beach.  She had me undergo a nuclear stress test to see the condition of my heart.  Remember nine years ago I had open heart surgery with four valve activity.

In this test, you are injected with a nuclear isotope which ends up stressing your blood vessels and your heart, makes them get dilated. It is no biggy if you can withstand a minute or more of shortness of breath, mild nausea and a little dizziness. Four minutes later your body is back to its normal rhythms.

Later I-went to Walgreens to pick up two prescriptions. I casually asked if they were giving booster shots yet.

I got my two Moderna vacs back in the spring. The clerk said they had the Phizer booster. So I got it in my right arm and my annual flu shot in my left arm. Did not even feel the prick of the needle.  I was lightheaded for about 10 minutes.  That was all the side effects I got.  Slept well all night and I have a slight soreness in my right arm ( the booster one.)

So, you are probably asking what does this have to do with show biz.

I would say,"a lot."

Will feel safer now with the booster at shows.  Will wear a mask if mandated at a show, otherwise, will keep my distance.  After all, we are outside in moving air, and nobody is standing around in your face for a long time.

After 46 years I am finally starting to cut back on the number of shows I do.  For years, I routinely did 27-33 shows a year. This year I did 21.  For 2022, I hope to do 18.  We will see how the jurying goes.

What helped me this year was getting into three of the biggest, Winter Park, Des Moines and Kansa City Plaza.

Sales from these shows equal three or better of the routine shows we do, where you are grinding it out to make 3-4K$. I did well enough at the Plaza that I cancelled my two October shows.  I will do three in November and take December off.

I have three in Florida in January, will probably do 2-3 in Feb, see how the jurying goes.

I love doing the outdoor shows.  I find it so much more rewarding talking directly to my customers.  Sales online, and galleries are nice, but not nearly as rewarding, plus they will not pay the bills.

As I age, the only part of the biz I do not like is the show setup.  At my age the setup wears me out big time. Usually it takes three and half hours to setup, that is erecting the booth with all tarps and awnings and then stocking it.  I usually need a solid one hour nap, or more, to recuperate.

TEARDOWNS are better, only one hour and a half.  I still am exhausted. I will drive home if I can make it in two hours or less. Otherwise I am staying in the hotel.  I always get a good meal, good sleep and a early start the next morning.

For you younger ones, you do not have to deal with failing night vision yet.  It is a serious factor when driving.

I had cataract surgery in my left eye last year.  Plus I get a shot monthly in that same eye to combat macular degeneration, the wet one.

Oncoming car lights create a hard spherical glow.  It is difficult to see clearly the middle road line.  So I keep my eyes on the road sideline.  An old trick I learned in Drivers Education back in 1962.

For the first time in my career I paid a tent guy to setup a Lightdome with Propanels, did it at Winter Park last May.

The $300 for the rental was money well spent.  For a biggy shows where you sell $5K or better, the cost is neglible.

I just bring the art and hang it.  Teardown is easy-peasie . Put the art in the van, then take the money and run.

I plan on doing this the rest of my career.

We are in difficult times with rising expenses  in every category--show fees, jury fees, fuel,cost of goods.

Only the good and smart will survive.  I plan to be one of them.

I still get the thrill of making a sale, no matter how much it is. It takes me back to my first show in Hawaii in 1975. By a waterfall, only made $25 that day, but I was hooked for life.

Still feel that same spirit.  I am a lucky man.

Aloha, look forward to seeing you all in the upcoming months.

Stay safe, stay focused and make great art.

This show used to be put on by local artists but has more recently been administered by the SAACA group that does other shows in Tucson. Patagonia is a great place to visit this time of year (Oct) as the weather has turned to cool nights and warm days. The location of the park in the middle of town was a great place for a show. Total number of "vendors" for this show was reduced as a COVID precaution so most booths were well spaced with about half having a large space behind for storage. There was buy/sell evident at this show and, in fact, multiple "media" in several booths. The range of quality was wide from "hand-painted" sun glasses to fine art and hand made silver jewelry of high quality. There was ample accommodation for those that had trailers to park near the show. There are limited hotel accommodations nearby and several BnB type accommodations can be had, otherwise you'd have to stay in Nogales! (20 miles away). There was a steady stream of people who came to see the show but limited buying energy on higher end items. There are a lot of people who come to this area in the fall for bird watching activities or those with second homes that "fly" south for the winter themselves. This was a typical Arizona crowd, Snow Bird older couples in the AM and mid age and younger later in the day. Booth fees are reasonable. There were plenty of snacks and water brought around by show personnel a couple times during the day. This is not a show I would do again as it was way too far to travel with a limited return. Maybe in Sedona, the same weekend, I might have fared better. If I lived in the Tucson area I might do it again as Patagonia is a nice place to visit!

Well I did the Plaza two weeks ago, it is always on the last weekend in Sept.

This has always been one of my biggies.  I only get in once in seven years.

In 1999, this was the best art show I had ever done. Made thousands.

It still is a major show for most artists.  It is hard to get in, you compete against the best in the circuit.

For me the sheen has fallen off it, for reasons I will explain.

One and most important, this has turned into a giant drinkfest with lots of loud music which gets in the way of talking to customers.

This used to be about great show for selling originaL art. Now, we are secondary to booze and music.

Show starts at 5pm on Friday with a morning setup.  Goes til 10pm, on Saturday, 10am to 10 pm. Sunday, 11am to 5pm.

They gave us 12 foot square spaces, so your rear neighbor is two foot behind, close quarters. 
They gave us one hour to unload and start to setup. Then go park and come back.

We bucked 20 mph winds setting up. The temps were in the 70's the first two days, then on Sunday it jumped to 92 degrees.

Just our luck, on Sunday, the NFL team had a home game starting at noon.

We had about one third the crowd of Saturday.

Friday night I mostly sold Lowend, did not clear $1500.

Saturday, was my big day. Made sales all day, but none were over $175. I also saw very few big pieces go by. Most customers had two fishbowl size cocktails in each hand. Not a lot of room for art.
Customers were mostly on the young size. Adorned in fancy shoes and outfitted with expensive satchels.

The crowd was polite and attentive.  They appreciated the great art that was there.

A glass blower behind me was wrapping big pieces all show long.  Winner,winner, chicken dinner.

Most people around me sold steadily. One great photographer I know, set a personal record record on Saturday. He was heading for the islands afterwards.  Golden margaritas coming!

This is still a great show, but it is no longer in my top five.

This was my last time here. The setup is too hard on me. Four and half hour setups, no good.

Also this is a hard eleven hour drive.  I am done with this.

For you newbies, aspire for the show, and make lots of moola.

Heading home to Florida tomorrow.  Canceled my two shows for October.

So I  guess I did pretty good in Kansa City.

This is the 8th year for this show. I had done the show in its inaugural year and this is the first time I've been invited back. The show was another in a long line of shows pushed back from their customary date (July) to later in the year (Oct) as a result of COVID. Did people turn out? Yes, a steady stream of people flowed through the show nearly all day Sat and Sun. This show seemed to have a greater representation of the younger crowd 30 - 40ish with baby strollers and one or more babies in them, as-well-as lots of dogs! There were a fair amount of the older demographic as well. The show was held in Denver's Cheesman Park which was a great location for a show and the Oct weather was perfect. Liz Gore King (of the Rio Grande Balloon Fiesta Show dynasty) did an excellent job of organizing this show ad banners were evident on the street which may have captured some passing traffic. Amenities included only water and morning coffee. Artists parked at an off-site location and were shuttled to the show. I'm always concerned that I'll be left behind or too late for the shuttle but hours for the shuttle were ample and they were always there! Most booths located in the park had ample storage behind and booths were laid out in such a way that there was little congestion for the crowd. Several food trucks were there which is a good way to keep the crowd in attendance! Although there were lots of people at the show sales for me were off from the first time I participated and were slow in coming.