Blog

There have been a lot of blog posts singing the praises of the Winter Park Art Fair. I’ll add mine to the chorus. This is a great show! For me, its the best show in Florida. Of course, that’s not saying much when you look at my dismal sales for the first five shows in my Florida tour. I averaged around $1100 each for the first five (Artfest, Coconut Grove, Naples National, Las Olas and Bonita Springs). For Winter Park I grossed a little more than $4700. A good show for me.

This is a rare breed of art fair... one which residents support wholeheartedly. They look forward to it every year. They save up their art buying for the Winter Park Art Fair. I know of a few more shows that have that special vibe, Krasl in St. Joe Michigan and DesMoines Iowa show, to name two of my favorites. They are shows that the residents are proud of.

When I checked in on Thursday afternoon, I was greeted by Carole Moreland, a board member, and one of the show organizers. She recognized my name as the poor bloke who has been blogging about his dismal Florida season. She wished me a good show and assured me that the committee studies our blog posts and makes notes about how they can make their art fair better in the future. That made me think about the conversations I had with Barry Witt at the Bonita Art Fair and Howard Alan at Las Olas. Our blog posts help give guidance to other artists considering entering these shows and directly affect the number of artists who apply to these shows. The organizers like positive reviews and they like to see big sales numbers for their shows. Art Fair Insiders has more power and influence than I had originally thought. But, lets see if this influence eventually manifests itself in improvements to the art fair circuit.

Anyway, back to Winter Park. Big prize money (although I didn’t win any), fantastic lineup of artist, an enthusiastic buying public and great weather all made for a premier art fair. The only negatives I could come up with were the difficult load in and load out... lots of dollying, and some questionable locations for some of the booths (especially the ones on wood chip paths). But its a show I would be delighted to get into again next year.  

One more show for me in Florida, Naples Downtown. Then, its back to Saugatuck, Michigan. See you in the Spring, Nels.

All art show artists who create their own work are continuously disadvantaged by (1) buy/sell operators, (2) group operations (3) mass manufactured items, (4) co-artist teams who exhibit in multiple shows on a given weekend (5) people who jury in with a certain body of work only to display a totally different (sellable) body of work at the show and (6) people who jury under 2 or 3 mediums with the same work.  I'm seeing these situations at almost every show.  If we're ever going to create a level playing field, it has to STOP!

BUY/SELL:  We all know that's where the "vendor" buys product somewhere else at a very low price  (i.e. overseas or even the U.S.) and merely sells it at a show at high margins and/or volume, when the vendor had no involvement in the creation or production.  There is absolutely no place for that in a fine art show.  Don't tell me that we need to give customers "something they can afford".   Patrons who want that kind of product already have an outlet (almost every chain store in USA).

GROUP OPERATIONS:  I've seen this a few times with jewelers (and it might also exist in other mediums), where one manager has 2, 3 or more people apply to a show under their individual names; yet all product is owned and managed by one central manager.  It is likely that the product is either buy/sell or mass produced.  Each booth might have a different style (silver vs. gold, vs. something else), but the central manager collects all the monies and apparently runs the entire operation, even though the promoter thinks he/she has several individual artists creating their own work.  This is deceptive and, when proven, the artists and manager should be banned.

MASS PRODUCED ITEMS:   Artists who create and produce their own work are seriously disadvantaged by people who subcontract their product to mass production factories.  In these situations the "artist" is no more than the outside sales person for the product.  He/she may have created the original design, but is no longer involved in production because it is mass produced by any idiot that can push the machine start button and take the finished product off the machine.

CO-ARTIST TEAMS EXHIBITING IN MULTIPLE SHOWS:  I've seen many instances where Co-Artist Teams actually exhibit at two shows on a given weekend.  Upon inquiry, I hear that "oh, this is my work and that is his/her work".  Yet they applied as a "team" of co-contributors.  It's not a problem for two people to have different works.  But when they apply as a team, and do not exhibit as a team, that is a problem!  They are stealing a booth from another more deserving artist.

JURY IMAGES DO NOT MATCH BOOTH DISPLAY:  I'm seeing this more often every month.  Artists having difficulty jurying into a top shows with their "saleable" art are sending jury images with totally different bodies of work.  The problem arises when the artist sets up his booth with only his saleable items and never shows the juried body of work.  Art shows should always have a notebook with the jury slides and booth shot to compare the actual artist booth display at the show.  Where it is not consistent, artist should be confronted and told he/she cannot exhibit bodies of work which were not juried into the show.  No exceptions!

MULTIPLE MEDIUMS:  I've seen people who submit applications into two or three mediums and over time get accepted into each of the mediums.  Yet when their display is the same work.  It has to be one or the other.  It CAN'T be all three.

I just exhibited at the Scottsdale Arts Festival.  I was near someone who I suspected as a buy/sell or mass production operation.  When I saw that the name plate had two co-artists names but I only saw the one same person exhibiting all weekend, I was even more suspect.  Now I have googled their name, found out about their production company that has been selling their items wholesale since 1972, company listed as 11-50 employees, sells through numerous retail outlets and does 40+ shows a year, etc.  I continued to search and found one of the co-artists listed as a participant in Howard Alan's Juno Beach Art Show, which happened the same weekend they were in Scottsdale.  

I have since sent a lengthy letter to the Scottsdale promoter and informed them of my findings and asked that they take action.

Perhaps this was the "straw that broke the camel's back", so to speak, at least for me.  I've just read the blogs about certification and others to try to fix what's wrong with our industry.  Certification is not the answer!  The buck is always going to stop with the promoter.  So it is up to all of us to educate the promoters and inform them of wrongdoings as they occur.  But not just so they can slap the hand of the current artist, but to take corrective action in the future and perhaps even ban the offending artist.

And it's not just enough to take action at the current show.  It is essential for promoters to communicate with each other and compare notes.  I know a lot of times a director at one show is a juror at another show and vice versa.  This is where each promoter's database of offending information should be shared with each other.  

This is the only way we will make the playing field level for all.

The Naples Art Association has listened to your concerns and read your comments about the 2012 Mercato Fine Arts Festival earlier this month. Thank you for your professionalism and understanding in what was a challenging weekend for all involved. The decision to cancel the second day of the festival was made with the best interests of everyone in mind, and we are sorry if any artist felt put off. I assure you it was not the intent of any member of our staff.  Rather, we recognize the impact this had on you and want to offer you a special reduced rate on next year’s show.  

Looking back on the festival and regarding our decision, we considered the severe weather forecast, the potential risk to the artists, customers and the Mercato complex as a whole, the damage that had already occurred and the potential for further damage.

The forecast for the day called for gale force winds of 35 - 40 plus miles per hour. The wind was more of a factor along some parts of the show lay out than others given the directionality of the gusts and the position of the buildings. Some areas were like a wind tunnel while others were not affected as severely. Many artists lost inventory on Saturday, and we did not want to put artists at risk for further loss when the weather was forecasted to be much worse on Sunday. Early Sunday, artists’ tents were blowing over – into other artists’ tents and to the ground – and staff members and volunteers were rushing around helping artists protect their art and equipment. Some artists still lost valuable property. We made the call to close and began helping artists load out. 

When the rain stopped and the sun came out, the weather seemed to clear up. Unfortunately the winds were still very strong and continued to be so for the rest of the day. Once the decision to close the festival was made, Mercato officials requested that the street be cleared as quickly as possible.

A decision in the midst of a situation like this has many considerations. Please know we made the call with broad perspective and with you in mind. We understand the hardship an artist feels when you’ve planned for a weekend of selling opportunity and half of that potential is cancelled. As professional artists in the festival business, I’m sure that inclement weather is a familiar risk to you.

The 2013 Mercato Fine Arts Festival will be a growing year. We’re offering 2012 Mercato artists an extra incentive to be a part of it. The jury process will stay in place because it helps keep the balance of artwork and is a fair way to continue allowing other artists the opportunity to participate. If you decide to apply and are juried into the 2013 Mercato Fine Arts Festival, the Naples Art Association will reduce your booth fee by $100.

The Naples Art Association wants you to succeed at our festivals. We’re a nonprofit organization driven by our mission to support the arts and help connect our community with top quality artists. Looking to the future, we have a renewed focus on building Mercato. Located in a high-traffic, affluent shopping area during the height of season, we feel this festival, having just finished its third year, has not reached its full potential. Thank you for your art, your talent and your constructive conversation; it helps us better see things from an artist’s point of view. With improved festival planning, new marketing ideas and taking your ideas into account, this show can grow.

If you choose to comment, we appreciate your keeping all notes civil, constructive and on topic. If you would like to speak privately or share additional ideas you are welcome to email PR Director Kathleen Taylor at Kathleen.Taylor@naplesart.org.

To your future success and future festivals with us,

The Naples Art Association   

First off, it is me, Nels Johnson, writing this.  It says Ellen Marshall, my wife, but I am writing on her computer and it logs into AFI as Ellen. (My computer is "migrating" at the Apple Store, into a newer model--one that is guaranteeing me 100-per cent acceptance rate at all shows I apply to, heck, I bought three of them, gonna give a couple to my special friends, after I get done "certifying" them.

Well, in our household this past weekend Ellen took off for Winter Park and I got to go to Lakewood Ranch--whoopee!

Ellen got the better deal.

I showed up at the ranch early Saturday morn to set up my booth.  This show is held in tight quarters, you almost have to squeeze between booths to get to another area.  In past years I have had a lovely corner where I could park the van and dolly right to.  Naturally I asked for the same spot.

But no, I was assigned the spot from hell.  I noticed at least four other artists had their usual spaces, but not me. First off, you could not get your van even remotely close to the space--think an easy two-block schelp.  Then you would have to squeeze your Magline Cart thru very narrow openings to get to the spot.

I demurred.  I asked if there was anywhere else they could stick me.  The director said "Nada" and then I said "Aloha", see ya and I was down the road, no show, no income, no booth refund, but that's show biz sometimes.

I did get to play golf both days instead and won a grand total of $64.20 in my league which I promptly applied to drinking green beer and green Jack Daniels manhattens.

Meanwhile Ellen had one of her best Winter Parks ever.  She killed them on opening day and at showend she had a lot of empty spaces on her walls.

I think the majority of artists had a great show there.  And why not?  It is still one of the top Florida shows to do.

One distressing thing about the show.  Many lucky artists set up in front on the street--primo spots.  Others are in the park and some places there suck royal canalwater.

In the rear of the park they have artist booths lined up to the edge of the sidewalk on both sides.  This creates ahuge logjam of people coming thru without being able to really see much. Artists suffer.  Why doesn't the show let the booths set back from the sidewalk.  I mean they have only been doing this show for 40 years or more.  But that is Winter Park for ya.  Those people know best.

While on the golfcourse on Saturday I got a call from Teri Cusey telling me about the Les certification deal.

I went online later and read the thread.  Pretty amazing, over 3000 views on it.  Thank God people actually weighed in on the subject.  Very enlightening.

Let us just say a well-intentioned idea has been thoroughly vetted and found to be not sustainable.  You gotta hand it to Les he is always thinking of new ways to improve the lot of us fellow artists.  Personally, I think most of his ideas stink, but that is my own personal opinion.  He takes a too elitist position for my taste.  Personally, I wish he would take up serious gardening and quit being so involved in so many shows.

In our biz nobody gets to be king but it sure looks like he feels he is. Well, you know what happens to most kings.  Enough said.  There were great discussions and opinions got aired.

Some good came out of all that.

About Barry Cohen.  It is a heart-breaker.  I worry about something happening to me every time I get in my van and go to a show.  You gotta be diligent, check your equipment, check those tires, check those brakes--and most importantly--wear your darn seatbelt!  that is so crucial.

I never knew the man, saw him at a lot of shows, he will be sorely missed.

Ironically, I see where Connie reposted my blog I did after Boston Mills last summer--dealing with feelings of mortality.

The really good thing about our biz is we all usually have good things to look forward to.  It keeps our engines running in high gear.

In less than two months, Ellen and I will be heading to Saugatuck,MI where we live during the summer season, leaving Ybor City, its chickens and its heat far behind.

I got a solid summer schedule to build on.  Just got Boston Mills, Virginia beach and Artstreet this past week to go along with Krasl, Columbus and A,B&E.  Now I am filling in the holes.

Still got six more shows to do here with downtown Naples next.

Get to hit off real grass up north makes the golf game a lot more enjoyable.

I have lot to be thankful for and I think we all have lot to be thankful for.  Enjoy the moment, take deep breaths and hold onto to it for as long as you can.

Aloha, Nels.

August 18 & 19

Artist fees:    $25.00 application fee
                    $350.00 per 10' x 12' booth space

Admission:    $8.00 per person, children 12 years & under are admitted free

In mid-August as many as 18,000 festival-goers will plan on enjoying a weekend of art, crafts, entertainment and gourmet food in Mount Gretna, PA. Where is Mt. Gretna, PA?

Visit this link.

Every  year, during the third weekend of August, this community of some 700 homes and cottages suddenly springs to life, welcoming 265 artists chosen through juried competition and     20,000 visitors who-by their presence acknowledge the role that    art plays in their homes, hearts, and lives.

And every year, as thousands of art show patrons return,many others discover Mount Gretna for the first time. For everyone who comes, it is a return to an earlier era: a time when neighbors greeted neighbors from their front porches, when going for ice cream meant going for a stroll rather than getting into an automobile, and when life itself pulsed at a rocking chair pace.

Very nice things were said about Mt. Gretna at ArtFairInsiders.com by this year's participants, including, "I will certainly sign up for the Mt. Gretna, PA show again."

Learn more about the event at: www.mtgretnaarts.com

Contact them at: mtgretnaart@comcast.net, or 717-964-3270

         Apply online at:
        Zapplication.org

I attended the OOAK show in December and took some video, actually my friend Jacki Bilsborrow, took the video with my new iPhone. It has taken me forever to get it posted here, but I know lots of artists have questions about this show so here it is.

The technical challenges for me have been not nearly as much fun as most of the work I do around the art fair business. But they say you don't get paid for the stuff that is easy, they pay you for the hard stuff. This video is very amateurish and I only offer it here for background and for reference if you are considering being a part of this show.

Barry lost his life this past Friday in a auto accident on I-95- traveling to an art festival. Over the past 20 plus years we have been great art fair friends. His acrylic sculptures were highly admired, and always top notch- he too was a perfectionist. He was always a joy to have as a neighbor. We had recently figured out a summer schedule- which included using our N.J. home as a staging point. I know he would have been really upset if another friend had lost their life, because of tire or auto failure--he would probably run around and remind us all to "Check your car NOW"- I hope I have said that loud enough for you to hear Barry--Fair Winds your booth is always next to mine.

Congratulations to John Costin**, winner of the $10,000 Best of Show Prize at the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival. Best of show is awarded for the artist's whole body of work. Here is a representative Big Bird Drawing by John Costin.

Also to John and Shirl Parmentier for the Morse Museum Award for a Distinguished Work of Art, $2500.

At Winter Park the judges make the rounds of the booths and choose pieces to be removed from the booth to be judged altogether in a gallery space.

Winter Park is generous with awards and there are lots of winners. Here are the rest:

10 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE ($2000)
Painting - Matthew Cornell, Orlando, FL
Jewelry - Lauran Sundin, Concord, NH
Wood - Thomas Dumke**, Oconomowoc, WI
Fiber - Amos Amit** Los Angeles, CA
Clay - Becky Lloyd & Steve Lloyd Clyde, NC
Wood - Matthew Hatala** Danielsville, GA
Glass - Scott Amrhein** Sherwood, WI
Photography - Mark Mackinnon** Millbrook, NY
Fiber - Sandy D'Andrade Red Hook, NY
Fiber -  Xiao Xia Zhang Minich & Patrick Minich, Cleveland, OH

20 AWARDS OF DISTINCTION ($1000)
Sculpture - John Whipple Winter Park, FL
Photography - Cali Hobgood** Urbana, IL
Jewelry - Patricia Karnes** Winter Park, FL
Painting - Charles Gatewood** Phenix City, AL
Jewelry - Kim Koch Oshkosh, WI
Clay - William Kidd Miramar, FL
Jewelry - Pam Fox** Sarasota , FL
Mixed Media - Rasa Pranckunaite & Algis Keburys Astoria, NY
Glass - Mark Sudduth Cleveland Hts., OH
Wood - Don Carter Longwood, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Jody Depew Mcleane Eagle River, WI
Fiber - Jill Wagoner Fuquay-Varina, NC
Fiber - Candiss Cole**-Footitt & Rodger Footitt Sedona, AZ
Clay - Brian Beam Fulton, MI
Jewelry - Sana Doumet & Munir Doumet Clearwater, FL
Glass - Chris McCarthy St. Louis, MO
Wood - Donald Boudreau Hollywood, FL Ebony
Clay - Michael Kahn & Mieko Kahn Greenbush, MI
Mixed Media - Paul Andrews Charlotte, NC
Clay - Shadow May Chattanooga, TN

Jim & Shirl Parmentier - Winners of the Morse Museum Award

AWARD OF MERIT LIST ($500)
Mixed Media - David McKirdy Tampa, FL
Mixed Media - Jeff League Winter Park, FL
Mixed Media - Joe Decamillis** Birmingham, AL
Wood - Larry Roofner Windermere, FL
Sculpture - Kostas Ulevicius St. Petersburg, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Helen Gotlib Ann Arbor, MI
Jewelry - Jonathon Stopper Sarasota, FL
Watercolor - Russell Yerkes** Tarboro, NC
Wood - John Mascoll Safety Harbor, FL
Glass - Duncan McClellan** St. Petersburg, FL
Photography - Emerson Matabele New Orleans, LA
Photography - Robert Clibbon New Smyrna Beach, FL
Sculpture - Bill Secunda Butler, PA
Fiber - Miriam Carter Dublin, NH
Jewelry - Christian Butera Apopka, FL
Clay - Mark Knott Suwanee, GA
Painting - Jon D Smith Naples, FL
Sculpture - Trent Manning Winter Haven, FL
Jewelry - Rick Austin Inverness, FL
Drawings & Graphics - Edson Campos Winter Park, FL
Leather - Horace Thomas** & Shawn Thomas Belton, TX
Jewelry - John Ruff & Carolyn Ruff Springfield, MO
Watercolor - Randy Eckard Blue Hill, ME
Painting - Bruce Peeso Monson, MA
Drawings & Graphics - Ron Hoyle Lees Summit, MO
Clay - Michael Schwegmann** Champaign, IL
Fiber - Mary Sly & Dan Wyatt Friday Harbor, WA
Clay - Marti Mocahbee Staunton, VA
Clay - Vadim Malkin Orlando, FL
Drawings & Graphics -Heinrich Toh Kansas City, MO 

**Members of AFI - including Best of Show! Woo hoo!

I just listened to the podcast from last night. Great job Connie, but while i was there I also listened to your interview of the St. Louis & Des Moine show directos. King from Des Moines says at one point that it a good idea to attend an open jury (which I have) and then he states that with technology now you can even view some shows jurying process online. I had never heard of this opportunity. Does anyone know of any shows that you can look at the jury online?

Anyone know anything about the Mountain View show in September produced by California Artists?

June 30
Elk Rapids, Michigan

Veteran's Memorial Park

10am-5pm
75 Artists

Deadline: April 1  

Prize money:

 ART & TECHNOLOGY competition-- April 3-14, 2013--- Jacksonville, Florida- downtown Jacksonville locations -  modeled after ArtPrize- just announced - WOW !!!!

Got to love Gasparilla for the terrific prize money. As a result they get many applications from people who do very few shows but who think they have a crack at winning part of $74,500 in awards.

Congratulations to the lucky ones:

Trent Manning of Winter Haven won the Raymond James Best of Show Award on Saturday during the opening day of the 42nd Raymond James Financial Gasparilla Festival of the Arts.

Manning, one of more than 230 artists at the festival, received the top honor along with $15,000 for his "King of the Mountain" sculpture.

The artwork was judged by Douglas Dreishpoon, chief curator at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY.

Thirty-seven artists were honored for their work, including:

• Robert Kastrinos of Orlando received the Board of Director's Award ($7,500)
• Tampa's Jeff Eckert took the Roddy Brownlee Reed Award of Excellence ($4,000)
  
• M. Kemper of Oklahoma City earned the Mayor's Award ($3,500)
• Paul Shatz** of Charleston, S.C., won the Anniversary Award ($2,500)
• Oren Estell of St. Petersburg captured the Friends of the Museum Award ($2,000)
• Shannon Blosser-Salisburg** of Bethany, Ill., received the Robert & Elizabeth Sanchez Emerging Artist Award ($1,000)

If anyone has the complete list I'd love to see it.

**AFI members - a special congrats!

Normally, I can find a bit more information about a show... but, other than the usual "call for artists", etc. I cannot seem to find any reviews on this show.  If you can provide any information, I would be very appreciative and delighted!

Thanks so much! Alice

I've just read for the umpteenth time a post that mentions that "sales are uncertain in election years."  I had just gotten started in this business in 2008, so I don't have any data with which to assess this statement.  But thinking back on the, oh, 10 or so election years since I actually a) had a job; and b) spent money, I can't recall a single time when I actually considered the outcome of an election before making a purchase of art, automobiles, gasoline, groceries, or anything else. 

So I'd love to hear: Does this relationship exist?  And if you think so, convince me.

How do you find ratings for these shows. We have now done two shows, and they were so different from eachother. One was supposed to be juried and had  fewer artists than stated, they had booths for things like cable tv and so on. The  next one, put on in Arizona by Thunderbird artist was a real delight. Now we are ready to enter a show or two for the summer of 2012 and would like to be able to have a better idea of what we are dealing with.

June 1 & 2 - new event!
Sylvania, Ohio
Historic Downtown Sylvania
Presented by the Sylvania Community
Art Commission & the
Sylvania Chamber of Commerce
75 Artists
Deadline: March 31

Set up: Friday 1pm
Show Hours:
Fri.: 5:30pm-9pm
Sat.: 10am-7pm
Jury Fee $20.00
Booth Fee: $140.00

Maple and Main Art Fair is pleased to invite you to submit your entry to this inaugural, juried art fair in Historic Downtown Sylvania, OH.  In early June, just as the weather turns really nice, join us for the exciting new art fair in a great little town. 

Sylvania, a city of 19,000 residents, is the perfect setting for an art fair, the home of a thriving art scene and one of the regions highest median incomes.  This highly regarded suburb of Toledo, OH, is part of a metropolitan area of more than 650,000 residents.  We welcome you to discover what will surely become one of the best little fairs in the Midwest.

Important Dates:
March 31st Entry Deadline
April 16th Notification Date

Highlights:

• On the downtown, tree lined streets of Historic Sylvania
• Two days-Friday Night Gala, all day Saturday
• Overnight Security
• $2,200 in Total Prize Money
• Live Music Stage-Great Lineup of Musicians
• Local Food Vendors-Beer and Wine tickets for artists
• Booth Sitters and Set up Assistance
• Coffee, Doughnuts and Refreshments
• Extensive Promotion
• Sunday Off!

Download the Artist Application at: www.Maple-and-Main.org  

Questions: email us at: Info@Maple-and-Main.org

***************

Looking for more art fairs for your 2012 season?

Visit www.CallsforArtists.com