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I just returned from a festival I have vended for 5 years. It's run pretty simple, the expectations are the same as elsewhere - behave - act like an adult - take care of yourself/your booth/your product/your customer - and keep out of other vendors booths etc.

What I don't understand and could really use some guidance here are the vendors who come barreling in during set-up/tear down and during the show with the attitude that it is "ALL" about them. They totally block the entrances with their vehicles, and sometimes more than one entrance if they are pulling a trailer (I am talking about not being able to slide thru on the sides with a dolly, nadda) they spread out all over the place when setting up so no one can get past their booth area, and to make matters worse - this past weekend, they were get this - parking UNDER my motorhome canopy, and up to within inches of the other side although I was parked in a clearly defined spot I paid for.

If you go to the show organizer - then you are labeled a complainer.

I spoke to the one blocking 2 entrances and asked her to move and she acted like I was suppose to bow down and kiss her feet first. And I thought...huh? There were 10 of us setting up with all of our vehicles parked a good 30 plus feet away so we could all use the entrances equally and she just came barreling up with the look out I am here and it's ALL about me attitude.

The ones parking so close to my motorhome - due to the length of road access in front of the motorhome, I would have never been able to pull out, they were blocked too close to me there was absolutely no swing room, and I had already paid for the camping spot which happens to be on the back side of one of the 5 buildings - they are assigned to those of us with rigs, and there was designated parking.

This tends to go on at many shows. Typically, my business partner and I break down everything, and carry it out so that others with smaller vehicles can get in and out, and we politely wait and are more times than not the last ones out, however, this constant rudeness just blows me away.

How do you handle this?

September 28-30
Columbus, Ohio
Genoa Park
120 artists
Deadline: June 11

Join us for the 2012 Riverfront Arts Arts Festival.  Genoa Park will once again host more than 120 local and national artists of the highest caliber, featuring a variety of fabrications and designs from fine oil paintings to functional pottery and textiles.  Under the ownership of the Dispatch Shows Group the festival is expanding to create a weekend experience the entire family can enjoy.  

The  Riverfront  Art  Festival celebrates its sixth anniversary this year. It  features  a  picturesque setting, winding along the west bank of the  Scioto River  in  downtown Columbus. The location is nearly  synonymous  with  festival-going, in a city ranked by American  Style Magazine as one of the top 10 big cities for art.

The show features:

• abundant  parking
• free electricity
• stunning view of the city 

Sculptor Mark Wallis explains his process

This year we will have more than $250,000 in media support, doubled from  last year, from our radio, television and print partners at our  disposal, which will be utilized to drive traffic to the festival.

Late  September  in  Columbus is beautiful. Add in the opera and live jazz,  doesn't  this  sound like a great place to finish up your outdoor fair  season?

For  more info: www.riverfrontartfestival.com

Apply: www.zapplication.org 

Questions? Amanda Leeman & Mike Collins, Promotions One, Inc., 614-299-8628 

I'm a bit new at this so bare with me. I just started back doing shows last spring, so I've made it a full year and some have been ok some not so good. Displayed last February at the Osceola show and found it not to pleasing for my type of artwork. Can anyone provide me any information on this show before I spend $ to try and enter it. I'll be traveling from the Atlanta GA area. Here is my website www.mikebrownstudio.com, fairly detailed wildlife artist and looking for some shows to try in Florida. I know it's a hit or miss deal and it never hurts to ask for information. Thanks and have a great day. Mike

Came across this blog post and thought I'd pass it on!

What was the intent of art fairs in the first place? How many (promoters) have forgotten that?

http://karencooperpaintings.com/blog/34965/the-summer-art-fair-would-i-be-an-artist-there

Remembering that it is work and happy for the acknowledgement of that fact!

http://karencooperpaintings.com/blog/34817/the-summer-art-fair-should-i-be-an-artist-there

I so much appreciate the generosity of all of our supporters. The following list includes not only our artist contributors but also art fair patrons who follow our online art fair news.

Everyone who contributed will have our special Supporter image added to their page here on ArtFairInsiders.com in recognition of their special status in our community. In addition they all win our AFI red bumper sticker for their art fair vehicle. Stick this on your bumper and everyone will know you are headed to an art fair and follow you there!

If your name is listed below please email me your mailing address so we can send the Red Dots out to you asap! Click here: info@artfaircalendar.com now.

Our thanks to David Frank, Claudia Winter, Carol Faith, Gary Willcock, Alicia Proffitt, Bill Moore, Suzanne Brown, Judy Zeddies, Phyllis Minnery, Paul Messink, Vicky Lilavois, Jeff Goodwin, Wiliam Verderber, Caroline Pouliot, Pat Finney, David Liebenthal, Suzanne Krongold, Liza Scheffer, New Prospect Pottery, Patricia Plasko, Judith Matijevic and Shirley Baker.

 Alison Fox, Alan Anderson, Michael Mettler (my brother even loves me!), Bobby Schochet, Oliver of Hampel Design, Clair Thompson, Annette Piper (from across the seas), Scott Fiegenbaum, Carol Shier, Maryllis Wolfgang, Hyacinth Manning, Dean Robinson and Nancy Grimsley.

Laurie Leonard, Anne Tindell, Henry Wood, Katharina Eltringham, Carrie Jacobson, Bonnie Gershenzen, Daryl Cohen, Terri Satterwhite, Pam Van Dyck, Juanita Martin, Patty Gamin, Norman Fleischner, Janice Haraburda, Beth Chavez, Doug Taylor, Margaret Rising, Rebecca Conklin, Erin Rossi, Clyde Smith, Woody & Judy Smith, Ronald Graham, Gretchen Baneyx, Cecily Chaney, my dear friend Kay Gallagher, Elizabeth Gordon, Sharie Cannon, Kerri Norman, Lee Casucci, Terri Pease, Sharon McSherry, New Earth Beauty, Barry Bernstein, Colin Murray and Geri Wegner.

Paula Shoulders, B. Nelson who won this prize last year, Ruth Chio, Wandering Bob, Kathleen Barrath, Je t'adorn, Jane Easterbrook, Christine Noah-Cooper, Leo Schindler, Dawn Rasmussen, Brooke Andrews, Don Lake, Tom Harris, Creathia Reyer, Rush Creek, Chris Jones, Roberta Coren, L. Donet, Michele Reynolds, Peggy Nitzkin, Donna Kunce, Julie Yolles, Steve Cebula, David Czerniak, Allison Burch and Celia Strickler.

Relished Artistry, Bettys Jewelry, Brittney Baber, John Pompeo, Susan Hohman, Lori Flanders, Leslie Belcher, Shoshana Matthews, Window to Wisconsin, Leslie Belcher, Roberta Starabird, Harrison Otalor, Keri Ippolito, Sharon Reagan and Priscilla Cunningham.

Peggy Azallion, Bearcat Woodworks, Camille & John Staropoli, David Campione, Lisa Cutler, James Nelson, Helen Jarocki, Sandy Schimmel, Scrap Felt and Nancy Boyles, Ann Bowdish, Beth Tivol, Anne Krafve-Nelson, Heather Watson, Robert Blue, Denice Bizot, Suzanne Bellows and Joel Frader.

Philip Marty, Monika Green, Cheryl Nugent, Susan Brown-Gordon, First Impression, Ginny Herzog, Don Mabry, John Leben and my good old friend Jan Richardson.

Thanks also to these patrons:

Douglas Batesky, Nancy Wasserman, B. Felt, Melanie Rolfes, Delpfine Welch and Barbara Poole! Patrons Kathy Oda, Jo Chamness, Mary Johnston, Kim Yeager, Lynda Wallis, the DeMarias, Diane Rose Sugg, Ralph Sharp, Leslie Turner and Bill Miller, Fine Art Color Photography, LeMaur Jewelry and Icon Atelier.

Special thanks to our Angel supporter Linda Shields!

I owe many thanks to all the supporters of our recent pledge drive, not only the supporters who sent contributions but to the unprecedented generosity of many others who donated prizes:

Howard Alan, Bill Kinney, Scott Fox, Andreia Santos, Mt. Clemens Art Center, Larry Berman, Howard and Janet Rose, Festival Network Online, Patrick Mitchell, Stephanie Hill-Ross, Will Wagenaar, Bill Merritt, ActInsPro.com, Angela Lee, Brad Sears, Stewart Pellar, Diana Ferguson, Colin Murray, Alan Anderson, NAIA, Virginia Higgins and Danette Smith.

You can see the winners of the really big prizes at this link: Here come the prizes!

August 31-September 2 

St. Louis, Missouri

36th Annual Fall Art Fair at Queeny Park 

sponsored by the Greater St. Louis Art Association

Queeny Park in West St. Louis County

130+ artists

Deadline: June 16   

11 Important Facts:

• Our 36th Annual Fall Art fair
• Around 130+  artists
• This is an AIR-CONDITIONED INDOOR ART FAIR. You don't need to worry about the weather, tents or security.
• Jury/Booth Fees ($25/$200);  FREE ELECTRICITY available for every booth at no additional charge)
• Cash awards totaling $4,500
• Booth sitters, 24-HOUR SECURITY. Rest easy knowing your booth is safely locked up at night.
• Excellent marketing campaign, including newspaper, magazine, television and radio advertising, internet and e-mail promotion
• Promotional postcards, business cards and coupons are provided free to exhibiting artists.
• Live music throughout the art fair
• Wine Tasting Friday and Saturday Evenings
• Interactive art program on Sunday afternoon to encourage families with youngsters to meet the artists

For more than thirty six years the Greater St. Louis ArtAssociation has been providing opportunities for the public to see and purchase original works of fine art and fine craft directly from the artists who create them.

Every year we produce two juried art shows (Spring and Labor Day Weekend).  Artists in all media are encouraged to apply. These shows feature juried local, regional and national artists' original work. From the pool of artists applying, about 120 artists from all over the US and Canada are invited to exhibit. These artists are selected by a professional jury process in eleven distinct media categories.

Both shows are presented in the indoor, air-conditioned setting of the Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park in west St. Louis County. Food and refreshments are available on-site, parking for the public and artists is free.  Live music playing during wine tasting and peak attendance.  During Sunday afternoon, an interactive children's art education program encourages families with youngsters to meet and talk with artists and learn about their work.

For detailed information and to apply go to:

http://www.gslaa.org/GSL_festivals.htm 

For more information:

Vic Barr Show Co-Chairperson: (314) 997-1181 vicbarr@sbcglobal.net 

or Maggie McCarthy Show Co-Chairperson: (636)724-5968

mccarthyart@att.net

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find even more art fairs for 2012 at www.CallsforArtists.com

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to our recent pledge drive. I really appreciate your support and generosity as we all work toward ensuring that the art fair business is a cultural meeting place for artists and their collectors.

The names have been drawn and the winners have chosen their prizes. Here is what they have won:

1. Susan Hohman - a free booth space at any Paragon Art Event courtesy of Bill Kinney
   
2. Harrison Otalor - a free booth space at any Howard Alan Event
3. Elizabeth Gordon - original watercolor painting by Andreia Santos
4. William Verderber - Viewmaster Robot Assemblage Sculpture from William Wagenaar of www.reclaim2fame.etsy.com
5. Michael Mettler - $100 Amazon gift card courtesy of www.Actinspro.com
6. Bill Moore - Garmin GPS, courtesy of ArtFairInsiders.com
7. Ralph Sharp - Expert website review from Scott Fox, www.ExpertWebsiteReviews.com
8. Laurie Leonard - Imaging services of Larry Berman Fine Art & Jury Image Photography
9. Carol Wilson - one hour art fair consulting services with Connie Mettler of ArtFairCalendar.com
10. Caroline Pouliot - bird feeder courtesy of Bill Merritt at ozarklake.net
11. Melanie Rolfes - one year's membership at National Organization of Independent Artists
12. Ann Bowdish - oil giclee courtesy of Stephanie Hill-Ross
13. Carrie Jacobson - one hour art fair consulting services with Connie Mettler
14. Lee Casucci - Antique style pepper mill from Brad Sears, www.turningarts.com
15. Julie Yolles - spiral earrings from Stewart Pellar, www.stonewoodjewelry.com
16. Veronica Donet - a copy of Scott Fox's new book Click Millionaires
17. Meg & Larry Racheli - 5 Pedestal Mini-Pack from Patrick Mitchell at www.PedestalExpress.com
18. Norman Fleischner - Watercolor Artist Paint Carrying Case from Virginia Higgins at www.theordersite.com
19. Ronald Graham - table top easel from Danette Smith, www.dangeespyrography.com
20. Kathleen Barrath - Ear Climberz from Alan Anderson, www.earvinery.com
21. Dawn Rasmussen - a copy of Scott Fox's new book Click Millionaires
22. Annette Piper - JuiceBar Solar Charger from ArtFairInsiders.com

We have a few prizes left including

• A press release from Diana Ferguson, value $200
• A booth space at any Rose Squared Production shows, valued at $355
• A booth space at two shows in the Milwaukee area produced by ArtWorks
• A booth space next weekend in Mt. Clemens, MI, at the Mount Clemens Art Fair
• An expert Website Review from Scott Fox - www.ExpertWebsiteReviews.com
• A very cute retro headband from Angela Lee - http://www.etsy.com/shop/AngleAh
• One year level 2 membership with Festivalnet.com

Anyone who contributed to the pledge drive is welcome to contact me if you are interested in these prizes. First come, first served.

Everyone named above should click the links to their prize and contact the donor. I'm also notifying them of your status. Thanks!

How disciplined (no pun intended) are you about your artwork?  Is it hard for you to resist distractions, or is your artwork a wonderful distraction from everything else you have to do?  Are you one of those wonderfully wholesome, green, hard working people who stay away from unsavory TV, movie and naughty books?

I'm grateful to have a nice pile of work to do right now, but other things, like exercise, talking on the phone, reading trashy books, or writing my silly blog about drawing portraits, seems to eat up most of the day.  In today's blog entry, I wrote about NOT drawing portraits and my weekend's source of procrastination.  Here it is, 2:20 pm and I've been on the computer all day instead of behind my easel. 

http://pencilenvy.blogspot.com/2012/05/50-shades-of-procrastination.html

I SWEAR I am going to go up there right now!!!  Somebody call me in five minutes and make sure I'm not fooling around on the computer any more today.

Has it really been that long since this show premiered? Man, I've been around a while! This show originally came into being as a Colorado artists show only which, I presume, was a reaction to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival not being particularly inviting to Colorado artists at the time. I participated in the very first show when it premiered on the lawn in front of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts which fronted on Speer Blvd and had a lot of visibility but not a lot of visitors. Later it moved into the canyons of downtown Denver at the Pavilions which is an urban shopping center of sorts. The show is run by Jim DeLutes a long time exhibiting artist/photographer turned promoter and my impression is that he is very attuned to the needs of artists at these kinds of venues (how about a word from the participating artists on this?). In talking to Jim on several occasions I was left with the impression that he is very conscientious about the way that he puts his shows together. Jim has opened this show up, for the first time, to non-Colorado artists which presumably would give it a fresher selection of art, especially after 14 years! So, although there was a good representation of art from around Colorado there were artists from as far away as Washington state!

Although I did not participate in the show this year I thought I'd run downtown and audit it to get a feel for whether is was worth doing or not. I had applied to the show last year (first time in gulp 14 years) was wait listed and while waiting to see if I got in made other plans, got called later for a spot. This year I was wait listed as well and without other plans decided to check out the show.

Like I suggested the show meanders in and around a downtown shopping center which covers two blocks of prime real estate. Additionally the show crosses over a pedestrian mall area on the street level and there is an outdoor tent with many artist booths inside that as well. I don't know what it is about Memorial Day but this show has always had its share of windy weather and this year was no exception. Friday, setup day, there were breezes a blow'n in town with Saturday, the first show day, very windy, smoke from several AZ fires made the skies hazy all day! Although there were no reported mishaps with tents this year, that I heard about, that has not always been the case in previous years! I believe that is why they started using a large outdoor tent to protect the artists on the backside of the mall due to a pretty serious wind event one year.Some of the tents are also tucked under a pedestrian walkway which crosses over the street level. Most artists had their own lights and if you were in the tent or under the bridge it was a good idea to have them! Artists on the street didn't seem to be in need of them as much.

I stopped by on Sunday morning at ten and found out the show didn't officially open till 11. No worries, some of the artists were beginning to open for the day and I stopped to talk with several of them. My usual impression of downtown Denver on a weekend, let alone a holiday weekend, is one of a ghost town with the usual street people scattered around. Not so this day. I wasn't the only one at the show too early as others came by to view any open tents and by 11 there was a steady stream of people throughout the show. At one tent the artists wife reported that Saturday saw a very steady stream of people but not much buying and this was reinforced by another artists report. I'd like to hear from participating artists on how their sales were.

Quality of the art at the show? There was quite a bit of variety in this show. I do photography (NOT canyons and NOT wildlife) and I was relieved to see a broad range of subjects unlike most shows that I have done lately. Not to snub anybody but just a quick impression that I was left with in retrospect. Susan Williams horse portraits were probably the most striking I've seen, not the usual animal stuff. The ceramics that I saw were very unique as well and not only "functional".

So there ya have it, my impression as an "outsider" I'd love to hear comments from those that were "insiders".

Cheers!

Some shameless self-promotion...See me next...June 8-10, Omaha, NE for the 38th Annual Omaha Summer Arts Festival, a new one for me, thought I'd try east for a change-up as I had read a favorable review of this show.

http://omaha.net/omaha-summer-arts-festival

or

http://www.summerarts.org/2012/

This is the first time I've done this relatively new (4th-year) Howard Alan show on Hilton Head Island, SC, which I booked because:
1) AFI member Lori Kay raved about it;

2) The Florida alternatives for the weekend looked impoverishing;

3) I've never been to swank Hilton Head, thinking that a 15-year-old minivan might be turned away at the bridge.

When I first considered this show, South Carolina seemed like too far a drive for a one-off show.  But when I checked Google Maps I was surprised to find that Hilton Head was only 2.5 hours from St. Augustine and a manageable 490 miles (8-hour drive) from Fort Myers.  So I booked the show, then booked a hotel in rustic Hardeeville, about 25 miles west of the show locale, lured by a $29.95 a night room rate I found on Priceline.

I checked in late in the day on Thursday, and spent Friday morning at nearby Savannah Wildlife Refuge, then drove to Hilton Head to set up.  The show is held in a parking lot of a secluded upscale shopping complex just off rt. 278, which connects the island to the mainland.  Setup started at 10 AM Friday, and it was easy to find your booth location and get busy. 

It's a small show--about 80 artists and 20 crafters (who were clustered together on the northern end of the layout).  I was fortunate to have a spot directly under one of many tall shade trees on the site; not everyone was quite so lucky.  But the temperatures weren't the story--tropical storm Beryl was.

Beryl started churning off the east coast of Florida late in the week, and began advancing on the Florida-Georgia border on Friday.  The forecast called for the storm to bring rain, 20 to 35 mph breezes, and possible thunderstorms beginning early Sunday morning, and those of us with smart phones were checking the Weather Channel frequently on Saturday.  

We had more time to do so than I had expected.  Crowds were steady, if not jam-packed, on Saturday morning but tapered off quickly as the temperatures rose into the high 80s, and although the pre-storm breezes cooled things off a bit, the humidity was  high.  I tallied less than $600 in sales on the day, and as I headed back to Hardeeville, I glumly figured that Sunday would be scrubbed by the storm and I'd be underwater in more ways than one. 

And then, we dodged a meteorological bullet.  The storm tracked a bit further south than expected on Sunday.  Although clouds rolled in as the show opened and a squally shower hit briefly around 11:15, it stopped within 10 minutes and the skies cleared for the rest of the day. Crowds were light, but the buying energy picked up in the middle of the afternoon and I ended up writing about $1400 on the weekend--about half what I expected to do in such  an upscale venue, but at least I was going home with about $500 profit after expenses.  On a sales scale of zero-to-10 (where zero means I'm selling the van to get home, and 10 means I'm skipping all the way back to Fort Myers), this show rated about a 4.5.  Most of the folks around me rated it about the same; a couple lucky folks rated it 7 to 8, and (with a few exceptions) said they sold more on Sunday than on day one.

In terms of quality, too, this one's a mixed bag.  There were a lot of jewelers, although most of it was mid- to high-end in price and quality.  A wonderful painter of colorful, large-scale, mostly Western, landscapes across from me made a few small sales, but no big works that I noticed.  Another nearby artist who fashioned stunning sculpture from aluminum, sold a couple of large works at price points in the high hundreds.  There were a few beginning artists, and the aforementioned craft/buy-sell section, suggesting that not many artists applied for this show.

Hilton Head may not ever be a heavily attended show, at least not on Memorial Day weekend.  Although it seems like a great idea to capture returning seasonal residents who may have home improvement on their minds, it's also the first weekend of high season, and folks may still be unpacking.  Signage for brick-and-mortar retail, let alone art shows, is heavily restricted by the town.  Nary a McDonald's arch, billboard, or high-rise sign dots the landscape, and all the shopping centers are set back a bit from the main road and concealed by trees and shrubbery.  I saw only two "Art Festival" banners at each end of the show.  And although I'm sure Howard did his usual thorough job promoting the show in local media, first-day arrivals may not have been in town long enough to get the message.   My gut feel is that artists with high-quality work who exhibit here year after year will eventually build a profitable following.  And while I had expected to make lots more moolah at this show, there's enough potential--and enough really wonderful places to photograph wildlife--that I'll pencil this one in for next year.  For Florida artists who are heading north for the summer, or who live in the central and northern parts of the Sunshine State, this isn't a hard show to get to. 

****

One quick note about the high winds we experienced at times, and a valuable lesson I learned.  Although we didn't get rained on, and the sun was out all afternoon on Sunday, the winds did get really gusty at times.  I had elected to leave my canvas sides on,  zipped down, and tied to the tent poles, even after the threat of rain went to zero.  That was nearly a serious mistake--a gust of wind blew right into the space between the side display wall and the canvas sides...and because I'd left the back canvas zipped up, the wind had nowhere to go.  The sides and back puffed up like a balloon, and the left side of the tent lifted off the ground a foot (thankfully, all the bungee cords held fast) and was wrenched clockwise about two feet.  No work was damaged, but as soon as my heartbeat got back to normal I removed the side walls so it wouldn't happen again.  The lesson:  If you're going to leave your side walls down, always make sure to unzip the zippers on the down-wind side of the tent, so that wind has a place to go!

Last quick note: Thanks to landscape photographer Steve Vaughn for taking me to a couple of great venues at Pinckney Wildlife Refuge on Saturday night, and lending me his camera to make a few images.  Much appreciated, and Steve was one of MANY great neighbors at this show.

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.

Ok, So I spent the majority of my holiday weekend working on setting up my "newer" booth display and I would really like some honest feedback from everyone on what you think. I finally got rid of the eye sore metal black racks,, they looked bad against the white Trimline tent. I found a used set of Pro Panels from another artist locally, the only problem was that they were that Pine needle green color. My art would look bad on that,,,,so I painted the panels jet black. Yes it is possible to do that, I just used a 1K enamel and it worked,,,maybe I will do another write up about that. The first picture is the new set up, the second is the old just so that you can see what I was working with before. I do plan on getting the skirts from Pro Panels that will go around the bottom of the panels. I hope that everyone had a great weekend and will have a great week. I plan to use this new booth image for shows, if your a juror and have some advice on what I should do to make this better let me know. Thanks!

Have you ever question yourself about being an artist? Here is the answer :)

http://vimeo.com/42372767

I have developed a very specific design aesthetic for my work--it's a combination of influences that range from Victorian and Edwardian to Tim Burton, Steampunk, Cirque de Soleil and vintage Circus attire.  It has evolved over the last three years as I've allowed myself to be influenced and inspired by various bits that I've discovered while doing research for my "style".

I've also been diligently planning my art fair booth, and as some of my last few posts attest I've ordered banners and planned out the look in my head.  One of the steps toward that finished layout included purchasing tables and making custom tablecloths for them in a style that would compliment the items I make and sell.

Finding the right size table was a bit of a challenge--most of the traditional folding tables are either square (like a card table) which made them too short for what I wanted to do, or 6' long--which made them too long!  I wanted to put two side-by-side on one side of my tent along a stretch of 10' wall.  Eventually, I found a smaller, plastic top folding table with dimensions that would work--5' long and 28" wide.  I could put two tables next to each other, and not have them stick out of the end of my tent, nor create wasted space in a corner.  They fold up, have a convenient carrying handle, and are lightweight.

They were a bit low for me--I wanted the customer to not have to bend over too much to see what was on display, so I purchased some table risers to place under the legs.  While they are lightweight plastic, I may have to fill them with concrete or mortar so they are sturdier.  My pieces are so lightweight, they won't add much sturdiness to the whole setup, so a heavier riser will be to my advantage.  They also have a wide top, so I can place the tables end to end on the same risers in the middle.  They raise the surface of the table top by 5", which I felt was necessary.

Finding a tablecloth with texture wasn't as fruitful.  The ones that I could find were either unfitted (which would billow out of control too much in a breeze, which I felt looked sloppy) or a plain color which did nothing for my design aesthetic for the tent.

So instead, I made some from some fabric I already had in my stock, which I had intended on making clothes out of...  I guess it found a better use...  And here are the finished pics!

I made a casing at the bottom of each side so I could insert dowel rods, keeping the tablecloth neat and crisp.  Personally, I am not a fan of gathered tablecloths as I've seen random fair pics where the tablecloths whip up over the top of the table, disturbing displays and generally reeking havoc.  I figured I'd make some that I could exert a bit more control over.

At each corner is a tiny "pleat" of matching fabric to the top band, so there's a nice contrast.  While a solid block of color for tables lets the display on top be the focal point, I truly feel it's a waste of an opportunity to create a sense of style for one's tent.  And while I'm a fan of unobtrusive, clean, and spare display mechanisms for wall art (as most contemporary walls, I would venture to say, are plain colors and wallpaper prints are out of fashion), I think when selling "fashion" defining a style is important.

In the back, it is open for easy access.  I simply made one side shorter than the other three, and I'll put it up against the wall.  This also allows me to sit behind it if I ever need to do that.  I think they'll be useful for indoor and outdoor shows.

And on top of that, my partner Jonathan (a graphic designer) scanned in the fabric and used it in his design of my banners for the tent, so there is a cohesive feel to everything.

I am very excited about being able to put together the whole tent and seeing how it all comes together. My banners should be arriving by the end of next week, so I may even be able to put the whole thing up next weekend and take pictures to share!

If you're interested in having some custom tablecloths made for you, let me know and we can discuss details.  While they're not particularly difficult, they did take me a bit of time to make sure everything was working and the casing was the right size, and the hem was correct.  But let me know!  We can work something out!

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

 This  has been posted before by others- as we are asked for donations all the time; one may want to keep this article in mind.  There is no tax benefits for the artist; pieces are usually sold for pennies on the dollar with no reserve minimums, and it is rare to get any business afterward- and if so the prospective buyer wants an unreal deal (like at the auction). Read on, and protect yourself.  

    Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mat-gleason/charity-art-auctions-_b_872953.html

                Fair Winds, safe travels, and check those tires & seat belts

Can anyone offer some tips/info on set-up at St. James Court, especially the Belgravia section?  Are there any significant factors that make one section particularily better or worse than another in terms of sales, ease of set-up/take-down, etc.  Since applicants apply to the different sections individually, I'm assuming there must be some reason(s) why one would prefer one section over another.  Also, any info related to campgrounds in the area would be helpful  Any comments relating to any of the above would be greatly appreciated.

Rick Bryant, Director of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in State College, PA, joins Connie Mettler of ArtFairInsiders.com to share art fair stories and draw the names of the winners of the prizes for the Birthday Party Pledge Drive on Friday afternoon at 3 pm ET.

Will he call out your name? Did you contribute $12 to our pledge drive?

Tell me have our websites

• helped you avoid a bad show?
• found you a deal on our classifieds?
• made a friend either online or as a result of your presence on this site?
• helped you find a good show?
• taught you things to avoid in this crazy business?
• taught you where to find credit card solutions, the best tents, insurance, display equipment?
• lessened the isolation of your studio?
• given you something to laugh about and share with others?

Will you be the winner of these artful prizes?

October 13 and 14

Application Deadline - June 8

• load/unload assistance
• booth sitting
• refreshments
• and premium restroom facilities exclusive for artists 

The Sedona Arts Festival produces a premier, annual fine arts festival which promotes awareness of the arts, supports artists, and builds community in the greater Sedona area. We financially support art programs and provide scholarships for our youth.  Our annual festival is the primary fundraiser for our giving programs. Since its inception in 1989, the Sedona Arts Festival has donated over $250,000 in support of our mission. 

Lori Reinhart - Executive Director
director@sedonaartsfestival.org
928-204-9456

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Looking for even more shows to fill out your 2012 schedule?
Visit www.CallsforArtists.com

I would like to congratulate all the winners that participated in the 49th Annual East Lansing Art Fest, Lansing, Michigan.  A good time was had by all that attended the affair.  Those who are members of AFI are highlighted.  Please enjoy their page and send them your well wishes.

MSU Federal Credit Union Diamond Award-Ran Mu

Student Book Store Award-Lynda Wallis

City of East Lansing - Jody Delind

Raymond King Award for Painting-Luke Stretar

M.J. Bauries Jewelry Award-Kara Daniel

Best of Show/Galleries Award-Nancy Strailey

East Lansing Art Festival Photography Award-Julie Schwarz

Honorary Awards:

Dinah Morrison

Melissa Banks

Heidi Fahrenbacher

Beth Erlund

Majolyn van der Gart

Janet Tobler

Lars Birger

Thousands enjoyed the Art Festival in Marion, Iowa this past weekend.  Around 16,000 people enjoyed 55 artists that showcased their work.  Here is a post of time-lapse photography taken on festival day. Please enjoy!!

Our congratulations go out to the award winners for a job well done!!!

1st Place "Best in Show"             

Delores Fortuna

Galena, Illinois, Ceramics

2nd Place " Best in Show"

Nestor Yulfo

Chicago, Illinois, 2D Mixed Media

3rd Place "Best in Show"

Gena Ollendieck

Cresco, Iowa, 3D Mixed Media

Peer-to-Peer Idea Award

Nestor Yulfo

Chicago, Illinois