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Food for Thought: Can Art Save the Mall?

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 23, 2009 at 2:59pm

Thanks to my friend, Denny Schroeder, for sending me this link from Sunday's Parade Magazine: Can Art Save a Mall? When too many stores came up empty at a large mall in the St. Louis area the owners decided that instead of demolishing it they would offer the spaces to artists for their use at $100 per month, plus utilities. You'll enjoy reading the various uses to which it has been put: art gallery, dance studio, museum, etc. Not only does it give the arts groups a home but it also increases traffic in the mall for the other stores and restaurants. There are lots of empty spaces in the nation's shopping centers this season and entrepreneurial artists are taking advantage of this empty real estate. The organizers among them have rallied their friends and acquaintances to fill the spaces for the holiday time. My brother, Michael Mettler, is hanging his photos in a gallery at Jefferson Pointe along with about twenty five other artists. This is a "lifestyle" mall of upscale stores in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The gallery is next to the Barnes and Noble, a nice location. My friend Donna Beaubien, has gathered the work of around forty artists to fill a lovely space at the Village in Rochester, MI, including my husband (Norm Darwish) fine art photographs. Donna reports sales were being made before they had even opened. Now neither of these places are going to become arts districts, but we all know, where the artists settle gentrification occurs and their appearance is often the prelude to better days for the nieghborhood. Don't believe me? Then read one of my favorite books, Richard Florida's, The Rise of the Creative Class. Are you participating in one of these "temporary" galleries this season? Tell me about it and I'll add the info to ArtFairCalendar.com.

BBAC AND NEW PARTNER TAKE ANNUAL JURIED ART FESTIVAL TO THE STREETS

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 23, 2009 at 1:32pm

It's official! Been wondering about the Birmingham, MI, spring show? Here is the press release:

BIRMINGHAM, Mich., Nov. 23, 2009 – The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center today introduced a new partner, a new location and a new format for its 2010 fine art fair. The 2010 Art Birmingham will be produced by the BBAC in association with The Guild of Artists and Artisans, a Michigan-based national leader in art festival events and programming. The 2010 festival will take place at the “gateway” to Birmingham, May 15-16. The new location on Old South Woodward runs south from Maple to Hazel, and allows for greater interaction among the city’s civic and business community, artists, visitors and volunteers. The event features work for sale from more than 150 artists working in a broad spectrum of visual media. “Our new collaboration will help us continue our mission as a regional resource for the arts, artists and art education,” Jane Linn, CEO of the BBAC, said. “With The Guild, we bring in a team of expert art event producers, with nearly four decades of resources and experience. The partnership ensures this premier arts event will continue to be effectively produced and provide our patrons with the highest festival quality.” The non-profit BBAC has produced an annual art fair for the last 27 years as the Birmingham Fine Art Festival. In 2009, following reworking by the creative team of The Henry Ford, the event became Art Birmingham. Artists will be able to submit an application online when the Call to Entry opens January 1 and runs through Feb 15, 2010. Details are forthcoming. The BBAC, like other nonprofit organizations, has been streamlining operations and focusing on effective delivery of its services. The new partnership with The Guild means that the BBAC can continue to concentrate on and deliver the educational and cultural programs that fulfill its mission to the local, regional, and national community. ABOUT THE GUILD OF ARTISTS & ARTISANS The Guild of Artists & Artisans is a non-profit, membership association of independent artists, founded in 1970 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its mission is to develop and present art fairs to provide marketing opportunities for its members which also serve as educational, cultural and entertaining events for the community. The Guild of Artists & Artisans is best known for its award-winning Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair. For more information visit TheGuild.org. ABOUT THE BBAC The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, providing “art for all” since 1957, is a regional non-profit art center committed to promoting the visual arts with classes for all skill levels. Each year more than 500 classes are offered for 4,000+ students from Pre-K to seniors. The BBAC campus features nine classroom studios, four galleries with free exhibits open to the public, art camps, and a retail gallery shop as well as a dynamic, growing outreach program. For further information about BBAC programs and events, visit BBArtCenter.org or phone (248) 644-0866. # # # Melissa Mengden Bunker (313) 886-9074 office (313) 432-2611 fax marketwrite@comcast.net

Job hunting? Festival looking for a new director

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 23, 2009 at 11:20am

Newnan, GA. The Powers Crossroads Arts Festival, soon approaching its 40th anniversary has an opening for a new director. The festival is part of a Coweta Festivals, Inc., including the Powers' Country Store. It is made up of five non-profit organizations: the Newnan-Coweta Art Association, the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce, the Jaycees, Coweta County 4-H, and the Pilot Club. As a special offering to expand the use of the festival grounds, the country store -- stocked with a wide variety of Christmas gift items made by Powers' artists -- will be open every weekend through Dec. 20. Does anyone here have any experience with this festival? Let us know, and for heaven's sakes, it you are job hunting contact them. Read more: Coweta Festivals looking for new director.

Longwood Arts and crafts Festival in Fl.

Posted by Michael Lee on November 23, 2009 at 10:27am

So much for doing my homework on this show. Over the past few years I think I know how to pick the right show for my work. I am an oil painter and my paintings are bright colorful and certainly affordable to the right crowd.I deserve a bad grade for choosing this show. If you create art that can be mounted on a stick, pole, rod, rebar, pipe etc then this would be the show for you. If you are a fine artist working in 2d then I would stay away from this show.I must give credit to the volunteers who run the show, they did an excellent job of managing the show. I made a total of $46.00 on prints and magnets. I paid $25.00 to park so that gave me a total of $17.00 When I calculate my show cost, hotel, gas, etc then I am really in the red.My advice is if you normally do Fine Art Shows as I do then you will be a fish out of water at this show. Oh well hopefully I can regain my losses at the Space Coast Art Festival the weekend after thanksgiving.I am not one to complain about shows or promoters I just wanted to pass along my opinion to other 2d artist. The crowd was huge both days they just did not come to buy fine art.I am sure some artist/crafters did well I just was not one of them. So live and learn and I will try a different show next year.

Help Building Traffic for your Website?

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 20, 2009 at 10:20am

I know many of you are interested in making your website work smarter for you and would love some help with your

online marketing. An excellent offer was made today by best-selling author Scott Fox. Scott's expertise is the marketing of online small business. He is offering his Traffic Building School free to the first 100 subscribers. Subscribe and you’ll get access to 50+ daily videos that introduce you to dozens of proven online marketing techniques you can use to grow your business online for FREE. Here is the link to find out more: www.how-to-increase-traffic.com

Call for Artists: San Diego, California

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 18, 2009 at 9:22pm

April 24 and 25, 2010 Downtown - Little Italy San Diego, California 300 Artists Deadline for Applications: January 8, 2010 We invite fine artists to apply for the 2010 Mission Federal ArtWalk Festival. This two-day fine art festival is now in its 26th year and is Southern California's largest art festival, attracting 120,000 attendees from throughout the region. Our mission: to encourage people to purchase original fine art, and to enhance that experience by interacting with the artists who create the pieces. What began as a local art event in 1994 has become the best known art festival in the region,

attracting artists from across the country and from across our southern and northern borders. Each year, the festival attracts seasoned collectors as well as first-time art buyers. The event takes place in San Diego's hip and historic Little Italy district, well known for its artistic community, outstanding restaurants and picturesque streetscapes. Filling 16 blocks of Little Italy with fine art of all kinds, many participating artists consider it their highest-grossing event of the year. Mission Federal ArtWalk provides high quality 10' by 10' tents that are also 10' high. Load-in and load-out are made simple, as you can drive your vehicle directly to your tent. Your registration fee includes: --Access to more than 100,000 annual attendees --A page on the Mission Federal ArtWalk web site that will remain up until 2011. Check it out: www.artwalksandiego.org/artist/ --Listing in ArtWalk Magazine and Event Brochure/Map --Featured Artists receive prominent placement in the event's publicity campaign --An opportunity to have priority space selection in 2011 (for past participants that are among the first 150 artists to apply.) What artists say about us: It was a pleasure to participate this year - as always. Somehow you accommodate the artists so accurately - not to mention the thousands of attendees. The weekend event was a blast - people really enjoyed themselves; that was obvious. Thank you for all your hard work...AND the patient, kind HELPFUL assistance of you and your staff. Awesome. Moni Blom Now I'm spoiled! As always, you and your staff were the most welcoming, friendly and supportive of all the many art shows I do each year. Suzette Hodnett Bravo to you and your team for making artwalk a wonderful event *again*. We had a blast, and the show was a success for me - even in this dicey economy. Kudos to you and your staff for making it so. Belinda DelPesco Artists who participate in Mission Federal ArtWalk find that they sell artwork long after the event as a result of the comprehensive web page dedicated to each artist that can be updated as frequently as you wish. You can upload new artwork images, change your artist statement, etc. This living gallery is a unique feature to this event and one that many artists have stated "is worth the price of the

registration fee." There is no upfront jury fee. We typically receive approximately 1000 applications, and we accept 300 artists. To apply, go to: www.missionfederalartwalk.org/register If your application is accepted, payment is due within 72 hours of your acceptance. The festival is embraced by San Diego's Mayor and numerous corporate sponsors, as THE celebration of culture in the region, and a must-do each spring. Learn more about the San Diego ArtWalk & its activities: www.missionfederalartwalk.org ***************** Looking for more art fairs? Visit ArtFairCalendar.com's call for entries page

Conference for Artists, Arts Managers and Arts Supporters - Looks Like a Winner

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 18, 2009 at 2:08pm

November 24, Ypsilanti, Michigan - Convergence 2009 Plan to converge on Ypsilanti with your cultural colleagues from around the county for the Arts Alliance's first half-day Convergence Conference. The county-wide cultural web portal is waiting for you to give it a test drive. Free legal information...Breakout sessions on social networking, the future of fundraising, and ArtWalk among other topics...Breakfast...Lunch... And your arts colleagues from all around the county. All this for only $35 for Arts Alliance members; Others - $50. (For membership information, click here) Register online HERE. DATE: December 1, 2009 TIME: 8:00a.m. - 1:30p.m. LOCATION: Eastern Michigan University, Student Center 900 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti, MI For a map of the area, click here. What's in it for me? -Chance to win free advertising space on the new arts and cultural web portal -Chance to win free ad space in the Arts Alliance e-newsletter -Free one-on-one meetings with Miller Canfield attorneys (advance sign-in required) -Inspiration and insights into the Arts Alliance's new Creative Economy Initiative to help the cultural sector become more financially viable Schedule: 8:00 Registration & Light Breakfast 8:30 Welcome & Opening Presentation 9:15-10:30 Breakout Sessions (Click here for session details) 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45 - noon Breakout Sessions (Click here for session details) 12:00 Lunch; Table Top Discussions 12:40 Keynote Address (Stuart Rosenfeld, Regional Technology Strategies, Inc. ) 1:30 Program Concludes *Plus music, dance, visual arts and poetry! Convergence is being co-hosted by Arts Management and Administration Program at Eastern Michigan University. It is being sponsored in part by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan. Arts Alliance 202 East Huron St., Suite 202 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

Let's Say Thanks

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 18, 2009 at 1:44pm

From artist J.R. Rossman at the NAIA forum:

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services. How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a few seconds. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them. This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say thank you enough. Thanks for taking the time to support our military!

3 Art Fairs in Transition: Good, Better, Best

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 18, 2009 at 12:00pm

Making art fairs happen (and profitable) seems to get tougher all the time. That is why I am pretty pleased to bring you updates on three art fairs that are moving ahead for changes with plans to strengthen their events for themselves, their cities, artists and their sponsors. 1. Good. Jonathan Witz, producer of Arts, Beats & Eats in Pontiac, MI, is in talks with the City of Royal Oak, MI, to bring the huge event to downtown Royal Oak. After twelve years of working with the city officials in Pontiac a contract has not been signed for 2010. Witz, an organizer of many huge Detroit area events (Super Bowl XV operations, Final Four activities, Winter Blast and River Days) knows his region well and wants to keep his flagship event viable. Here's a link to the story in the Detroit Free Press, and another in the Royal Oak Tribune. What do you think? Is this a good idea? 2. Better. Corning, New York, for many years has hosted an arts and crafts festival in its Gaffer District in late July. "For the sixth time since 1976, Corning was host to the Glass Art Society's international conference in the summer of 2009. During this event, glass enthusiasts and artists from around the globe converged in Corning for a four-day celebration of glass that included technical demonstrations, artist exhibits, and lectures from world-renown members of the international glass community," says Scott Nichols in the WETM-TV website. Building on the success of this event and the Corning's renown as "Crystal City" the Gaffer District has decided to replace the festival with GlassFest, an event that will include "all artists of the fire arts (artists that use heat or an open flame), including glass, ceramics and metal," says Michael Melaro, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Gaffer District. "The GlassFest event takes place May 27-30, 2010 and celebrates what is easily the most well-known piece of our city's history. From outdoor glassblowing demonstrations and neon displays to glass artists and local exhibits, this event truly captures the essence of Corning in a four-day event." Read more here: www.wetmtv.com/news 3. Best. The Guild of Artists and Artisans in Ann Arbor is in the final stages of putting together an agreement with both the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Association and Common Ground to provide the operations and staging for the two non-profits popular art fairs that take place respectively in May and September in Shain Park in downtown Birmingham, Michigan. As anyone in this business knows the once thriving art fair business in Michigan has been severely challenged in recent years, yet the enthusiasm for art fairs has not flagged among the affluent in the Birmingham/Oakland County area of metro Detroit. This fall Shain Park was closed because of new construction and the fall Birmingham art fair moved to a parking lot. This was a stopgap alternative at best. Enter the Michigan Guild who runs the popular Ann Arbor Summer Fair and several other art fairs in the Midwest. With their year round seasoned staff they are in a strong position to take over the management of the events and leave the non-profits to do what they do best. In the case of the BBAC to bring cultural activities to their community and for Common Ground providing a mental health sanctuary that provides a lifeline for individuals and families in crisis. When all the paperwork is approved an announcement will be made and the fair will move from the Park to Old Woodward, in the heart of downtown Birmingham's shopping district. The dates of mid-May and mid-September will remain the same. I like this location and the partnership. What do you think?

Downtown Festival and Art Show - Gainesville

Posted by Bert Herrera on November 17, 2009 at 12:30pm

Show takes place in downtown Gainesville. Streets are wide, and set-up (Sat AM) and tear down are usually fairly easy because of the width. Show is put on by the City of Gainesville, run by Linda Piper (who does a great job, in my opinion) and usually has a real good turnout. If you're doing a show in G'ville, usually this is the one to do. They have bagels and drinks on Sat AM, and they bring you lunch to your booth both Sat and Sunday!Gainesville is home for me, and as most know, it is the home of the University of Florida. There are over 40,000 studens, with no money to speak of, so they're not the ones you're selling to, unless you have items $20 and under. The town lives and dies with the Gators, who are currently riding a high in the football world. The weather was absolutely as good as it gets. With everything going in the positive column, we all hoped sales would be as positive. Unfortunately, for a lot of folks, they were way down. Saturday was very slow for me, but Sunday was decent. My numbers were down about 30% from last year, but still respectable, especially when I can sleep in my own bed. One photographer who was here who said this used to be his 3rd best show in Florida, said his numbers had nosedived. There were lots of folks, but not too many packages walking by.RC, I hope your Sunday improved for you.For folks traveling to the show, there is a brand new Hampton Inn right in the middle of the show, which I understand had a decent artist rate for the weekend.

Holding our breath in Ann Arbor, Columbus too

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 16, 2009 at 4:49pm

People in my part of the country have had their ears perked up for any news that the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (the original) has hired retired director Shary Brown's replacement for quite some time now. I talked with Karen Delhey at the Street Fair last week and she told me the Board was still interviewing. A couple of days later I received a little more insider information. My informant (and I) have been keeping tabs on the job search since last Fall when Shary announced she'd be retiring after the 50th art fair in July '09. This person told me he/she had applied for the job early on, well before the deadline. The deadline passed in the Spring then the Board decided they wanted to see more applicants so they extended the deadline (sound familiar?) and posted the position for a nationwide search. My informant applied again. Months went by. Then a phone interview. Weeks went by. Then an actual interview. Weeks went by. All references were called, more time went by. Phone calls were not returned. But, lo and behold, it is looking like a choice is coming forth soon. Stay tuned! You'll be the first to know. Actually, speaking of new show directors, can anyone give me any information about the departure of Katie Lucas from the Columbus Arts Festival in Columbus, OH? Katie, are you out there? This festival is also interviewing candidates for their big adventure that takes place in early June. Does anyone have any inside line on this one?

American Crafts Council Says Bye-Bye to NYC

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 16, 2009 at 4:44pm

The 66 year old American Craft Council recently announced that they are moving their offices in New York City to Minneapolis. "The Council is proud to have been headquartered in New York for 66 years, but the high cost of doing business in the city is not a sustainable financial model for our organization given the current economic climate," said ACC Board Chair Leilani Duke in a press release. For 23 years the ACC has held one of their signature fine craft fairs in St. Paul. Currently the Council is seeking offices in Minneapolis with a plan to move there in July 2010. In years past the ACC has ruled the fine craft world with artists careers (and sales) rising and falling with their participation in its fairs. Times have been tough though. The ACC's prestige has slipped with many artists pointing out bad management of the once stellar organization. This year they dropped their Sarasota and Charlotte events. Here's wishing them well in Minnesota. An environment that is very hospitable to the arts. Learn more.

Bright spots on the horizon in Houston, Greenville and Chicago

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 16, 2009 at 4:30pm

This is good news I have to share. Some times it seems like the art fair business and its opportunities are shrinking, art fairs aren't receiving their funding and some are being drastically scaled back or cancelled altogether. So it was a pleasure this week to read about two art fairs that appear to be thriving. Here is what Kelly Kindred from Houston's Bayou City Art Festival had to say: Our show was successful, (downtown Houston in October) although the weather didn’t quite cooperate on Sunday. A lot of artists still had great shows, and many reported record sales on Saturday. At least two that I can think of off the top of my head specifically emailed me to let me know that they beat their all time show records. Then she went on to say that they had "received record applications, up almost 30% from last year!" for their Spring event in Memorial Park. I guess the jig is up in Texas. Nothing like good word-of-mouth to bring in the applications. Another show that has a lower profile, but which I think is very nicely positioned to be a real honey, is Artisphere in Greenville, SC. Kerry Murphy, the organization's executive director, announced that they received a record number of visual artist applications for its 2010 festival scheduled for May 7-9. Greenville is an affluent high tech community with many well-educated residents. The arts community of Greenville has put good energy into this event for a number of years bringing in outside consultants for ideas, working on different dates and putting together a strong base of local support. This year they announced a "record 682 submissions. The number represents 97 more submissions than received for the 2009 festival and a nearly 250 percent increase since the inaugural Artisphere event in 2005." Learn more about Artisphere and this story at this link: www.greenvilleonline.com Here's sending good wishes to any Art Fair Insiders who are jurying for these art fairs. More good news from the fine art world. Every November SOFA blooms at Navy Pier in Chicago. Its sales are a bellwether for the art economy. "Opening Night gala on Nov. 5, with Festival Hall security estimating over 3200 - 3500 persons attending over the course of the evening. 31,000 persons visited the fair during its three day run, sponsored by Chubb Personal Insurance. Mark Lyman, Founder/ Director of SOFA fairs in Chicago, New York and Santa Fe says, "It was exciting to see the growing number of 'next generation' buyers on the show floor." He adds that many dealers reported not only new and younger clients, but also a palpable rise in buying confidence with a strong bounce-back in sales. "Collectors gave themselves permission to buy again--at all price levels." Read the 800 lb gorilla is gone!

Art Fair Disaster

Posted by Carol Komassa on November 16, 2009 at 11:31am

The Sun City Artists Art Fair (in Peoria Az) this last Friday and Saturday was a huge loss.Little traffic, poor lighting, and almost no sales. I personally only sold 4 greeting cards and didn't even cover my table entry. But I did better than some others who sold nothing at all! Many commented on how nice my display looked and how good my work is, but we were there to sell not show, so I took their comments as a positive but felt really down when I didn't sell larger items.One photographer did well, I observed his "technique" he really "chatted up" the customer and told (sold) the story of each picture. No prices on his work but all the same size photo mounted onto foamboard. He said "I'll take $50 for that" and sold 6 over two days. Not huge but he did the best out of any exhibitors.In this economy I think I'm done with Art Fairs for now, and will try to sell my work through art web sites.

Featured Artist: Linda Chamberlain

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 13, 2009 at 10:21am

At first glance Linda Chamberlain's paintings are lighthearted and fun, with a hint of the Arts and Crafts Movement, but eavesdropping in her art fair booth you will hear patrons talking Art Fair Calendar.comabout the "dark side" of the work comparing it to that of Maurice Sendak. This makes you pause, take another look and see beneath the surface.

"Good Day" Is it only birds and children, or is it more? Childlike figures lead us to the path of our own introspective journey. The naivete and sweetness belie and explore what is underneath. Or, as Linda says, "humorous work requires some dark side. To be successful and memorable it must be about more than butterflies." Linda's art fair career spans more than thirty years. Beginning as a weaver as a way to keep her family together after her young husband died she has progressed through wearables, doll making, found object sculpture and most recently mixed media painting. You'll enjoy Linda's journey, read it here: www.ArtFairCalendar.com/featured artist

Where do Art Fair Artists Go? Ginny Herzog to MTV!

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 13, 2009 at 9:30am

An old friend and member of this site, Ginny Herzog, can be found at just about any of the nation's top art fairs. Her mixed media work is widely collected. An important part of her income is creating commission work for her clients, including site specific work. Although at a glance it seems abstract a closer examination reveals its roots in specific environments and landscapes. Here's the news from Ginny: A few years ago I was commissioned to do two, large site specific commission paintings for my clients - the Dykstras in VA. Craig was one of the founders of AOL (he wrote the software). One of my paintings hangs in their music room (the other one they gave to their architect for Christmas). Their VA "fun house" will be the focus of an upcoming episode on MTV's "Teen Cribs" and will air on Tuesday, November 18th at 6:00 pm EST/5:00 CST. This is a very unique family home and was designed for entertaining their family, friends and for hosting events. I think you will find the home fascinating and fun to see. I'm hoping my painting will make the episode. This was one of my favorite commissions and clients! I hope to see it there too, Ginny! This story points out one of my favorite things about art fairs! You never know who that person who is in your booth! Recently on an episode of PBS' Craft in America there was a lengthy segment about Roberta and David Williamson and their jewelry making. I confess I am an addict of home decorating magazines and one of the rewards of that is seeing images of interiors that often have pieces of art in them that I recognize. Episodes filmed in Florida often show interiors with art collections that (to the informed eye) have come from art fairs. Read more about Ginny and her work here. Art and artist spotting? Let me know when you see artist's work in the media!

Cool Performance Art Link: Extreme Sheepherding

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 11, 2009 at 5:24pm

Wales, sheep, LED's, cameras, action! I wonder if Leonardo da Vinci could have done this? www.youtube/sheep

All Good Things Come from Art Fairs - Part II

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 10, 2009 at 9:43pm

About a year ago I published Part I of Mona Majorowicz's musings about art fairs. Here is Part II. Her blog is entitled: “Fur in the Paint, Art, Animals and the Creative Experience.” Be sure to read the entire post, as it is full of good analysis and information. So, as discussed in Part 1, the big benefit of doing art fairs is that you get out there and get seen by the people who love art and those who have an art related business. All of the opportunities listed below, happened over the course of several years and from being in several locations. -- CASH No need to elaborate on this one. -- Exhibitions On average I get offered 1 or 2 opportunities to have a solo show with galleries or art centers a year. This is nice because there is none of that waiting by the mailbox for the return of my portfolio, while wondering whether they’ll like me. At the art fairs most times they just introduce themselves, hand me a business card and say “We’d like to extend an invitation for you to exhibit with us.” Very Cool! “In my opinion galleries should be judging the work before them. . . Alas, those kind of Utopian ideals rarely exist.” I have done some solo shows several years back. But I haven’t taken anyone up on this offer recently. You all know that I am all about keeping the bills paid. I am fortunate in that my originals sell fairly quickly. And I would rather sell now, over setting aside artwork for an exhibit in hopes of selling it later. -- Awards Currently, I have no real use for awards (other than it is always nice to have your work recognized,) as I am not actively looking for exhibitions. However, galleries like to see awards on your resume’ because then they don’t have to figure out if your any good on their own. (I know that sounds a little harsh but I can’t really see any other purpose for including awards and honors on resume’ when submitting for a show. In my opinion they should be judging the work before them. No other criteria should enter in. Alas, those kind of Utopian ideals rarely exist.) -- Apples ‘N Oats The opportunity to write for this equestrian magazine came because the editor (the oft mentioned Carol Eilers) seen a write up on me (with image of painting) in one of the local newspapers, a few years back. The article was written to promote the the Iowa City Art Festival. I never did see the article but the weekend of the event I had dozens of people mention it to me. Anyway, Carol seen the article, went to my website, read my artist journal entries and apparently thought my quirky (and often grammatically incorrect) writing style was something her magazine could use. So she extended an invitation to write for her. -- Patrons, Collectors and Mailing Lists My definition of a patron is anyone who buys original works. A collector is someone who buys prints but has yet to invest in an original. My mailing list is comprised of both types of buyers. It is primarily through art fairs that I have met these people. “…art fairs…allows me to work on earning an income, while getting opportunities presented to me, that I in no way have to after.” My previous post on mailing lists details the hows, whys and organization of my list. Nearly every name on my list has been a direct result of attending an art fair or meeting them at an event that I was invited to, because of an art fair. These people have seen my work, like it and requested to be added to my mailing list. Had I not been doing art fairs all these many years, I certainly wouldn’t have the large, well-defined list that I do. -- New markets I have been invited to horse events, zoo conferences and all sorts of expos because someone has seen me at some art fair somewhere. Many of these events I would never have known about or had access to without the benefit of an invitation. The most recent example of getting into a new market area is The licensing agreement. -- Wholesale Accounts In a like manner, many business’s and gift shops offer to carry my art when they see me at an event. Nearly every wholesaling contact that I have, has come where a business owner has approached me to sell my work. Once again it is participating in art fairs, that brings the customer to me. Now I want to be clear that art fairs are not the only way to bring these things into your business. In fact, there may well be easier methods. What I like about doing art fairs is that it allows me to work on earning an income, while getting opportunities presented to me, that I in no way have to go after. Learn more about Myra and read the comments on this post. Many thanks, Mona, for allowing me to share this writing of yours. What have you learned at art fairs? Comments below. =================== I'm looking for some guest posters. Many thanks to all of you who have kept this site alive. What about the rest of you? Let me hear from you with your ideas: info@artfaircalendar.com.

Where Do Art Fair Artists Go? Listen on NPR today 11/9

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 9, 2009 at 3:30pm

I sit at this computer long hours, but to keep me company, most days I stream National Public Radio (NPR) through iTunes. Even when I'm writing and thinking about other things and it is turned down really low I still pick up lots of information. Such as -- TODAY -- at 4 pm tune in to your NPR station and hear an interview with the premier Florida Everglades photographer, Clyde Butcher, as he wades into the swamps in search of new imagery. UPDATE from Clyde and Niki: I wanted to let you know that a profile of Clyde will run tonight on NPR's All Things Considered show. It's scheduled to run at 4:50pm eastern time. It will be rebroadcast at 6:50 and 8:50 pm eastern time for the Midwest and West Coast. You may know Clyde and his work but had no idea that he was once "one of us." Clyde and his wife Niki were struggling art fair photographers for many years before Clyde finally found his niche and settled into the Everglades, both literally and figuratively. Clyde and Niki were actually able to buy land deep in the Big Cypress Swamp about twenty years ago where they established an outpost for photography and build a gallery. His large format black and white images have been printed in books and calendars and are widely collected. He has won many awards and I think he is a "Florida State Treasure." For those of us who know him, that is no surprise. Niki also shoots black and white and does handcoloring. One winter when Norm and I didn't pick up any very good Florida shows we ended up staying with them in Fort Myers between art fairs. Great hosts and great folks. Listen today...

Where in the heck is that city? Search tips for Art Fair Insiders

Posted by Connie Mettler on November 9, 2009 at 3:13pm

From my inbox: I finally have two weeks between shows and had a time to look at some of the reviews and I have a suggestion. You ask the reviewer to identify their medium and that is very useful but very few mention the city or state that the show is held at. For example, if I reviewed 3 shows, Saline, St. Nicks Warehouse and Pinckney, who else other than Michigan people would have any idea of where these shows are? What do you think? Medium, city and state of the show, this way we can look up the show ourselves. I would consider doing some of the shows in Ohio and Indiana but nobody identifies the city and state and just because they may live in a certain state, we all know some travel quite far . . . Joseph I. Great tip, Joseph! I've been guilty of this myself. When I did a call for entries for "Monroe" I had many inquiries from artists wanting to know where is Monroe?

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