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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.

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.

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.

To add to what David and David have already said about the spring Bayou City show, here are a couple of videos I shot during the festival.

Business cards were a hot item here. For many, it seemed as if the free handouts were all they could afford. I gave away many, many cards. I have them in two locations, one on my desk in the front of the booth, as shown in this video, and at the back, near the guest register. We must have given away at least 250 cards over the weekend. They have my QR code on them, as well as the standard URL. I haven't pulled stats from the last week yet, but it might be interesting to see how many hits the QR welcome page got after the show compared to the main home page.

There was performance art. In our section of the show, "Tree Guy" was very popular. A stilt walker in a very well made tree suit, he would wander around slowly and talk to the crowd. Some kids loved him, some kids were scared to death. He told jokes, bad jokes. In general, he stole the show whenever he was around.

There is lots to like about this show. Setup is easy, especially if you come on Wednesday, or early on Thursday. But the park path is narrow, and you have a limited amount of places to park. Big rig? Get there early, as I did. I was able to unload and get my truck and trailer parked in the back forty early on Wednesday. 

We lucked out on the weather. Tuesday it poured all day. Houston and the surrounding area got nearly 6 inches of rain. But it cleared out Wednesday morning, and by noon, skies were sunny and the weather was cool. It was a gorgeous weekend for Houstonites. Normally, if the heat doesn't kill you, the humidity will. But this weekend, there was neither. Highs in the low 80's and lots of shade in our section made for a comfortable show.

Layout is average. Some spots had good park area behind them, while others had none. The whole show site is fenced in to control the gate. They charge $12 admission for adults and teenagers, kids are free. So they have to fence it. It has a big perimeter, too. Since the rains soaked the park, and many trees died in last year's drought, the park itself was in sad shape. Lots of lakes, puddles and swamps. This was one show that definitely required mosquito repellent. Some folks had a slough across from the booth, or behind it. My friend Randy Kuntz and some of his neighbors went to Home Depot and bought 4x8' sheets of CDX plywood to cover the mud holes. It worked, but it wasn't pretty. As David Forster commented, there was a stub near the food tents with about 12-14 artists on it. Bad idea, sorry. Both David and his neighbor, Brian Miller, complained about the slow traffic there.

But, despite the crowds, sales were slow for many people. The crowds were mainly there for entertainment. I saw a lot of 2-D prints walking by, but mostly smaller in size. Friday was quite slow for me, with only a couple of small sales. Saturday was a bit better, but way down in comparison to the fall show downtown. Expecting Sunday to be better, I was disappointed in the quality of the crowd. Many more walkers and folks grabbing business cards without really looking at the work, or engaging at all. Talking to this crowd usually scared them off. I did have several good nibbles on the larger pieces, but the bee-backs did not come back. It's just too hard to get into the park.

One detriment to buying anything larger at this show was the logistics of getting it home. With only two gates into the park, and very little on-site parking, patrons either had to lug their art on a shuttle bus or ask the artist to deliver it. The show does offer shuttle service to a nearby mall, but there really is no place for the patrons to park here within a reasonable distance of the show. VIPs were able to park near the entrance, but that's about it.

Nha Vuu and her three-year old daughter, in Nha's sunny new double booth.

Bright points:

• Box lunch, at a reasonable price ($5), delivered to your booth. Pre-ordered, it's a real convenience, especially if you are on your own. 
• Lots of volunteers to watch your booth, if you needed a bathroom break. 
• And real flush toilets in a couple areas of the park. Rudimentary, but running water. Shower curtains instead of doors made for an interesting experience when reading the morning news.
• Lots of bottled water, snacks and really hideous canned tea, also handed out by the volunteers
• Great hot breakfast each morning near the food booths. A wonderful quiche on Friday, breakfast burritos on Saturday, and quiche again on Sunday. Weak coffee, juice, fruit, sweet rolls.
• Free parking on the back loop. But you had to get there before 8 AM each day to get through the main gate. The show opens at 10. So there's plenty of time to eat breakfast, stroll the mile-long perimeter and chat witcher friends, hit the head, open the booth. Very relaxed.

Needs improvement:

• The park is in sad shape. If this park were in Detroit, I'd be scared to death that crack dealers were lurking in the johns. Hence the shower curtains, I guess. Many trees were lost in last year's drought, and many more look poised to go. But the park itself doesn't look like it gets much maintenance. Piles of debris, many holes where trees once stood, vines twirling up the trunks of trees. Lovely cement picnic benches, but overgrown with moss. 
• The VIP party is on Sunday afternoon, in contrast to the Fall show, where it is on Saturday evening. While donating a piece gets you in, in practice, it's pretty tough to leave the booth to attend from 2-4. The food supposedly was terrific, but we never got up to the tent to see. 
• Crowds were there, but they didn't buy larger work. There's no patron pickup program, since it's impossible to get a golf cart around when the show is busy. Certainly the artists don't have the time to walk half a mile to Gate Two to drop off a piece. Delivery to the patrons home is the only real option at this show. And I'm sure it hurts sales for some artists, including me.
• Music on the main stage was too loud, and sometimes inappropriate for talking about art. While certainly cultural in nature, having modern dance performances, mariachi bands and the marching band detracts from the focus on art. I have the same complaint with our local show, "Art and Apples".

All in all, it's a nice show, and well-run. But sales weren't there for many people. Would I go back? It's a long, long drive to Houston, almost as long as the drive to the east coast of Florida. I'll have to think about it.

Postscript:

I took a couple of days off before heading home, and drove west into the Texas Hill Country. The bluebonnets were in full bloom, and I wanted to experience them first hand. I would have stayed longer if the weather would have cooperated, but a storm front was moving in. I had one good day. This shot is from the area north of Frederickburg known as the "Bluebonnet Trail".

"Field of Dreams" -- the ball field at the Crabapple Community Center.

September 15 & 16
LaGrange, Illinois
Intersection of Burlington & Brainard Ave.
Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-4pm
90 maximum artists
Deadline: March 1

Celebrating its 17th year, the West End Art Festival is a LaGrange tradition whose purpose is to bring a quality, fine art event to the Village of LaGrange and surrounding communities and highlight the west end business district.  Artists from across the country participate in LaGrange's late summer festival that attracts art admirers and patrons each year.

Presented by the LaGrange business Association and held in cooperation with the Village of LaGrange, the festival is held in the shadow of the landmark Stone Avenue Station along Burlington Avenue between Brainart and Spring Avenues.  The charming and historic West End area of LaGrange provides a picture-perfect setting to showcase art.  Other highlights include live music, food from local LaGrange restaurants and children's art activities for an event to be enjoyed by all ages.

For more info: please click here

Organized by Erin Melloy of EM Events, a well established promoter of art shows in Chicagoland.  EM Events are held in partnership with local business organizations bring close interaction between each community and its' local art fair and ensuring you loyal patrons.  

For more information about EM Events please contact: 

Erin Melloy - 630-536-8416, emelloy@emevents.com or visit  www.emevents.com

***********

Looking for more art fairs that are looking for you? Visit www.CallsforArtists.com

Cain Park is a beautiful festival in a beautiful, tranquil park setting. We did Cain Park a few years back, and decided to give it another try. It is usually the same weekend as Madison and Krasl, and some of the other biggies, but is more of a local show. It's a short drive for me (about 3 1/2 hours from the northern Detroit suburbs). It's an old-fashioned show, too, with an online application, but you still have to send in a check for the booth fee after the application is sent. If you're accepted, they'll cash the check for the booth, but they give you a couple of weeks ahead of time if you need to cancel due to other obligations. Pre-show information just includes a map to locate the show, a load-in time and some lodging information, with a cordial welcome letter. Booth information is withheld until your arrival at the park.

The venue is a jewel of a park, tucked away in a ravine in Cleveland Heights, with a beautiful amphitheater and winding pathways. After checking in, you are instructed to drive down one of several service drives down into the ravine. These paths are narrow, but most vehicles, including the 40' Dolphin motor-coach near us, made it down with only minor damage to the trees bordering the path. When it rains, these paths get slippery, too. More on the rain, later.

We had an early start, which is helpful, since we've got a 20' trailer in tow. The art show is divided into two sections, with the amphitheater in the middle. Food vendors are limited to areas above the concert stage, so they don't impinge on the art itself - a good decision. Most of the artists on the north side of the path have loads of space behind the booth, and can park their trailers right there, along with a vehicle. Bonus! It makes setup and tear-down a breeze, even with the bottlenecks on the narrow paths entering the park. Park staff is on hand to guide you in every step of the way, and they bring coffee and donuts right to your booth! If you need help setting up, they are there to help you with that, too, so if you need some assistance getting that canopy into the air, they will jump in and give you a hand. Can't say enough good things about the staff!

My spot was midway down the lower part of the path, right in the middle of the park. It was a bit sunny, with loads of room with 2 feet on either side. At 7:30AM, we were among the first to arrive. We took our time getting the tent up and saying our hellos to friends as they arrived. Chuck Wimmer, the wimmsickal drawer from Brecksville, was right across from us. Tony Eitharong, a painter from Orlando, was next door. Lots of photographers, including Jon Walton from Wisconsin, Craig Brabson, and Larry Berman, back on the show circuit after a long hiatus. RC Fulwiler and his wife Kim were just up the street from us. Randy and Jackie Kuntz were near the Lee Street entrance, where they made a killing selling his lovely blown glass flowers. Stevie Ray Baldauf and better half Anita were in a primo spot near the amphitheater, where he was able to spread out and take advantage of all that lovely grassy real estate.

Tony "No Pictures" Eitharong

The show opens at 3PM on Friday. Most everybody has ample time to get in, get set-up and get sweaty before they open the gate to the anxious patrons at 3PM. The show serves a light snack around 1PM, and by showtime, we are rarin' to go. A few people came trickling in. Friday is free, but Saturday and Sunday the show charges $5 to get in. When we did the show a few years back, they didn't have enough staff to take money at the back gate, and actually turned a few people away. Years ago, they didn't charge for the show, but times have changed. Now they've worked that out, and people can access the show from Superior Park, Lee Road, Alma, and Taylor Street. Interest is always good here, but sales are hard. I had a couple of sales, and some of our friends did well for opening night. I thought that there were quite a few browsers, maybe due to the fact that it was free on Friday.

RC and Kim Fulwiler

Saturday, the show runs from 10AM - 8PM. Three judges wandered by, and spent quality time with many of the artists. Sales were brisk, but not stellar. The morning started slowly, with cheery announcements over the park's PA system. George Kozmon, the show director, delights in urging patrons to spend money, and he is not shy about it. He has a great sense of humor. Both George and Honey Feinberg make a point to stop by and visit with every artist during the show. Cain Park is one of the most artist-centric festivals around today, and they are proud of their efforts. It shows in every detail. The people that come to the park are respectful of the artists. Most of them, anyway. There is a bit of haggling, but by and large, people are here to see art and buy art. Closing the sale is a bit harder, as Cleveland is suffering economic woes, much as the rest of the country. People are cautious, but I saw lots of work being carried away. 

The one and only, the incomparable Larry Berman

Sunday morning, the show puts on a nice brunch, with fruit and pastry, before herding everyone into the amphitheater for the awards presentation. After introductions of some of the key players, George and Honey hand out a dozen or so ribbons, with hugs and smiles all around. Ceramics artist Adam Egenolf, digital artist Chuck Wimmer and  photographer Craig Brabson were a few of the juror's choices this year. The show runs from 12 noon to 5PM. Again, it was hot and humid.  Bring a battery operated fan or two! At least it didn't rain. When it rains, it can turn this park into a muddy morass. We were here a few years back during a Saturday downpour. Some booths in the lower section were under a few inches of water, and later the grass turned to mud. The show staff is very good about managing the mess, but there is only so much that can be done. The ravine is the former watercourse of a small stream, which has been channeled underground. If it rains heavily, the storm drains can fill up, much to the dismay of the artists near them.

Having the trailer right behind the booth is awesome!

Sunday sales were a bit better than Saturday, for me. Some artists did well over the entire weekend. Some did better on Saturday. The more unique, the better at this show. In my opinion, the painters, glass artists, non-functional ceramics and unique items did better than functional ceramics, jewelry and photography. Purely empirical. I had a slightly better show than the last time I was here. There were lots of times when there were only a few people walking the paths. It was very, very hot and humid, and that might have had an impact on the number of people who came out for the show. It did seem as if there was less energy. Logistically, it's an easy show to do. The staff is super. George and Honey make you feel special. And the patrons love the show and the artists. It's well worth taking a look at this show, as an alternative to some of the bigger shows in the Midwest. 

Tony shows off his extra gallery space. Note big paintings on right leaning against my trailer, too. I charged him for that space.

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.

Our mission:
t o encourage people to purchase original fine art, and to enhance that experience by interacting with the artists who create the pieces.
 
What began as a local art event in 1994 has become the best known art festival in the region, attracting artists from across the country and from across our southern and northern borders. Each year, the festival attracts seasoned collectors as well as first-time art buyers. The event takes place in San Diego's hip and historic Little Italy district, well known for its artistic community, outstanding restaurants and picturesque streetscapes.  Filling 16 blocks of Little Italy with fine art of all kinds, many participating artists consider it their highest-grossing event of the year. 

Your registration fee includes:

• high quality 10' by 10' tents that are also 10' high. Load-in and load-out are made simple as you can drive your vehicle directly to your tent.
• A page on the Mission Federal ArtWalk web site that will remain up until 2012
• An opportunity to be considered to be one of the event's 12 Featured Artists
• Listing in ArtWalk Magazine and Event Brochure/Map 
• Featured Artists receive prominent placement in the event's publicity campaign
• Opportunity to submit news items for our monthly eGram newsletter                                       
  

Bravo to you and your team for making artwalk a wonderful event *again*. We had a blast, and the show was a success for me - even in this dicey economy.  Kudos to you and your staff for making it so.  Belinda DelPesco

March 25 - 27, 2011
300 Artists
Deadline: October 29
Juried at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston by an invited panel of artists, collectors and industry professionals.

• Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park is the nation's premier spring outdoor fine art event, held in Houston's prestigious Memorial Park.
• Ranked in AmericanStyle Magazine's "TOP 10 Festivals" for the past two years
• "Best Gallery in Houston" in March of 2009 by readers of Click2Houston.com
• "Best Festival in Houston" in the 2008 Houston Press' "Best of Houston" magazine
• Consistently ranked in Sunshine Artists Top 50.

Conveniently located five miles from downtown, two miles from the famous Galleria area and neighboring the elegant residential communities of River Oaks and Memorial, Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park is an artist's dream.

• Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park has a demonstrated history in strong sales for artists.
• National studies show Houstonians consistently have twice the discretionary income that workers in similar industries have around the country.
• With a median household income of over $50,000 and an income growth since 2000 of 13.1% as reported in Kiplingers.com, Houston has been ranked the Number 1 city in the U.S. in which to live, work and play in July of 2008.

Winners receive:

• Best of Show: Ribbon and $1500 - jury exempt status for two years
• Second Place: Ribbon and $750 - jury exempt status for two years
• Third Place: Ribbon and $500 - jury exempt status for two years
• Best Booth: Jury exempt status for two years

Applications are currently being accepted via ZAPP:

www.zapplication.org - Entry Fee: $30

Learn more: www.bayoucityartfestival.com

"My booth was close to the gate, and I saw more art work being carried out of the show than I have seen anywhere in the last 3 years.. There was a sense of real buying energy...." -Michael Wommack, Artist, Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park 2010, Langhorne, Pennsylvania

"If the art buyers in Houston are any indication, the recession is rapidly moving to the rear view mirror. I sensed a feeling of optimism and an energy that has been lacking at some shows across the country the last two years." -Larry Stephenson, Artist, Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park 2010, Andover, Kansas

WINNER OF THE 2010 GOLD GRAND PINNACLE AWARD
from the International Festival & Events Association

June 24-26, 2011
Downtown in Des Moines, Iowa
185 Artist spaces
Deadline: October 31, 2010

Artist Reactions to DMAF:

"Once again - a stellar show! The art was great, the venue beautiful, patrons plentiful & enthusiastic. It was an honor to participate"

"The organization was near flawless. You have a great community spirit and willingness to buy art. We sold to many individuals who said they came intentionally to purchase a special piece for their home or office from this fair."

"You have our best interests at heart. Thank you for that."

"This show is perhaps the best run shows I have ever done. The city cannot do anything
more to make a person feel more welcome."

The City of Des Moines invites you to be part of the award-winning Des Moines Arts Festival. The Des Moines Arts Festival is one of the nation's most respected arts events hosting 185 of the nation's top artists in a beautiful urban setting surrounding the 4.4 acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. The outdoor Festival of arts and culture attracts more than 200,000 people each year to its downtown location in Iowa's capital city and largest metropolitan area. DMAF is a show dedicated to the highest standards and works diligently to maintain a positive environment for artists and their clients.

The Fact Sheet

AVG. SALES: Gross Avg. = $7,236 (Source - 2010 Artist Post-event Survey)
BOOTH SPACE FEE: $350/$450
CASH AWARDS: $10,000
BOOTH SPACE: 10'x10' with 1' buffer all around
PRODUCED BY: Downtown Events Group, 501(c)3 Non-profit corp.

Artist Information and Benefits

• Projected Attendance - 200,000+.
• $10,000 in Cash Awards at the time of publication.
• Official Festival Program includes color thumbnail image of each exhibiting artist.
• Web site includes full-color image with name and live link to artist Web site.
• Free WiFi throughout Festival site.
• Free reserved parking and electricity
  
• Hospitality Area with air-conditioned restrooms
• Exclusive "Express Lane" concessions.
• 24-hour Security.
  
• Leisurely set-up (full day is available).
• Booth sitters and energetic volunteers.
  

About our jury process
The jury is scheduled for November 17-19, 2010. The location for the projection jury is the Arthur Davis Conference Center in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Applying artists and special guests are invited to a special Jury Preview on November 17, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Projection of images for the jury begins promptly at 6 p.m. The jury preview is an opportunity for artists to view their images at the same time and in the same manner the jury will see them.

Should you have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to call Stephen King, Director, at 515.286.4927 or email stephen.king@desmoinesartsfestival.org.

We value your participation and look forward to seeing you in June 2011!

For more information: www.DesMoinesArtsFestival.org

Don't wait! Apply today: www.zapplication.org

*************

Looking for more art fairs?

Visit ArtFairInsiders.com/callforartists

Dear Artists,

Your fellow artists Dale Rayburn (www.dalerayburn.com), Mamie Joe (www.mamiejoe.com) and I, H.C. Porter (www.hcporter.com), invite you to be among the outstanding 100 artists who participate in the third annual Renaissance Fine Arts Festival.

In our short history, this contemporary fine art show has been host to some of the best independent fine artists and contemporary craftsmen on the road today. Hopefully, you have heard great things about our stunning venue, our hospitality and even our record - breaking heat! That's why this awesome show has made the decision to move up seven weeks to the cooler month of April! Now you can show and sell your work in Mississippi as part of your southern route with some of the Texas spring shows and/or Atlanta and New Orleans shows.

We are continuing to work hard to promote this event across the southeast and to create an exceptional show experience for you. Our significant award money is given to the best in each category by a respected local juror. The show is located next to a fine hotel with special show rates for the artists and parking is easily accessible. Both are within easy walking distance from the show site.

The Renaissance Fine Arts Festival is presented by the Ridgeland Tourism Commission, a tax-exempt, state-chartered agency. All festival proceeds are used to produce and promote the show.

We look forward to having you and your artwork in Mississippi!

H.C. Porter

POINTS OF INTEREST:

• Artists retain all proceeds from their sales
• $7500 awarded by our judge
• number of participants limited to 100
• All proceeds are used to produce and promote the festival

• Complimentary continental breakfast on Saturday
• Artist awards breakfast on Sunday morning at the Biaggii's Ristorante Italiano
• Box lunch delivered to your booth on Saturday & Sunday
• Bottled water delivered to your booth periodically
• Your name, medium, city and state will be listed in our festival program
• Complimentary festival t-shirt
• Van and RV parking close to the festival
• Reduced room mates at our on-site host hotel, the new Hyatt Place Jackson/Ridgeland
• 24 hour security
• booth sitters

AWARDS:
$7500 will be awarded by our judge. Best of show - $1500, and first place in each media category will receive $500. All award winners will be automatically juried into the 2012 Renaissance Fine Arts Festival.

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION:
Our advertising and promotion effort publicizes the festival throughout the state of Mississippi and the Southeast region. The festival will also be marketed through direct mail, Internet outlets and paid advertisments in tourist publications.