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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

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

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

Do you travel some distance on the road to do your art shows? Do you take checks and have to keep them somewhere safe to carry them home to deposit? Do you have a smart phone? If the answer to all three questions is “Yes,” read on.

My wife, Judy, is a woodworker, and we travel around the country selling her freestanding jigsaw puzzles at art and craft shows. For the past two years, we have used our iPhone to take credit card transactions at our shows. Recently, I wondered what banking apps might be available on our iPhone.

We live in Madison, WI, and do our business banking at M&I Bank, a part of the BMO Financial Group. I did a little looking around on the App Store before I searched for “Harris Bank,” which recently bought M&I. I then found an entry for” bmo harris bank n.a.” I selected that and downloaded the free app.

The feature that I find most valuable is this: you can deposit your checks on the road. The app walks you through the process. You use your phone’s camera to take a picture of the front and back of the endorsed check. I have had occasion to do this with one check. The deposit was followed up very quickly by an email confirming the mobile deposit capture. You can use this feature to deposit as many checks as you have, until you signal the end of the transmission.

You are advised to retain the check(s), and securely dispose of them following the actual deposit into your account. Of course if you deposit the check(s) in the normal way when you get back home you will be in big trouble!

Things to keep in mind: 1) look around the App Store (or your smart phone’s equivalent of the App Store) to see if your bank has such an app available, 2) once you find it and download it, be aware you need to remember your login and password for your bank account in order to be able to use the service, and 3) you need some way to keep track of the total amount deposited to keep your records straight. I plan to enter the transactions into a spreadsheet before I do the deposit.

We leave home on 05/24/12, to drive to California where we have shows during the first three weekends. If I encounter anything that needs to be reported, I will do so.

Dave Peterson

The Art on the Square Festival took place in Belleville, Illinois, May 18-20.

Among the list of winners are some of the members of AFI.  Their names are highlighted so that you may go to their page and enjoy their work or congratulate them yourself.  On behalf of AFI I am extending congratulations for a job well done for all of the winners!!!

Best of Show-Sandra Willard

Ed L. Karasek Illinois Artist Award-Clifton Henri         

Joan Voss Renner Award-Clare Malloy

Mayor's Choice-Scott Amrhein

Barb King Jewelry Award-Wendy Newman

Rotary Club of Belleville Award-Yoram Gal

Best of Category Awards:

Clay-Jennifer McCurdy

Drawing/Graphic-Michael Bond

Fine Craft-Robert Farrell

Glass-Scott Amrhein

Jewelry-Jay Nielson

Mixed Media-Unmared Eitharong

Oil & Acrylic-Bruce Peeso

Photography-Chris Dahlquist

Sculpture-James LaCasse

Watercolor-Scott Hartley

Wood-Richard Judd

Awards of Excellence-nonspecific to category:

Jack Brumbaugh          Tony Cray

Nathan Grubich              Eric Lee

John Herbon                  Keith Lewis

John Costin                    Sam Stang

Yesterday we had a drawing for the first ten prizes in our pledge drive. The winners are:

1. Henry Wood
2. Kim Yeager
3. Susan Hohman
4. Harrison Otalor
5. Elizabeth Gordon
6. William Verderber
7. Michael Mettler
8. Bill Moore
9. Sharie Cannon
10. Ralph Sharp

Congratulations!

Please visit the pledge page: http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/pledgedrive.html and then email me: info@artfaircalendar.comto tell me which prize you'd like. Please choose more than one prize and we'll try to give you your first choice. I'd like to hear from you within 48 hours.

We are still accepting pledges at this link: http://www.artfaircalendar.com/art_fair/pledgedrive.html

and will be hosting another program at 3 pm ET on 5/25 to draw the names for the rest of the winners.

Click here to listen to yesterday's program: www.ArtFairRadio.com

I want to procrastinate going back into my studio, so thought I would write about this years N VA Fine arts Festival in Reston VA this past weekend. 

One of the most important things about any show is the WEATHER, especially here where I lost my tent to high winds two years ago.  This year, it was PERFECT, sunny and cooler than Michigan, if you can believe it.  I had loads of people thru my booth, and did well, but did not sell quite as well as the last time - had lots of folks say, 'I love the necklace I bought from you two years ago, I always get compliments' and then walk on by.  That said, I was quite happy with my sales.  Did not get too much chance to walk around, but everyone commented on the quality of the artwork - no buy and sell at this show! 

Extremely well run, with loads of volunteers passing out water and boothsitting.  The Hyatt right across from my booth has some of the nicest first floor restrooms around.  I don't know what folks at the other end of the fair did for relief.  Parking in all the garages around the town center are FREE.  I thought that setup and take down were a breeze- with booths on only one side of the street, it never seems too crowded to get your van in. 

If I had my choice, I would spend every third weekend in May in Reston!

I recently started a blog and I'm struggling a bit with it.  I know in order to get people to read it, I obviously need to write, but honestly, it sucks writing when you know no one is reading it.  My blog is www.britthallowellart.blogspot.com.  

So I need some advice from seasoned bloggers!  What did you do to encourage people to subscribe to your blog?  Or how did you get people there at all?  What suggestions can you give me to make my blog more appealing that people will want to keep coming back?

I look forward to your response and any advice you can give me!

The winners for 2012 Laumeier Sculpture Park Art Fair recently were announced  by fair organizers.

A jury chose the winning artists in five categories. Each artist won a cash  prize or a gift certificate.

2012 Award Winners were:

• Excellence ($1,000) - Paul Jensen, Rhinelander, Wis.; Daniel Keith, Minier,  Ill.; Olive Kraus, Hannibal, Mo,; Gena Ollendieck, Cresco, Iowa; Steven Spiro,  Hillpoint, Wis.

• Merit ($600) - Kim Koch, Oshkosh, Wis.;Pat McCaffrey, Winterville, Ga.;  John Petrey, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Carolyn and John Ruff, Springfield, Mo.;  Michael Schwegmann, Champaign, Ill.

• Honorable Mention ($400) - Karen Bell, Spring Green, Wis.; Beverly Hayden,  Chattanooga, Tenn.; Mieko & Michael Kahn, Greenbush, Mich.; Gina Pannorfi,  Chicago, Ill.; Lisa Vetter and Paul Siefert, Spencerville, Ind.

• Outstanding Local Artist ($250 ArtMart Gift Certificates) - Melissa  Schmidt, St. Louis, Mo.; Greg Rasmusson, Overland, Mo.

• Mayor's Award ($500) - Warner Whitfield, Weaverville, N.C.

The art fair took place May 11-13 at the sculpture park in Sunset Hills. The  annual event raises funds to cover the park's operating costs and programs.  Organizers estimate more than 15,000 attended the fair

Congratulations to the prizewinners at the Laumeier Sculpture Park Art Fair...we at Art Fair Insiders salute you for a job well done!

(those highlighted are members of AFI...Please click on their names and enjoy their profiles)

First off, I want to explain that 99% of my shows are small, juried, fine art fairs on the northwestern shores of Lake Michigan, in lively little tourist towns,  and not nationally ranked.  The shows I typically do have somewhere between 60-90 artists, not over 200 like ELAF.   My usual show is set in a park, frequently on or near water; nice shows, intimate, grassy green tent floors, lake breezes, and I have no idea how many people come through, but it’s not 70,000 like ELAF. 

I tell you this right off the bat, because then you can see that my perspective is not from someone who has done national shows regularly.  I can’t compare ELAF to previous years, or other national shows, but I can tell you what it’s like to do a bigger show than I’m used to doing.  I think there are lots of you in art fair land wondering if size really matters.  (I’m talking about the size of the art fair; get your mind out of the gutter...)

This was my first show of the season, my first national show, first street fair, first time with my new 10X20 trimline (yes, they are gawd-awful heavy) first time with no waterfront breezes, park setting, or green grass to stand on.    

I’m a painter, and the list of painters and other 2d artists at this show was impressive to me.  Lots of really beautiful work and I was honored to be there.

We were sent a packet with our booth location and set up time, and other pertinent information prior to the show.  There was road construction around the fair, but without too much trouble we were able to find our booth spot and drive right to it for hassle free set up.  Well...except for the aforementioned gawd- awful heavy double trimline.      There were volunteers on every corner ready to direct us through the maze of orange cones and blocked off streets.  This end of the street was a new addition to the fair, and veterans and newbies to the fair were given spots here. There was plenty of space behind the booth, not much on either side. It was a great location, except for being right outside a bar.  We were a bit nervous about that, especially at night.  There were a few cigarette butts near and under the back edge of our tent on Saturday and Sunday morning but thankfully no burns anywhere on the tent. ( I quit smoking about 6 months ago and part of me is just jealous of other smokers...isn’t that stupid?) But, my booth has a certificate that says it’s fireproof so I’m sure I needn’t have worried about any burns...   Being somewhat familiar with the college drinking crowd, I was delighted not to find some hung-over freshman laying in their own vomit amongst my paintings and bubble wrap in the mornings. 
Saturday crowds started early and my booth continued to be busy throughout the entire day. And they were buying.   It didn’t slow down until the end of the day. Connie came into my booth and introduced herself, and it was very nice meeting you Connie!  The patrons were educated and not one of them tried to haggle or complain about my prices or the economy.  My prices are about in the middle I think; $200-$1000.  No prints, only originals. 

ELAF hosted a reception for us Saturday night, and the Marriot put on a spaghetti/salad banquet which was a wonderful surprise.  It was great not having to go out in search of food after working all day.  For me, it was WORK!  I like to talk to all my customers and am on my feet almost the entire time.  Standing on the pavement was quite different than grass and by the end of Saturday I was one, big, ache!  If I continue to do fairs in streets, I’ll take some kind of floor cover with padding. Not only for easier standing, but my gawd-awful heavy trimline got really dirty on the pavement.   

At the reception, I talked to a couple of veteran ELAF artists that felt sales were slow, but here’s where different perspectives come in.  Me, used to smaller shows, thought it was crazy busy.   For someone used to the major crowds, well, I guess it felt slow to them.  They also commented that Sundays are typically the slower of the two days, so I mentally prepared myself for a hot, slow, kill me now, kind of day. The heat was ridiculous, 2 fans in my tent did nothing but push the hot air around. (Battery operated fans, not fans of my work...) But, this is Michigan and it could have been 50 degrees and raining golf ball sized hail, so honestly I’d rather have the heat.  Sunday was hotter than Saturday, if that’s even possible, and sales started quite slow.  I began to wonder if my roof was high enough to jump from, but by afternoon it picked up. People that had been in on Saturday came back to purchase on Sunday afternoon.  My theory is that they went to church and God told them to come back to the fair and buy my paintings...  One neighbor reported an excellent day, the other claimed about average but a little slower than expected.  A painter friend down the row told me that she had done well.  Incidentally her paintings are priced about like mine. 

Breakdown and loading up seemed quite organized. There were staffers to assist anyone that needed help.  Like most shows, they wanted us to pack the artwork, break down the tents and then go get our vehicles, load up and clear out.  The entire staff was friendly and helpful and flexible. 

I really enjoyed this bigger show and will apply again next year.  Sales were really good for me and I would tell anyone that is considering a larger show to give it a try, don’t have unrealistic expectations, and realize that the only way to really find out is to do it for yourself.