This past weekend I participated in the Suncoast art festival located in Wesley Chapel FL. I've reviewed this show in the past so if you're interested in logistics read my past reviews as nothing has changed.This has always been a filler show for me, close to home and cheap to do, but I could always count on the quality to be of an acceptable level. Not so much this year. During setup I was chatting with my neighbors one of whom was a jeweler, in her words "the lowest form of jeweler, a stringer who doesn't even make her own beads". She went on to say she couldn't believe she got into a fine art show as her jury images were crap. When I checked out her booth after setup it looked like something you would see at a flea market, with a price point of $10 and everything was buy one get one free. Across from me was a booth that had plastic spinning discs with images on them and as they spun the images moved, pretty cool, but it didn't belong at an art show. The final nail in the coffin for me was my next door neighbor, she juried in with glass and while she did have some very nice stained glass items the majority of her booth was cheap costume jewelry. When I brought it to the attention of Pam, the coordinator, she choose to ignore it.On Sunday morning I did my usual walkabout talking to artists, 60% were first timers and of those most hadn't made expenses yet which is pretty sad as show fee is only $240 with jury fee.With this show being laid out in a mall situation with no road visibility the majority of attendees were there shopping at the stores, most packages I saw being carried were from Pottery Barn, Barnes and Noble, Macys etc.I see this show circling the drain if the standards of the committee don't come back to prior levels. To be fair there was some very good art there, but when the low quality work starts to creep in its only a matter of time. I did get to meet Bill Sargent and his wife, and we had a nice conversation.
It makes me so sad that this is what's happening just as I prepare to dip my toe in the proverbial world of Arts and Crafts...my timing has always been off. Is there any good news to be had out there?
It's the same in Minnesota, the quality is dropping in many previously excellent outdoor art fairs in much the same manner. It seems to be spreading across the country. Maybe the answer is in the placement of the fine artists next to similar artists, instead of next to the "bad" or cheap stuff. Have a whole segment for the better art, keep it away from the lower quality stuff. I had terrible experiences last summer being placed in between a lady who painted flowers on garbage cans and a women who made a gigantic mermaid out of paper mache and had one giant painting of a mermaid, and that was her whole display. It was insulting to me to me to be between displays like that at a "fine art show". Art fair organizers, wake up, you'll be losing the fine artists with placements like that. There seemed to be no "target audience" for any of it.
Well... Nice to be able to do shows for the sake of a write-off. Wish I was in that position. My craft business requires profitability unless I wish to be deemed a hobby business by the IRS. The art business is different and can run at a loss according to my accountants. Not my idea of fun.
You both missed the point, it is a tax write off! Just because I said I would go back doesn't mean I am suggesting this is a good show for other Artists, I thought I made that clear.
Yep, gotta go with what Robert said. See it all the time, but praise without purchase cannot fill your tank or pay your credit card bills. If you're already doing well outside the circuit, then maybe those sales will pay for this side journey. Otherwise, soon enough, you'll start sounding like an unique version of the voices here.
We all get lots of compliments at the shows. It's a form of admission payment for the fair-goers after looking at your work. Not to sound cynical about it, but the true compliment is when someone wants to live with one of creations. The other compliments are just empty praise. We can't buy a single gallon of gas on the verbal praise, sorry to say.
If the promised commissions come through, and made some money, then great. Charity is one thing, and so is giving money, but doing a show because it's a charitable event is not a good thing if you lose money at it. You'd be better off writing them a check for a donation.
Robert, profitability is of course important, but what about charity? For me it is a way of participating in a fund raiser for a good cause, and it is tax deductible. This show is local for me and personal because my partner is a teacher. I wouldn't recommend it for any Artist making a huge sacrifice to go for just the profit. I did however get huge compliments and a promise of commission work and ETSY sales from this show, probably because I have friends who love to do work for the community and appreciated me coming out.
It sounds like the take away on this is that despite a low booth fee of $240, most artists didn't even make that back. In the end, even though there are fun things for kids to do, the art fair is not a day care or a cool place to hang out, it's prime function is to provide a way for the artists to profitably sell their work. That didn't happen and the prospects of that happening in the future are slim to nil. Someone would need to be a fool to go back unless they're in the business of selling trinkets. Does that summarize it?
Yes, I know they were sponsors, I just thought it was funny. I was also surprised to see re-claimed teak furniture, as I said earlier on my other blog, I have several pieces in my garden and I purchased them from a guy in a parking lot in Dade City! I don't know if the show judges were the same as the "jury", what did you think of them?
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It makes me so sad that this is what's happening just as I prepare to dip my toe in the proverbial world of Arts and Crafts...my timing has always been off. Is there any good news to be had out there?
It's the same in Minnesota, the quality is dropping in many previously excellent outdoor art fairs in much the same manner. It seems to be spreading across the country. Maybe the answer is in the placement of the fine artists next to similar artists, instead of next to the "bad" or cheap stuff. Have a whole segment for the better art, keep it away from the lower quality stuff. I had terrible experiences last summer being placed in between a lady who painted flowers on garbage cans and a women who made a gigantic mermaid out of paper mache and had one giant painting of a mermaid, and that was her whole display. It was insulting to me to me to be between displays like that at a "fine art show". Art fair organizers, wake up, you'll be losing the fine artists with placements like that. There seemed to be no "target audience" for any of it.
Lori, I really like your "circling the drain" phrase. I will have to remember that one. Made me chuckle. Sorry about your experience though.
You both missed the point, it is a tax write off! Just because I said I would go back doesn't mean I am suggesting this is a good show for other Artists, I thought I made that clear.
If the promised commissions come through, and made some money, then great. Charity is one thing, and so is giving money, but doing a show because it's a charitable event is not a good thing if you lose money at it. You'd be better off writing them a check for a donation.
Robert, profitability is of course important, but what about charity? For me it is a way of participating in a fund raiser for a good cause, and it is tax deductible. This show is local for me and personal because my partner is a teacher. I wouldn't recommend it for any Artist making a huge sacrifice to go for just the profit. I did however get huge compliments and a promise of commission work and ETSY sales from this show, probably because I have friends who love to do work for the community and appreciated me coming out.
Yes, I know they were sponsors, I just thought it was funny. I was also surprised to see re-claimed teak furniture, as I said earlier on my other blog, I have several pieces in my garden and I purchased them from a guy in a parking lot in Dade City! I don't know if the show judges were the same as the "jury", what did you think of them?
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