Off to Ann Arbor last week in the 100 degree heat, but we're tough, aren't we? We know how to dress and be prepared for all kinds of weather. I visited all of Main Street and Liberty up to State after arriving at 5 pm. Met friends for dinner, got lots of cold water bottles handed to me (many thanks to Nels Johnson, my first rescuer), met many of the members here (hello to Ray Mosteller), passed out Red Dots, gathered "yesses" from artists doing Arts, Beats & Eats on our promotion program.
Jody Depew McLeane with her pastel drawings in the Street Art Fair
Next year I'll bring a little camcorder and do some videos. The show closed and I was still going strong so went out to the Old Town Bar with old friends Jim Reinert, Mike and Karen Baum, Don and Dawn Shurlow and Jerry Davis.
Up early on Thursday and at the show before opening. Passed out postcards for ABE to Nancy Strailey (thanks to Mike Strailey for the cappucino), Jean-Claude Louis, Mary Cody and Xavier Nuez. Did lots of visiting on North University, all around Ingalls Mall in the Street Fair (a pleasure to meet you Michael Wommack) and visit with Patricia McCleery. Then down State Street to see Jim Parker, Jon Hecker, Bonnie Blandford and many others, members on this site.
So many great visits with old friends including Larry Oliverson, Jim and Kathy Eaton, David Bigelow, Scott Coleman (who we met at our very first art fair in 1978!). Said a very tearful goodbye to Rick Preston and Barbara Bate. Rick is a fine photographer leaving the business after 40 years. They will really be missed in their swing through the Midwest every year. Best wishes to you both.
A friend, who will remain nameless, said that the sales were "pokey." The rules were being enforced in the Street Fair. Mo Riley, Street Art Fair Director, removed a person with reproductions, no repros allowed in that show.
I encountered Mo last Thursday as she was trying to get a bottle of water from the non-profit booth run by the Boy Scouts in her area of the show. They turned her down, having to idea who she was. We had a good laugh over this. It's pretty funny when the show director can't get a bottle of water in her own art fair.
Vintage photo: Ann Arbor on Main Street - 2005
Want some extensive reviews with art fair patrons and artists?This is an excellent link for some videos. Also, listen to an interview Mo Riley. http://americajr.com/entertainment/artfairs/2011/annarborreview0727.html
Ready for a good laugh? I found this online "Art Fair Rage Syndrome." Hey, a new diagnosis?
http://markmaynard.com/?p=14782
This is a huge event. People love it and they hate it. Artists make big piles of money and they make none. It is crowded and it is sparse. It is overrated and it is underrated (well, not too sure about that one). My take is that it really is too large. All those booths sprawling around the State Street area are really dead zones for artists. State Street Merchants I beg of you to go back to your original plan: Liberty, North U., Maynard and around the corner on William. Those additional booths on Maynard past William and the booths south of Maynard, plus the Thompson booths are really not fair selling spaces. I know it will really hurt your pocketbook but it may be the salvation of the whole event.
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Comments
Thanks for your review of the A2 fairs, Connie. Sorry I missed you, but, perhaps you couldn't find me as I was not listed in the Guide, despite several calls and emails to the director, beginning a month before the show. Sadly, I heard from several of my collectors who knew I would be at the show this year, but could not find me because of the omission from the Guide. Of ALL the shows I do, this one is the most important one to be in the Guide because of the sheer number of artists in four different shows spread out all over the area. And, this was my first time at the S.U. show, after 20 years at State Street and my first time back in A2 in five years. It obviously hurt my sales, since those customers were looking for me and could not come back because of the heat and health reasons. I did not make expenses and will not return. Just too hard, long and expensive for the few sales.
However, I'm looking forward to a much better experience in my first time exhibiting at A,B & E in a month! See you there!
I finally left the State Street show this year because of the layout. Sales on William steadily slipping for me for the past three years. And I was on the State St end of William last year, across from some really horrendous buy/sell. This after winning Best in Show / 2D the year before at William & Thompson. State Street in the Guild was better for me than last year on William. The Maynard stub and Thompson between Liberty and the Maynard parking structure are definitely dead zones.
Thanks for the perspective, Connie.