Hi Everybody!
This is my first post. I was a black and white pencil portrait artist for 20 years until my mother-in-law decided I was a painter and and wanted a painting of the Huntington Beach Pier where we are from. I told her I don't paint, use brushes, or color... She said get in the car and we went to the art supply store where she bought me about $1,000 worth of painting supplies. I worked on the painting for a long while and then finally gave it to her. Next thing I know, people are asking me for reproductions and I find out all about the giclee process. I sold so many that I started looking for a place to sell more and I came across the Huntington Beach art Walk. I painted a few more of the pier and next thing I know I have a full page spread in the local paper and the city starts using my paintings for advertising. Then I get an email from the Wyland Gallery in Laguna Beach asking me if I would be interested in doing a show with them. I did a live painting night where I got to bring all my paintings down (which was about 5 at this point) and then they kept 2 of them for a whole month.
I've had a couple other limited gallery runs, and have been doing the Huntington Beach Art Walk for about 2 years now. I meet a lot of other artists, and I have heard of this Southwest Arts festival so I decided to apply this year. I didn't have a booth shot, because I've never really had a booth. But I just found out I got in anyway, so I'm in process of getting everything I need for the show. That's how I stumbled onto this site. I had no idea that there were these big shows all over the country. Being from Southern California, it doesn't appear many are anywhere near me though. The only one I know about is the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach but you have to be a resident of Laguna Beach to be a participant and its like 3 weeks long.
So I downloaded a bunch of the podcasts, and I have started searching through the discussion boards trying to make sure I will be as prepared as I can be. I'm curious as to how you guys sell at shows. Do you just sell what you bring and they take it there? or do you take orders and mail it afterwards? Some are 5 feet wide. My originals are priced anywhere from two to ten thousand in the galleries, do sales like that happen at these fairs? I have been told that its not uncommon for someone to drop 20 grand on a painting at this Southwest show. I don't know if that's true, but I've heard it from more than one artist. That's what made me apply. I'm starting to put a lot of money into this, so I'm just wondering what I should be expecting.
Anyway, this looks like a fantastic site, I'll keep reading and see what kind of answers I can figure out on my own, hopefully I'll get to meet some of you at the show.
Replies
One more thing ... if you haven't seen this thread, take a look.
Sprinkled throughout are lists of the items that various artists like to have with them at art shows.
Good to know before you start packing, some are obvious and others will have you saying "oh, goodness, I wouldn't have thought of that!"
http://www.artfairinsiders.com/forum/topics/items-necessary-at-a-show
Thank you, I did see this, but I didn't have it saved so I was going to have to look for it again. It definately has a few things I didnt think of before. Thanks again for all the help!
Don't get me wrong, I think your art is great, but to expect someone to just come up with a booth, walks, weights, lights, hanging method, etc all on a whim really makes me question the validity that it is a quality art festival. I would like to hear how the sales go, not out of malice or 'I told you so' but out of understanding that it can be done. That booth shots may not be end all of application success.
He set up a few of his paintings and in essence mocked up a booth shot (minus the tent) in the second photo attached to his first post. They must have felt that was enough of an idea and perhaps the application allowed him to comment that he was new to art fairs?
The booth shot missing issue is how shows handle first time artists applying. If you can't do an art show until you have a booth picture, how can you ever do an art show.
Larry Berman
Your response follows the same line of reasoning "why paint a painting unless you've first get accepted into an art show to present it"
Thomas, this is almost not worth replying to as it makes so little sense.
My first reply to artists looking to apply to a show when they have no experience is call the show and ask how they handle applications from new artists who don't have a booth picture. Most shows fall into two categories, they'll either ask the artist to put a grouping of their art together (called the booth) or they'll ask the artist to submit an additional art image (called the booth) in their application. I also suggest first time artists to look for shows that have an emerging artist category which doesn't require a booth picture for first time applicants. Some shows (like Columbus or Ft Worth) with an emerging artist category consider only local applications and some (like Cherry Creek) take applications from artists located anywhere in the country.
If you read what I'm saying I refer to them as artists because they are already experienced in their chosen medium category but have never done a show before. It just doesn't make sense in this shrinking industry to require only applications from experienced artists, or even to require artists to spend upwards of $3,000 to purchase display equipment without even knowing if they want to do an art show. Most artists won't even begin to make the investment until actually getting into a show, where they can begin to see a return on their investment.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
"Don't get me wrong, I think your art is great, but to expect someone to just come up with a booth, walks, weights, lights, hanging method, etc all on a whim really makes me question the validity that it is a quality art festival"
"How can you ever do an art show you ask? By buying a booth, setting it up in your driveway, stage it with your paintings to give your show an idea of what your booth is going to look like."
Isn't it just as strange to expect someone to go out and spend all that money to come up with all those things you mentioned before ever getting accepted to a show? What if you only planned on applying to the one show? would you buy all that stuff if there was a chance you couldn't go? Remember, I'm brand new to this, there are no shows close enough to me to have even realized how big this sort of thing really is. It makes me chuckle that when I look at shows in the "west" that the first shows that pop up are in Texas. That's a 3 day drive east for me.
Also, don't forget that even though I haven't done "art shows", I have sold work in galleries which shows that gallery directors felt my work was good enough to show to their customers and take up valuable wall space. I think explaining that in my application gives the jury the sense that I am a good bet for their show. Now that I have been accepted, I have gone out and bought a tent and am in the process of building knock down display panels for the show.
By doing it this way, I am way more willing to put more money into my booth now that I know that I am going to be presenting my work to all these potential buyers.
Hi, Chris.
I consider myself just shy of a newbie at art shows (going on three years, more or less), so I know how many questions you must have.
I'll give you MY take (certainly not the only one) on the questions in your next to last paragraph. Feel free to ask more as they come to you ...
By the way, we work in 3-D mixed media assemblage sculpture (snow globes) ... but some of my answers will give you some food for thought, even though our work may be very different.
1. Do you just sell what you bring and they take it there?
Mostly, yes. People see what you have in your booth, connect with it and purchase on the spot. We offer shipping if requested (and we know how much it costs to ship our items, so we can quote that on the spot.)
2. or do you take orders and mail it afterwards?
Sometimes, yes. People will ask about something specific they've seen at a previous show, or in a photograph, or request a certain theme and ask for a custom order. When that happens, we send a photograph of the finished piece and send it via UPS, insured. But by far, the most sales are on pieces at the show that can be carried off with the buyer that day.
3. Some are 5 feet wide. My originals are priced anywhere from two to ten thousand in the galleries, do sales like that happen at these fairs?
Sometimes, yes. But painters often bring a selection of sizes, depending on the show. I was at a show this weekend where the photographer on the left of us sold about 10 or 15 small (8x10" and 10x14" or smaller) prints and no large pieces. The painter on the right of us sold ONE piece all weekend, but it was a larger piece at the end of the show. You don't know what the visitors at any art show will want: are they completely redecorating a new second home, or are they enamored of a small piece that will just fit in the last bit of open wall space in a hallway? You don't have to show work in different sizes, but be aware that some people are looking for something that "fits" ---
4. I have been told that its not uncommon for someone to drop 20 grand on a painting at this Southwest show.
Well, maybe for some artists, but I wouldn't expect that EVERY artist with a $20,000 piece is going to sell it. Maybe it will be your lucky day, maybe not. Probably the best way to say it is: it's possible that some artist at the show will sell a $20,000 piece. But I wouldn't expect very many sales that high.
Couple random notes:
We keep a blank book in the booth and let people write in it. Some give us their email for a mailing list, and some just write nice words of encouragement, and a few write wish lists (e.g. "if you ever do anything with a penguin theme, let me know.") It's a good idea to keep a customer list to keep in touch in the future, so bring a book like that, or another way for people to provide information.
Most artists also have printed business cards and/or postcards showing their work and how they can be reached. There are folks who come to art festivals and then simmer about the art for months; but every once in a while we hear from someone who picked up our card at a show and contacts us for a sale later.
That was a great response. Thank you for directly answering questions that I asked. I definately wouldn't expect very many sales around the 20 thousand range, I was just curious if it ever happens. I don't have anything priced that high, I was just having a hard time believe that could happen at a show. It's exciting to hear that that quality of a customer shows up to these things.
I was asking about the sell what you have on the spot question because of the size of my originals, I won't be able to bring many pieces based on the wall space I have. I sell limited edition giclees on canvas as well, but the show limits how much of my display can be those. It's interesting to me that a show that collects commission would prevent me from making any sale I could, but I get that by making everyone only have primarily originals to sell, they hope to bring customers with deeper wallets.
Anyway, thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions.
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