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This show is not an easy one to report about.  Many artists plain hate it.  Some swear by it.  Others would not be caught dead going there.

I was there, so was my wife,Ellen.  So here is my take.

Truthfully, I am no great fan of this show, more-as, I am no great fan of the committee that runs it.

But, when it comes down to making a practical business decision (like, am I gonna make any real money here) you have to give this show some credit.  A lot of people made moola here--more than 5K.

I have been avidly following all the posts on Facebook the last three days.  I have read Amy Flynn's (good stuff, by the way), Will Conners (thought-provoking) and even Barely Bernstein's icy laments from the UP.

David Piper, a great showman and an even greater showman summed it up quite well. "They charge big bucks to ride the shuttle, then make the public wait almost an hour-an-a-half to get in the show, then charge $15 at the gate, charge $7 for draft beer, $8 in a skinny can, $4 for soda, and $3 for water.  Heck, a family of four has to shell out serious bucks before they even get a chance to look at the art.

Then they gotta walk all over Memorial Park in infinite directions on endless loops, sometimes the booths end for a while and you gotta walk 100 yards along the concrete before booths start again.  Then good luck getting back to an artist for a second look.  People are exhausted trying to walk this show once, let alone a second time.

450 booths, some with 6-foot sheer drop-offs behind them (I had one, luckily I had a corner to store stuff on--but what the heck, it only costs $750).  Other booths have oodles of level grass behind, even beckoning picnic benches. The drop off along the circular concrete drive is extreme at times.  One artist, at teardown, managed to slide off the edge of the walkway, meaning his van slid.  Pics on FB showed the van nosedown, endup sticking halfway out onto the walkway.  How would you like to maneuver around that.

The committee ran around putting band-aids as remedies for situations that were not well thought out.  For example, how do you get three artists into spaces that are only nine feet wide instead of ten?  Oh, you just set them up across the path from existing booths and create a choke point for the public to traverse.

You gotta love it when you get a guy who makes the kid's teepees gets called off the wait list a full month ahead of a very talented mixed media artist.

This show is not on a level playing field.  Everybody pays close to $500 for a 10x10.  Trouble is some some 10x10s are way better than others.

Like I said before, a lot of booths had no room for inventory storage behind, while others had mega-acres.

The booths at the beginning of the show, say the first 100 in each direction, got 100 per cent of the crowd coming by.  Booths in the add-on loop, had empty sidewalks a lot of the time.  Many patrons were just too wearied to make it back there.

OK, there are some of the knocks, many you have heard already.

Now look at the pluses.  There are several good ones.

Hey, Houston is either the third or fourth largest city in the USA.  There is lot of wealth here.

More than 12 corporations have moved their national headquarters from California to here.

There are not a lot of other competing art shows going on there.

There are a ton of young folks with disposable income here.

The show is held in early spring here, and most years the weather is wonderful--unlike Gasparilla's.

Many of the most talented artists and craftsman on the circuit come here--tells ya something.

If you build up a following you can make better than $5K here.

Many people this year made way better than that.  There were a lot of five-figure sales here.

Two artists who work in wood, killed them here.  One had to cancel Main Street Fort Worth, because they just did not have enough work left.

On Sunday morning, doing my walk-around before show, I heard variations on the same subject from at least 12 artists.  They all had one customer who had come in and blown $3K or better on a sale.

I heard it from two glass artists.  One guy told me he was wrapping up glass from a $2K sale, and the the guy kept adding on items, and he finally ended up with nearly a $4K sale.  And these guys still had Sunday to sell.

For every artist who made big moola, there were equally artists who barely covered expenses.

My wife was one of them.  They were virtually ignored, or not that many people wandered by.

This is a show where you have to show up and take your chances.  Some win, some lose.

Here are some relevant observations from this year's show.

Cowboy art, overall, is not a big seller here.  Houston is an international city with people from all over the world.  They don't necessarily embrace the Cowboy heritage like they do in Fort Worth.

People who depend on lots of multiple sales in the low to midrange levels did not do as well as people selling high end work.

I saw countless big paintings going out of the show.  Big sculpture, big glass, big clay--and yeah, lots of photo-giclees.

The line of people waiting at the shuttle with art in hand was very long.  There was lots of action.

Then you had the opposite effect too.  Two local painters who made five figures here last year, did not make expenses this year.  Go figure.

Abstract as well as realistic sells here.

For me, if I did not have my humor images, I would have been a dead doggie here.  I made most of my sales off 10 images.  I had a real good show.

This is the third time for me at the spring show--and it was my best, even though I had a shitty location on the back loop with a sheer drop off behind me.

It is a long drive for us.  Heck, from Tampa to Lafayette,LA is 13 hour drive and then another 5 hours the next day.

We took advantage of the option of tearing down on Monday morning, we were in there at 6:30 AM and on the road by 8AM just in time for morning rush hour.

This show is a tough call.  You are dealing with a committee that is not going to change much. I think they are very greedy.  They are trying to make up for losses from the fall show by putting it all on our backs.

Also, the lucky artist near the front of the show will be there again next year.  Good luck trying to get one of their spots.

Well, that's my story.

I am numero uno on the wait list for Fort Worth.  Ellen is in.  I am going with her Monday in my van hoping to get a spot.  It is a gamble and a lot of gas, but, I will take my chances because the show is worth it.  I have been in the last four years--hope to make it five.

Hey Terri, now you got some reading material while on the road.

Barely Bernstein, hope you were taking notes.

Adios, amigos.

Thought I would end 2014 on a very optimistic note.

Everybody dreams of selling out completely at a show and going home with an empty van.

It used to happen to some lucky people awhile back.

It was called, "Getting Moe-ed."

Read on, and enjoy.  Who knows, maybe there is another Moe out there for us  in 2015.

                                                   GETTING MOE-ED

Once upon a time in America artists used to make mucho dinero at outdoor art shows.

Especially during the "Miami Vice Era in the 1980's."

In Miami, one could get a little high just off the residue on $100 bills.  This happened at shows like the Original Las Olas  Museum Show, Coconut Grove, Beaux Arts and many large art venues along the eastern seaboard all the way up to Virginia Beach and beyond.

People were in very acquisitive modes.  Patrons snapped up multiple items from  artists' booth.

One guy,in particular, was the Legendary Moe.

If he liked your work, he would buy out your entire booth.  He'd pull out a wad of $100 bills, large enough to choke an alligator.  And then walk away chuckling to himself.  Later, an assistant would show up to take delivery of the art.

I know this for sure, because it happened to my neighbor at a Miami show.

Ask around, other old-timers have such memories too.  Heck, maybe some some of them will drop a quip onto the end of this blog in comments.

(Now, let us hold our breaths for about a minute or two and see if this really happens--one can only dream.)

So, I will tell you about the time with my neighbor, I was at the Grove show, must of been around 1985.

As was usual, there was lots of buying energy going on.  And, we all had our dreams.  In fact that morn before show opening, I said to my neighbor, a very fine printmaker, "Wouldn't it be great to get "Moe-ed?"

He just looked at me and grinned, "Sure."

Naturally I was pulling for me to get Moe-d.  But if that didn't happen I was pulling for my neighbor next.

In a short while, we both noticed this big old bushy-bearded guy in blue-striped overalls ambling our way. No shirt, hairy armpits, heck, hairy everywhere.  Had a short cap on backwards.

I said t myself,"H-mmmm, that could be Moe, or not.

Had never really seen him before, but sure heard a lot about him.  He was a regular modern folk legend on the circuit.  

I had only been doing mostly the smaller shows at this time.  Getting into one of the biggies like the Grove was a new experience.  I had big dreams, even ambitions.

He ambled into my booth and checked out my imagery.  At that time, I was doing color images of art deco hotels and diners.  Lots of jazzy neons lit up on the buildings at twilight.  They were real eye-catching--and shazam!  They were sellers.

Anyways bushy-beard spent a long time in my booth, I could almost feel the fish getting ready to take the bait, drag that bobber underwater and fork over some big granola to yours truly.

Not.

He thanked me, told me how much he loved it and walked away.

Now he ambled into my neighbor's booth, looked around rather quickly, and exclaimed in an

amber-scented drawl, "I like them, pardner, I'm going to take them all."

My neighbor almost swooned on the spot, but quickly regained necessary composure. I think Moe's big wad of bills did it.

Moe reached into his bib overalls and pulled out an outrageous wad of money.  I had never seen that much cash in my life.

I tip-toed close to his booth trying to get a sniff.  I just wanted to smell that much money.  I figured the smell would ready me for the next Moe ever to come into my life.

Moe knew he had us all transfixed with that cash.  He grinned from ear to ear.  Let out a loud laugh and said, "Well, pardner, did I make your day?"

My neighbor just grinned and grinned.  And, he had the good presence of mind to quip,"Will ya be eating them here, or should I wrap them to go?"

Moe just roared with absolute delight.

"I'll have my assistant come around later and get them.  I got more things to see and buy."

And then he walked away.

That was the only time I ever saw him at an art show.

But, I did meet him years later at a party--at his house.

I had an old traveling buddy, Larry Lackey, a fun-loving jeweler from West Virginia.

We had met years earlier when I did my first Boston Mills show ( and no, it is not in Massachusetts, it is in Ohio).  

Larry and I were neighbors.  It was 10:30 AM on a slow Saturday morning at the show.  He heard me rip off a pop-top of a Budweiser.  He grinned big time.  He said, "Nails, you and I are gonna be good neighbors."  And we were for over a decade until he retired from the biz.

Anyways, one time I am visiting him up in Bluefield, West Virginia and he says, "Nails, put on your best aloha shirt, cause we are going to a very special party tonite over in Virginia."

I yelled back,"Are they going to have any good tequila there?"

"Hell yes--Nails--there will be enough tequila there to kill ya."

"I'm in big boy."  And off we went.

We arrived at this fancy condo, a very large one.  And there were people I knew from the circuit, and many I didn't know from the circuit.  Food and booze everywhere.  There was art everywhere.  Hanging, stacked on the floor, heck even pile high in all the closets.

I told Larry,"This guy loves art and more.  He has to possess it, not necessarily look at it every day."

"You betcha, bubba."

Then Larry grinned big time.  You know who's place this is?"

"Nope", I said, "But I sure like his taste in tequila."

Larry laughed.

"It's Moe's place."

"Sh---it!"  Are you kidding me?

"Nope, Nails, it's his place."

We had one hell of a time, crashed there for the night.

Well, I never saw Moe again.  In fact most of us on the circuit never saw him again.  He became a real Urban Legend.

But, in his time, he gave us all hope.  

"God, I hope I get Moe-d today."

Well, that's my story.  Hope it gave you all a good chuckle.  And who knows if there isn't another Moe around the corner in 2015.

Jump in with comments if any of you had run-ins with Moe.  Spread the cheer around for the New Year.

God bless, everyone.  Have a great New Years and lets start off cooking hot in 2015.

Aloha, Nels--or as Larry would say, "Nails."

Well, bubba.  It is pronounced "yee-bor>"

Ybor is named after the guy who founded the city and the cigar industry in Tampa back in the 1890's.

His name was Vincente Ybor.

He was born in Cuba, migrated to Key West where he was big into cigars.

Then, shrewdly, he found out about all this vacant, fallow land near the water in Tampa.  It was weedy, snake-infested, just nasty land, nobody wanted to live there.

He bought it all up for a song and decided to found his own little city there.

He brought up the cigar industry from Key West to Tampa and named his little enclave, Ybor City.

Ol' Vincente was one smart Cuban dude.

He owned the freshwater spring there.  He owned the ice house.  He owned the bank.  He owned a gazillion warehouses to store tobacco in.  He owned all the cigar factory buildings.  He built housing for the cigar workers.  Little cottages called casitas.

He founded his own little empire in Ybor and prospered.

So, for whatever reason how they pronounce it--the "Yb" sound comes off like a "Yee."

Ergo, Ybor.

Ellen and I live in a hundred year old house there, one block off the main drag.  We are only the third owners of this house.

Interestingly, our house is the subject of a very important crime that happened in the 1930's.

It involved some drugs, alcohol and murder.

But, that is another story for another time.

Aloha, Nels.

Robert Wallis has already contributed to this one in a previous blog, please read it.

I love this show.

When I think of this show, this is what immediately comes to mind.

Enthusiastic crowds, lots of them on the young side.

Good Kentucky bourbon, a measured shot of 24-year-old Pappy Van Winkles now goes for $64--yikes!  Hot Browns and Pecan Pie.

People are happy to see us, and actually look at the art--how refreshing.

It is a mellow setup on Friday.  I was at the bandstand before noon checkin, knew where my spot was, number 6.  I was out of there by 3 pm, had a leisurely lunch at a restaurant  in between setting up and stocking the booth.

The show is held at Woodland Park just outside of downtown center.

Lots of old trees with lots of shade, some booths like mine are in direct sunlit, but most are shady.  You can tie-down into the ground.  Ample storage behind the booth.

Committee is mellow, helpers are helpful, all the artists are cordial to each other.  This show is the kind that I started doing in the late 70's, it is why I stayed in the biz.

What was really exciting was to see a crowd that actually looked at the art in the booths.  There was none of this herd instinct with everybody milling down the center aisle without looking in the booths.  Which we saw lots of recently at Minneapolis and Ann Arbor, among others.

And they bought art.

Mostly lowend, but they bought.

My new hand-colored work resonated with this crowd.  My neighbor with his woodcuts did a spectacular biz all days.  The clay people behind me were wrapping steadily.

This crowd buys mostly traditional work.

I have done this show at least six times and have never had a bad show.

At Saturday end, I was quite happy with the day's sales.

We all knew by the forecast that Sunday would be iffy.

Sure enough, Sunday started out grey and then turned to rain.  I actually made some of my best sales while it rained.  It did not drive the crowd away, but attendance was half of Saturday's.

Around noon, the rain was done and people started looking more seriously.  We expected another deluge to hit us by teardown, but we lucked out.

The belly-dancers did their usual show from 3:30-5pm and the crowds whooped and hollered.

I was torn down in an hour-and-a-half (Normal for me) and out of there with some nice loot.

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE SHOW AND SALES.

They threw out HRI, good riddance and kudos to the committee.

There were not as many scab booths set up around the park as in past years.

Overall, the show was well-juried.  Not a lot of B/S to be seen.

There were not a lot of big 2-D packages going out of there, but that has been the pattern everywhere lately.

Prices under $100 seemed to be the rule of the day.

We actually got "be-backs" at this show--how refreshing.

The committee listens to us and is very helpful.  Kudos to Kelly and her staff for a well-run show.

I would come back in a heartbeat for this show.

On the CLC card I got Red Roof for $37 per nite out by the interstate.

Gas was at $3.28 in most places.

Pappy's was $100 at some restaurants (that's for a shot--not kidding)  I did not partake of any.

Being a college town (UK) there are many great choices for food.  Think Hot Browns, Pecan Pie, chopped salads, good barbecue, and great chops and steaks.

Malones, out by the interstate off of Man-o- War  Blvd. is a must.  

They have sports bar with 20 million TVs, also they have sushi as well as burgers.  Then they have chop house inside, then they have an outdoor covered patio bar.  You can eat cheap, or you can spend a lot.  They sell Pappy's there for $100.  I did not imbibe.

I love the Kentucky shows (St. James too) I just wish there were several more I could do.  It is a seven hour ride for me from Saugatuck, Michigan.  I see lots of red barns and endless corn fields.  I just crank up the Sirius Radio and set the speed and off I go.

Hope this post was helpful.  Jump in with any concerns or remembrances of your own.

Lots of AFI-ers at the show.  Lots of named  exhibitors who do shows nationwide there.

It is not an easy jury as Robert Wallis noted, but well worth striving for.

I just wish we had more shows like this one to do on the circuit.

Later, Gators, Nels.

Well. it is done and over.

This is still a very well run all volunteer show.  They have artist's interests foremost in their hearts.

The mighty schlep from the park is done (Thank God, 7 cartloads out over those wretched railroad tracks.)

Not one of the better years for this show.

A lot of disappointed artists.  Some barely broke even.

Others, were off by 50 per cent over other years.

Still, just as many prospered.

It was just a funny feeling show.  The vibes were not feeling right.

Anyways here goes my report.  As usual, I will give you a little "meat" first.

THE SETUP IN THE PARK AND THE STREET

This is a three-day show.  Setup for those in the park is Thursday, all day, and night.

People on Park Avenue have to set up early Friday morning and be ready for show opening at 9 AM.

The show is held in two sections of a beautiful city park, bordered with a rail line on the west side and with trendy Park Avenue on the east.

Morse blvd. bisects the center of the park, so you have a south section and a north section.

Some booth locations are better than others.  I will delve into that later.

The primo booth spots are on the street.  Savvy exhibitors know that.  Competition for those coveted spots is heady.

Most spaces are generous.  Room on the sides and room in the back for storage.

Weights only for anchoring booths because of the sprinkler system.

For the booth setup, you signup on line for loading times.  Supposed to drop the stuff off, go park, then setup.  We all know how that can go.  Some people are more special then others, and can hog the loading curb for quite a while.

All the artist parking is in two lots located west of the railroad tracks.  Hence, the schlep across grooved  tracks, at least 8 of them, they will rattle your load on a cart.  God Forbid!  If you take a spill on the tracks with the mighty train bearing down on you.  Your ass will be grass, and your art will be history.

Years ago, a very colorful photographer on the circuit had a run-in with a train with his van.  Guess who won that one?

So, some did like me, and just parked in the lot and then schlepped it all in, and then back out at tear-down.

I viewed it as part of my daily workout.  Seven loads in, and about two hours invested in sweat and brawn.  It is not fun, but--my heart is happy.

Oh, they have nice hospitality tent, usual artist grub.

An artist party with free food and limited booze.  Nice awards.  Only the top winners get an automatic reinvite.

OK,OK, ENOUGH MEAT. GET ON WITH IT NELS.

Ok.  Here are my observations, plus a little input from my lovely wife, Ellen Marshall, who has done this show many times.

For me, this was my first time back since 1985.  You do the math.

I had always heard that this was one of the top shows in Florida to do.  Some say it is better for them than the Grove or Naples.

So, I geared up bigtime for this show.  Had two weekends off from shows since Gasparilla.

I have done Saint Louis, The Plaza, Main Street Fort Worth and Artisphere.  I was expecting numbers like these guys.

This year, for me, never came close.

Heck, in Gasparilla (my hometown) which is only a two-day show, I did almost as much as in Winter Park.

Numero uno in Florida?

I don't  think so--this year.  And that is not just me saying that.

Something was seriously missing at this show.  Could it be buyers?

The $5 lemonade people made a killing.  Everybody had a cup in their hands.  Unfortunately, most did not have any art in their hands.

A little memory from my early history.

When I got out of the Army in Hawaii and returned to Florida, I got in this show three years in a row.  Last time being 1985.

I remember when I first saw this magical park with everybody's home-made booths, I was totally enchanted.

This was before the pre made-manufactured booth era.  So individuality was in bloom everywhere.  In the art and in the booth designs.

But, what I remember most clearly was how much money the food people were making.

Opening day, barely one hour after show opening, I went by the fried dough booth.

Dough was sizzling in the oil, and dough was stacked high in their wooden kiosk.

I spied six rows of dollar bills stacked, at least 50 high, in the rear of the kiosk.  Those days they only charged $3 for a portion.  

They were raking it in.

I said to myself, "Welcome to the big time!"  I was floating on air.

Contrast that to the now.

Same white-tented booths everywhere.  Same lemonade stands on every conceivable corner.

Now, they squeeze the halves of one lemon in a cup, then leave the lemons in the cup, which of course displaces liquid, which means less product going out, more profit coming in.

And people are lined up with $5 bills in their hands gladly waiting to suck one down.  Amazing?

And they won't even pay $30 for a unique piece of art.

It is a sad statement of where we are in this country in regards to art appreciation.

Ellen, my wife, has done the show many times.

According to her, one year can be just great, and then the next one is off by 50-per-cent.

My buddy Jim Parker was in a primo location.  He was mildly happy.  He expected more.

My little firecracker artist Terry Causey was looking for big fish--and she had to settle for sushi.

My neighbor, Robin Frisella, a great pastel artist, had a puny show.  And she had the kind of work that resonates with this crowd.

She does lovely, traditional still-lifes with flowers and lovely home objects, like water pitchers, etc.  She sold about four pieces the whole show, and for not a lot of money.

Ellen had a so-so year.

Some notables, who won big prize money, zipped for sales.

My buddy, Amy Flynn had a real good show with her Fobots.  So see, great talent wins out.

My Minneapolis glass buddy was worn out from making big bucks, five shows in a row.  Oh, to have such a problem--I can only dream.

Face it.  This a great show to do.  It beats doing Winterhaven or Fairhope which are usually on this date.

Our economy still really sucks,

That is the product of two flawed presidents, and equally flawed Congress" who have not moved us out of the morass we are in.

The banks made out like Jesse James.  Isn't that ironic?

The Middle Class has been nearly eradicated.  They were our primary customer base at art shows.  They are hard to find these days--just like home-made artist booths.

That said, this is why sales were not so great this year at Winter Park.

Face it, it is not just Winter Park.

This is Our Winter of Discontent.

2014 Florida winter/spring shows are going down in history as one of our lamest seasons.

There will be a lot fewer artist vans stopping at the Citrus Inspection station on I-95 next year.

OK NELS, ENOUGH OF THE MOROSE, CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING FUNNY OR POSITIVE?

NO.  SORRY.

I will give you some sage asides from the show that I actually witnessed, or heard.

So, we got judged by three famous people.

I have this one fun piece of mine that deals with actor/comic Bill Murray.

One judge gave me a good look--but, no selection for final judging.

I was shocked.

NOT!

But, as she was leaving she whispered sotto voice in my ears.

She said,"I will tell you a little joke about Bill Murray."

I was all ears.  No judge had ever told me a joke in 39 years.  Not even Les Slesnick.

Then she cooed slyly,"He was once in this restaurant in New York City.  He walked up to a complete strangers table.  He grabbed a french fry off this guys plate--and ate it. Then he leaned in and whispered in the guy's ear,'Nobody will believe you if you complain.'"

That was my high point of Friday at the show.

Oh, I had one other judge who said, "I really like your frames (Green Porticos).  Damn, I didn't even win Best in Frames at Winter Park.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE CONCERT STAGE VENUE AT THE VERY END OF THE NORTH PARK.

What?  You can't hear me?

Try being an artist in the north end of the North Park when music is playing.

The volume is FRICKING LOUD.

You cannot have an intelligent conversation with a client, let alone, a prospective client.

Unfortunately, that is never going to change.

TFS.

If you are lucky to be in that area, you are stuck with it.

Now.

Do you think a numeo uno show in Florida would allow that to prevail?

Apparently so.

The sound people are oblivious to artist entreaties to turn the FRICKING VOLUME DOWN!

The savvy ones, say stay away from booths in that end.  Leave them all to John Scanlan.

SO, IN CONCLUSION.

Yep, I would do Winter Park again, because I don't want to do Winterhaven or Fairhope.

You gotta know, going in, this is a conservative, traditional crowd.  They don't go for flash, splashy color, or contemporary themes.  They love "Old School."  In fact, they drool over it.

Is it still the best show in Florida?  

The jury is still out on that one.

I guess we will have to see who next year's jury is.

Aloha, the Pirate Nels--AAAARGH!

Well, Images went to an official three-day show this year for the first time.  Last year it was a voluntary setup and sales on Friday.

All I can say is, "Its a big waste of time for the majority of artists there.

New Smyrna Beach is a mellow Atlantic coast town below Daytona beach.

It has gotten more developed over the years with better shops and restaurants popping up everywhere.

I lived there 1981-85 while I was in the photo program at Daytona Beach.  I was doing shows and Images was one of them.

New Smyrna has grown in population over time.  The show has always been around 250 artists (which is too many for the numbers attending).  Making it a three-dayer is a mistake, but the powers that be want it, so tough toofskis if you don't like it.

They run the entire show on paved streets. You need weights.  Most people have ample storage behind the booth.  Some get room on the sides.  Corner booths can be bought for extra.

You are dealing with a conservative crowd, mostly older, that likes the usual suspects of images.

The guy across from me with the cut wood images was selling all day long.  They love the birds, flowers, boat and coastal scenes.  Not a lot of real art from the heart gets sold here.

So here is the rundown for this year.

Early, Friday morn, we could set up booths anytime after 6 am.  Show started at 1 pm and went to five.

It was fricking frigid, never got up more than 52 degrees with icy winds blowing thru especially on the booths on Canal Street.

The show has good volunteer support and is there when you need them.  Nice booth sitters, good artist food(with Sat. nite dinner and then awards.)

So, we were all set up on Friday waiting.  With the chill conditions there were not a lot of people walking around.

It continued that way until 5 pm.  I think most of the artists,like me, did not even do $200 in sales.  There is a good Patron's Purchase Award program there and I did see a lot of Patron Ribbons on booths--that was probably the high point of the day.

Saturday, it was much warmer with the sun shining, and we were all hopeful for sales.

They were pretty slim, especially for 2-D art.  I did not see many frames or canvases going down the avenue.  Mostly just people carrying small pieces in little bags.

I had a slim day, a lot less than what I did last year.

Sunday morning was a little overcast and slightly chilly, but as the day progressed it got nicer and nicer.  Can't say the same for sales.  It was pretty lackluster.

I ended up being off by 30 per cent over last year, and that was after having an extra day for sales.  A lot of my fellow artists were in the same boat.

So who knows?  Maybe this was just an off year.

I think Images is one of those shows you just have to try to see if your audience is there.

Well, when you are down to your last few  gold coins in your pirate's chest, a certain level of anxiety and apprehension sweeps over you.

Which was my spirit as I left scenic Ybor for the lures of Florida's lower west coast last Friday.

We are, of course, talking about the newly relocated Bonita Springs Art Festival.

I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty and open-ness of the art site.

It flowed down palm-laden streets and coursed back on a paved road near the railway. A nicely, grassed park held a fair amount of booths.  I worried about them.  And I was right to.  They did not get nearly the same traffic as us on the paved streets.

If I know director Barry Witt, he will rework the layout before the next show in Feb.  He heard a certain amount of criticism from those who were ignored by the masses.

Unfortunately, you have the "lemming effect" going on here.  The crowds follow the easiest straight or curving line.  If you make them have to step up or onto a new path, there usually is a lot of resistance.  It happens everywhere.  You would think most show promoters could have figured that out by now.

Being on a new site created a lot of apprehension.  Would the crowds come, would they buy in certain numbers, would our booths be safe at night--not pillaged by the locals?

Glad to say it went swimmingly well.

Big crowds, lots of them with their dogs.  A certain amount of sales were made.  I heard of no vandalism anywhere.

The venue is in a real positive area.  It is very tropical, very airy, lots of sunshine.  There is ample parking for all.  It is a better situation than we had at the old location.

My sales were OK, I made a paycheck.  But this was the lowest amount of sales I have ever had at this show in 13 years.

For a $400 booth fee, I expect a better return on my money.  So do a lot of others.

There were ample sales made in the $2K-$5K range.  It happened across the board.  

There were also a lot of artists who had a zero Saturday and a meager Sunday.

Thirty-plus new booths were added to the show (an extra $12K for the promoting organization).

Frankly, it is too many.  The pie gets sliced way too thin.  But, that's the "haps" at shows these days.

We live in the era of cut-throat art associations, and private promoters, who can gouge the artists.  The artists' cost escalate, their sales returns get smaller all the time.  Trouble is, there are too many suckers lined up waiting to pay.  So the shows just don't flat-ass give a damn about your situation.

So, I am going to end this on a very positive note.

While I replenish my small gold chest with a few tokens, consider the following advice:

To make money at this show it helps if you have big price points and only need a few customers (say, 3-9) to make your show.  Volume sales are not here.  It helps if your work is related to tropical birds, or fish, and especially tropical flowers.  The patrons are monied and conservative.  Everything must match the wallpaper.

So there it is.

Barry Witt has done a very good job of promoting an established show at a new location.

It is  very nice new location.

The booth layouts need a little tweeking.

Think twice before you plunk done your money here--it is not a guarantee for all.

Hopefully, my 2014 season will steadily improve.

Drink a pint of grog for the pirate, he needs to feel the good vibes.

Nels.

BTW, Travis wrote a very good, cheery review of this same show, so check it out.

Well, I just cancelled buying my booth space at Va. Beach this year.

It seems the newbie director there has been swayed by the powers-that-be who absolutely hate photography to make a new rule or two about our medium this year.

Her new rule--editions can only be limited to 100. Mind you, previously there and most places, editions have been 250.

Oh gee, I guess we have to cheat and renumber all our editions to the new number--are you frigging nuts!

Then, it gets better.  The director decrees that no photos will be allowed in the show if they are giclees.

Gee, I wonder where photographers who make images from digital files are supposed to print them.

I mean, are we somehow, mysteriously supposed to soak our digital file in stone-cut oatmeal and then print them in chemical trays.  Hold the cinnamon (It lowers blood pressure, but also lowers contrast in photos( I made that up)).

I mean what has this girl been smoking.  Who is she listening to.

Two things are going to happen--neither good.

One, they will ignore enforcing the rules and look like further num-nuts.

Two.  Fewer good people are going to apply.  Which probably the little old craggy women-painters who run that show will cackle in delight.  They hate photos, we make more money than them.  Digital-Envy.

Wait til I get a 18 megapixel.  I will pull that baby out and wave it in their faces every chance I get.

Call me "Nels-Jack-Flash."

Well, the smell of Jasmine is in the air, the citrus blossoms are in full regalia and it is time to head north for the summer--for the next five months.

So maybe, there is time to look back and reflect on the site of art shows in Florida this year of 2013.

I can tell ya one thing, there is a hell of a difference from doing my last two shows in Texas and doing one in Florida right now in Lakeland--as we all kindly call it the  "Bake by the Lake."

There are infinite light years of distance from the buying public in Texas versus Lakeland--and that is putting it very kindly.

The guy next to me who gets in shows with his wooden cabinets and then proceeds to sell $20 bread-cutting saws all day is making a mint.  The faux flower people in the imported clay vases are selling a mint.  The rest of us suck.

 Here is a serious look at Florida.  I have only done shows here for 38 years, so what do I really know?

First off, it is really tough to make a living selling art--especially 2-D art in Florida right now.

So, before all you get off the thread, notice I said "2-D."

Reason number one.

Housing industry still sucks big time.  Without many people buying or building new homes, there is a limited market to sell 2-d art to.

This means all us talented artists are striving to sell to a very limited number of buyers.  And, they are very limited.

Two.

Way too many art shows in Florida.  Diluted base.  Nobody is really excited, because they will just see you are another of your ilk the following weekend.  Makes it very hard to close on good sales.

Three.

Way too many talented artists and craftspersons for this limited market.

Prognosis.  Til, building industry and home sales pick up, slim pickings for us.

Oh yeah.

  Let us couple that with the greediest increase in booth and jury fees we have ever seen in or lifetime.

Shows are making moneys while artists sink further into debt.

Not a great future in Florida.

Sorry folks, as you know I just tell it like it is.

Aloha, Nels.

Well, it was a little over six months ago I got the "Zipper Treatment" (Open Heart Surgery).

I have a lot to be thankful for.

First, and foremost, I am breathing and eating on this side of grass.

Second.  The wonderful encouragement from members of the AFI Community.  It meant a lot, not only in posts, but seeing and talking with friends at the shows.

I am one inch slimmer in the waist since operation (now, 36 inches).  I am 48 pounds lighter, which is like shedding three cinder blocks off your back when moving.

Blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, all numbers are down, in a positive direction.

Tequila Reports will be hereafter referred to as the "Wino Reports" since I can no longer do six shots of Patron in a day.  It was a great run, over 40 years, but I gotta outlast Bill Coleman, photographer, who did shows into his early 80-ies.

I may have to cheat and become a painter in the next six years.  Not dissing painters.  Photographers have to schlep too much luggage around.

Here is apic of my graduation today at the Tampa General Hospital Heart Clinic today.  That is nurse Julie and Doctor Tom with me.  I finished 36 sessions since November.

I signed up with them to keep going three times a week at 7:30 AM.  

This summer, when I am in Saugatuck, there is a gym two blocks from where I live.

Also there is Mount Baldy, a forest-covered sand-dune, with 310 steps to the top.  I plan on hitting it at least twice a week..

It is wonderful to feel so vital, and alive.

Took Ellen out to early Valentine's meal tonite.  Very romantic and sexy.

Aloha, and thanks for all your great support, Nels.