i live in north New Jersey by New york city and it will be about 2500 miles to drive there ,my style is abstract colorful art... the show will be for 2 mounths and half starting January 20th...
thanks and long live art.
i live in north New Jersey by New york city and it will be about 2500 miles to drive there ,my style is abstract colorful art... the show will be for 2 mounths and half starting January 20th...
thanks and long live art.
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If you really want to try the show someday, fly to Phoenix, check out the show during both the weekend and the week and see if this show's for you. Airfare, lodging and car rental would be a lot cheaper than just the booth fee alone.
That being said, if I still had family living there, someone to stay with, I would do the show. Lodging would be your biggest expense, followed by booth fee.
That said, there is another show going on at the same time, about 5 miles south of the Thunderbird location. The other show is at a heavy traffic area - Scottsdale Rd and the 101 freeway - and it is visible from both roads. Many people who don't know better, see those big tents and stop there and never go farther. The Expo is in a much more residential area, harder to see from the road [there are signs]. You'll have to drive more than a few miles to find a place to stay.
Many of the artists live on-site in their mobile homes - they have a great set-up and are used to this sort of thing. I live a good 45 minute drive away, so my gas was pretty high - I tried to work on-site at least 5 days a week. There's really no where close to get something to eat, but there is a cafe on site, which - if they're the same people - are really great, have reasonably priced food all day.
A lot [not all] of the work is of a western/southwestern/cowboy nature - paintings, sculpture, etc. For many years, people would come to these shows to buy artwork for their home in AZ... probably their second, third, fourth home. With the economy the way it is, I'm not sure how many snowbirds will be visiting those homes this year.
It is in a tent, and although Arizona is famous for the weather, it can be be VERY cold in the tent. I brought an electric heating pad, a big thermos and bundled up. In the spring, it can get VERY hot! You need to build your booth - the walls are provided, but you need to bring all the lighting [and you need it], and anything else - tables, easels, chairs, etc.
I felt like my work was too "strange" for the crowd, but I did make some money - my next door neighbor is well known, he did well, the artist across from me did gangbusters, neighbor on the other side didn't make her booth fee. These are all crapshoots, aren't they? The nice thing is, you won't be competing with similar artists. The staff is very judicious in choosing the artists - There might be only two photographers, two jewelers, two floral painters, two stone carvers - so you won't see the same work coming and going.
I made some very good friends while there, unfortunately, they don't pay the rent, but I am very glad to have met some fabulous artists - and there are get togethers at happy hour.
I agree most of the customers are over 50. So, the taste level is perhaps more conservative - but who else has money these days?
Couldn't tell you if it will be worth it - but MANY of the artists come back every year. Take a look at their site and click on the artists to see the kind of art that will be represented.
Good luck!
There is a gift show where you can put cards, prints, giclees and other small pieces - mugs, books, etc.
Many artists rent a motor home either from their home town or in AZ or if their vehicle can take the weight, they rent a mobile home trailer. Check out the monthly costs for either of these two types. Don't forget, fuel from your home for a mobile home/trailer can double your fuel expenses.
The show will have room in your booth to paint. Do you frame and/or mat your work? You'll need to bring all of your framing supplies, plus a bunch of frames along with you. There are framing wholesalers in the area, but the frames will be mostly Mexican made and of questionable quality. If you use glass, you'll need to bring it, since a box of glass from other than your local wholesaler can cost 10x what you usually pay. Paint supplies? Bring them with you, unless you can locate a local source in AZ.
Bring all of your medicines, if you have any health challenges. The extremely dry desert air and dust can really exacerbate allergies; there's something called Valley Fever which is much like a bad flu, so learn to drink a lot of water, all of the time. Don't drink sodas or energy drinks, they'll just either sugar you up or drain your electrolytes. It's a long show.
Don't forget - the show charges 20%, so figure that into your costs. Also, the majority of people who do come to art shows in AZ are over 50 and often want to deal on the price. Be open to taking some pieces to their home for approval. Many of the people are snowbirds, so shipping - packaging, UPS/FED-EX, etc., is a real cost factor to consider.
How do I know all of this? I've done shows in AZ since 1980. I've checked out these long-term shows (there are two of them during the snowbird season) and worked out the costs, etc. And I've passed on doing them. Good luck with sales - it is a warm place to be when the snows are blowing everywhere else!
I visited there about 10 years ago and when talking to a Wisconsin artist, he told me that 80% of his sales in Phoenix were from people within 3-4 hours of his home in Wisconsin!