Has anyone used this system which is advertized on the AFI site for Jewelry display? Living in Florida, Harold Allen has most of the shows around here, and I am trying to come up with a display which I can transport...in my Prius...that will be acceptable. I tried raising tables to counter height and covering with attractive floor length covers, but that wasn't good enough for them. In my car I now can carry most everything I need for a for a show including 3 folding tables, but I haven't seen anything that would make the tent look like a gallery that I can transport without buying a trailer or at least a big van and spending a ton of money. If anyone has experience with these knock-down pedestals....can you make a decent display for jewelry using them?....are they as easy to put up and take down as the ad claims?....Or if you have any other suggestions I would love to hear them.
Debbie Kashdan
Boynton Beach, FL
Replies
Chris, AFI is a no pitch zone. You can not use AFI to promote your wares or services. I know that Deborah asked about the Pedestal Express products but that is ok. Artists can ask about products and what other artists think about them, but a representative or a company owner can not pitch their products here. Chris, you may purchase an ad like the other companies have. You can see the ads running down the right hand side of the page. Thank you.
My advice is to forget about Howard Alan shows. There are tons of good shows in Florida where you don't have to bow down and kiss the feet of the promoters.
Thanks, Scott. At least for now, I think I'll concentrate on those shows.
Debbie
I've used them for about 2 years now. I suppose it takes me about 20 minutes to put together around 10 pedestals. I've gotten faster at it as time goes by--there's a sort of knack you have to get into to snap the sidewalls into the rings quickly that takes a little practice. I don't use the rubber mallet that comes with them--I just snap the rings on by pushing with my own weight from above, and sometimes my hands get pretty tired. The best thing about them I feel is the versatility that comes with being able to put them together in different height configurations depending on what you are exhibiting--my pieces are one of a kinds, so what I have changes a lot. They also make a nice clean looking display--I almost always get complements on them, usually from other artists. I've used them indoors and outdoors, and use pieces of wood under the edges to level them when the ground is tricky, and so far they have been quite stable even in pretty windy conditions. I get my whole booth into a Kia Soul (though I also found something called a Roof Bag that straps to the top of your car if you don't have luggage racks, which is where I put my knock-down propanels). Hope this helps!
Oh--I forgot to add that I have had the occasional dog pee on them. I guess there is a slight resemblance to a fire hydrant. I watch dogs entering my booth very carefully now.
When I did the Buyers Market last year, the artist across from me was using the pedestals from easy pedestal. They are made from cardboard and although they looked fine, I don't think I would want to use them for an outdoor show. There were a number of artists using them at The Buyers Market. Besides the tables, what else are you using in your display?
I have been using tables...generally 3 48" x 18" tables. and raised to counter height with pvc pipe.....and sometimes a "bridge" table, .all covered with cranberry colored skirts and white tops; with white shelves on top of the tables supported by glass bricks. Also a large wrought iron easel holding a framed covered board with earring cards. My necklace displays are black velvet necks and bracelets mainly on pvc rolls covered with the same fabric as the table skirts, and earrings in addition to those on the easel also on single "T"s. Rings in a black display case. Sometimes also a few "featured" bracelets on a pair of stuffed long white gloves.
I feel the main problem is not the tables but a lack of a real unifying theme... but Howard Alan apparently nixes tables in any form. I wonder if display cases on top of tables would be acceptable. Does anyone know?
What are you using as walls in your tent? Are you using display cases?
At present just the white side walls. I have had peg boards with stuff hanging from them in the past, but they wont fit in the car with the other stuff. I know I have to get fabric to make drapes/curtains, though I am not sure how to hang those from the rails on the tent.. I have a caravan tent.
I haven't used it myself, was next to a basket weaver at a show a few years ago who had these. Her comments, great once they are set up, easy to transport (she has a Subaru Outback crammed full of baskets), however the set up process seemed really time consuming, she was using a rubber mallet to get some of the tops/bottoms in place and being right next to that during our entire set up time was really noisy. She did say it was a great way to take out her frustration with the rush hour traffic she had encountered on the way to set up and then the long time waiting in a line to load in!!
I like the look of them, they would certainly elevate a display to a more gallery looking feel, haven't seen them in real life though to comment further.
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