I would like to know effective security measures to prevent stealing a painting off the wall at an art fair.   Has anyone used cams etc.?   Two of my smaller paintings were lifted this past weekent at the Lakeview East Art Fair when i went to get my van to pack out. This is rare as my paintings would not bring anything if fenced etc.   thanks. 

Because of my respect for the Jewish Holidays, and since Rosh Hashanah is two days, I'm skipping the meeting this week. Look for the reminder e-mail next Tuesday morning, September 14th.

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

1. I do not like some of the initial visible changes to your website.  But I am waiting to see if that changes.

August 10 & 11, 2024
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Flat Iron Park
Saturday & Sunday 10am-4pm
80-90 Artists
Deadline: March 31, 2024

Application fee: $35/Booth fee: $255

The 44th Annual Art in the Park is a juried art fair sponsored and produced by the Geneva Lake Arts Foundation, Inc (GLAF), a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation formed to encourage individual artistic growth and excellence, as well as to increase community exposure to the arts. The Foundation is composed of about 150 local artists who proudly display their work at Gallery 223 in Lake Geneva. This event is the primary fundraiser for GLAF.

Amenities

Booth sitting services, easy load-in and load-out, one parking spot, welcome package, bottled water, continental breakfast, food vendors, and great views of Geneva Lake.

Awards

One Best of show for $500, seven Awards of Merit for $100 each, and one John Larson Memorial Award for animal-themed artwork for $500. Judging is conducted on Saturday morning by a panel of GLAF Members. Awards are presented and posted on Sunday morning.

Learn more: https://www.genevalakeartsfoundation.org/

Contact: Jeff Russart aitplakegeneva@gmail.com

Photographing in the arctic presents its challenges. Namely, the lack of cover to hide oneself behind and the bitter cold. Most photographers can get relatively close to these animals or watch them through binoculars. Unfortunately, not many can get too close, especially without the added camouflage of a cover. The added cold, which can reach -56 °F, makes it difficult for anyone to endure waiting for these timid creatures to show.

Once the snowmobile was packed and heading to town 8 hours away, I was suddenly stopped in my tracks. The elusive arctic wolf appeared on the horizon. Almost to bid me goodbye, as I was giving up my expedition of arctic wolf images for wolf decor. What’s your favourite arctic wolf photography from Ejaz Khan fine art photography?

A MIRACULOUS MOMENT

Divine intervention or poetic justice, this find was the highlight of a week of adversity and terrifying loneliness in our attempt to get arctic wolf pics. Waiting to take pictures of arctic wolves for wolf decor was taking a toll. There are times that one marvels at the magnificence of a solitary existence. This was one of those times. I have been so fortunate to learn to make myself one with my nature and surroundings to capture these pictures of arctic wolf and arctic wolf art images.

See our short film on how we took pictures of the arctic wolf.

Shrinking Numbers Leads to Elusiveness

The overall numbers of these animals have also been cut down due to human advancements. Deliberate interference from humans has reduced these animals’ habitat to about a third of what it was originally. Most of this comes from fear of arctic wolfs preying on livestock and attacking humans, which are rare. Much deforestation takes place to make room for cattle farming. This encroaches onto the natural woodland habitat of the arctic wolves, pushing their territories to be smaller and smaller. Interested In burying Arctic wolf prints? or want wolf wall artideas for your home or office? check out our website Ejaz Khan Earth.

First of all I got into show off wait list, not to happy about that, but it is what it is.  Usually go a day early Wed. so can set up on thanksgiving, but this year started setup when arrived on Wed which was a plus.  Then came back on thanksgiving and finished setup.  So yes setup was easy as was teardown.  

I was given a corner, which helped my display.  I do not think it helped sales.  2013 did fantastic,  2014 did 1/2 of what i did the year before.  Fri started out gang busters, buying frenzy.  Thought Sat was going to be just as good but did terrible.  I think everyone went to the malls, cause they were not at the show, and were not buying from me.

Thought maybe Sunday would be better but it was worse.  It was like people were only buying $20.00 items or just looking.   There is a fee to get in the door $7.00 unless you had a $1.00 off coupon.   Coffee was supplied with eats in the morning when arrived.  Parking was tight on Sunday since everyone was trying to get a place for vehicle for teardown.  

I think the show was rather expensive, with lights, and curtains (unless had own).  As far as would I return.  I think the answer is skip the show and do every other year or two.   Have done show over past 10 years and first time did well, then did it year after and did half.  Took a few years off, went back did well, following year did poorly. From my experience not worth the money.  A week after the show talking to some artists at an AZ show and the location is not in the greatest area of Alb.   

My apologies to everyone who has been waiting for access to this site. I just discovered that our admin, the fabulous Larry Berman, the gatekeeper here (keeping you safe from spammers and junk and determining if you actually are part of the artist community) has not been being notified that you are waiting.

The other day I saw a complaint on our Facebook page asking "just how long does it take to be accepted here?" and my investigations brought me to a list of over 60 people waiting since February 2. Fixed now, I hope ... this will bring our membership to nearly 18,000 members. 

We are here, we want to hear from you and I hope you'll share your experiences and get your questions answered. Many thanks to all of you that have supported this site with your wisdom and help since November 2009.

P.S. Hello to all my friends in ArtFairLand

Well, you all can blame Connie for this blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After receiving notification of my work being accepted to this Columbia, MD show, I was asked to use one of my pieces online and as part of the promotional ad for the show.  I was pleased to accept, (that's my 18-inch bamboo bowl wall hanging near the earrings above).  This was the first time I'd applied to ArtPark; part of a 2-week festival which includes dramatic, music, and dance performances.  The show consisted of 43 artists, in the usual categories, and the overall quality of the work I saw during the show was high, with no buy/sell. 

We made the 6-hour drive on Thursday, stayed overnight with a friend, and arrived early for our desginated Friday 11 am setup time.  We were met by show management, and walked to our tent location.  The setting is around a beautiful lake, with tents facing a row of restaurants with both indoor and outdoor seating shaded by large trees. Cars are not allowed onto the actual tent site, so management provided motorized vehicles and able-bodied volunteers to load and deliver everything there.  Cool!  We like to have a leisurely setup whenever possible, and this fit the bill; the weather was gorgeous (as it was all weekend), and arriving early meant we were set up well ahead of our neighbors.  There was absolutely NO space between tents in our area, which was a pain.  Before the show opened, the fire marshal walked through, noting each artist's type/brand of tent.  This was significant, given the stringent requirements for fire safety stated on the application and acceptance documents (we also were required to have a specific type of fire extinguisher 'prominently placed' inside the tent).

Show hours were 5pm to 9pm Friday, Noon to 9pm Saturday, and Noon to 7pm Sunday, and admission was free. 

Friday was slow, and although there were many after dinner strollers, there were virtually no buyers.  People who'd done the show before (the few there were) said this was typical of Friday night. 

Not opening until noon Saturday was pleasant, there was a steady stream of people all day, though no huge crowds.  In Baltimore, which is about a 30-minute drive away, there was a major event going on at the harbor, with tall ships and the Blue Angels, so this may have accounted for the smaller numbers.  The festival had music, and a trapeze act in another section apart from where we were, as well as a kids' area and food.  We had several sales during the late afternoon, the usual complement of "I'll be backs," and overall, we were positive about the show.  Volunteers were polite and plentiful, offering to booth sit.  Each morning, there was coffee and doughnuts at the welcome tent.  Show managers were also visible, and made a point of visiting to ask how things were going.  During the late afternoon, our neighbor, who sold fused glass jewelry and plates said she had "her most expensive piece" stolen while she was talking with people in her booth.  I think her non-secure display contributed to this (small pieces in open trays on a table at the front of the booth, while she sat in the back, below the level of the table), as well as the fact that she was alone.  We had no such incidents, nor did I hear of any others. 

Sunday brought us some fantastic surprises:  two of the "I'll be backs" actually did come back.  One to purchase a companion piece to one she'd purchased on Saturday, and the other, to purchase three of my newest pieces, which will adorn a law office wall. Adding these two sales made Sunday my highest grossing day ever, and I was beyond thrilled!  The show ended with an efficient breakdown and load out, with the motorized carts, helpers, and advantageous parking space making it among the easiest we've ever had. 

Would I do ArtPark again?  Absolutely.  In fact, I may be invited to do it next year.  Apparently, the management extends invitations to previous exhibitors, which means they don't have to be juried for that year.  Would I recommend it to others?  Yes.  Here's what you'll need to know to apply:

ArtPark information:  Show dates:  June 15~17, 2012   Application deadline:  March 2, 2012  

Application:  online .pdf on the show site:  http://columbiafestival.com/artpark-fine-art-crafts-show-sale/

No Entry Fee. 

Show fee:  $200   Electricity fee:  $50 (you'll want it--show runs until 9pm on two of three days, and it's in a heavily shaded area). 

Free parking for exhibitors. 

~Michelle Davis Petelinz

August 3 & 4, 2024
Detroit, Michigan
Belle Isle State Park
Saturday 10am-7pm & Sunday 11am-5pm
110 artists
Deadline: May 5, 2024

Application fee: $25/Booth fees start at $475

Belle Isle is a beautiful island park reached by bridge from Detroit. The art fair is in a grass field adjacent to the beautiful Scott Fountain. People from all over love to come to the island and it's packed with people on summer weekends. Detroit's weekly magazine, The Metro Times declares that this is the best art fair in the area.

The Belle Isle Art Fair attracts a large diverse audience from the city and beyond. The audience is a mix of suburbanites and city dwellers with the budget and appreciation to buy art. Popular for both traditional and some edgier work. All price points do well.

Learn more: https://www.belleisleartfair.com/ 
Contact: Mark Loeb mark@integrityshows.com

just so everyone knows, this company uses shady language in their ZAPP application. This company has many other shows that are unsuccessful as well.

If anyone has had a similar experience please comment.

I'm fighting the charge right now.

Does anyone else agree that Zapplication is responsible for enabling unlawful activity?

We have been doing this show for about 5 years BUT this may be the last - they now want $25.00 for a trailer to be parked in the artist lot!!!   Have never had to pay at a show to park the trailer - I am sure that there are shows that charge