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  Ginny Herzog April 1, 2012 at 2:11pm

  This was my third time at the Bayou show in Memorial Park. I've done the downtown show three times, as well. It was also my best show of the 6 in Houston. Sales started slow but I had my best sale on Monday morning - with a delivery of three paintings to a doctor's office. Also, a phone order from Houston, today.

  I found the weather comfortable, particularly with my electricity to run a couple of fans in the booth and I always had the shade of the trees or my booth throughout the day. I set up beginning Thursday morning and love the non-stress of the all day setup. Many artists opted for Wednesday setup, as well. I was on the S. end of the park and liked it much better than the N. end of last year. I found the show very well organized, plenty of friendly volunteers for quick breaks. I spoke with several artist friends and my neighbors and it seemed to be a solid show for most. 

  It has taken me a few years to work my TX market. I quit the FL shows about three years ago as it seems that there are too many shows and artists doing that market and the FL economy is still weak.
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  David Forster April 1, 2012 at 12:32am

  I do agree with what Jim is saying about being fully aware of my booth location. Yes I had the opportunity to decline this space. In hind sight I should have done so and saved me a lot of heartache. However the idea of putting booth places in these so called 'dead places' is a major problem in the art show industry. The attitude among some promoters in this industry is there is always some sucker to come along and purchase this dead zone spot.
  
  I am sorry to hear Jim that you had a poor show. You had double the amount of expenses that I had along with the added expense of electricity. If the majority of photographers had a poor showing then this is a direct reflection on the poor judgement of both the jury and the promoter in having an insane amount of photographers. 38 is absolutely ridiculous. Then you throw in the amount of painters, water colorists, pastels, and other 2D work then we are talking about an amount being close to one third of the number of artists in the show (100 or more). I have always believed that out of the total attendance that come to an art show, roughly 25% or less is actively coming to the show to puchase. You break that down by medium then the 38 photographers at Bayou at probably had close to only 5% chance making a sale to someone coming to the show that was actively coming to purchase photography. 75% are people that come to a show and make impulse purchases, etc.. My percentages probably differ from what others feel and think. But the bottom line is that with 38 photographers along with 60 or so other 2D art work invited to the show it is splitting that pie into amounts that are impossible for artist to make a profit. I fully believe that each show should not allocate no more than 10% per each medium, and I feel that percentage might be to high and more likely need to be closer to 8%.
  
  Now if that means that I don't get invited to the show, then that's life. But I would rather do a show that gave the artists a realistic fighting chance to make a profit. Let's face it if we can't make a profit by doing these shows then none of us should be in business! This over selling of booths to an insane amount of photographers or any medium should make all of us mad and inspire us to demand change from promoters that continue to use US artists as pawns to increase their bottom line!
  
  David
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  David Bjurstrom March 31, 2012 at 1:07pm

  The Spring show has been my better event but then, it has rained both years I did the Fall downtown show--last Fall it poured so hard that the show was finally closed mid-day on Sunday as water rose to several inches in the back of my booth near the curb. That was a "fun" load out.
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  Greg Little March 31, 2012 at 12:21pm

  I have to agree with Jim. There were a tremendous number of photographers at the show in addition to a tremendous number of painters and this makes for alot of competition for the dollars.

  I'm sure most people would see something they like and would also want to see what else is available in that medium before making a buying decision. If they did not write down what they saw and the booth # they saw it I can easily understand how they can not remember where it was.

  Overall, I thought the show as fantastic and would certainly do it again in a heartbeat if juried in again. 

  I am a woodworker and noticed that there were only a few woodworkers in the show...and this might have helped my sales.
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  Janet Miller March 31, 2012 at 11:26am

  Jim- My photographer friend says the same thing, but my work is super contemporary and does not sell in the Fall. Who knows!?
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  Jim Parker March 31, 2012 at 10:47am

  Fall seemed to be a much more urban crowd, while the Spring show-goers were quite traditional in their tastes. 
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  Janet Miller March 31, 2012 at 10:45am

   @ Robbie- For some reason the Fall show seems to draw a completely different crowd. And I can't tell you the difference. I just know I could sell well in the Spring, but fall flat every year downtown. A photographer friend of mine had exactly the opposite results. Who knows?!
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  Jim Parker March 31, 2012 at 10:34am

  David, I'm so sorry that the show wasn't better for you. My feeling is that the wait list CAN work to your advantage, especially if the show tells you in advance where your spot will be. In normal circumstances, you pays your money, and you takes your chances. The show was upfront as to where your spot was going to be, and your intuition told you it was a bad spot. I know, I know, artists are eternally optimistic, thinking it will work out for ME, cause I'm special. But you did have the opportunity to say no to that spot. LISTEN to that little voice next time. If it looks bad on paper, it probably is.

  I think another reason that you and I did not do better is that there were 38 other photographers in the show: almost 15% of the exhibitors. It's a long, long circuit, and the chance that there is something better down the road drew our potential buyers away. It was impossible to close people at this show -- many times just a friendly hello was enough to send them down the street. I know I was disappointed in my sales here. I had a double booth with electricity, and I barely broke even with expenses. I heard of one photographer from Oregon who zero'd, but I don't know who it was.

  I hope things are going better for you down in Tempe. Ask me about my experience with that show sometime, or do a search on my blog for it.
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  Willie McTell March 31, 2012 at 9:43am

  "Houston is amazing, not a single for rent, for lease, for sale sign in ANY strip malls. (My wife noticed that). Crowds were good, I didn't see any  "bad" booths,"

  Wow.  All I can say to this is that you obviously did not have time to drive around Houston or walk the show.
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  David Forster March 31, 2012 at 12:45am

  After having more time to reflect and think I am really starting to believe that being wait listed puts the artist at a huge disadvantage to other artists that were accepted from the get go. Take the Bayou show for example. Out of the 14 booths that were in my row, half of the artists were wait listed. These 14 booths were created by the promoter out of greed. These wait listed artists were simply used as a form of cash flow. There is no concern from the promoter for these artists to be on a level playing field as the rest of the artists that were accepted. Now I know some of you are probably thinking that I am just some disgruntled artist that is throwing a pity party. But I will tell you that if my booth location was on the main loop and I had the same results then I would be disappointed but I would go away knowing that I had an equal chance to be successful as all the other artists.