Hello everyone I am Donald Lee or sometimes I go by "Follow The Don"the artist from outer space. I have been drawing and painting for 10 years or so and have gotten my bacher degree in art but still can't yet make a living. I have never tried a art fair yet so thought I may give them a try. Was wondering if my artwork is too strange and odd for art fairs or do I simply need to find the right art fair. I am also doing a few traditional looking charcoal drawings now and then too but I wonder if my strange works could sell at a art fair. examples of works. There are more works in my photo section and I also have a website
Followthedon.com
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A lot may depend on price points. Look into Oddmall in Hudson, OH. A lot of unusual stuff but not high price points. I also have friends who do Zombie festivals - not that all their things are zombie stuff but the patrons seem to look for the unusual - also not high price points I don't think.
Something else to consider is where the appeal of your work is at. Some pieces may be strong and highly interesting, but may not be what some one will hang on their wall. Some work just fits the intimate setting of a book format better. This means you would have to step up the quantity of your work, and the work would have to be arranged in a thematic approach, but you might consider how that sort of sales approach could work for you. I've seen artist sell their books at art fairs also, so this is not a first time thing out there.
HHHMmmmm perhaps a book of some of my works with the stores that go along with them or something, good idea.
Hi Donald and welcome! I think "The Don" is very cool....you should use that. You never know, someone may bend down and kiss your hand one day :)
I'm sure you'll figure out where your work will fit in...or not. They are, after all, art fairs. I believe it's a try and try again thing. The fairs are having to create more and more groups for the artwork they're critiquing, that eventually you'll find a spot. Well, hopefully many of them! Great luck to you.
ahhahah, That may be to much power for my own good although I was sent to this planet to purge and cleanse this world from the harsh chains of mediocrity. But so far I have only been able to do so within my own mind.
Donald, a suggestion here is to check out the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Cons. They have specific rooms or areas set up for artists. There are typically a couple of venues; one where the artist stays with the work and deals directly with the customers in a area set aside for merchandising. Another parallel venue has the art work set up in a gallery area and the work is placed on silent auction. Depending on the work, it go low or high and I believe a reserve can be set. These conventions run all across the year and draw fairly large crowds. It is a niche market, but it is more targeted than a general art fair. With the tips you can glean for presentation and display from this site, this could easily set you above the typical artist at these shows for an impressive showing.
You may be right about the cons. I just don't know if they would accept or get work not yet tied down to any thing they know. Although a lot of my works have a 5 or so min explanation,. and sometimes if I am on a roll and getting into it those explanations can last 10 or 15 mins. Adding the explanations may be a good idea. I have Never thought of silent auction but that is a good idea.
Donald, Welcome to this site. I'm sure there is a market for your art. The trick is finding it. Members here have given you some suggestions for starting that process. Your art may have a narrow nitch market. Doing art shows is sometimes the way we find our market (or not our market).
HHHHmmmmm Good point.
Some shows have an area for new artists just starting out. I believe that Erin Malloy had an area like that at her show in Geneva and other festivals may also. Perhaps someone here with a better memory (probably about 90% of the people here) can think of some other.
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