I am just completing my second full year of exhibiting wood art and sculptures. It’s time to line up next year’s shows and I was hoping fellow wood artists (preferably) or other artists could give me their personal feedback on the following:
- Tinicum Arts Festival – July - Tinicum Park, PA
- Covered Bridge & Arts Festival – October - Bloomsburg, PA
- Wheaton Arts Festival of Fine Crafts – October - Millville, NJ (I did read Jacquelyn Morgan’s post but I’m looking for feedback from more people – especially other wood artists.)
- Oktoberfest – October – Demarest Nature Center, NJ
- Crafters’ Marketplace – November – YMCA, Princeton, NJ
- Holiday Craft Show – December – Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ
- Tuckerton Seaport – December – Tuckerton, NJ
Thanks so much
Bob
Comments
Hi Bob!
I tried Tinicum this year for the first time and will not be returning. I'm an oil painter, so that may have some influence on lack of sales, but it was the only show I did this year that lost money. It appeared to be dominated by crafters and to me seemed very unorganized. The promoter decided to allow early load-in the night before during a rain storm! So you can guess how torn-up the ground was the next morning during set-up (wooded area).
I would estimate the average buyer to be near or past retirement age...which is fine (my demographic for sure)...however, because of the heat and humidity (and bugs) they seemed to disappear after 1pm each day. I could have dealt with the heat and humidity and poor sales for one day, but two days was just too much for my patience. I was really ready to get out of there halfway through day 2.
Hope that helps. Best of luck to you!
John
Hey Bob,
I was at Wheaton Arts this October. I'm a painter, but I was in the events building with 2 or 3 wood artists. (I'd say it was 70% outside). Saturday was a nice-weather day, so most of the indoor artists had a bit of a thin day. (Only the jewelers and fabric artists had a great Saturday). Sunday was gray and drizzly and we in the building all did much better. The wood artists had good sales overall, but not great, from what I learned from the two I talked to. The quality of their work was awesome, some of the best I've ever seen. It was my first year there and I had a poor Saturday but a very good Sunday. Patrons seemed to be there with intent to buy, but there was tough competition from the Wheaton Gift Shops (and everybody seemed to have a bag from a Wheaton Shop). But I thought the crowd was very smart and savvy and most were regular visitors from year to year.
As for set-up/breakdown, I can only speak from my experience at the events center, but it was very easy (no stairs, good for dollies) and the parking is quite close to the building. It's a very well-run and organized show with top-notch crafters (no buy and sell from what I could see)and I will apply again for next year.
Hope this helps,
Sam