For the last 3 years, I have been averaging 30+ art festivals a year between Florida, Illinois and Wisconsin. Before that I was averaging about 20 a year. I do a lot of buying. I am fortunate to have a summer home in Illinois and a Winter home in Florida. I must have art in my homes or they are not homes.
The two homes are filled pretty close to capacity. At the same time, the art festivals are starting to look alike or fall down in quality. To keep the good ones fresher looking in my tiny brain, I have decided to cut out the festivals that I don't think need my attendance.
Fountain Square Art Festival used to be run by Amy Amdur. It was a really nice festival. Evanston is like a mini-Chicago. This show had price points all over the place but the quality was generally good. Don't remember exactly when Amy stopped running the show but in the last 4 years, it has gone down in overall quality. You used to be able to find fun little things at reasonable prices to go along with the good quality artists at higher price points. Well the fun little things are now gone and so are most of the good artists. Some of my favorite jewelers were there but that is about it. (and I see them at other shows)
My cousin, who is my partner in "crime" agrees. This weekend already has Highland Park Fine Crafts and Amy Amdur's Arlington Heights show so rather than running ourselves ragged, we have decided that Evanston can be scratched off our list.
Comments
Here is a quote from an email pal who loves art fairs, is a great collector and attends almost as many as Geri:
Highland Park is improving and worth the trip if you are around.
Arlington Heights is a standard Amdur show. You can see old friends in most of them with good art.
Fountain Square just does not make it. There are lots of photographers and beads, but we are not planning to go next year.
Scott, I never paid attention to the promoter for Fountain Square but you're right, if I had known, I wouldn't have gone in the first place. My bad!!
I don't disagree with you about the shows. I think some of the problem is that the demographics of a lot of shows are older people who are pretty much bought out and younger people that can't afford a lot of what they see due to low wages.
Couple that with what you said about the jury and I think shows are becoming stagnant. To be fair to artists, giving them the ability to develop a clientele at a particular show, artists should be grandfathered for atleast 3 years. To keep the show fresh, this grandfathering should be staggered so there are still fresh faces every year at the festival.
Were you at the Boca Museum show this year? And haven't you shown somewhere recently in the Chicagoland area? If you have, while I have missed you in your booth, your wife is totally charming and has the most amazing eyes. If not, never mind!!
oops, I meant cynical - I really can spell, just can't type!
Aren't politics a part of everything in life? Why would we expect art shows to be any different?
LOL - do I sound cyncial now?