Art Fair Documentary

It brought back memories as I read Nels recent post about the "history of art fair tents." I've been doing art fairs on and off since the early '70s but I also had a long career as a filmmaker and video producer. I exhibited in the "Images" art fair in New Smyrna Beach in 1983... my first Florida art fair. The experience got me thinking about the people who choose this occupation. I noticed that there are some very fascinating characters who exhibit at art fairs. I thought it might be interesting to get to know some of these artists in a documentary. In 1984 I didn't exhibit at Images, but I brought a video production crew down from Chicago. We shot video and collected interviews all weekend and produced a 25 minute documentary called "Art Fair."

The doc aired on PBS stations in several markets around the country and even garnered an Emmy nomination in Chicago. (It didn't win. A documentary about the Chicago Yacht Club's entry in the America's Cup sailboat race won the Emmy in that category.)

Today I dug out this old video and uploaded it to UTube. I watched it again and was surprised to see that there were very few tents being used at Images in 1984. Check out the video. Its kind of fun to look back. I wonder how many of you will recognize some of the artists we interviewed. I wonder how many of them are still out there exhibiting at art fairs. The video is about 24 minutes long although the UTube entry says it is over an hour long. But, the last 36 minutes is black, so I don't recommend you watch that part. Enjoy!

Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q16q5Ju_pBk&feature=youtu.be

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Comments

CYNTHIA L. BOWMAN February 13, 2014 at 6:59pm

Thanks John, this was great fun to watch. I'm a newbie (jewelry) and I can't wait for the Art season to start. For us in Chicago it's not until May-June...but I'm really anxious to hang out.
Annette Piper February 14, 2013 at 7:28pm

Now I'm going to have to watch it again if you were in it Nels! I'm going to have to be vague and ask which one though!!!
John Leben February 14, 2013 at 11:15am

Ha! I looked for you in the doc, Nels... Didn't recognize you with the beard. Is that really you? Gee... you USED to be a handsome devil.
Nels Johnson February 14, 2013 at 11:11am

Also, you notice my homemade panels, made out of pegboard.

Those were the ones that went flying off my Datsun on the way home to Largo,FL.

Nope, no awards for Nels--and sales were very skimpy.

Also early on the Documentery is artist Robert Calvo. He is now a bigtime sculptor out in Seattle.

He and I had a two-man show at the Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna, in 1983 while I was in my final semester at Daytona Beach's Professional Photography program.

Gee, he went inside while I stayed outside.

Maybe I will be a sculptor instead of a painter when I get old--somewhere past the age of70.
R. C. Fulwiler February 13, 2013 at 10:51pm

Did anyone notice at the 5 min 30 second point our spiritual leader is shown in all his glory? Its Nels in green watch cap sporting a full brown beard lobbying the judge with all his charm. In that respect nothing has changed, but when I asked him about it he said, "No, I didn't get one there".
S Brian Berkun February 11, 2013 at 10:47pm

Wonderful video, funny...the more things change, the more they stay the same!
Connie Mettler February 11, 2013 at 3:10pm

I pretty much laughed at the sound of that narrator! He was good, but geez, this is an art fair in a park in Florida, not introducing the new Chevy Cornette at the Auto Show. This was a good video on so many levels.
Jeff Owen February 11, 2013 at 1:05pm

I would love to see more video's of art festivals and fairs from the 70's, 80's and 90's. If anyone out there has some, post them to youtube if you can!
Jeff Owen February 11, 2013 at 12:43pm

Great to see a show from the 80's. Thanks!
Weldon Lee February 11, 2013 at 12:02pm

Very nice, John. I thourouly enjoyed your video.