Art fairs are a lot of hard work. They’re also expensive to participate in and attend. They’re stressful and full of physical challenges. Below are some tips I’ve created to help me not just get through the next show, but have fun doing so without taxing my system unduly. Each of these tips has been hard won through many years of experience. Take the ones you like, invent and share other tips that help you. Please. I’m ever open to hearing how you, my fellow art fair artists, sail through your shows!
1. Believe the show is awesome – NO MATTER WHAT. Some of my most amazing shows have seemed slow – only to blossom weeks later with an offer or an order I never would have garnered otherwise.
2. Pack wonderful tasty snacks to get you hydrated and fed – body and soul – throughout the day. Treat yourself, make it high quality everything. Include soul food. Soul Food = chocolate et al – stuff you love. In moderation.
3. Don’t complain. Not no way. Not no how. Not during the event. That vibe is sticky and will cling to all your good intentions in your work. If you have suggestions for improvements – thoughtfully provide those to the appropriate audience after the show.
4. A slow show does not mean your work isn’t worthy. Never forget that.
5. An awesome show doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an awesome artist either – see #6.
6. What defines you as an artist is YOU. Not your sales. I have had amazingly profitable shows, and crazily horrible shows. The work is the work. These externals might distract you from your Vision. Stay mindful of that.
Celebrate Every Show You’re In!
7. That said – note trends in your sales and adjustwhat you sell accordingly! That’s not prostituting your Vision – that’s sharing it in ways The Public is ready to accept at the moment.
8. Never forget that you are creatively educating people in all of this amazing effort of yours.
9. Give yourself a present after every show. You deserve it. It doesn’t have to be extravagant but it should be a pat on your own back for a job well done.
10. You are an amazing example for others!
11. Go YOU! You are Brave, Hard-working, Persevering, Dedicated, Patient, a Visionary par excellence! Not many people can stake a claim in this many wonderful traits.
Lucky? Hardly!
Do you hear people say “I wish I was as lucky as you, getting to do what you love?”. I do, too. A ton. I usually chuckle and state “Luck has nothing to do with it!”. I work hard at making this dream come true. You do too. Those folks could too – we have made this a choice we’re willing to work – and work hard – for.
We deserve every good opportunity that comes our way from putting our work out there for all the world to see and react to right in front of us! We can minimize whatever negative challenges that come our way by alway, always treating ourselves as a treasured employee – because we most certainly are! Without us this business would literally disappear over night!
Comments
Great comments Marti.
Marti,
You definitely look and live in the positive. I will follow this for the next show and even print it up if I am feeling down. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Daniela
Thank you, I needed this!
I LOVE this story Jacque! There's so much that's RIGHT about it from the artist's perspective. I love the shared joy expressed. Now if only EVERYONE had had that last minute $2000 sale.... :) - though their collective attitude suggests something good was bound to be headed to each and every clapper one way or another down the line.
I remember a terrible show in Nov. years ago, no one was doing any sales, at 10 to 3:00 (show over at 3:00)
a wonderful painting on tiles was sold for $2,000. - when the customer left the building, all the artist in the building starting clapping and cheering for him.
((Marti))). Such awesome advice. perfect. Thanks!
Of course you can Bonnie! These shows are truly a group effort, aren't they? I'm especially delighted to hear from your 'other side of the tent' perspective. We bolster each other up. I know, I've been bolstered, encouraged, inspired by you all too. Gloria - your decorations story is wonderful! Chris, I've done the same thing: planned, reworked concepts, thought about improvements, etc. Jeneen - you have an AWEsome last name!! You need a horse. :)
Safe travels everyone! We are - each one of us - wealthy human beings.
Marti, you ROCK! I've been in the traveling crafter business for 25 years and acting as both vendor coordinator and show director for 10 years. Been on both sides of the fence for sure! You really nailed the basics for all of us in this business. I've been in the trenches many times next to a complaining vendor and I've been under the gun facing irate, irrational vendors. The negative factor is a mold that can infect an entire show. We are not promoting one single thing in our shows that is required for humans to sustain life. We are presenting wonderful things that will truly enhance the lives of our attendees and we must believe that! That cheerful attitude, enthusiasm and pride in our work is what makes what we are vending a 'gotta have it'! With your permission - I'd like to add your amazing thoughts, of course giving you credit, to the vendor packet distributed to each of my vendors on show day!
Love your words of wisdom. At my first show this year the traffic wasn't great - high temperatures and humidity. Most people were out on the lake cooling off rather than walking around an art show. I had made a number of small items to "decorate" my tent because I was bored with the white walls! Within 20 minutes of the show starting, someone wanted to purchase one of my decorations. I quickly set a price and sold it. By the end of the day, all of the decorations were gone. I hadn't sold much else, just 30 decorations for the tent. However, about that time, when you are really getting discouraged at the sales, the jurors rode up to my tent and informed me that I had won second prize in the glass category. Between the sales and the prize, my day wasn't too bad ... AND I now knew that my "decorations" were not going to simply be decorations at the next show ... yep, sold out there too! Not expected ... but I went with what the people wanted and now I am getting ready for my next shows. So back to my studio I go!
Love this post. I am definitely printing it off and carrying it with me to shows.
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