Boca Fest is held in the parking lot of a very nice Boca Raton strip mall on the west side of I95. The parking lot is along Military Trail, which is a main street so it is impossible for people to miss the show if they are driving by and easy to give direction to your clients.
Set up is the HA early Saturday Morning set up, but easy in and out since you have the whole parking lot to maneuver around. There were many ways in and out and ways to get your stuff to your spot. Pretty painless set up. Artist parking was convenient, just across the main street and behind a building. Booth spaces were a very nice size. We each got a parking space basically. It was a deep space with plenty of room to blow out the back of your tent. The spaces were back to back and then artist across from each other. The spaces between the tents were very large and lots of room for people to get around. Break down was also smooth. Break down to the ground and then they would give you a pass to get your car. They were all on bikes handing out the passes really fast. Tons of people were out of their booths and driving off within 30 minutes of breaking down. I got my pass 30 minutes after close and didn't have a problem getting to my spot with the cargo van.
Saturday was cold and cloudy for this part of Florida and people there don't like that. I thought it was great, no sunburn or sweating, but the Boca Raton folks don't like to go out when it is below 65. The image I have is from Saturday morning, (hadn't even trimmed the zips yet ;) so less people on that day. Sunday the weather was perfect for me, around 70 and sunny. LOTS more people that day but not too many people, just right. All the 2D artist around me and the 2D friends I knew sold at least 1 large piece on Saturday. Sunday sales and interest was even better. I only knew one 2D artist that zeroed, but it was their first show ever, and Boca Raton is not an easy crowd. The artists that had price points under $200 were very happy with their sales by the end of the show. The crowd in Boca Raton has very nice shoes, purses and dog stroller. Plenty of money with this clientele and the show is just down the road from Polo Club. I haven't done a ton of shows in Florida, but out of the 4 I have done in South East Florida there are always buyers from Polo Club. Since I have to deliver my work usually I have been to this community a few times. They are very proud of their art in this development and have beautiful work even in their yards. I am not talking about SOS, but real art. At one home I was at there was a beautiful 8 foot fiddler on the roof sculptor and it was over the garage. I don't know many homes that place fine art over their garages. There are many more large gated communities with large homes that want lots of art in this area as well. I didn't meet many people in the high rises along the water at this show, except for past clients. It was very interesting to compare the difference in clientele from the east side and west side of Boca Raton. Both sides have great customers, but they are not looking for the same things. Just another piece of the puzzle to figure out as I learn my way around Florida.
Comments
Your bird photos are beautiful Geoff.
I disagree with both of you about the reality show. American Pickers, Sister Pickers , Cash and Carie, tons of shows that aren't high drama. What about all those house buying shows on HGTV? Zero drama, but when a marathon is on it is hard to stop watching and all they do is look at 3 houses and pick one. There isn't even a host, just a voice over and music.
These shows just require a good editor and interesting personalities. There are lots of those here. I think most artists have their melt down moments. Especially when creating. I almost had one yesterday when my son mixed up a bunch of triptychs on me before I had a chance to number them. Artist's Angst is a real thing. What about when we don't get into a show that we really expected to be in? I have seen some very strong reactions to this. It isn't pretty and nice when someone drives over someones tent at 4 am. B/S sneaking into shows, did they make it or not? Did that oil painter really paint 500 pieces or are the paintings from China? The people that show up at the shows could fill whole episodes. The shake weight guy, the people with their parrots and dogs, both unleashed walking through 100k people, but the dog escapes. Plenty of highs and lows in this business to make it interesting.
This could be educational as well. It would teach the weak to stay out, the kids to learn some business skills and the consumers to not bargain with us. Once they see how hard we work I believe they would start tipping ;) Anyway, just a thought. When I was flipping through channels and saw there was a show called Moonshiners, and it was actually an interesting show, I realized they can do a show on anything. I think the guy who did the voice over for Deadliest Catch would be perfect to do the voice over for this show. I can see and hear it in my mind all ready ;) Now I wouldn't want to be in this show, but I have some nominees.
Enough with the silly. I am packing up and heading back to South East Florida in the morning. Boca Museum and Hobe on the calendar for this next set.
Geri: I definitely would like your friend to visit my booth. Florida bird photos are all I sell! :-)
Melanie: Yes, I'll be at Hobe Sound. (February is "Atlantic Coast Roadshow" for me; 4 out of 5 weekends over there.) See you there!
I don't know about a reality show for artists...but I think a reality show on promoting would be educational! :-)
Melanie, I taught my friend to buy art from festivals. She is more into Florida birds than anything, now that I think about it.
I have lived in Chicago, Houston and Miami and saw my taste colorwise influenced by where I lived. Just when I think my style is defined, I find something different and I am off in a new direction.
Most of the artists I have met are pretty mellow, fun-loving, realistic people. There isn't the angst that reality shows have made so popular.
Geri what does your friends home look like and does the design reflect a water theme? Where do they shop for art? That was another interesting quirk. Where can they say they bought their art?
I really think some of the vets should do a reality show. It would be much better then the Real Housewives franchise or Storage Wars. Art, money, weather, friend ships, trials and tribulations of the art fair world, I would totally watch that.
And my best friend lives on the west side and they are all about their boat and going out on it. Go figure!
Geoff will you be at Hobe again this year? I will be. Hope to see you there.
One main difference is that the buyers are more interested in art that is tied to water and the west side is not. I don't know if they even realize it, but there is a difference in the way the two sides decorate and live. Golf is more important on the west side, and ocean and boats important on the east side. It makes sense but I was suprised that just a couple miles made such a difference.
Nice review! Could you say more about the differences between east side and west side of Boca?