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I recently was accepted to the Mission Federal Artwalk in San Diego.  A few days ago, I receive a call from someone saying I should call them regarding the Mission Federal Art show.  The voice mail was very hard to understand due to their accent and fuzzy line. 

So I called today and ask for Sarah Jackson.  After talking to a rude guy insisting I know what the voice message was, I get transferred to Sarah.  I'm placed on hold... she comes on... line fuzzy with static.  I commented on the sound and it clears up somewhat.  She starts talking fast and with the accent, very hard to understand what she's saying.  I comment on her to slow down and she comments that she's going to help me on my hotel rate.   That she's authorized by the Mission Federal to help the artists and vendors.  Ok.... Let's see what she can do.  I had already booked my room from Orbitz.  As she asks questions, I answer them.  She wants the name of the hotel, the address, and she comes back with my room rate.  Hmmmmm, wonder how that happened?  She then says my rate is $248 and she can make sure I get the discount rate for vendors, which would be $237.  I'm thinking... $10 isn't a lot to save.   Ok.... she then says that she's going to transfer me to the reservation department.  I get the same rude guy at the beginning when I called.  He starts talking in the same accent and the phone line starts it's static again.  I comment on it.  He states that "the line is engaged".... who says that in America?  I ask again how he knows about the rate and hotel information.  He's authorized by various art shows to help make sure they get the discounts.   He says he sees where Sarah made her recommendations and he'll send me an email.  "You need to go to your computer now and open the email".  

Me - "I'm not near my computer".   (inside voice... I have work to do)

H - You have a smart phone, use that.

Me- I don't have it with me.  (thinking... why so urgent to open an email)

H - In order to get you the discount, we need to do this together.

Me - Alright

H- I'll wait as long as needed.

Me - I got the email. ( which is coming from OPS at(ehsrooms).com via SignNOW.com)

When I opened the email, it was an information form to fill out, I see all the highlighted areas.  All those areas are your personal information... credit card number, expiration number, name, address, etc.  And at the bottom, you sign off on the form.... Giving them all the permission to use your information.

I told him I'm not going to give any information.  His comments try to reassure me that all the information is confidential, nothing goes to "his" computer.  LOL.... maybe not his computer but it's going to be recorded somewhere, on someone's.  :)

I hung up on him and call the Mission Federal Artwalk group.  I told them about the incident.  They confirm it's a scam (someone else told them the same thing)  and they'll be sending out an email to notify the other artists.  They also said that there is an actual company of EHS ROOMS, but probably someone is using it to their own personal gain.

We might be creative but we aren't stupid!  :)

Show promoters- Puleeeeze stop calling for "vendors" in your prospectuses and advertising. It drives me nuts!

Today is Independence Day. On AFI we celebrate our individualitiy every waking moment. I have been with vocal groups before but YOU ALL define the concept of a "think tank."

So I wondered about all I have read over the past months. Could we get it down to:

ONE THING WE EACH WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE ART WORLD OR BEING ARTISTS?

(no repeats, except to add an inportant concept to the original)

How high could we go? Each person number your change.

I'll start.

1) I love creating. But I hate having to make enough money to keep the accountant happy. If I could change ONE THING I would improve the economy faster.

The Edina Art Fair is local fair for us, and this was Brian's sixth year. The crowds were good and sales were brisk, despite a distracting neighboring booth. We thank our customers and friends who stopped by to see us!

The vendors at this fair tend to fall into two categories: better-to-great artists and WTF (Wow that's fricking-crazy). WTFers diminish the experience of browsing through the art, because they're not artists. The differentiation is often blurred when one approaches the booth, because it might LOOK like they are selling art. In Edina six years ago, I noticed a booth selling Sprongs shoes. Interesting? Yes. Art? No. As Brian juries into better and better shows, we see the WTF phenomenon less. However at Edina, it seems to increase each year.

Topping the WTF catagory this year was Venture Photography--a portrait studio chain. The booth workers appeared to be college-aged kids on commission. Their objective seemed to get people into the booth, where each would be pressured into purchasing a $500 value certificate for $50. If the kid could not close, the boss man, who had been watching from the street, would come close the sale. These kids would literally follow patrons down the street with an open laptop or book, "Would you like to see our work? Will you give me feedback on my images?" To be fair, though, neither Brian nor I witnessed any waterboarding.

When I asked to meet the photographer, I was told they weren't at the fair, but three new ones had just been hired. Most fair-goers picked up their pace to avoid these relentless young folks, speeded right past real artists' booths without a glance, until they were safely in food territory.

In case my point has not been made, the inclusion of WTF booths along side juried artists seems unjust. It diminishes the reputation of the real artists by association. And it requires fair-goers to ask, "Which are artists and which are con-artists?"