Hello gang! This year was my second time doing the University of Toledo's (Ohio) Alumni Association's Art on the Mall art fair. Last year was not so great. I only sold one 5x7 print for $25 in the prior edition. But since I am a University of Toledo alum, I consider my booth fee a donation to my Alma Mater...

However, this year was totally different. I sold $835 this year! Which the show is a one day event from 10AM to 5PM on the last Sunday of July. If you do the math, yes I was over a $100 per hour... Plus, I sold two large framed pieces. First show in which I've sold two large pieces. The arrows show the two that sold...

The fair is easy to set up and tear down. You can drive your vehicle to your tent location. And the volunteers that help out during the show were fabulous. They delivered water to your booth through the day and even asked me multiple times if I need someone to watch my booth for a restroom break. Since the show is now more than 20 years old, yes they have figured out how to treat an artist with an army of volunteers. Yes, there was that many! Probably fellow alums like myself.

But, I do have one issue about the show. My booth location was 53. I was slightly off the beaten path. What we noticed was that the food court is at the end of the main entrance to the fair. The booths by University Hall and Stranaham Hall saw a whole lot more traffic than mine. That's because the path (highlighted in green) would start at the green arrow and get to the food court and double back at the red arrow. I had little foot traffic where I was. So it was amazing that I made $835. I would think a better location for the food court would be at the middle of the mall (wonder why food courts are always at the middle of a shopping mall?)

Well, one of my purchasers drove from Cleveland to get a specific framed piece. He saw it at Crocker Park (early June - suburban Cleveland) on a date. He came to this show by himself. So yes, I guess I have a following too. Something else that I learned at this show! And yes, I will be asking for a different booth location next year!

ArtBirmingham, the perennial favorite once known as the Birmingham Fine Art Festival, returned to Shain Park in downtown Birmingham, Michigan for the second season since the park was redone in 2011. The show is run by The Guild, by artists, for artists, and generally they did a fine job. Put on in conjunction with the Birmingham/Bloomfield Art Center, this show attracts well-heeled buyers from Birmingham, West Bloomfield and the surrounding communities.

Setup on Friday afternoon and evening is well-orchestrated and orderly. The folks in the middle of the park and near the bandshell get to come in first and then the folks on the surrounding streets. The layout is open, and somewhat spread out, so it's pretty easy to drive to your space (if you're on the street), or dolly if you're in the park.

Saturday morning was chilly, as predicted, and cloudy. It got up to about 58 degrees or so, and people did come out. Last year's show was moved to the weekend of Memorial Day, and attendance suffered as a result. This year, the show got moved back to Mother's Day weekend, largely due to the efforts of Annie VanGelderen, President of the BBAC, and Max Clayton, Director of the Guild. And the turnout seemed to reinforce that good decision.

I saw quite a few packages walking by, and a couple larger 2-D pieces wrapped in black plastic. But it was a tad cold, colder than normal for spring in Michigan. Frankly, I was surprised to see as many people as there were on Saturday. I sold a few pieces, one to a previous collector, and had some good conversations with others, considering a purchase. Others I talked to didn't do as well.

Sunday was a different story. With temps predicted to rise only to the mid-forties, and 50 being a far-off dream, Mother's Day turned up a much sparser crowd. The sun was out in the morning, and made brief appearances all afternoon. But overnight the wind had picked up, and took out at least four booths that I counted. One glass artist near the fountain had left work on shelves overnight, and much of it bit the dust during the evening hours. Another clay artist lost a shelf full of work with a loud crash heard round the world. Several artists packed up and left early, expecting the worst, or having tents unable to withstand the predicted 40mph wind gusts. And it was cold. Did I say it was cold? At opening, it was around 40 degrees. Brr, chilly.

By noon, there were people walking the streets. Many of them walked quickly, only stopping at the booths they wanted to see. A $20 bill blew down the street, and I trapped it under my foot. (If you lost a twenty, contact me off-line with the serial number, and I will return it to you). Sales for me were pretty slim. Had lots of browsers, but it was too damn cold to do much but shiver. Then it started to sleet. Nice round white pellets of graupel. We took down some of the art in the front of the booth, as it was getting peppered by the wind and the sleet. The snow stopped quickly, though, and the sun came out again. A few more people trickled in, but generally nobody bought in our neck of the woods. My booth was on Martin Street, at the corner of Bates, near a new four-story condo, and got the full effect of those forty mile an hour wind blasts. It was a struggle keeping the tent on the ground, even with 75 pound weights on each corner. The wind was blowing straight into the tent. We left the back door open to vent the pressure, and that helped some. It was a bit like sailing a 40 yacht on Lake St. Clair in a gale. We kept trimming the sails, and turning the boat, to keep from capsizing. The sun went away, and it sleeted again, briefly. We did the shiver dance. A few patrons blew by the booth. As the afternoon wore on, we wished for an end to the deep-freeze. At three o'clock Max Clayton came by, and said, "Only two more hours!" Thanks, Max!

Saw a few friends. Barry Bernstein dropped by. His new work is captivating. He said he tried Nels' trick of running out into the street, and holding patrons hostage till they produced a platinum Amex card, but that didn't seem to work. Doug Remien was there, with his beautiful nature landscapes. Bruce Reinfeld, another photographer, was kitty corner from me, and didn't seem to have the trouble with the wind. Stephen Huyser-Honig was down the street with another double, showing photographs of Michigan in the lee of the condo, and didn't have the wind issues either. My advice? Stay away from booth 030 if you are accepted into the show! Elissa Brown stopped by and introduced herself. She had on the most marvelous blue hat. Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to see her mixed-media work. Next time, perhaps. The inspiration for the headline came from Elissa's blog, though.

All in all, the show was a success for many. The weather definitely played a role, but I heard from several artists that they had good sales. Our sales were up from last year. Others did not fare as well. It did seem to prove the point that bad weather won't keep the serious buyers away, but it did keep the traffic down. The dog walkers were definitely there though. Lots of dogs. And a few strollers. Would I go back? Yes. It's local for me, and traditionally the start of the Michigan show season. There are buyers to be found, and the buy/sell seems to have been eliminated from years past. It's a nice venue, parking is within a couple of blocks, and there are many fine restaurants in the area. With the support of the artist community, this show could once again become the jewel that it was years ago. Certainly the venue is lovely, and the move back to Mother's Day marks the start of spring and the show season in Michigan.

After pack-up, we celebrated the warmth with painter Diane Sicheneder and her husband Gary with tremendous margaritas and mole enchiladas at Miguels in Rochester. Two pitchers of margaritas later, we rolled home and into our warm beds.

First off, this is a long, grueling show, and a long grueling post. It's four days of beer, tattoos, loud music and sweaty people. It's been this way for a while, and doesn't pretend to be anything but what it is. It is an entertainment venue, with some artists tacked on at the lower end of the show. The organizers do their best to segregate the artists, ease the load-in and load-out, provide some relief from the heat with water and an air-conditioned break area. Free electricity for your fans, your lights, your charge machine. The porta-potties are clean, there are enough of them and they never fill up. The artists breakfast is decent. Lisa K gets up and sings "Oh What a Glorious Morning" for the umpteenth time. She has an okay voice. It's a Kumba-Ya moment. And they have an award for the hardest working artist assistant. More about that later. Communication could be a bit better -- the many volunteers and helpers don't always have the right answer when you need it, but they try their best to be helpful.

Crowds at Arts, Beats & Eats, Sunday afternoon

But the hundreds of thousands of people who come to this event by and large come for entertainment. There are several stages, with well-known headliners, and quite a bit of local talent represented as well. There are a ton of vendors up the street, including the Detroit News photo archive booth, and a local photographer selling wood plaques and coasters of the old train station on Bagley and the "Enjoy Detroit" sign. This year, the quality of the juried show was reportedly not as good as previous years. Since I didn't get to walk the entire show, I didn't see it, but I heard from others that there were buy/sell booths in the juried section. There were rays of sunlight amidst the clouds of cigarette smoke, though. Barry was there, suffering in the sun. Nels and Ellen were there. Nels told me that the organizers helped him get his booth set up (Donna's son, Blake helped with a lot of it), and they let Nels rest in the library on a cot if he felt weak. Bravo, Nels, for coming out for four long days in the heat and putting up with the b/s. I hope it was worth it for you in the end.

This is a show that doesn't pretend to be focused solely on the artists, but is very upfront about the whole experience. If you don't like it, don't sign up. It's very hard to sit (or stand) there while masses of ignorant people shuffle by and occasionally ask the expected questions. It's hard work to stay upbeat, and many artists didn't return after last year's show, including the Sterns, my friend Dave Piper, and others. I don't blame them. If I wasn't local, I would think harder about coming. But since I am local, I do get some synergy between this show, (where it's tough to close a sale when folks have to carry it around with them to see the Guess Who, or Morris Day), and Art & Apples (another show that has many problems). Offering to hold a purchase or to deliver later is helpful when closing a sale.

Parking is tough, but not impossible for patrons. Parking is forbidden in most of the surrounding neighborhoods. There are parking garages, but they fill up quickly. The artists get one pass for street parking at meters (primo spots), regardless of booth size. Some artists stretch this and park their trailer hitched to their truck, causing grief for others with a single vehicle. Others park in the wrong spot. There isn't enough parking around Royal Oak for the hordes, but people come anyway. Many patrons ride the shuttle from Royal Oak High School. It's tough to carry larger work on the bus. Smaller work and jewelers seemed to do ok. Harry Roa and Trisko both seemed to make sales, although it was work for them as well. Our booth neighbors were both jewelers: Kristen Perkins on the one side, with lovely glass leaves in jewel tones on handmade silver findings, and Barbara Sweet on the other with more ornate work.  My potter friend Scott from Grand Rapids did well with his functional lines. I saw lots of Alan Teger's small prints walking by, and I sold mostly out of the small print bin myself. 

Bottom line -- it is what it is. Unfortunately, they will never get rid of the buy/sell, the food vendors, the music. It's a spectacle, a carnival, a festival for the great unwashed masses to close out the summer. It is what it is. And it's fun for the crowds. At a time where there isn't a lot of fun to be had, this is spectacle at its finest, and doesn't cost much more than $15 to park, and $5 a head to get in the gate. Not counting beer, elephant ears, turkey legs and corndogs.

Arts Beats and Eats draws a crowd from the entire metro Detroit area. People that never ever go to another art show go to ABE. It draws over 250,000 people even if the weather is crappy. Perhaps a crowd that is not entirely ignorant about art, but one that cares more about tattoos and beer than good raku and competent sculpture. It is an opportunity to expose your art to a very large audience that is desperate for art and doesn't know it. If you are willing to suffer for your art you can make a difference here. And every once in a while, you might make a sale. It's painful. On the bright side, I do make a profit here. I looked at my sales figures for the past three years, and I've done about the same numbers each time. I think the Royal Oak location appeals to a broader spectrum of people across the metro area than the Pontiac location did, but it tends heavily towards lower class blue collar. 

Barry Bernstein, Karyn Kozo and Ginny Herzog at the artists breakfast

I really enjoyed hanging out with Barry for a few days. Lord knows we had enough time for that. Most afternoons it was hours between sales, and then they came in spurts. The people to sales ratio is quite high -- sometimes several hundred people passed by without a single package showing. I spoke with Nels and Ellen a couple of times. I ran into photographers Pat Whalen and Larry Humphrey, who braved the heat and the crowds. And I did make a marginal profit here, which is more than I can say for shows in Florida this year. Big shows like Fort Myers and Artigras which are equally difficult, but for different reasons.

A word about Donna Beaubien, the new show director. She has had good experience managing art fairs. She was involved with the original Birmingham Art Fair in Shain Park. She handled the Greektown Festival in downtown Detroit before it folded due to parking and street issues. She runs two nice little shows in the Village of Rochester Hills, and runs them competently. She is a genuinely nice person, and cares about artists. Her shows, while still having some artists of less than national quality, attract the locals, and people do sell there. I generally try to do her summer show, first week in August. The spring show is more prone to rainy weather. The booths line one side of the street, and both sides of two smaller spur streets. Booth fees are reasonable, hours are easy, parking is free, people come to the show to look and to buy. They are nice local shows.

This was Donna's first year with Arts, Beats & Eats. Connie Mettler of AFI recommended Donna after Connie decided to retire from ABE.  Donna is a very diplomatic person. She chooses her battles carefully, and tries to always keep the needs of the artists in the forefront. On the positive side of things, the load-in and load-out went very smoothly, somewhat improved from last year. They eliminated thirty artists from the east side of Seventh and the parking cul de sac over there. The Lincoln Ave booths were lower cost than the booths on Washington (the main drag), and there were less of them. The sponsor booths were moved out of the artist area. The gate security guards let people carry in water bottles this year. The Royal Oak police were extremely helpful when my trailer was blocked by a media van at the end of the show. All of this was an improvement over last year. Donna may have had at least a little to do about that. She is very organized and very pleasant to deal with. And very visible. She spent time in each and every artist's booth, not once, but several times during the show. Kudos to her for taking on a very tough job.

And finally, the awards. At the Sunday morning breakfast at Jimi's Restaurant, there are several awards handed out for artistic merit. A Best of Show, several Awards of Distinction, and some third place awards. And an award that goes to the hardest working assistant at the current show. One year it went to Donna's husband, Bill. Another year it went to James Greene, and last year, Ginny Herzog's granddaughter Casey won it. All well-deserved. The award consists of a battered old dolly, painted gold, with embellishments. Each assistant adds something to it, and hands it off at next year's show. This year, my wife and partner in crime, Karyn, won the Golden Dolly. You should have seen the look on her face when Donna went into the description of this year's winner. Karyn does not cotton to public attention. I had nothing to do with the award, though, so I survived with all my parts intact. And it does come with a small honorarium, which I'm sure will go towards shoes. The rest of the awards went to various artists, among them Steve Anderson for his metalwork, and Alan Teger for his black and white photography. Michael Stevens won for his jewelry. I forget the rest. Look it up on the interwebz.

The dolly with the Golden Dolly -- she earned it.

Will I do this show again? Yes, since it's close to home, and actually a lot more fun than Ann Arbor. If you go, you must eat breakfast at Jimi's on Washington. I'd like to see the quality of the juried artists improve, but that may not be possible, given the venue, the long hours, and the audience. Consider it for next year, cause Michigan can use all the good artists it can get. 

Haven't written a review for a while. ArtBirmingham has a long tradition to uphold, and used to be one of the finest shows in the country. It takes place in an upscale suburban community (Birmingham, Michigan), in and around a pleasant little park that was recently renovated. Booths are set-up in the park and on the sidewalks and surrounding streets. Approximately 180 artists from all over the country. The show is run by The Guild, best known for its flagship show, The Summer Ann Arbor Art Fair. 

The fair staff does a great job organizing the load-in and load-out. They are highly visible before, during and after the show. Aside from a few glitches in the layout, which was tweaked again this year, load-in is very smooth. Artists are assigned times, staggered by about two hours on Friday afternoon and evening. The artists in the park load in first, followed by those on the street. The show itself runs from 10-6 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday. Alan Bogl, Operations Director and Nicole McKay are both experienced vets, friendly, visible and helpful during the process. When I found that my corner spot wasn't really a corner spot, but only a wide spot in the road, Nicole came by to soothe my ruffled feathers, and those of my neighbor, Debra Springer. Both of us had counted on the extra visibility in designing a show-specific display, so we had to vamp a bit.

Saturday the rains came off and on all morning. Starting at about 10AM, we had brief showers throughout most of the afternoon. Still, there were a few buyers, dedicated souls who remembered the Birmingham Art Fair of old. One friend, a jeweler, had a couple very good sales in the rain. I managed to make a couple of sales myself, but generally, the crowd was light, and the buying was thin. Great if you're on a diet. The video below (shot Sunday) gives you an idea of the size of the crowd.

ArtBirmingham Ersatz Timelapse

Sunday: much the same, except the weather was gorgeous. A bit humid, but the sun came out, and the temps climbed into the upper 80's. We didn't get the awful humidity and temps in the 90's that were promised by the local forecasters, and the storms that bruised central Michigan missed us by about ten miles to the north. And there were fewer buyers on Sunday than there were on Saturday. I had basically zero sales, zero interest and a few browsers all day. Don't know where they went, but some theories postulate that the folks with money were opening up the summer cabin up north, working on the garden or out on the boat. It was not a good weekend for an art festival.

Load-out was pain-free. A bit of dollying for those around the fountain, but pretty much everyone was gone by 7:30.

This is a show that I would love to see gain its former stature as a "must-attend" in the community. Unfortunately, it seems as if the community has deserted it. Local support seems slim. Rumors abound regarding the silly requests made by the city of Birmingham and merchants. The Guild staff works hard to make this show successful, advertising in the local papers, radio stations and with social media. Still, it's not enough to draw the crowds anymore. There were many nationally known artists there, including Bob Trisko (jewelry), Jim Copeland from Atlanta (photography), our neighbor Merri Patinian (mixed media), RJ and PJ Commerford from Florida (mixed media 2D), Bob and Patti Stern (mixed media 3D), as well as a few stalwarts like our friend Barry Bernstein (raku pottery). Most artists were crying the blues, but managed to eke out expenses. I sure wish this show could reinvent itself. But this is not the weekend to do it.

This week in New York City there is a big art extravaganza taking place, the Frieze Art Fair on Randall'sIsland, where they've erected the "world's largest tent." It is a temporary architectural piece that is holds the exhibits from international galleries, hoping to cash in on the important art auctions at Sotheby's and Christie's.

Actually, there was some flap on this, as the Frieze was accused of treading on already established art fairs in NYC, including the trendy Armory Show just two weeks ago. Imagine such a concept! It doesn't happen only at our events, folks.

Can't resist including this link from the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/really-you-call-this-art_n_1477854.html

Hope you'll enjoy these images and maybe post some of your own!

More links about Frieze:

Saltz: Why the Frieze Art Fair Could Solve the New York Art Fair Problem

Occupy pledges to ‘un-Frieze’ art fair

Piedmont Park, looking south towards downtown Atlanta

I'd been trying to get into Dogwood for several years, so when the acceptance letter came in November, I was excited. The Dogwood Festival is an Atlanta tradition, held in midtown Piedmont Park, mid April most years. As most urban shows, it comes with its share of challenges. 

First challenge: the setup. Most of the booths are along a path that winds through the park, and borders a large open space. There is also a spur that leads off towards a public parking deck on the opposite side of Lake Clara Meer. This seems like artist hell, but many of the best talents in the show had spaces on this side of the show.

Dogwood Festival Map

To get in and setup, the organizers offer a choice of setup times, either on Wednesday for local Georgia artists, or on Thursday. Staging the artists in a large parking lot south of the show at the Civic Center, we were greeted by Lanna Knapp, the Festival Coordinator and her staff. I chose to setup as early as possible on Thursday, to avoid congestion with my truck and trailer.

Stephen Baldauf adjusts a painting before the show opens on Sunday

The paths are narrow. The artists vehicles are queued up, in booth order, and led to the site by Atlanta police on motorcycles. Like a funeral parade, only more cheerful, Lights flashing, we got to blow through every traffic signal to the entrance of the park. Once in, we had about 90 minutes to unload and park the vehicle. This brings me to challenge number two.

Parking is an issue in this downtown show. There are metered spaces along Piedmont Avenue and 12th Street, but it's pretty tough to fit a 40' truck and trailer into these. There are also several paid parking garages, but these don't take a trailer height vehicle. Luckily, there is a surface lot near the Midtown Hotel that allows trailers to be parked on the lot. You MUST pay in a timely manner, though, or you will be ticketed and booted. There is an automated machine that spits out $10 parking passes, good for 12 hours. Not cheap, but it works. It's about a ten minute walk to the park entrance, and if you are on the opposite side of the park, heaven help you. I moved the trailer and went back to my spot to finish my setup. The weather was blustery and cold, but it never really rained.

The show itself is fairly well-juried. Many nationally known artists do this show every year. A glance at the list tells you all you need to know about the quality of the show. I was set up next to Donald Krebs, a wood-turner from North Carolina, and Pui-Lan Cockman, a water-color painter. Our friends Anita & Steve Baldauf, and jewelers Marc & Wendy Zoschke were all the way across the field on the other side of the park. Another Michigan artists, Cherie Haney, of Shadow Charms, was just down the row from me. Fellow photographers John Hartung and Steven Daniel were there as well.

John Hartung and Steven Daniel, in John's booth

Friday, we had just a few sales. The weather was iffy, with chilly breezes and the constant threat of rain. There was a steady stream of potential customers, and a large mix, demographically. But the show didn't quite seem to live up to the hype. Saturday, there was more of the same. We were supposed to get heavy storms in the afternoon, but the rain held off until well into the evening. I was glad that I had paid for electricity, as the gloomy skies warranted a little extra help. My booth backed up to a hill, with zero space behind it for storage. But the organizers, thinking once again, stagger the booths in a single row, so that we were able to put some items in the wood chips across the walkway from the booth. I had my desk there, too, which worked out well come Sunday.

Sunday crowds in front of my booth

Saturday's sales were disappointing for many. I had an average day, with a few framed pieces and a few matted works going home with happy customers. But Sunday, the weather finally broke, and with it came the buyers. We were slammed almost all afternoon with browsers and buyers. I sold some big pieces as well as a good selection of smaller mats. My average transaction was well up from previous shows, and I was encouraged. Florida basically sucked this year, so to have a good show was, well, good.

Don Krebs talks to two potential buyers in his booth on Sunday afternoon. (He sold his largest piece that day)

My neighbor, Don Krebs, and I moaned about the lack of sales up until sometime Sunday afternoon, when neither of us could stop wrapping and ringing up sales. We both left happier than when we came. The gouache painter down the street from us brought some hard cover books with him, with his lovely cartoonish zombies -- I think he just about sold out of them at $10/pop. I even bought one. They were a fun souvenir. His painting were inexpensive and quite humorous, too. I think he did well. Cherie, my friend from Michigan, was happy at the end of the show, too. She sold her three largest wall pieces, (and several cartons of whimsical magnets, picture frames and other functional pieces). So the crowds were there, as well as the collectors. This show has them both. 

Challenge Number Three: we expected a hellacious load-out on Sunday after the crowds left. The art festival itself was over at 6PM, but there were many people lingering in the park, enjoying the sunshine and the atmosphere of the park. There is the usual drill: break down completely, get a pass, get the vehicle, wait in line to get back into the park, try to get past other vehicles down the narrow path, load up, go home. But it went surprisingly smoothly for us. I was amazed that we were able to pack up and get loaded and leave the park in 2.5 hours. It helped that our section managed to all break down at the same time, and get into the park more or less in the correct order. There weren't a lot of artists on our leg of the path, either, and we had an entrance and an exit close by.

Headed to the music and the carnival

Challenge Number Four: Competition for eyeballs and ears. One of the things that brings people to this festival is that it is a festival, not just an art show. While I didn't see any stilt-walkers or clowns, the music from two different stages was loud and intrusive, even midway into the park. The show tries to keep the music acts separated in another area of the park, but it's just too damn loud. I would not have wanted to be on the southerly stretch of park which bordered on the music area. 

There was also a carnival, with rides and stuff. Need I say more about that? The usual food vendors, and some restaurants border the park: Willys has good Mexican if you don't want corn dogs and turkey legs. I heard they ran out of turkey legs. And did I mention the dogs? While dogs are not allowed in "Dog" wood, there was a frisbee contest, and so some dogs did creep into the show. Not awful though. 

Lodging is expensive, if you try to stay near the show. You may have to pay for parking if you can't find a metered spot on the street and keep feeding it. Hotels on the perimeter are less expensive than the Midtown hotels. It's not a long drive in from I-75 and the perimeter freeway, either -- maybe twenty minutes.

All in all, we enjoyed doing the show. The weather held out, which if it had rained significantly, would have made this a muddy mess. The people showed up on Sunday and bought lots of stuff, both junk and treasure. 

Karyn Kozo and Anita Baldauf, photo-bombed by Steve.

Fri.: 1pm-8pm
Sat.: 10am-6 pm
Artist Reception - Sat.: 6pm
Sun.: 11am-5 pm

     Please join us for the Great Lakes Art Fair. The GLAF delivers an exceptional event experience for artists and their patrons. This fair is a unique fusion of lush landscapes, tempting food, and an optimal indoor venue of spring and fall events that are rapidly becoming established as the Midwest's premiere indoor art fair!

Special for Fall:  

• Art fairs are always looking for ways to enhance the event both for artists and the attending public. This Fall the show will open on Friday at 1 pm and close at 8 pm. We will be returning with the hugely successful Friday Ladies Night Out promotion that drew over 2000 women to line up for entry on Friday!  It also allows for some Friday setup for artists.
• Robust marketing campaign planned with media partners 

 The juried component of the fair will feature 200 local, regional, and national artists. Expect an elegant entrance gallery showcasing your art, community partnerships and other fresh components that create a wonderful regional marketplace for artists and their patrons. Our goal is an expansive marketplace that brings fresh energy to the regional artistic community.

Location:

     The Suburban Collection Showplace is located in Novi, Michigan, situated in Western Oakland County, one of the nation's most affluent areas. Although 2009 marked the first year for the spring and fall Great Lakes Art Fairs, the Suburban Collection Showplace is familiar to patrons as a premier indoor venue for specialty events.

Attendance:

     Over the past decade the Rock Financial Showplace has been host to premier indoor art fairs each year during the months of April and October. Attendance figures from these fairs have averaged in the tens of thousands.

Artist Amenities:

• custom Great Lakes Art Fair discount coupons
• e-mail blast content
• free tickets, postcards and other collateral materials to distribute to their patrons
• drive up to your booth to unload and load
• artist hospitality area and reception
• artist gallery 

      We want you to help us build this biannual event into an event that regional artists can count on. Please join us.

Apply at our website: 

www.GreatLakesArtFair.com/artistapply.html  

We use for our online applications. 

For more info: info@greatlakesartfair.com, or contact Kristina Jones at (248) 348-5600   

Visit the website for more info: www.GreatLakesArtFair.com  

Passably good weather, a pleasant venue, close to home. What more could an artist ask from a local show? Good sales would be a start. And FAATV, run by long-time artist and organizer Donna Beaubien, did not disappoint this past weekend. Hooray!

parkerparker booth -- Fine Art at the Village, August 2011

The show happens twice a year in the upscale Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills, near Oakland University, in the Village Shopping Plaza, a manufactured shopping development with winding streets and the usual mix of Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Parisian and some nice restaurants. Setup is easy, with booths along one side of the street, all facing west, and along two short spurs, where the booths face each other. The show is small, and easy to walk, so there really aren't any bad spots. I was up near the Chico's, with a double booth. Setup runs from 5:30 Friday night til as late as you need. Since we live close, we showed up around 6:30, after the vans and little vehicles have had a chance to get in and get unloaded. It took about 4 hours all told, from setting up the booth to hanging the art and turning on the lights. We closed up and went home to a late supper of fresh tomatoes and basil pasta with salmon. Yum. No tequila, though.

The show opens at 10AM on Saturday, and runs until dusk, 8PM. Saturday morning started out cloudy, but warm. There was rain in the forecast, but it didn't deter a few hardy souls from coming out and buying. Our neighbors, Arlene and Michael Parker, veteran jewelers, felt the crowds were down from previous shows, and it certainly seemed that way. There were people on the streets, but it was never crowded. At about 3, we had a good downpour, which cleared out almost everybody. It rained for about half an hour or so, and then the sun tried to make an appearance. People came back, and did a little more shopping, and then it rained a little more. But the shoppers who were out did seem to be buying. The alphabet letter photographer kept selling pieces, and I saw other small 2D art going by. I sold quite a few smaller prints, and a couple of framed pieces, and by the end of the day was pleasantly surprised at the total. Better than Glencoe, and better than Ann Arbor's grueling four day slog, even.

Sunday the show opens at a civilized 12PM, but people are out on the streets looking for bargains by 11AM. Many artists opened, and while there was traffic, it seemed as if there were more browsers. My sales were down from Saturday, but the forecasted rain seemed to hold off. It looked as if it would pass us by, until about 4:30, when we got a brief drencher. The show closes at six, so most of the tents had a least a chance of being packed up dry. We took our time, and finished up with a nice quiet dinner at Bravo at 8:30. While we weren't the last to pack up, the circus had mostly left town by 8.

The art at this show is a pleasant mix of local artists and out-of-towners. Rich Wood and Paul James, both local photographers, were there. Diane Sicheneder, a watercolor artist, took Best in Show. Bob Daly, a wood turner also won an honorable mention. Newcomer Natasha Frederickson was next to us with some intriguing metalwork. SuEllen DeLong was down the street from us, and there was no lack of nice jewelry. Sponsor booth were interwoven between groups of artists, mostly at the intersections, and included Marvin Windows, and some odd local chiropractor or some such. There's a good mix of work, from jewelry to painting, and I think Donna does a good job keeping out most of the riff-raff. While there were awards this year, there was no prize money. The money that would have been used for prizes goes towards local advertising, and it does bring folks over to the show. You can even get a Hunter House slider from the tiny truck parked in next to the kids playground. They are tasty, too. Good fries. For healthier fare, the Whole Foods at the end of the block has a full salad bar.

Me and Maggie Moo (that's me on the left)

All in all, we enjoy doing this show, partly because it's so low-key and easy to do. We get to sleep at home, we see some old friends, and we make some moola. Some years we sell better than others here, but we usually make a little profit regardless. If you're in the Michigan area already, put this on your list for next year, either the mid-May show, or the August version.

Ok here's the meat, along with a few pictures. First off, this is a small show in a small Chicago suburb that lies between Highland Park to the north and Winnetka to the south. Lots of money here, and a very cute little downtown area. The show is on Park Avenue, a block west of Green Bay Road, and on Vernon.

Park Street View, looking west. Middle row of booths on right side.

It's an easy set-up, with two flights two hours apart. Setup continues as late as you need. The layout places artists on both sides of the street facing each other, backs to the businesses, and then there's a third row of booth down the center of both streets. It does add to the energy, as there aren't a lot of people at any given time. Packing the booths in a little tighter makes it seem busier, even when it's not. And there were many times when it was very not busy.

My booth, with Penelope Osio-Brown parked in front of it, watching her booth (off stage left)

I had a spot on the end of the middle row on Park Ave. I was right at the corner, where Park met Vernon. Since the booth had a facing on both sides of the street and in the front, I had to alter my standard corner configuration to allow for doorways on all three sides. There was a bit of space behind the booth, too, so I did have a little space to store the toolbox and a duffel bag. Plus, I was right across from Starbucks. Bonus! Karyn likes Starbucks. And there were a couple of good little restaurants right there -- the Food Stuffs grocery and deli has amazing sandwiches and salads. The Homestyle Pizza place also has good salads. Nobody starves here.

Lots of AFI'ers were there. Geri Wegner came by and introduced herself to Bob and Patti Stern, who were right across from me on the north side. She's a hoot! Hi Geri! Nice to meet you! And Carla Bank stopped by, too. I got snagged by a customer, and by the time I finished answering a question, Carla had gone on. Sorry I didn't get a chance to chat with you more, Carla!

Loel Martin, after making his first sale of the day

Cheryl Ward, PJ Commerford, Wendy Zoschke (L to R)

Marc Zoschke

Stevie Ray Baldauf, doing his rock-star imitation

Paul Zerjay and Jim Parker. Why are we smiling? Who knows!

Stephen and Cheryl Ward, manning two separate booths

Paul Zerjay was there, as were about a million photographers, including Rob and Jim Copeland, Loel Martin, Scott Fishman, Scott Fincher, Igor Menaker. PJ and Dick Commerford were there. So were Wendy & Marc Zoschke, Steve & Anita Baldauf, Cheryl and Stephen Ward. Lots of artshow couples. We had a huge dinner on Saturday night at J. Alexanders in Northbrook. That was fun, but I didn't consume any tequila, Nels. The prime rib sandwich was excellent, and the shoestrings fries are good as long as they're hot.

Rob Copeland, scoping out the competition (me)

Traffic was good early in the morning. People started coming around 9:15, fully 45 minutes before the show opened, on both Saturday and Sunday. Taking advantage of the cooler morning breezes. But sales were like pulling hens' teeth. Everybody was singing the blues on Saturday. Many of the artists still had not made expenses by the end of the day on Saturday. The hours are civilized: 10-5 both days, and so by 5:15 we were on our way to cooler climes. There was a bit of an artist party, with cheese and crackers, but we skipped that, since my niece was visiting with her husband and 7 month baby. 

Sunday wasn't much better. I had a few sales , mostly smaller prints. The Sterns sold a bit, as did our painter friends PJ and Dick, the Baldaufs and the Wards. But mostly it was slim pickins. Paul Zerjay told me that it was one of his best shows last year, and was looking forward to it this year. But somehow the heat kept the buyers away, and by 3PM, the artists were all wandering around talking to each other.

Load out is pretty easy. Big parking lot on the south end of the show for trailers and RVs was reserved all weekend. Again, Amy had two flights for load-out. The artists in the middle were to pack up and bring in vehicles first, then the artists on both sides. In practice, it was easier for most to park outside the show and dolly out. We had a load-out record of 1:45 -- and I was able to bring the trailer in to load, which helped. We hit the road by 7:30, and got home to Michigan at around 3AM. It was an exhausting weekend, mainly because of the heat.

Amy does a good job of organizing the show, publicizing it, and running an up-to-date website. Her communication is excellent, business-like, and she's visible throughout the entire show, along with her green-shirted staff. But she can't force people to come when it's hot out. The thermometer was in the 90's both days, with slightly less humidity than  Ann Arbor. But it was uncomfortable in the sun. There was lots of shade behind the booths, which is where this Streetwise vendor was sleeping, near the Starbucks. And that just about sums up the show. Sleepy, but fun.

StreetWise vendor, working behind Penelope Osio-Brown's booth, near Starbucks. 

No, it's not "Day Monay" or even Greenville. But it is a pleasant local show in a beautiful botanical park in Toledo, Ohio. The show runs Friday from 6-9PM, Saturday from 10-7PM, and Sunday from 10-4PM. The early breakdown means everybody is out of there before sunset, and you can set up on Thursday or Friday, any time. It's a relaxed setup and a laid back show. I've done it a few times, because it's close to home for me (about 100 miles door to door), and we've got friends to stay with in Toledo.

Jim & Denise Ardis

Annette Poitau (painting, on right) with a customer

Got there around 1PM on Friday afternoon, and pulled into the park no problem. The layout is confusing, windy and booths are basically spread out all over the park. Winding paths, trees and sidewalks intersect at crazy angles, and even the show-supplied map isn't much help if you haven't done the show before. Every year the show organizers try to simplify it, but every year it still confuses everyone. My booth was moved about four feet this, but I was still neighbors with metal artist Jim Ardis and his wife Denise. Across the way, Antoni Kozlowski, a jeweler friend from Michigan, was setting up. Steve Palmer, glass, was just on the corner. There were a couple of new faces on the row. The Kuntz kids were in their usual spot towards the entrance. David Haun was there, minus Travis Lindenbaum (best wishes to Travis and Tom -- that's Travis's story to tell.)

"Handsome Phil" makes lovely bird habitats and custom tiles

Many regulars, and a few new faces, particularly some photographers I hadn't met before (Craig Brabson, Jay Canterbury). Elaine Lanoue and Giteau were there from Houston, both showing paintings. Kevin Liang was also there, although I didn't get a chance to say hi. Holly Olinger was on the other side of the park, and I finally got a chance to see Holly's metal media, and talked with her about trailers. 

Ok enough of the social stuff. As Nels says, here's da meat:

The layout really could be simplified. There were holes and inexplicable paths. Even the judges had problems finding everybody's booth. My spot at the back of the show gets traffic, but not as much as the front end of the show near the food in the parking lot. Patrons wander the show, eyes on the map, trying to figure out where they are, and if they've been there before. 

Steve Palmer, trying to figure out why the show painted green arrows on the lawn

The weather was great. No rain, no heat, not much humidity. Usually it's either rainy, or humid, or both. Rain can really hurt the show. This year, there were lots of people on Saturday until about 4;30-5. It really tapers off after five. Sunday, the crowds start coming around 11, and go until about 3. The Friday night VIP preview starts at 6, and goes until 10. They ask the artists to stick until 9, and then they can go eat awesome hors d'ouevres in the VIP tent, and pay cash for cocktails, like the VIPS. A few people wander around the show, but not many. Mostly the artists stand around twiddling their thumbs and talking to each other. The show used to provide electricity in some areas, but didn't offer it this year. Some artists use their generators, and others are able to codge some power from on-site outlets. Others are dark caves of despair. The organizers could throw a great party off-site, and let the artists set up Friday night, and everybody would be happier. But I did make a couple of sales on Friday night, as did a couple others. Some artists had some decent sales -- this is unusual for VIP night, so it started the show on a positive note. 

Jim Parker gets a blue ribbon for his awesome photography (if I do say so myself)

Jim Ardis gets crowned by Denise

Steve Palmer is surprised to win a third place ribbon (the first place always goes to a local favorite)

Saturday, the crowds came, and I made a couple of good sales, enough to make a little money and pay some bills. The judges came around and oohed and ahhed. They managed to find everyone's booth by 7PM, and the award team came by after the show closed, handing out ribbons. I got a first in category; Steve Palmer got a third place for glass, Antoni Kozlowski got a third in jewelry (but they couldn't find him until Sunday, and he had to pack up and leave Saturday night because of a raging flu), Jim Ardis took second in mixed media and a painter next to Steve won a blue as well. The hats and hooters were flying. They bring out the crown on a stick and take your picture. It's positively uplifting and it is fun!

Sunday, another nice day, and a few more sales. But that blue ribbon didn't add up to a wowser day for me. By 3 it was clearly over, as traffic slowed to a trickle. Artists started to line up at the artist parking lot on the south side of the park at about 3:15, waiting to bring in the vans at 4. It took a while for everybody to get into the site, and some of the artists were grumpy about that. While the show is relaxed about a lot of things, they micromanage the load-out, much to the chagrin of some. It took us 3 hours to get packed up and loaded out. We were on the road after stopping at our hosts' house for a late burger and a beer.

April 29 & May 1
Kansas City, Missouri
190 Artists
Deadline: January 10

The Brookside Art Annual, presented by Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, is celebrating its 26th year on April 29, May 1 and 2, 2011.

Located in a vibrant neighborhood in the center of Kansas City, Brookside is just minutes from downtown, the Plaza and the southern suburbs. This is the first art show of the year and draws more than 70,000 people from the entire region. The focus of the show is on ART! This community loves art shows and it consistently ranks in the top 25 shows according to Art Fair Sourcebook.

Art Fair Sourcebook says, "This is a very pleasant, national caliber event attracting an affluent, enthusiastic and knowledgeable clientele." 

The Brookside Art Annual is produced by the Brookside Business Association. It is a non-profit organization of merchants working to promote and improve the community in the heart of Kansas City.

Dominated by quaint neighborhoods, the Brookside neighborhood becomes the center of the Midwest art community each May. The Brookside Art Annual is known for its festive atmosphere, hospitality, convenience, and has become a must-attend event for artists and art seekers alike. 

The location for the show is at 63rd and Brookside between Main St. and Wornall.


 2011 Calendar:
    Jan. 10, 2011: Application deadline on Zapplication.org
    Jan. 29, 2011 : Jury Notification- sent via email, your ZAPP
 account and website: Brooksidekc.org
     March 1, 2011: Contracts & Booth fee due from invited
 artists
     Late March : Booth Assignments and information to artists


Show Hours:
   April 29,  Friday 5pm-9 pm

   April 30, Saturday 10am-9     pm

   May 1,    Sunday 
11 am-5 pm


Artist Amenities:
    •    Art Show Not a Festival!
    •    Awards
    •    24 Hour Security
    •    Booth Sitters
    •    Artist's Lounge
    •    Saturday Night: Dinner with wine
         delivered to your booth
    •    Sunday Continental Breakfast
    •    Artist set-up starts on Thursday
         afternoon
    •    Advertised to entire metropolitan area;
          i.e., radio, e blasts, television coverage, newspapers and direct mail
    •    Volunteers that want to make your happy! 

    •    Electricity included in booth fee 


For more information contact Donna Potts at dpotts223@gmail.com or 913-362-9668                 

                   Apply today: www.zapplication.org

If you like this blog post don't miss our call for artists website where you can find more art fairs looking for you:  www.CallsforArtists.com

A fabulous party was held last night in Miami to unveil the poster for the Coconut Grove Arts Festival. It attracted celebrities, socialites and politicians with excellent coverage on the local news channels. If only all art fairs could do this kind of PR to attract the attention to their upcoming events. Interestingly, the poster designer is Guy Harvey, a well-known nautical artist, and not a participating artist as I believe it has been in the past.

The Grove continues to evolve as a master blend of commercialism and culture and changing clientele. Here's hoping the promotion brings to the event what the artists need: an interested art buying crowd to enjoy the entertainment, food, bayfront location, weather and fine offerings of the main attraction, the art.

Here's the story from the Coconut Grove Grapevine: http://coconutgrovegrapevine.blogspot.com/2011/01/this-years-arts-festival-poster.html

They also have a poster unveiling at St. James. Do you know any other art fairs that do this?

This from the Coconut Grove Grapevine:

You may remember, in October, we sat in on the two-day blind judging process for the upcoming 48th Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Well the artists have been chosen for the festival to be held February 19 to 21, 2011.

Out of 1232 applicants, 360 were chosen from the US and Canada. Over 100 of the artists chosen are from Florida and 19 are from the Miami area. Hans Feyerabend, Dan Bondroff and George Rodez are three Coconut Grove artists chosen.
Read the rest of the article here: http://coconutgrovegrapevine.blogspot.com

The article about the jurying is entitled "Long,tedious process involved in judging the art".

Now, that is funny! This second link is an interesting take on an art fair jury from an outsider, a reporter for the Grapevine.

Getting into or not getting into the Grove has been an important part of the festival business for a long time. At one time it was a make or break deal for many artists. For northern artists it meant winter income and many would trek to Miami for a string of shows. Those days are gone for many of us. The overhead and the low sales really meant it was better to stay home and shovel snow. Read the articles about the jurying and how they made their choices, ruminate a little and send us some feedback.

Are you going to be at CG in February? Did you decide not to apply this year? Why? Share your CG experiences. Do you live in Florida and feel like you're not invited to the prom if you are not at The Grove?

June 3, 4 & 5
Columbus, Ohio
230 Artists
Deadline: January 12

The Columbus Arts Festival presented by Time Warner Cable will celebrate its 50^th year of bringing the best in fine arts and crafts, food and entertainment to downtown Columbus. We invite you to apply to be one of 230 visual artists selected for this nationally recognized festival.

Fast Facts:

• Estimated attendance of 350,000 in 2010
• Over $650,000 in marketing/advertising support and partnerships
• Special promotions and innovative programming planned to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary
• Booth fee $450 for 10'x10'
• $6,000 average sales
• Produced by the Greater Columbus Arts Council

Artist Information:

• $11,000 in Artist Awards
• Indoor hospitality area with beverages and snacks
• Contact information and booth number in Guidebook
• Name and image listed on website with live link to artist website
• 24 hour security provided by Columbus PD

Jury Process:

The jury will be held February 5 and 6 at The Westin in downtown Columbus. This blind jury process is open to the public. Please contact Leah Alters, Festival Director at 614-221-8531 or lalters@gcac.org for the weekend's schedule or to RSVP to attend the jury.

For more information visit: www.columbusartsfestival.org

Apply today at: www.zapplication.com

We look forward to seeing you in June 2011!

------------------------------------------

Find more art fairs looking for artists: www.CallsforArtists.com

• $10 application fee
• Booth fees are $110
• Very few rules (no buy/sell)
• Share a booth if you'd like
• Mark things down and move them out!
  

October 15-17
Rock Financial Showplace
Novi, Michigan
200 artists

Saturday - 10 am-6 pm
Artist Reception:
Saturday - 6 pm
Sunday - 11 am-5 pm

Due to late cancellations we now have a few spaces open for the Great Lakes Art Fair.

Do you live near? We are working to establish a good solid indoor regional
event that you can keep in your art fair schedule twice a year. Wouldn't it be great to have a nearby show that you can count on? We have excellent exhibitors for this date but need to fill out the show. No jewelry and glass - other categories are open.

The advertising is rolling out and includes a WXYZ-TV Ch 7 TV sponsorship, Magic 105.1 radio sponsorship, numerous newspaper ads and stories across the region, plus a very cool social networking campaign to bring in new buyers for fun with their friends.

Midwest area art stars will be there (Tom Hale, Sonny Dalton, Cynthia Mann, Linda Chamberlain, Joe Cyberski, Robert Bridenbaugh, Shawn Messenger). Why not you?
Help us build a fine event that can extend your art fair season.

Booth fee: $400, includes electricity, 12 x 10 space with five feet behind; drive up to unload and load.

While it is fresh in your mind contact: Kristina Jones, Events and Marketing, Rock Financial Showplace -- 248-348-5600 ext. 236 or email info@greatlakesartfair.com

• Art fairs are always looking for ways to enhance the event both for artists and the attending public. This Fall the show will open on Friday at 12 pm and close at 8 pm. We will be returning with the hugely successful Friday Ladies Night Out promotion that drew over 2000 women to line up for entry on Friday! It also allows for some Friday setup for artists.
• Robust marketing campaign planned with media partners
  

hauling home the goods!

Fiber artist Sharon Snoeyink

• custom Great Lakes Art Fair discount coupons
• e-mail blast content
• free tickets, postcards and other collateral materials to distribute to their patrons
• drive up to your booth to unload and load
• artist hospitality area and reception
• artist gallery
  

May 13-15
Greenville, South Carolina
West End Historic District

• Since 2005 the Purchase Awards Program provided an average of an additional $17,500 in art sales
• An extensive advertising and publicity effort that publicizes the festival throughout the state and the Southeast region with media sponsors in print, radio, television and billboards. The festival will also be marketed through direct mail, social media and paid advertisements in tourist publications
• $10,000 in prize money
  
• a well-educated audience who have good jobs
• great time of the year for pleasant Spring days
• 
  

So the weather forecast for Friday was for scattered thunderstorms, high winds and a heat index of 100 degrees, but who wouldn't want to be in Ann Arbor? This was my 32nd annual trip to view the art and see friends. I arrived at 10:30 am and left at 9 pm with much disappointment because I had run out of time to do both. Since my husband I no longer participate in art fairs this is my annual chance to see old friends and their new work and to be stopped in my tracks at the new artists who show up for this annual blockbuster of an art fair.

Was I alone on the streets? Hardly. It was not body to body as in some times past but the parking lots were full and the shuttles had full seats. A great place to start is at the intersection of North University and State Street, really the heart of the event. From there you can explore the State Street show and the Guild show on State as well head right to the Street Fair.

My mission:

• buy art
• see friends
• introduce Kristina Jones from the Great Lakes Art Fair to artists
• take photos for my websites and pass out cards for these sites
• Around 3 pm meet up with Jon Witz from Arts, Beats & Eats to visit even more artists

Too many jobs!

This famous painter from the Des Moines area finds other ways to get through the hot day






Mixed Media artist Rick Hall from Arkansas






My favorite story of the day: Michigan Jewelers Charlene and Helmut Goral were celebrating their 40th appearance at the show as well as their 40th wedding anniversary. In 1970 after making $800 in Ann Arbor they went back to E. Lansing with all their earnings and decided to use their colossal windfall to have a party to remember so they got married. They said many of their friends were barefoot and wore flowers in their hair.

Jon Hecker (who also had celebrated his first art fair by getting married, about 20 years ago) shows off a new body of work created by his partner, Patricia.



Joachim Knill (photographer/painter/mixed media) and winner of Best of Show at Cherry Creek this year exhibiting at the Street Fair. Joachim is just one of a bunch of artists at the show who have moved to Hannibal, MO, where property is cheap. He told me he just bought the jail for a new gallery.




And you know there were the happy shoppers, laden with goods!

Unfortunately a storm came through around 6 pm, effectively closing the show. I took shelter with my friend Larry Humphrey in his very tall and very strong Craft Hut whose legs had been drilled into the pavement. As we stood in the booth we could hear the blowing wind and the rain pounding the canopy outside you could hear crashing. After a while it got to be too much for me and I ran for an indoor shelter. Larry survived well but not his neighbors, the potters from the Yourist Gallery.

After an interval I knew I had to find Nels Johnson but his space was almost a mile away (it seemed) so I took a cab from South U. to Main Street and his booth was closed. I investigated at the fine restaurant behind the booth (I knew he would have made friends there) and they told he had stopped for a drink, grabbed his backpack and departed because of the subsequent tornado warnings. Luckily his booth helper (or what photographer Don Ament calls his "booth bitch") was nearby and was an old friend of mine from Detroit days, Sharon Pellar, so I had company for dinner.

Sadly I had to leave without accomplishing all my missions and have to wait another year for this most perfect rite of summer.

Hello again to all my old friends -- it was so great seeing you: David Bigelow, Jim Eaton, Ray Hartl, Shary Brown, Larry Oliverson, Mamie Joe, Bonnie Blandford, Jan Kaulins, Toni & Jay Mann, Berry Davis & Colette Fortin, Beth Crowder, Leslie Emery, Chia Haruta, Ron & Judy Lederer, Kathleen Weir-West, Candiss Cole, Lynn Corrie, Angelo Fico, Andy Shea, Howard Silverblatt, Skip & Linda Steinworth, Larry Hughes, Rishar Miranda, Skip Ennis, Scott Hartley and so many more. Sorry I missed you Kathy Eaton, let's get together, and Barry Bernstein, but I heard a strange story about you...misbehaving again!

Food report: lunch at Jamaican diner on Thayer near the Bell Tower; dinner at Chinese restaurant on Main...neither done at leisure, because honestly eating takes a back seat to the art fair -- I needed to be on the streets. Will I see you there next year?

October 15-17
Rock Financial Showplace
Novi, Michigan
200 artists
Deadline: August 2

• Art fairs are always looking for ways to enhance the event both for artists and the attending public. This Fall the show will open on Friday at 12 pm and close at 8 pm. We will be returning with the hugely successful Friday Ladies Night Out promotion that drew over 2000 women to line up for entry on Friday! It also allows for some Friday setup for artists.
• Robust marketing campaign planned with media partners
  

hauling home the goods!

Fiber artist Sharon Snoeyink

• custom Great Lakes Art Fair discount coupons
• e-mail blast content
• free tickets, postcards and other collateral materials to distribute to their patrons
• drive up to your booth to unload and load
• artist hospitality area and reception
• artist gallery
  

www.GreatLakesArtFair.com/artistapply.html

We use for our online applications.