I’d appreciate any input, gut reactions, or other advice, from those who might give it. I’m a long time lurker and while I haven’t had much to add to discussions here (haven’t done any fairs in 6 years), I really value AFI!
5 years ago I left the art fair scene and leased a commercial space instead, in a small tourist town. I recall in the first few years of this lease how much “easier and better” it was versus doing art festivals and traveling all the time. However, I’m seriously considering jumping back into the fairs…I miss them so much. Is the grass greener?
The studio/gallery space started as a great thing…having more time to paint (though being bothered all the time), not having to pack and unpack my work for a show, being exposed to elements, etc. But, it’s become a tedious existence that I loath and call my “prison cell” -- and I really miss traveling. But it’s stable, and I’ve made a good living. The requirements of the lease are that I’m open 7 days a week, year round, (like a mall) and the general burn out of dealing with “intruders in my workspace” all the time.
It's not really a high end gallery situation...it's better than a flea market, but similar to a typical street craft festival only in slow motion. It's not a "qualified art buyer" group that walks by...more like tourists killing time and wandering by discovering me. Most don't care a thing for art, and that's wearing on me too. I probably make a sale once or twice a week, but it's enough to make a nice living.
When I last did art fairs my price points were like $50 to $400, all small paintings. Now I’m really only doing larger work, $425-$3000 in larger sizes. I've tried repros a few times over the years, and it was never worth it for me.
My fear is that there aren’t enough higher end fairs I’d be able to get into to make it work; when I read on here people only selling small items in the under $100 range at a lot of the better shows, and rarely being able to get into the better shows—etc. then I think I’d be crazy to leave my gallery space.
I know there are many artists who’d kill for my space, and once I leave it I’d never be able to get it back.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Comments
I think you have to decide what you need most - financial stability or the great unknown (possibly exciting, tiring and financially uncertain)? To me it sounds like you just need a good, long holiday... which you probably haven't had if you have to be open 7 days a week?
I’ve read a lot of good advice here but no one yet has suggested becoming a better salesperson. I recommend Jason Horejs’ book How To Sell Art. You need to study it, just reading it won’t be good enough. There are many other excellent books on selling, I’ve read several others and got at least one tip from each.
I share a gallery space with 7 other artists/craftspeople and we carry the work of about 25 others. We each man the shop. It took me three readings and much ‘where did I go wrong?” referring to the book to improve but I am now responsible for over 30% of all the sales our gallery makes. I’m still learning and improving.
I also recommend putting your junior salesperson on commission and buying him a copy of the book!
Consider one line of work for the gallery folks and another for yourself with fairs. If you let the gallery folks direct your pricing, you're screwing yourself.
I can so appreciate all of these comments. I have been a professional painter now for over 35 years and have made a living doing it. I also tried a small gallery and found it very confining and as Stephen said I felt like I was in a prison. I found I needed the freedom of working privately in my home studio where I can easily work and not be interrupted. I did the show circuit in California for years, the good years before the economy went out the window. The shows were no longer working for me. Have spent these 5 years trying everything to keep afloat from small farmer's markets and local galleries, barely getting by. That has gotten too hard and sales have lessened there a lot.
I have in the past month decided to go back to the art shows where there is more high end art for sale in upscale markets now that I feel the economy picking up. Have just bought the whole show setup and am ready to try again. I am in SW Florida now and hopefully be back out there within the month. I'd appreciate any comments about local shows here.
One of the art galleries that represents me asked if I'd take prices off my website years ago....they priced things about 3x what I did, because that's "what their clientele expects" and I would hinder their sales, so I did. I do get inquiries from my website which is set up as an "inventory/brochure" and people who see my work in person can always go see what I have. I sell about 3 or 4 from the site a month, but typically it starts with an email or phone call...and I email them an invoice.
Hearing averages that used to be 5-6k per show, and now are half that, make me hesitant about lining up fairs. My current monthly gross is a lot more than that...which sounds great until you realize my expenses are about 65% of my gross.
Way to go, Dave Piper. I know you weren't looking at my website since I have prices on everything, a way to BUY IT NOW without asking permission, and my phone number on just about every page. I, too, answer my phone. I don't have caller ID, I don't screen my calls, nor do I have call waiting. So when you call, you might get a busy signal since I might be on the phone.
About this show topic, though. I'm finding the lower end sales are drying up more than the higher end. Now, when I say higher end, I mean more than 1K. For quite a long time my prices started at $1,250 and went up to $6,000 for originals. I don't go quite that high very often anymore, but I still keep a stout piece like that in the booth at all times. Most of the work is $1200 to $3200. But I have lower end repros, too. But the lower end has fallen off quite a bit in the past four years.
I say this. If you create something artful and relatively unique, you might do better at all the shows than if you make the typical $30 to $200 products many art fair artists are slinging. Heck, you might do better anywhere these days if you make something relatively unique since there's plenty of copy cat stuff available. But I really have no idea what's gonna work for anyone else but me, and I don't know half the time what's gonna work for me in the sales, awards, and income department. I just know when I think I've created something extra special and I strive to do that every time. I don't usually think about what a customer might want.
I can't imagine sitting in a store all week long for years. I'm in my studio right now on the Wyoming open range. It's absolutely breathtaking out here all the time.
But what works for me might not work for you. You already mentioned that you might try the $2000 and up art. Become capable of doing some art without sales in mind at all. That might help the tactic a bit. Forget selling altogether. Think about art principles. Do something unexpected.
While reading the above posts from several people, I see that all of us old timers know that the days of money falling right into our show booths are over. It used to be easy to do well at a show and now not easy. I make a functional item that is easy for a potential customer to justify in their budget of spending at a show. I am lucky that way. However, I must express myself about what I believe is a great source of sales that so many fine artists and fine craftsmen do not use effectively. To be exact... YOUR WEB SITE! I noticed an artist work here on artfairinsiders.com earlier today and wanted to consider buying a fine art piece. When the web site of this artist (that I do not know) came up, I loved so many pieces. However, no prices, no point and click way to buy right now, I was disappointed. So, I clicked on contact and found a form that I would have to fill out seeking permission for that artist to contact me. Really! no email, no phone, no address? So, nevermind. In case anyone out there wants to hear about my opposite approach to selling on my web site, here goes... My sight went up the day the web was given to the public in 1993. The geeks told me my site was one of the first 1500 sites on the planet earth. Seemed cool. Then I did some silly things like making my products, my prices, my email, my phone, my address and a point and click secure server that gives a customer the option to buy RIGHT NOW. Then I did, and still do, the craziest thing anyone could imagine. When the phone rings, I answer it. When someone emails, I email back the same day. If a letter arrives, I write back the same day. When a brochure request comes in by pointing and clicking on my site, I mail the brochure the same day. So far, that makes twenty-two years of letting people buy my stuff without permission. So far, I cannot remember one single time that people with no real interest did anything to bother me. I understand that I make two things in seven colors and that is what makes my way work real well. Now, after these past 22 years, half of everything I make sells on my web site. I still love shows and still do them and will till I die. I realize that most fine art and many fine crafts are not able to web sell in my method due to so much one of a kind. But, come on now, a potential customer must guess at price range and must ask permission to email a question to you. Seems like that system may be every bit as effective as sitting at the back of the booth or across the street reading or playing with your phone.
Thanks all. The fear of leaving my steady retail space to the unknown is an exciting idea but probably not wise financially. It seems soul crushing to stay but I do have family that support and have to think about everyone. Getting into better art fairs seems like such a crapshoot!
Maybe I just need to take vacations to see the better art fairs, and then be glad I don't have to rely on them.
I'll probably take some advice and find a way to better share the space I have, and try to do some art fairs anyway, to at least market my work to other parts of the country.
Actually, I have seen the same sort of drop in types of sales over the last 5 years in my space, as all of you have. I get a similar art fair going group. My solution is aim higher at the $2000+ sales, which does work but requires more patience for the whales to stop by. Makes for some cold months but probably the better plan. But...not sure I would take the same approach at art fairs. I'll keep the thread up to date with what I decide.
Definitely the old $5,000 to $6,000 show is now the $2,000 to $3,000 as Jeff says. This is for artists doing painted pictures. I don't know about other arts but suspect its the same. The old days are gone but I suspect its financial pinch for disposable income rather then full walls and flat screen TV. My feelings are that jobs will get well soon and a drift toward the old days are not far away. A suggestion.................................Don't overlook gift shops. A 20% discount is not unusual here rather than a gallery 50%. Hospitals, hotels, music, skiing, flower, outdoor, etc.. often have a gallery section to add a little class to the place.. I sell direct, cash up front, and offer an exchange if a certain picture does not sell well.
I am curious about this subject. I applied to 6 TX shows in 2 categories, got waitlisted in 3 got into 3 and canceled the whole trip altogether due to huge travel costs. Am getting the impression that only local shows can pay off for me. Don't know what other artists think about show anymore. People are still applying but the market has changed. Older buyers have full walls. The need to buy is not there any more I perceive and the younger crowd tends to more functional works. Booth fees are getting higher because producers need to money off the backs of artists who can't afford them as much. Some artists still do well, but I'd be curious what you hear out there.
I have wanted to get out of shows for almost 5 years now and am slowly doing that due to not wanting to spend booth fees vs. sales results. Let me know your thoughts and opinions. Jeff
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next