I fully appreciate that a lot of artists are not happy with the extraneous 'entertainment' that is occurring far too often at what used to be strictly art festivals. I still think there is room for food, music and vendor booths if it is done correctly.
LFOA understands this. Admission has risen steadily over the years but you can get discounted tickets through a variety of venues that allow you to pay about half the $15 gate. There is parking with a shuttle bus for $5 but we parked at the Children's museum parking lot for $10 and had a 2 minute walk to the gate. As you enter you are given a wristband and PNC handed out cloth tote bags. Then, if you wanted to, you could walk through a sculpture garden featuring works of various artists along with some beautiful plantings by one of the vendors. All the vendor tents were in one place also, as you walked in. You could ignore them or check them out. There was noone yelling about wonderful deals. The children's area was also along the same path as the vendor booths.
Most of the participating artists are located inside one multi-block long gigantic tent. (There are about 20 artists inside the museum) It is easy to navigate around the show as the tent is extremely wide. There is storage for the artists behind their tents but there is no space between them. Everyone is on cement (it is a street in front of the museum) but you don't have to worry about staking your tent because the 'big tent' is capable of withstanding even hurricane strength winds. The only thing not art related in the tent is a souvenir booth for the festival and it is on an uneven section of grass, unsuitable for an artist's booth.
Between the big tent and the museum is artist check-in, volunteer check-in, the silent auction booth, another souvenir booth, a couple of vendors, the music stage and the food booths. In the middle of all this are tables for the patrons to sit down and eat. While we were there, the music was never so loud as to be intrusive inside the tent. While eating fairly decent food, you can watch sailboats and enjoy the lake breeze. When you are ready you can go back in the tent and again be totally immersed in art.
And the quality of the art is wonderful. This is an above average festival. I didn't see any buy/sell or anything that hinted of b/s. I don't know how sales are going. I know that one jeweler had sold 8 various pieces in the first 90 minutes and a ceramic artist sold a 4 figure piece. Jim Parker is there with his wonderful photography and he will be able to tell more about sales.
Two side notes-- I always look at the jewelry that people are wearing at art festivals. This festival had some of the best jewelry worn by patrons I have ever seen. Hopefully they bought more, they had plenty of chances.
Birget of the "copied jewelry" fiasco was at the show. I mentioned to her that I could see why someone would copy her work, it is lovely and also that I was glad all her equipment made it to Chicago on time, saying that facebook lets a person learn all kinds of things. I never told her who I was and only mentioned I had read about the copier on AFI. She then asked me if I could watch her booth since she didn't want to wait for a boothsitter. I love that artists believe in the best of people. Taking checks, letting people take something home to see if it is 'right' for their house and letting a complete stranger sit in your booth while you are gone for ten minutes.
Comments
This show is a pleasure to do. The location is stellar, the show is well run. Breakdown can be a little , challenging, with a tendency of the larger trucks getting stuck under the tent.
This is my fifth year doing this show, and sales can be all over the map. This year was way down for me, after a good show last year. Most artist around me did not like their totals, with a few exceptions. Last year I was told the local economy was really going up. I couldn't help but wonder what affect the recall election had on the psyche of the patrons of the show. You never can tell from one year to the next anymore.
Jim. hope the show turned out well for you. Good luck at Crosby Gardens. I'm sorry I won't get to see you any more this summer. Come take bird pictures in Miami. You have a place to stay.
Fabulous review Geri - I love your take on shows :)
The same way some women ask others who their hairdresser is, I ask where they got their jewelry and who made it. Sometimes I get lucky and the jeweler is at a show I will be going to. When I volunteer at the garden during the winter, I try to wear my best pieces. When someone compliments me, I tell them who made it and tell them the best place to buy jewelry is at an art festival.
I have only been to Las Olas since HAE took over. I have gone to the MofA festivals but those ended a few years ago. Wonderful location, poor crowds. Didn't understand that.
I bought a couple of pieces of jewelry. It is early in the summer and I have two shows next week and at least one every weekend after that.
There you go, Geri! Excellent review. I haven't been to Lakefront for many a year. It has always been a stellar event on every level. It had to have been a wonderful day to be on the Lakefront and a treat to look forward to every year for you and the other collectors.
Do you remember when the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art produced the Las Olas show? Maybe not as gorgeous location but still on a beautiful street and the museum people put together a show that everyone marked on their calendars. Wish we could get more art museums to do host these events. Beth Hoffman ran Lakefront for many years and I know her mission was to host an event that would increase membership and connect the museum with the larger community.
Looking at the jewelry people are wearing? Imagine that .. you can often get an idea if you are new to participating in a show by the appearance of the attendees. I love to be at a show where they are wearing their art fair duds, finely woven garments and purses and jewelry obviously dearly loved by the owners who understand their value.
Pretty cool that Birget would just walk away and leave you with her booth. Did you add to your collections?