Posted by Gary Haynes on November 30, 2010 at 12:28am
That's the title on a Nov 2 article on the Huffington Post. Can't believe I was on the Huffington Post but saw it after I googled 'cleaning trimline canopy' triggered by a question from Josh over in the discussion section on how best to clean a canopy. Up pops this item. Turns out to be a pretty good article for anyone considering changing canopy types.
"Toss 'em out" nicely, with politesse, but firmly. Unless one or two volunteer to hang onto your tent in the wind. Then bless them and let them pick out a nice little piece of art - when the bad weather passes!
I'm kind of a weather geek - ever since I worked on construction - it was no fun digging ditches in a downpour; also, I worked on R&D for helicopters - weather is the worst nightmare for choppers. But art shows - well, I have a weather link on my cell phone, with satellite radar. It's saved my buns a lot of times. I also share this info with neighbors, because no one deserves to have their booth trashed and their artwork demolished. I get a kick out of this warning, because artists around me have said, "When Stipek takes down, we take down." It's not vainglory on my part, just doing my part to help others.
In line with my weather geekiness research, a depressing note: the National Weather Service has determined that the number of severe weather incidents in the US has doubled every decade since the 1960s. Yep, hurricanes, tornadoes, microbursts, straightline winds, rainbursts, and so on, are increasing in intensity and number. 2010 was one of the hottest years on record. In Denver, we've had almost no precipitation since June. (yeah, I know, put on an art show and guess what happens! Drought relief!).
So, buying the best booth tent that your money can afford is #1 on the list. Cut lengths of 2"x2" to put on the ground under your backstock boxes so moisture and water flow can't destroy your work. Increase those weights per corner. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy those cinch straps and cross brace your booth if the weather for that weekend looks dicey. Have a plan for a quick take-down/wrapping/safeguarding your work BEFORE the weather hits. Get a weather app for your cell/iPhone/whatever - www.weatherunderground.com is the best, weatherbug is available on Verizon phones - just make sure the app has live radar.
Most important of all, when bad weather might be an issue, talk to your artist neighbors and work out a plan, for example - move those boxes out of the gutter so rain water can flow freely to the sea (and not into your booth), determine who is underweighted and might be an EZupandover into the nearby booths. If your booth fills with the public and you need to get your work down and into boxes or bags, toss 'em out! They'll dry out, your work might not survive.
We bought a Light Dome after our EZ-Up was trashed in a fifty mile an hour gust on Dupont Circle in DC, but that was five years ago before climate change was in most people's consciousness. We didn't see any increase in wind and storm weather this year or last, but most certainly saw an increase in temperature! At the shows we did in our Mid-Atlantic area, it was over 90 degrees from the middle of May until October, and one hit over 100. (I'd almost prefer more wind.) Next year we're going to try taking a 'business trip' up north and do two or three shows on the way.
Comments
In line with my weather geekiness research, a depressing note: the National Weather Service has determined that the number of severe weather incidents in the US has doubled every decade since the 1960s. Yep, hurricanes, tornadoes, microbursts, straightline winds, rainbursts, and so on, are increasing in intensity and number. 2010 was one of the hottest years on record. In Denver, we've had almost no precipitation since June. (yeah, I know, put on an art show and guess what happens! Drought relief!).
So, buying the best booth tent that your money can afford is #1 on the list. Cut lengths of 2"x2" to put on the ground under your backstock boxes so moisture and water flow can't destroy your work. Increase those weights per corner. Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy those cinch straps and cross brace your booth if the weather for that weekend looks dicey. Have a plan for a quick take-down/wrapping/safeguarding your work BEFORE the weather hits. Get a weather app for your cell/iPhone/whatever - www.weatherunderground.com is the best, weatherbug is available on Verizon phones - just make sure the app has live radar.
Most important of all, when bad weather might be an issue, talk to your artist neighbors and work out a plan, for example - move those boxes out of the gutter so rain water can flow freely to the sea (and not into your booth), determine who is underweighted and might be an EZupandover into the nearby booths. If your booth fills with the public and you need to get your work down and into boxes or bags, toss 'em out! They'll dry out, your work might not survive.
Larry Berman
Digital Jury Services
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100