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We are looking to buy a used car top carrier. Anyone near Milwaukee have one to sell?

Happy Holidays everyone

Doesn't every girl want a pink convertible? Originally we were going to do a holiday picture with a sleigh large enough for the pups to sit in. That concept will now be put on hold until next year. We came across a pink mini cooper convertible and that became the new holiday picture. The car is 24x36 inches by about 20 inches tall. Xena is dominant in the picture with Elvis taking the back seat.

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

Sorry English is my second language.

Last month (November 2017), I decide to apply to online consolidation loan through Lending Tree.  I got aprove by company call GE Money and received a call from them. The company requested my credit card information and bank account. I was confuse about the requested but they said they will paid the cards directly and need the account for auto debit.  I was confuse why they wont deposit the payment in my check account so I can paid the card myself and they told me in past people do not use the money for that and is required by federal standards  for them to paid the card themselves.

On Wednesday before Thanksgiving they actually paid all my cards. So far things good in my end. Then the scam started. They request 30% of the payment back because they did the payment for credit score to improve so the loan will approve (this should be my first red flag). They requested for me to purchase gift cards using one of the cards because I did not have the money. I did the purchase for 1000.00. Next day they they keep asking for more and told them the payment has not clear and won't clear until Tuesday.   The person who use the name of Oscar Mendez end up cleaning my checking account and purchasing 1600 in another card without my autorization.  Chase cover some auto debits for me but I also now I have the accout negative. Also all the payment got to my cards got return because they use a ghost account. The credit cards freeze all my accounts because of the return payment and using ghost account. Day after I explain over and over and no result. At moment I do not any money to cover my bills and I am now two month behind in rent and bills. I also cannot paid my art show fees for the follow winter months.  

As I file a police report the people keep calling telling me that will refund the money and not file a police report. I did file the police report. 

At this point since my income come from me doing art fairs and saling my art work and not having income to cover the fees and my current bills I am reduce beg for help because I am about to become homeless. My family do not have the money to help me at this point neither. 

Few days later they call me again trying to repeat the entire process again using another bank located in Central Penn. This time I google the place and call them directly from the website.  

I started a GoFundme and if your prefer my PayPal account is oscar@lpstudios.net (LP Studio).

https://www.gofundme.com/i-fall-for-a-scamneed-help

I will try to attach the police report and auto Transcript that iPhone does for messages that I got from them. 

Maybe the most important thing is trust your instinct because it felt weird through the entire process.

Thank you 

I just finished adding brakes to my 5x8 utility trailer, which turned out to be surprisingly easy to do. So I thought I would post a report:

I have been thinking for years that having brakes on my trailer might be a prudent investment, even though they are not required in the states that I use the trailer in. My trailer is a 5x8 utility trailer that weighs fully loaded 2200 lbs. I recently purchased a new tow vehicle that has an integral trailer brake controller with an anti-sway feature. So I thought I should investigate how hard it would be to add brakes to my trailer.

I found a 10”drum brake kit for sale at Northern Tool for $249, and used a coupon to reduce that to $229 plus tax. No shipping charge, since I picked it up at their store.

I discovered that if you have ever repacked your trailer bearings yourself, you have enough mechanical ability to install brakes on your trailer. All I had to do was pull off the old hub, attach a backing plate with the brakes already built in using 4 bolts that attach to a mounting plate that was already on my trailer, slide on the drum (which functions as the new hub), attach it they same way I would have attached the old hub, and the brakes were installed. They even came pre-greased with new bearings. All I had to do then was to attach wires, route them to the front, cut off the old flat 4 pole connector and attach the old wires and my new wires to a new 7 pole connector. That was it! I adjusted them and tested them, and they work.

One warning: resist the temptation to figure out how the brakes work while installing them. I could not resist, and partially disassembled one of them. That did not help my understanding a bit, and it took me some time to reassemble the brakes they way they were intended to be assembled. Instead, research it on the internet! The way they work is amazingly clever and non-obvious.

I figure that this minor effort and cost significantly increased my life expectancy as well as the life expectancy of my wife, not to mention innocent bystanders …

I made almost $1500 selling my photos out of my booth that I setup in my driveway.

Read on.

i live in a historic, almost 100 year old house in Ybor City.  Ybor is a historic district of Tampa. Now known for bars and cigars.

Across the street from us is a vacant 18,000 square foot factory building.

I heard thru the Ybor  grapevine that a Christmas craft show was scheduled to be there on December 2&3.

by coincidence, I had no show planned for that weekend.This event was charging admission, was gated, complete with food trucks and beer and wine sales. Crafters were being charged $200 per day to sell there.  They claimed they already had over 1000 online paid ticket admissions.  They expected to have more than 2000 people come.

i liked the prospects, but I was a little skeptical about those numbers.

In years past, Ellen and I have had an open studio sale in our house for two days.  Both times we did it we were lucky to get about 100 people to attend and we barely would sell $500. Not a great return.

so I salivated about the prospects of several thousand people mingling across the street from us.

can you say “scab?” 

OK, let us just call me a savvy opportunist.

So, last Thursday, after golf I got my Lightdome tent setup in the driveway complete with my walls.

I then attached a tall panel adjacent to the booth. I attached it to the corner pillar of the porch.

I hung two 30x40 framed images there. Good curbside appeal.

The booth showed off well.  I had a lot for my handcolored iconic images hung there in 16x20 frames, think PeeWee, Christopher Walken, et al. (Threw a Little Latin in there).

on Friday, after golf (I get to play a lot more in the fall, light show schedule), I added two more tall panels to two more porch pillars that bordered our front stairs. Again, I hung six 16x20 iconic images on them.  More curbside appeal.

on the front walls of our porch I hung four 30x40 framed photos. Yummy curbside appeal.

to cap it off, I planted two pole flags with the words “gallery Open” on the curb in front of the house.I wanted those fish across the street to sniff our bait and run over to us.

We had Ellen’s work hung on the hallway and living room walls.

We also had four tabletops full of flat and blown glass, ceramics and wooden items priced low, to go.

after all that, I zipped up the booth and parked Ellen’s van up against the front so nobody could get in,

We sat on the porch and drank wonderful Manhattens while hoping our efforts would bear fruit.

Early Saturday morn, I rehung frames on the outside panels and walls, unzipped the booth and made it pretty.

Beside the two flags we had a sandwich board sign that also said “Gallery Open”.

I put that in the driveway, close to the street. Ooh, we just oozed with curbside appeal.

Their event was 10am to 6pm both days.

I was ready by 9am.

I sat in my directors chair. With my IPad in lap.  

By 9:30 the crowd was lined up on the sidewalk two blocks away from the ticket gate. My booth was directly across from their gate.

I smelled money.

Mind you, these people were paying $4 to park in the nearby Ybor garage, then they had paid $10 for admission. Some paid $35 for a VIP pass that included food and booze.

these people were coming here to buy $10 candles, custom jellies, designer salsas, Christmas wreaths, lowend pottery and other objects, most priced $20 and under.

my lowest price was $20 for a 8x10 matted photo that I usually sell for $30 at shows. I also had 11x14 matted photos at $40, which I usually sell for $50. I had my 16x20 mats at $60, usually at shows for $85.

my 16x20 framed photos were priced at $125, at shows they are $150. I had 24x30 framed photos marked down to $225, usually sold at $295. Finally, I had 30x40 framed at $375, usually at $500.

my goal was to make $500 or more.

Some people in line spotted me.  They ambled over and I told my stories. By 10am I had made $150.

After that, I knew I had to be patient and wait for them to come out, and then see if many of them would amble over.

Amble over they did.  I drank wine, told stories, and even sold a large framed Fallen Angel for $350.

Many even went inside the house and Ellen worked her magic.

At day’s end, I sold $1100 in the booth, and Ellen sold $300 inside, plus we got to drink a lot of wine, plus the judge awarded me best in show. It was our yard cat and I gave him extra kibble. Plus, I am invited back for next year, no jury fee, no booth fee.

Just kidding, there was no judge. The cat got extra kibble, all six of them, don’t worry, we got all of them fixed.

Sunday dawned, and I yawned.

And that was the tone for the day.  Smaller crowds, way smaller sales.

we still had fun.  I started teardown at 3:30 was done by 5pm and they were still open to 6.

My sister knew the promoters. She said that they blogged on Facebook that they had 1800 paid attendance on Saturday, and another 800 on Sunday.

I estimate I lured about 300 of them my way.

We ended up with total sales inside and outside about $1600.

Not bad for zero overhead costs, plus I got to drink wine all day, and I finally tore my Lightdome Monday,after golf.They are planning this for 2018, if we are still in Ybor, I plan on doing it again.

Oh, we are selling the Ybor house—but, that is another story.

The purpose of this blog was not about bragging because I made money in the driveway, it was about seeing unexpected opportunities when they come your way, and then capitalizing on them.

Later gators.

I wanted to weigh in on Bayou City Spring show in Memorial Park. When it was 300 artists and 30K attending at a paid gate, sales were OK. Now there are 450 artists and less than 25K (many teens with no $$) BECAUSE THERE IS NO PARKING. The 1 lot for bigger spenders + the shuttle (people with money shun the shuttle) and the City won't let folks park on the park roads (why?) so a city of 2-4 million only turns out 25K attendees, pathetic! Either move the venue to downtown or bribe the city to allow parking.!
Hellooo! Houston, we have a problem.

I know folks have mentioned Krasl here, and on ArtShowReviews, but I can't find anything more recent than 2013. Anyone have any recent experience or feedback?

Thanks in advance. 

Larry

March 10 & 11 
Leesburg, Florida
Presented by: Leesburg Center for the Arts

The Leesburg Art Festival is held on Main Street in the shopping district of Historic Downtown Leesburg. Leesburg is located in the heart of Central Florida, equal distance from each coast, just 12 miles from The Villages and 17 miles from Mount Dora.

Some of the country's most accomplished artists, as well as rising stars, vie for the $1,500 Best in Show Award, Merit, and Judge's Choice Awards during the juried event.  Cash awards totaling $5,750 will be awarded.  

June 15-17
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
56th Annual Festival of Art
Presented by the Milwaukee Art Museum
180 Artists
Deadline: December 8

Application fee: $35; Booth fee: $500

Awards:

A total of $10,500 in awards will be

presented. Ten awards of $1,000 each to be given where excellence is determined by the jurors. The remaining $500 is awarded to the winner of the Sculpture Garden media/ category.  Awards are based on the artist's entire presentation. The top ten award-winning artists are invited back to LFOA for the following year without jurying. 

Jurors will also select Honorable Mention award winners, all of whom are invited back to LFOA for the next year without jurying. LFOA typically receives about 1,000 applications for up to 200 booth spaces. Approximately (25) of those spaces are reserved for artist advisors, past award winners (selected by the previous year’s jurors), poster artist and design award competition winner.

Learn more: lfoa.mam.org

Apply: https://www.zapplication.org/event-info.php?ID=5952

I've been painting for over two years but still consider myself a beginner. I did my first art fair in September and my second (and most recent) today (December 2). The first time I sold several paintings, today I only sold one. I never know what to price my artwork at. I am posting a close-up of one of my favorite paintings. What are your thoughts?

Wondering if anyone did the Art Festival in Estero, Ft. Myers, Fla. on Nov. 18th & 19th ?

How was traffic and sales ?

Thank You 

Sign up, send a gift, get a gift, be happy!

Deadline: midnight, Nov. 30.

60 artists signed up so far. Matching begins on Friday, December 1.

If you've signed up, awesome! You're are among a great group of artists, who have signed up to spread happiness and joy all around (and don't you know we need it).

If you haven't signed up yet, then what are you waiting for? You can be a part of the magic! You could even be matched with special guest participants like Snoop Dogg, Bill Gates, or even Kim Kardashian!

You won't want to miss out—this is your last chance!

Click here for more info:  http://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/naughty-or-nice-here-comes-our-6th-annual-secret-santa-exchange

Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Expo Center
Presented By: Ohio Designer Craftsmen
155 Artists
Deadline: December 8

The Art Studio Clearance Sale is one of the most anticipated shows in Ohio by artists and shoppers alike! Booth fees are low, hours are easy and no fancy set-up is required. Shoppers eager to buy line up early from our parking lot to the front door ready to take home the deals.

Do you have work sitting in your studio that you aren't crazy about? Do you need feedback from shoppers on new work, designs, colors? Unload a kiln during the year only to discover a few firing mishaps? Have you been hauling around pieces that can't seem to find a home? BRING THEM TO THE ART STUDIO CLEARANCE SALE.

This is a Friday and Saturday show with setup on Thanksgiving Day, Produced by Boulderbrook Productions, Richard Sullivan.

This is a small show, less than 80 exhibitors, held around the Sanibel Community Center building which is on Periwinkle Way, the island’s main byway. This is an annual event that I have done at least eight times, that ought to tell you something.

Booth fee is $400, not cheap, but there are a lot of expenses for the promoter to juggle.

Being a holiday weekend, there are lots of tourists there. Most are affluent.

Ideally, you want an overcast weather that keeps them off the beaches, yet you do not want rain. This year we had a very humid setup on Thursday followed by gorgeous, cool weather, both days of the show.

Yep, many were at the beach, but we still had ample crowds of people to sell to. Most come early, after 1pm sales fall off big time.

The civic center had been remodeled and enlarged, so Richard lost nearly 15 spaces. But, for the first time, he was allowed about five artists to set up inside the center, with AC and lights.

There was a nice mix of art. Many diverse painters, a sprinkling of photographers, numerous jewelers, then a great mix of fine crafts, even some with custom clothing, like Billy.

It is November in Florida and it is hard to find shows where you can make big numbers, like $4K plus.
That said, a good number of artists did $2-3K, with an exceptional few who did some really big numbers.

The audience is monied, world wide savvy and eager to acquire. That said, most of them have very conservative tastes. The tried and true sell best here. I saw plenty of “Florida Dreck” imagery go by me all weekend, but that is what sells best here. Surprisingly, I sold a good number of my iconic black and white handcolored images here along with my tropical work. I have a loyal following here and I did about 5x the booth fee. For Florida fall that is not bad. I am grinding it out, making a small profit and surviving til January when bigger numbers will come my way.

I am up 25% over 2016. Part of that is due to getting into five top tier shows. But I also have premiered more than 60 new images that are really selling. Also, I am very people friendly with all who enter my booth. I greet them with a smile, when they ask how things are, I reply, “Super!” Then I sit back and watch them look at the imagery, when I see interest, I tell them a story about it. I am a story teller and people like that. When they ask me what kind of work I do , I tell them I am a Dream-Maker. They like that.

The main thing is, when you see interest from a patron about the work, it is important to engage them. People love to buy something which has a story attached to it. The big advantage that we on the street have over galleries and online selling, is our personae. Your art and your personae are big assets, take advantage of that.

Happy trails, later gators.

I'm certainly not a tax expert, but have been using Turbo to file ours for many years.  All those business deductions going away will put a crimp in our travel and how much we spend on shows - not to mention other expenses too.  If this thing gets passed I can imagine it'll put a real dent in shows themselves as well.