At the end of my third zero-sale show in Florida, I have decided not only to never do another show there but also to consider adding dog shows into the mix.
Along with my more traditional work, I have a pretty steady income stream from pet portraits. These are nontraditional portraits, often using interesting and wild colors, with my palette knife. They're fun, and at $350 for a 12x12, are good for me - and apparently not too expensive for buyers.
So... have any of you done dog shows? If you have, what has worked? What hasn't? What advice would you have for me?
Replies
Go for it, Carrie. It sounds like a unique niche market. Best of luck!
I do know people will spend on their dogs.
I haven't done any dog shows but I do know a fellow exhibitor who has. She had pins with illustrations of as many breeds as she could find. But she would always get someone in her booth who would pick up a pin and say "that doesn't look like a Bichon Frise". And she would utter under her breath "no lady, that doesn't look like your Bichon Frise."
So you very well may have hit on something. If I were you I would try it in a heartbeat. The Westminster Dog Show is this week in Madison Square Garden. Tens of thousands of people who love dogs are there.
You would have more work than you could handle! Because you have something different!