Artfest Fort Myers is the first of eight art fairs I will be doing in Florida. As I mentioned in an earlier post I had a lot of angst about all the effort and money I put out in preparation for this string of art fairs. I developed a lot of new work and stock-piled enough inventory to take me through the eight shows. I arrived in Fort Myers last Thursday from my home base of Saugatuck, Michigan.
Set-up at the Artfest was very well organized. I was scheduled for an 11:30 set-up. I was able to pull my car and trailer into a grassy field right across from my booth space. This arrangement turned out to be ideal for me, but it also showed me that I would have to make some changes for the next show. It took me a whopping six hours to set up. Normally, I set up in about three hours (still too long), but because I had my trailer jam-packed with inventory, it took me that long to pull everything out and select the pieces I wanted to display. Then, to repack the trailer after set-up with the excess inventory. What a pain. Having lots of room in the grassy field to unpack and repack was great. I can't imagine what I would have done if the set-up required me to pull up to my booth on the street and unpack before set-up like most shows require. This experience convinced me to rent a storage space around here where I can store the trailer and the excess inventory. Then I can repack the trailer and bring only the work I want to exhibit at that show. Most of the shows are on the west side of the state, so this should work pretty well.
As for sales at Artfest, the real source of my Florida angst, they were dismal. My total take was just under $1200. Certainly not enough to justify a cross country two-month selling trip. I talked to some of the artists around me about sales, and reactions were mixed. Some did well (Nels was a happy guy). Others were disappointed. Some scored lower numbers than my meager profits. Its my guess that some artists did well at the show, and, like all shows, some didn't. I had a lot of lookers, and a lot of positive comments, but few took the plunge and pulled out their wallets.
On a positive note, the show is well organized. There were a lot of people strolling the aisles. It is in a beautiful location overlooking the yacht harbor, and the weather was good (upper 70s and 80s, partly cloudy). Another positive note: I used "Square" on an iPad for taking credit cards for the first time at this show. It worked flawlessly, and the customers liked it.
I'm currently on a wait list for the Howard Allen Coconut Point show next week-end. I'm hoping to get in. I'm told that Coconut Point is an upscale shopping center, and could bring out people with bigger wallets. In the meantime, my angst continues...
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Thank you, Jenni! We all appreciate the compliment. Best wishes on your art fair career!
I don't really have anything to add to this thread, but as a "newbie", I have learned a lot in reading it. I hand weave one of a kind baskets and have been on the artfest scene for about a year now doing mostly local shows (within 100 miles of my home). I was recently at a large show in Palm Springs and saw much of what you described at the Ft. Myers show. Although the show charged an admission, it was still a lot of lookers and not many buyers. The booths I saw that sold the most were the border-line buy/sell people. I spent my Sunday afternoon talking with the more experienced artists trying to get advice on how to improve. Everyone was very helpful. Although, I didn't sell much at this show, it is a really nice and well run show and I hope to go back again next year with my newly acquired knowledge. So to you "old-timers" thanks for talking with us newbies and sharing.
I was not complaining about the prices. I am a jeweler and they were just telling me and I heard it from over 12 people. They like to keep me informed on what else is out there. I was happy with the quality of the artwork, I was only repeating what white collar people were telling me. I told them it was the wrong show for what they were looking for. I didn't go with them to this show. I was observing people and if they were carrying bags, which I didn't see very many bags there myself. I also know that many of the larger items get delivered or picked up later. I loved the show and I thought it was a beautiful day and I told those who told me, that they need to go to craft shows and not art shows if they are not looking to spend money for art that this was not crafts. Please pay attention to what I said before that I was quoting others and personal observations of items being carried. I loved the show and go every year to that and the one in Cape Coral . The one in Naples would be a good one for those looking for a very upscale clientele. That is where the real money is on our side of the state. We just have to poorer millionaires. But it is all paradise down here, no matter where we live for the winter.
Thank you Barry! I love your news flash and will use it (with your permission) from now on!
Sorry Suzanne, there was plenty of affordable gift items. Since you aren't mentioning price and having had a gallery where we sold many gift items, I assume from my experience that gifts, like wedding and anniversary gifts are in the under $200 range. There were plenty of those items to pick from. If you meant under $100 there were also plenty of those quality hand made items. If you and your friends couldn't find them, they weren't looking hard enough. If you mean $5-$20, that stuff is better found at flea markets and low end craft shows. This isn't China. This is America. We are entitled to more than 50 cents an hour for our labor. I, for one, like the quality of the work at Ft Myers and I hope this is the trend. Those of you who are whining about the price of things, think nothing of spending the money at a restaurant or bar for drinks. Here's a news flash: The artwork can be enjoyed for more than one night or the couple of hours in the restaurant. You get way more for your money.
I went to the Fort Myers Artfest as a customer for a change. I am always looking to see if people are carrying bags and seeing if I am seeing transactions. I know many people who went to the show and they all said the same thing,"Not enough lower priced items along with the higher end items." I think that people like to see a mix. They like nice pieces for their homes, but go to get gifts also and that is usually in the lower priced items. They want unique but afforable. I told them that you need to go to craft sales for those, but they said in the past that there were more affordable items at this show. The weather was perfect but I didn't see many buying when I was there and only heard on painter talking about delivering a piece. The artwork was beautiful and I enjoyed seeing some really nice art. I did notice the clothing on the crowd and I did see a good amount of blue collar type. The fact that it is free does bring in alot of lookers and not serious buyers. Good luck at Coconut Point, it is high end there and beautifully setup.
This has been a great thread. Lots to think about. These ideas get to the meat of the business. After reading all of these thoughts I have to say I was exposed to Norm Darwish's work the most because I had the priviledge of working for him. I was always excited about the new photos he created. He had a great sense of color and, on occasion, he told me I had none (lol). I enjoyed looking at all of his work. I never got tired of any of it. Pretty much everything I know about art I learned from Connie and Norm. They were great teachers. Those were the good days! Sorry to see those days go but I learned alot working for them and consider myself lucky to have had the chance.
There is so much to consider working in the art business. It is not for the faint of heart.
Ditto on all counts, Will. I also think that artists who want to stay in this business have had to compromise to stay there. With the downturn of the economy and the slow strangulation of the middle class that has so embraced the art fairs we are seeing fewer "collectors" at the shows so a lot of work is being produced that is decor, more than there used to be. If the handwriting is on the wall, read it and act accordingly or leave the business.
I also miss Bo Sterk, T.P. Speer, Alan Reid, Annette McMorrin, Gene Brown (perhaps an exception because he is now doing paintings) and the other fine printmakers who have left the business.
Nels nailed it. In my 19 years doing shows, I'd say Photography has dumbed down certainly. The canvas wraps epitomize it. To me, even good work presented on canvas just looks "throw-away." I'm not wanting to offend anyone. I understand why photogs do it-- it sells. Just sad. Every other medium has dumbed down as well. Outside of the few top shows, and some smaller ones dedicated to quality, most of the work out there in art fair world is at best slick and empty. At worst... I don't even want to go there... I believe a lot of the onus for this state lies with the show promoters. I believe they need to focus less on bringing in bodies, and congratulating themselves on it, and more on professionally promoting their events to art buyers.
I think there are two kinds of buyers, the ones who decorate--color coordination, matching furniture etc. and the ones who buy something because it speaks to them.
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