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  Greg Little April 23, 2012 at 10:17am

  Jacki...you took the words right out of my mouth...If someone wants to help you provide them all the necessary tools for legitimate help. Copying off a persons website sounds like a scam to copy work or get around the rules and standards the shows have put in place.
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  Jacki Bilsborrow April 21, 2012 at 9:14pm

  I kind of got the same feeling Cindi got when I read what Larry wrote.  If this rep was trying to help a friend out then he ought to have easy access to the original photos.  He shouldn't have to lift them off the website.  Who knows, maybe he feels he could easily copy the artists work and make it his own.  I would think if he was really a rep he would be working to get the friends work in a gallery or try to market it for mess distribution.  I tend to be skeptical if the scenerio sounds fishy.
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  B. David Kay April 21, 2012 at 11:42am

  this type of activity is called "buy and sell". There are shows that cater to that kind of business
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  Janet Miller April 20, 2012 at 1:09pm

  I was picturing a not-so-good jeweler trying to use someone else's images to get into a good show.  After hearing about the glass artist who submitted another glass artist's booth shot as his own, I can believe anything! When confronted by the promoter (via the phone) his reply was that that's how his booth would look if he could afford to set it up the way he would like!! 

  Russel, you just need to actually read a few show applications and then things might be a little clearer. No one here is trying to sound "self important". It's just that the high quality shows we do have rules and one of the most basic is that the artist must be present. No reps! And remember, we didn't make the rules, the show did! Twice I was at Lakefront when the artist was there on Fri. but was gone Sat. When a committee person asked where the artist was and was told they had left, the spouse was told to "pack up and go."        No one ever got into this business because it made  sense or money.
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  Larry Berman April 20, 2012 at 11:43am

  That was never clear to me, which is why I suggested he ask his friend to set up a second profile.
  
  Larry Berman
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  Cindi Hendrickson April 20, 2012 at 11:40am

  We are all assuming that this "rep" actually was trying to sell his friend's work.  I, on the other hand, am suspcious.  I am inherently distrusting and my first thought on reading Larry's post was that this person was trying to steal the artist's work and call it his/her own.
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  Alan Anderson April 20, 2012 at 11:11am

  Russel, in this business model, you CAN accomplish your objective by accompanying your friend to a few shows and helping him learn how to promote his product.  There are no prohibitions to having SALESPEOPLE work with the artist, so long as the artist is present.  Additionally, there are some shows that will allow the artist to send a rep or proxy, but it is done with the ARTIST applying and being up front with the promoter.  The key here that we all understand is that our business model is just simply not scalable.  If we want to sell wholesale, fine.  But after it leaves the artist, it does, in fact, become buy/sell.  Handcrafted buy/sell, but buy/sell nonetheless.  Sandhi puts it well.  The rules are the rules, play by them or don't play at all, and that is your choice, of course. 

   
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  Shoshana Matthews April 20, 2012 at 10:57am

  And you have to remember that at art shows the public wants to meet and talk to the artist.  This is part of selling our unique, one-of-a-kind art.  And it IS art, not just a commodity.  I've been in the retail business.  Art shows follow a completely different model.  We are, in part, selling ourselves to the public and not just our art.  Or ourselves as PART of the art.  That's partly what makes it art and not just "stuff".
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  sandhi schimmel gold April 20, 2012 at 10:49am

  Russel - I don't disagree with you, but just stating these are the rules...and the model the art fair world works within. It isn't the best way to increase exposure, and shouldn't necessarily be the only one an artist relies on.

  I hardly do art fairs/shows, my work is too expensive - but I do some for exposure to potential custom order clients; have gotten gallery representation from being in some shows, I do sell some work that is less expensive - and it's a way to travel with my husband. I don't rely on it as my sole source of income.
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  Russel Trojan April 20, 2012 at 10:43am

  Let's see ... we have a story of a jewlery maker's friend who wants to help increase business by going to one show while the friend goes to another.  This is not buy/sell, at least not in the way that hurts artists.  This is actually the type of support that allows small businesses to survive and grow.

   

  This friend was not well versed in the art show context and so asked for help.  The result of this request for assistance made this individual the object of scorn.  This is what I don't get.

   

  As for business, I understand business quite well, thank you very much.  I also know that growing a business requires increased exposure and that an individual can only do so much.  I know that a good business will employ others to help increase exposure.  This is not the same as buy/sell, also known as wholesaling in the business world.

   

  And, dear Alan, I have no problems with your self-imposed obligations.  What I have problems with is the self-important attitude represented here. 

   

  And, if you talk to any business instructor, they'll tell you that putting your ENTIRE business at risk on such a regular basis is probably not a very good business model.