End of Season?

I don't do Holiday shows specifically but I do like to have a show in the begining of November and the begining of December. If I can't find a fine art show then I look for a home interior show. I find that people who are hosting for Thanksgiving or the holidays often want some art. It is also nice for me to have a later date show to let people know it is the last show of the year for me. I find this sometimes helps push people that have been thinking about one of my pieces into actually buying. I also get individuals and couples who will buy a piece as a gift to themselves or eachother. If you have a decent contact list and a group of clients that are opened and you are just trying to close them, then it helps to have somewhere to set up for them to come to see you one last time for the year. This has been my experience.

My show season usually ends in September, with a Labor Day weekend show then a studio tour at the end of the month. I do originals only, pastels and oil paintings. There is a wonderful high-end indoor show in my city in November, one which I have always wanted to do, but it is crafts-only so there is no category for 2D. (Except photography---go figure.) Then there is another show here put on by the art school which does allow paintings, but on the prospectus they actually say that not much over $200 sells, so I didn't even bother applying.

I try to get more work into galleries over the fall and winter. Last year I had two solo gallery shows in Spring, and that worked out well because it gave me a few months to prepare, and I had my unsold work back by the time I went on the road.

A few galleries here do have small works shows in December, two of which I did for the first time last year. My small pieces are in the $300-$500 range. I'm not sure how the small-works shows did overall, but I did't have any sales at them. But the same small work did sell later at my solo show at one of the galleries in February.

Pretty anecdotal I know, but as another anti-trinkets and frou frou artist, I'd say the holiday shows are iffy at best. On the other hand, if they are cheap and easy to do, they may be a good opportunity to get in front of people who will be back to buying for themselves in a few months.

Replies

Melanie Rolfes November 9, 2010 at 1:01pm

I don't do Holiday shows specifically but I do like to have a show in the begining of November and the begining of December. If I can't find a fine art show then I look for a home interior show. I find that people who are hosting for Thanksgiving or the holidays often want some art. It is also nice for me to have a later date show to let people know it is the last show of the year for me. I find this sometimes helps push people that have been thinking about one of my pieces into actually buying. I also get individuals and couples who will buy a piece as a gift to themselves or eachother. If you have a decent contact list and a group of clients that are opened and you are just trying to close them, then it helps to have somewhere to set up for them to come to see you one last time for the year. This has been my experience.
Sheila Evans November 9, 2010 at 11:59am

My show season usually ends in September, with a Labor Day weekend show then a studio tour at the end of the month. I do originals only, pastels and oil paintings. There is a wonderful high-end indoor show in my city in November, one which I have always wanted to do, but it is crafts-only so there is no category for 2D. (Except photography---go figure.) Then there is another show here put on by the art school which does allow paintings, but on the prospectus they actually say that not much over $200 sells, so I didn't even bother applying.

I try to get more work into galleries over the fall and winter. Last year I had two solo gallery shows in Spring, and that worked out well because it gave me a few months to prepare, and I had my unsold work back by the time I went on the road.

A few galleries here do have small works shows in December, two of which I did for the first time last year. My small pieces are in the $300-$500 range. I'm not sure how the small-works shows did overall, but I did't have any sales at them. But the same small work did sell later at my solo show at one of the galleries in February.

Pretty anecdotal I know, but as another anti-trinkets and frou frou artist, I'd say the holiday shows are iffy at best. On the other hand, if they are cheap and easy to do, they may be a good opportunity to get in front of people who will be back to buying for themselves in a few months.

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