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Comments

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  Connie Mettler December 8, 2008 at 9:55am

  Thanks for this report. I know nothing about this event. So pleased for Berry Davis and Collette Fortin--great folks and fine work!
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  Matthew December 7, 2008 at 2:59pm

  here is the other side of the story.
  CraftArt enjoys brisk sales
  by lennie Bennett
  
  ST. PETERSBURG- The crisp cool air and blue skies of Saturday and Sunday reminded us why we love Florida winters. And why we love winter outdoor events.
  Crowds thronged the streets for CraftArt, sponsored by Florida Craftsman and held outdoors in downtwn St. Petersburg for the first time in its 11-year history.
  Maria Emilia, Florida Craftsmen director, said that despite national economic woes, "sales were good in our store both days and 80 percent fo the artists reported really good sales(they are not required to provide numbers) and no one said they didn't want to come back"
  Sixteen artists split the $15,000 purse awarded by juror Judy Lynn Prince.
  BEST ON SHOW,5,000 went to Berry Davis and Collette Fortin, (Celina, Ohio, glass).
  
  while i didn't do so well here, the right kind of customer was there.( just couldn't close). And the overall Quality of the show was top notch. With the directors on the street both days meeting the artists. And the tuna at the dinner party was THE BEST.
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  Connie Mettler December 7, 2008 at 9:29am

  Thanks for this report, Matthew, with the pros and cons, not only of this event, but also about the business. Getting customers to buy is tricky in every season. Being on top of it all in many ways can help. Early on one of my best sales lines that amazingly worked was this:
  
  We were at the Old Town Art Fair in Chicago. A man was admiring a large black and white photograph (really, even to this day one of our very strongest images). He said he could not buy it because he had just started graduate school. I replied that that is the very reason he should buy it. To remind himself why he was in school. Then he handed me his credit card!
  
  I'll bet he is still enjoying that image, while, for me, that money is long gone.
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  Matthew December 6, 2008 at 7:56pm

  i was there ( Great gulf coast ) and though it was not great, it was a good show. And i know of a few that did well.This is a meet and greet show for the community, a party atmosphere where art is the draw. And this has to be the dirties show there is. The crowd moves as a herd and the cloud of dust is thick. On the good side the committee is solid. and committed to putting on a quality show. And a great artist party. This fall i have been to Ocala, Lake Mary, Great gulf coast, Florida craftsman, and Spacecoast. and Great gulf coast was the best one of the bunch. Spacecoast was the bomb. At every show i had coustomers that wanted the piece but they could not pull the trigger. There worried too about their jobs and the economy also . We are in for hard times and we are going to see a number of artists dropout.
  But we will find a way to make it to the other side of this downturn.
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  Dave Huebner November 13, 2008 at 8:33pm

  I did a quality show in Sioux Falls SD with the same results...Lots of folks, no buyers. There was a great crowd for the free wine & cheese opening in the gallery. The folks paid little attention to the art show sale down stairs...main floor.
  I have friends that did a show in Watertown SD with similar results. I hope this is not a national trend. I do find my wholesale & internet orders up. Many area shops are looking for locally made items instead of imports.
  Dave Huebner