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I know us artists. We're gamblers. Who else would take a risk several weekends a year to travel to a strange city, spend time, talent and treasure to show our work, with the slim chance of making a living. There's always some fellow artist, at nearly every show, that has the story about how they made 50K at one show, or have celebrities fighting over their work... or other urban legends.

The first one happened in Beverly Hills, one of the very first Art Festivals I participated in. They continue at every show, big or small... here are a few I remember.

Please tell me these are real. And add your own!

• A fellow artist told me about the bold artist who was there last year. He had a tent, and one painting on an easel. The painting was $65,000. Someone bought it for full price. Artist took down the tent and went home.
• Artist sold a $4000.00 piece of work to a nice lady. She took out her checkbook to pay and started writing a check for $40,000.00. Artist said - no Ma'am, it's $4000.00. Lady says... "if it's only $4k then I don't want it," and leaves.
• Artist's husband says they had their best show last year in the same location in the pouring rain. Hardcore collectors come to Art Festivals in the rain. They sold $5000.00 of art in that one day [their most expensive pieces are $500, so that's a LOT of sales to a lot of people]. It rained the day they told me the story, they had just a few sales, and husband was sleeping all afternoon, in the booth.
• Artist says last year, he sold everything in his booth to one customer, full price
• Customer asks artist to deliver several large pieces to her home, to see which one[s] she wishes to buy. Seduces artist. Buys everything.
• Artist next to me has only 6  6'x8' large paintings in his booth. Realistic oil paintings, scenes from Mexico... A burro, a hacienda, bouganvillia covered wall, street scene. He is not the artist, but tells me each one takes only 10 minutes, because they are really giclee's with a little paint on them and a heavy coating. $5K each. Sells one every show.
• Photographer is selling shrink wrapped, sawtoothed, wrapped canvas "photographs" of tropical beach scenes for $65 - $125 [with deep discounts if you buy more than one] and when asked - where was this taken? He doesn't know, his assistant doesn't speak English, they have a rented truck full of these things right behind their booth, and he got juried into an art show.