Forum

I did my first art fair last weekend and although I knew that the people there were not my target audience, it was local and I wanted to use it as a dry run and learning experience.  I found some flaws in what I was doing and am now ready to apply to shows that will work for me.

I am looking to stay within the Maryland/Virginia area (though I could go a little further if there was a real opportunity) and am wondering if anyone might have a recommendation or two for me as to which art fair(s) I should apply.

My product is photography but is well away from the landscape/birds/flowers that one typically sees.  I work primarily with historic processes and Bromoil (early 20th century photographic process) is my specialty, so I sell my original prints for $425.  I do sell limited edition (limited to ten per size in ten sizes) reproductions for $75 and $125, so I am not really competing with the photographers that I have seen in the shows I have gone to.

What might I do to best find an art fair that would best fit my target audience?  Many of the ones I have looked at (like the one I was just in) appear to look for audiences who may be more lookers than buyers.

Perhaps this question is one that everyone else is asking, but whereas someone selling jewelry for $20 will be able to sell to the person wandering by looking at things, I need to find the people looking to purchase art.

So any art fair recommendations or hints as to what I should be looking for would be greatly appreciated.  I would like to see if I can actually sell some of my work and getting it in front of the right people is the necessary first step.

Cheers -

george