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THE MART  |  CHICAGO

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Deadline for the 2019 Holiday Show is May 8!

The 19th annual One of a Kind Holiday Show is a 4-day show, held from December 5-8 indoors at The Mart in Chicago, featuring fine art and craft from a juried selection of participants. We invite artists, designers and makers with high quality, handmade, original work to apply to be a part of the One of a Kind Holiday experience! Apply via zapplication.org

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Kathleen Hogan                  Amber Melson
   khogan@themart.com       amelson@themart.com
312.527.7641                    312.527.7757

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One of a Kind Show and Sale® Chicago
theMART | A Vornado Property | 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza | Suite 470 | Chicago, IL 60654
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Can you spare 7 minutes of your life to help the art fair community?  Let me convince you.

Below you will find some very interesting facts about www.Artshowreviews.com?   I have spent some time evaluating the information from the website from 2018 that I would like to share with you.   Take a look.  I think you will find some very interesting facts.   Please consider giving back to the Art Fair Community with a review or two ( about 7 minutes per review).

 

Fact #1:  We now have 643 Art and Craft Shows listed on our site.  We have shows throughout the entire country.  

Fact #2:  We have 7 states that do not have any art and craft shows listed at all.  The states of Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia have never had a show review submitted for them, thus those states have not been added.  We sure would appreciate having some reviews for those states.  

Fact #3:  The state with the largest amount of shows listed on our website is Florida.  That probably isn't a big surprise.  We have 84 shows listed on our site in Florida.  Coming in send place is Illinois with 49 shows.

Fact #4:  We have 25 states with 10 or less art and craft shows listed. 

Fact #5:  We have three states with only one art or craft show listed for them.  Those states are Arkansas, Rhode Island, and South Dakota.  Anybody have a show they can submit for these states? 

Fact #6:  We have one show listed for Canada.  We know they have shows up there.  Does anyone have a show and a review that they could add to that page to make it more valuable?

Fact #7:  We actually have a European page with one show listed.  Has anyone done an European shows yet?  We would love to add a couple shows to that page.

Fact #8:  Since our website went live we have had 1,155,274 page views.  That is amazing!  We know artists are using our website.  We need new reviews so that our site remains useful and needed.

Fact #9:  In the last 30 days, 12/12/18 - 1/12/19, we have had 11,964 page views.  Of course, this is a time when many artists are using our site to put the finishing touches on their show schedules. 

Fact #10:  We usually average about 381 page views per day.  In fact, we had had 111 page views by 11am today.  Artists were up early and working today. 

Fact #11:  Ninety two reviews or comments were left on ASR during 2018.  Of course, many people use our website without ever leaving a comment or writing a review.  Of the 92 comments left, 58 of those were actual show reviews using our list of questions to answer for the shows.  Those 58 reviews are more useful to artists.

Fact #12:  In the last year we had 143,568 page views.  Of those over 143 thousand visitors only 58 times did artists leave a review.  Certainly we can give back to the art community better than that.  

Fact #13:  The average show review probably takes about 7 minutes to write.  The form is right there on our website and you just fill it in.  Easy peasy!

Fact #14:  To submit a show review click on this link: 
     https://www.artshowreviews.com/review-an-art-fair.html

Fact #:  To submit a show that is not on our website click this link:  
https://www.artshowreviews.com/art-show-listing-submission.html

One person who visited our website left this comment:

How come so many of the posted show reviews are from 2-5 years old? Can't you supply some more updated review information from artists that have done the shows. After all, many shows go through changes from year to year.

My answer back to this person was sure, we would love to add more current and up to date reviews for each show.  However, if the artists don't submit the reviews I can't add them.  Our website will be as useful to artists if everyone does their part.  It is only 7 minutes!

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As promised, a summary of my OOAK experience

Updating this post to make it easier for the folks on AFI to find when searching!  

 

I actually wrote two posts about OOAK ... here is the beginning of the Post Setup/Pre Show post:

 Today, at the Chicago Merchandise Mart,  I set up the best indoor booth I've ever put together.  One of a Kind begins tomorrow and we are participating!This event costs more than 5 times the average fee that I will pay for a show.  What do you get for that much money?  After setup and before sales here is what I think I paid for:... (click to read the whole thing)

Here is the beginning of the post show writeup:

Last weekend Wendy and I had a booth at One of A Kind (OOAK) in Chicago for the first time.  It is quite an event.  It takes up the entire 8th floor of the Merchandise Mart which is roughly an entire city block.  It runs 4 days, with  over 600 artists and by many estimates more than 70,000 potential customers.  It is also more than 5x what I usually spend on a booth.... (click to read the whole thing)

If you have more questions about the show let me know, this was all I could think to write after a few days of recovery.

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Teaching and Being Taught -Art

As a young child I always created art -preferring to paint and draw rather than  join my friends at the mall. I loved copying Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Matisse.

As a college student I studied art, design and painting.  As an adult I found, not only did I have a desire to make art professionally but also to teach people,  young and old,  how to express and explore their own creativity through art making.  I strive to insure the students understand there are no mistakes in art. And to recognize that what they perceived to be a 'mistake' could actually be far better than what they intended.

I taught my first art classes to some of my neighbors' children many years ago in my garage and have always wanted to do more of it. A couple years ago I made a proposal to a local preschool to teach a pilot art class once a week, and found that I still enjoyed teaching art, very much.8871901879?profile=originalPreschool Artwork Exploring Textures

It was another 3 years before I got up the courage to teach adults.

I had studied felt making for a number of years by now and believed I had something worthwhile to share with others who wanted to learn the craft. I have taken many classes around the country with many teachers. Some much better than others. In my teaching,  I wanted to incorporate what worked for me and eliminate that which was not helpful.

What made a successful class for me was based on several different factors. Did I learn what I signed up to learn? Was the instructor organized and their instructions clear? Was the class well paced?  Did the teacher understand my questions and answer clearly? Were they patient and take the time to explain something in a different way if I wasn't able to understand their explanation? Were there hand outs or reference materials I could take home? Were all the supplies there that were supposed to be ? Was the equipment in working order and were there enough supplies for everyone? Was the space pleasant to work in and did it function well?  Did the teacher have enough samples to show the class? These criteria are what I hold myself accountable to.

Surprisingly enough,  if I didn't have 'fun' at the time,  I didn't count that against the teacher.  I found that taking a week long workshop to learn a new skill can be quite stressful. Fun was a plus but not a requirement.

And this seems incongruent but, in the 5 hour class I teach at  Nice Threads Fiber Gallery and Studio in Black Mountain, North Carolina , called 'Designing a Nuno Scarf''  I do  want people to have fun as well as learn new new skills. So far,  the feedback I  have received has made me very happy. The comment made that I exceeded the students' expectations really made my day.8871900886?profile=original8871902054?profile=original

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The One of Kind Show in NYC 2011

I was just in NYC for Thanksgiving, I was so excited because the ONE OF A KIND Show in NYC was supposed to be going on Nov 11-13 and Nov 17-20.This is a show  I had always wanted to see and this time it was finally going to  happen.  NOT!!!  

While at my sisters house in Riverdale NY I double checked the show information online. I   was somewhat surprised to find that the event was not posted consistently throughout the web. Some posts had both weekend dates listed and some posts only listed the November 11-13 date. There was no phone number readily available either but my sister and I  went to the address given.  GUESS WHAT ? NO SHOW! The doorman to the building said the show was canceled. It would have been nice for the sponsors of the show to post it was canceled.  What if I made a special trip to see it.  

In the meantime I remembered that the ACC show was also going on this weekend so we jumped in a cab and off we went. We were going to have our art show experience after all. 

 However and  I hate to say this , (because  I thought one day in  in the future I might want to try to jury in the NY show, since my sister lives there)  the show was not up to standard. My sister and I both felt half of the items displayed in the fair looked as if they could have been at a flea market.  What a disappointment! There were a few artists whose work was noteable, so I was glad to see that, but .... I certainly expected to see great things. It is NYC, after all.  

I asked one exhibitor if she knew what happened to the ONE OF A KIND SHOW, she answered that the booth fees were so high very few people could afford to do it. 
This post address the same subject as the higher booth fees article.  These promoters may just run themselves out of business if this keeps going on. 

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The Summer Art Fair. Would I Be An Artist There?

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, where we've predetermined to talk again about the summer art fair. 

 

 Aaaah, sunny days, the green grass of the park scattered with cute little white tents, happy artists selling their fine art....

 

Oh wait.  How much of that line is fiction?  Imaginary?  Delusional? A sham?

 

I've spent quite a bit of research time lately on the topic of the "fine art fair".  Some of them have a heck of a history.

 

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Every time I looked up one of the grandaddy art fairs, and was able to find their mission statement, they all seemed to have something in common.  Some examples for you to peruse:

 

---Wanting to create an event where local artists could showcase their work to the community, Womer established the first 57th Street Art Fair in 1948

 

---The Annual Edmonds Arts Festival began in 1957.  The mission then as now, was to celebrate and promote the arts with a lively and pleasurable presentation of local and national work.

 

---It all began one hot Chicago summer in the early 80's when four neighborhood artists (Bob Smeltzer, Joe Kotzman, Tony Cachapero and Rodney Patterson) decided to have an art fair--a picnic in the park.  Rodney suggested that it might be a good opportunity for local artists to show and share their work to each other and to their neighbors. 

 

Did you catch the commonality?  They are all working to showcase the art, to friends, neighbors, community.  To "celebrate and promote the arts".  So how did we get from that, to this:

 

---Art Fair has become both tired and tiresome.  It's held in the absolute hottest part of the summer.  The prices are ridiculous and most of the so-called art is schlock.  How many times can you mill through the crowds viewing the same old fare every year?

 

--Taken from a news article about parking garage revenue during the AnnArbor Art Fair, but certainly not a unique thought amongst art fair patrons.

 

What jumps out at you from that comment?   Maybe the SO-CALLED ART IS SCHLOCK?

 

Shortly before reading the comment, I read another--this one a discussion at ArtFairInsiders regarding (of course) lackluster art fair sales, and various artists comments about if they would be exhibiting at art fairs next year.  One artist said even with poor sales, she was not quitting.  She would "cobble together" something that would sell. 

 

What happened to celebrating the arts?  Showing our work to the community?  If the purpose of an art fair is to showcase our work to the community, shouldn't we be showing our best? 

 

(here comes the politically incorrect part)  Are you an artist, or not?  Are you being delusional in calling what you exhibit at an art fair ART? Ouch.  I suggest if you are cobbling something together that you think will sell, adding to the patron impression that the "so-called art is schlock", then maybe it's time to re-think your game plan. 

 

There's always a discussion out there somewhere about "what art is" and there are a bazillion different answers.  I suggest that "schlock" is not one of them.  I also suggest that if you are cobbling together something to coax a twenty dollar bill out of some art fair patron's pocket, that something is not art either.  The summer art fair is not dead, but it has been seriously injured.  Injured by artists who have put grabbing a buck, in front of creating their art.  Yes, we all have to make a living, but we'll do it best by keeping our priorities straight.  Art fairs were created to showcase and celebrate art, not schlock.

 

If you are an artist planning on exhibiting at an art fair next summer, I'm asking you to bring your art.  Bring your BEST art.

 

Later, Cooper

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Before you Spend a Dime on Art Supplies

Here is blatant promotion for a telesummit in which I am participating next week.

 

On January 13, 1:30-3:00 pm (EST) I'll be part of a MasterMind panel of 13 leading art career authorities, and successful artists. On January 19, 2:15-3:15 pm (EST) with my own keynote presentation "More Patrons Than You Ever Dreamed Of - Learn The Secrets Of Being Successful At The Nation's Juried Fine Art Fairs". I am honored to have been chosen to join this telesummit as the representative of the art fair industry.

 

This telesummit arranged by Ariane Goodwin has a strong history of helping artists with the "art of the art business". It should be especially helpful to all of you are wondering where to go next with your career and helpful to the experienced who need fresh ideas.

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From Ariane:  8871849084?profile=original

...have you budgeted dimes for your art career?

Of course you need art supplies, that’s No.1 priority. Only, imagine if someone waved a wand and all your art supplies disappeared? How difficult would it be (impossible actually) to make art?

Yet, if you are being gut honest, isn’t this what happens on the art career side of things?

Isn’t it completely obvious that it’s not just difficult, but completely impossible to move your career forward without investing in it?

Investing in your art career is the very cornerstone of sustainability.

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One cornerstone coming up, click here > http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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And listen, my lovely artists, I practice what I preach. I’ve been working with a special career and marketing coach every month for the past 3 years!

Sure, I could talk myself out of the expense (still paying off graduate student loans–not to mention car repairs, you know the drill...). But, oh the results! I have learned so much that being coached is now part of my business expenses, like electricity or broadband access, or toothbrushes (sneaky deduction trick I’m not sharing!).

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My personal favorite:

One tax deduction coming up, click here:
http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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And, oh the results artists have gotten from the past 4 smARTist Telesummits!

How do I know? Because, already, 50% of participants this year are returning alumni!

These artists tell me about: increased confidence, more collectors, new work, landing the perfect gallery, higher productivity, selling more artwork, making connections that are paying off... the list is way too long for one email, but you get the point.

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The Point> Come.

Click here > http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/

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For 7 days it’s all about you. 7 days where you immerse yourself in the newest, best ways to sell your art in 2011. (Confession: I want this for you so badly it hurts. I want you to be successful and fill our world with your glorious, creative visions.)

Praying (yes, praying...) for your success in and out of the studio,

Ariane

A. Goodwin, Ed.D.
Founder, Organizer, & Host
of the http://smARTist-Telesummit.com
The only professional Art Career Conference online or off!

-> Subscribe: http://www.smARTistCareerBlog.com       
-> Books: http://www.writingtheartiststatement.com
               http://smartist-telesummit.com/exclusives/dazzling-photos/
-> Follow: http://ArianeOnTwitter.com
-> Friend: http://ArianeOnFacebook.com


P.S. Did you hear this call with me and Barney Davey—who was spectacular, in large part because he is this deeply genuine person who also loves artists.

Barney’s been in the art world for years and has things to say about the Big Vision that no artist should miss.

Check it out:
http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-2/barney-ariane-recording/

P.S.S. Listen to one of your fellow artists: “I have enjoyed all the sessions; several introduced new fields to me that I had paid little attention to in the past. I also appreciate the gentle approach and kind attitude throughout the seven days. Thank you for your professional, outstanding Telesummit. The target lectures are all relevant and useful.” ~ Mary Hrbacek

Want relevant and useful? Click here >http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/2011-live/


 

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How To Take Your Art Career To The Next Level

Being an artist is a tricky career, and one that is constantly fluctuating. So how in the world do you not only make a sustainable living at it but actually thrive?

Ariane Goodwin of smARTist.com says it’s all about diversification. (Sounds like “vacation,” lol!)

So, I’ve invited Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D., art career coach and host of the only professional development conference for visual fine artists online or off, to come talk with me about how selling your art is joined at the hip to multiple streams of income.

Join me on November 30 at 7pm Eastern (4pm Pacific) for this open telecall.

And bring your questions, because Ariane is a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be tapped.

Click here to sign up > www.smArtist.com/live-telesummit

See you there!
Connie
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poor Nels

What happened? Did Nels take a picture of some guys painting hanging on a fence? Really? Let's organize a bunch of torch holding town "folk" and go chase him out of his castle. Where was the outrage when the 10 or 11th "art" photographer shot the same slot canyon? Once again...with feeling. The problem is not that Nels did this, any more than several of the "art" photographer's, when not totally ripping off good men like Ray Hartle, are out shooting statues and such. Once again my children...you are killing the goose by becoming a decorative market place...Instead of rising up like rabid dogs in opposition to the tape measure and swatch caca that prevails, it appears you jumped on a poor old guy for doing wrong...and maybe it was. The problem however, is not Nels. it is the constant pandering to the swatch/tape mentality. As long as fine art/craft biz is dictated to by decor there will be an ongoing march towards average.. Remember, if you can't make it good, make it big...and if you can't make it big, make it blue...or watever this years color is.. F..k it, who wants pie? . .

Generalisamo Hippie

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I just had a bad show this past weekend. Maybe you, yeah you, the one reading this did too. I have had quite a few of them this year with some glimmer of hope shows in-between to make me think, ok, maybe the economy isn't all doom and gloom. So, with my experience of having several bad shows under my belt - bad meaning not profitable - I feel I can add this to my expertise book too - an expert on doing bad shows. However, I want to illustrate that just because a show isn't profitable doesn't mean it has to spoil the whole day. There are actual good things that come out of bad shows, but you have to open your eyes and mind to see them. Here's a list of things I have learned that can make a bad show kinda fun and still walk away with a smile at the end of the day.First, I want to make it clear I am disappointed as others in my position when it comes to doing a bad show. Aside from theft or having your work destroyed, one of the worse things that can happen is not turn a profit - not be compensated for all the hard work in making the art, but go through all the motions to sell it too. So, in hopes of trying to make a bad situation better, please consider the things you can still be thankful for, no matter how rough a show can be.1. Stock. I labored until 12:30 the night before this past show, which took place in a mall, to make sure I had enough stock. After all you never know - people should be planning ahead for the holidays or take a mental note to find you again when the holidays get closer at future shows. In making extra stock, you always think - whoo hoo, I won't have to haul it all back home, it won't be as heavy then. That is something I always forget, because if a show is bad you still have to haul it all back home and sometimes more difficult to get back into the car. The good part - I don't have to make any more stock for the next show! Think about how nice that is for a moment. The simple notion of all one needs to do is simply load everything back into the car when the time comes, well, puts a big grin on my face. Perhaps you too? This is why I do not recommend putting things on sale at the end of the day to hopefully move it all is selling yourself short. Why discount your work, that is in perfect condition, so you merely have to go home and slave away to make more for the next show? Not only that, people start to expect you to discount your work at every show and will only start shopping when you lower your prices. Totally defeats the purpose, right?2. Down time = networking time. There are only so many things a person can do when there is down time at a show - rearrange your display, do an inventory check, tidy things that may get misplaced... Take this time as an opportunity to learn a little about your neighbors. Just as you have a fascinating story about how you got involved in doing art shows so do the countless others you are selling next to. You may find they have advice for you, live just minutes from where you live now or when you were younger, offer info on up-coming shows, maybe even buy from you because you never know. This past show I learned a fellow exhibitor had a birthday and a small group of us surprised her and sang Happy Birthday - she was surprised. I didn't know her, but she was so tickled to know that there are some great people out there willing to do something as simple as wish her a happy birthday, probably made her day. I also learned another vendor is from Hawaii - as I am part Hawaiian, and the last 2 hours of the show we talked about food, places, jokes, all that stuff. If I was in my 10x10 the whole time ignoring the world around me, I would have never had a good time meeting nice people, learn about how others are fairing at other shows, all making the hours pass like minutes.3. Breakdown. The first thing you think of, when you have a bad show, is how much longer before I can pack up. Maybe the thought would people notice if I pack up early creeps in your mind too? Well, most opt to pack up early. I even did - the show ran until 9:00 p.m. and I started packing at 8:00 - consolidating overstock and turning lights off. However others were out by 7:00 p.m. While you take your time breaking down and others are rushing to get out of there you realize two great things. A) You still get a few sales as the show is still open and people will only buy from those still open. B) After these people leave, it frees up a closer parking space (loading space near the entrance) where you can just pull your vehicle up without traffic congestion and get in and get out in no time.4. Doing bad shows forces you to be more observant. When I say observant I am referring to watching what others are doing and learn a little more about the lifestyle of how things work in the environment you are selling in. So many people, who have a short fuse when they have a bad show quickly blame things on everyone else. But what I saw are little things that could be improved and an even bigger picture that "fate" is out of your hands. What I saw that could be improved was that there were no real signs within the mall to let patrons know there is a craft show going on TODAY. IT was a first time show and something so obvious was just overlooked by the organizer. The show took place inside an abandoned dept. store - big and in a great locale (very secure and great access to all things like being near the food court and movie theater). However those who come to the mall on a regular basis will always assume it is a vacant area UNLESS they see something somewhere that tells them otherwise especially those who may have seen some advertising and get there and think the event is canceled because there are no obvious signs a show is going on. You also see that people don't go to a mall - or ART SHOW - and buy from everyone. They have a plan to seek the place they need to go to and if there is time, see what else there is - maybe a sale, a new shop, a new style of clothing for the season attracts your eye... So many artists/crafts people believe that every patron shops at every place - impossible! I have never seen this as what each artist offers isn't what EVERYONE needs at that very day. This is why some shows are better than others (where some shows offer such variety and attract so many people that you are bound to have good sales) or why some locations are better than others. You also pick up on tidbits regarding your target market - and in other instances who will never be a customer of yours and why. This will help you down the line when planning shows - which merchandise might move more (depending on the show) as well as focusing your work to a better line of what is more likely to sell, purging older works at the same time. In other words, having some down time really allows you to really see things they way they really are than how we all assume how things probably are.5. Count your blessings. I always think it could have been worse. I could have paid a whole lot more for the space and lost even more money - the space this past weekend was very cheap. Hind sight is always 20-20 and you learn from your mistakes, it makes us smarter for the next show we do. I was so happy it was an indoor show as it was a horribly windy and rainy day where I could have lost stock and possibly catch some sort of cold verses being dry and warm inside with a decent selection of food. I did have some sales - I probably would feel even worse if I spent the whole day not making one sale than the 5 very small ones I did have. These could very well be trivial to you all reading this, but I am a thankful person. It keeps me going. I realize that everyone isn't guaranteed the best show ever bringing "my" whole stock and at the end of the day left with a pile of money. It isn't realistic during any type of economic climate. But it makes you want to do even more at the next show - be more outgoing, set-up earlier to get some quick morning sales from some early shoppers, and of course realize what happened in the past doesn't determine how things will go at the next show (it's in the past and today is a new day).I open this up to you all - what have you learned from a bad show that has made you a better person/artist at more recent shows? Thanks and have a good week! - Michellewww.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com and www.bythebaybotanicals.com
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