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Opening day today was quite nice.  Sunny, cool but windy.  Saw only one "tent" blow away - with no weights.....

Great venue, Great crowds, Sold more than expected original paintings.....what a pleasure.

Hoping for a wonderful day tomorrow as well.

http://hotartnow.blogspot.com/

I'm hoping that the link that I added to my blog where I wrote about watching the WFSAF jury shows up. I've tried three times and the link appears and then disappears. If it doesn't work this time, I quit. 

The art-Gypsy Train rolled into Madison, Indiana a few weekends back for the annual Madison Chautauqua Art Festival.  My wife Deborah, fine artist painter, had been accepted to participate along with about 300 other hopeful, creative sorts.

Madison is a small, bucolic, southern Indiana town, nestled into the meandering, sweeping arm of the Ohio River, connected to Kentuckians south by one narrow bridge, surely over-creaking with a colorful history of customer transport.

Downtown offered neat, tree-lined square blocks of restored circa 1800 carriage houses, tidy two-stories with porches, and the occasional stately manor with tall columns.  Professionals and retirees with money move “up”, literally, to the bluff-top-with-view, north of town.

What a spectacle was Saturday morn…Autumn leaves teased with color, jazz quartet live on the green, tight-white artist tents sprouted everywhere, multi-country cuisine smoke wafting to tempt all, and a bonus discovery…a winery and garden celebration just two blocks away on the rivers mighty banks (who’d thunk vineyards here).

Smiling, happy, townsfolk began streaming in to the Festival, pockets stuffed with money… strolling up and down the angled streets, searching the tents and artists for…

just…

the…

perfect…

Yard art.

My hat is off to Madison Chautauqua Art Festival for certainly obliterating any previously held national record for Yard Art Sales per Fair attendee.

Yup, a smokin’  1 out of every 9 people were carrying some form of an inspired landscape creation (er…yard art.)

I’m pretty left-brained so I know how to conduct statistically significant studies, (which is the key, I learned that in college), cause you can’t make statements like this without hard data, so I got it.

At randomly selected moments, during the two days, I perched on my assigned and trusty black art stool, and, well…counted.   I tallied people with “yard art in-hands” divided by all the passerby’s and got 1 out of 9.  Pretty much every time.  The copper stick yard art with a dragon-fly on the top was most popular, followed closely by the steely gray stick with a bird in a nest.  Uh, that part is observational and not really statistical.

These findings led me to posit some conclusions/questions:

1. There are more Yards in Madison, therefore, higher sales are to be expected.
2. Yard Artists KNOW this is THE hotbed destination of the nation for yard art sales (like purple Elvis’ in Memphis, or Cherry Blossom water-colors in D.C.)
3. Customers were speculating the cost of copper commodities would skyrocket in future years, perhaps tripling the value of said yard art, to say…$27.

Egads!  Am I missing a huge untapped market for Art of Yard Art?  Maybe acrylic-on-canvas paintings of copper dragonflies, providing customers four-season enjoyment of Yard Art In Living Room.  No, too expensive.  Better to try  8″ x 60″ birds-nest-on-a-pole Giclee Prints…you could stick them up all over the house!  Kind of a skinny version of those giant Fathead.com wall graphics used for sports heroes.

Speaking of sports, I might add the results of a corollary study from our good river town.  There IS NO statistical relation between Yard Art Customers and their favorite Sports Team.  In fact, on a broader scale, the greater Madison Festival crowd displayed no primary or dominant relation to ANY sports team.  They may know their Yard Art, but appear quite confused as to where to place home-team loyalties.

An in-depth study of the peoples choice of  jerseys and hats and sweatshirts confirmed random and scattered quantities of the following:  Louisville Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Cubs, Tennessee Volunteers, Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Hoosiers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Cincinnati Reds, Kentucky Wildcats, and on and on.  I could stretch and say the local high school loyals skewed just a tad higher with the ever-fashionable red, short-sleeved T of the Madison Cubs.

However, the most telling observation from the weekend in Madison is that the entire town went “On Sale”.

I found the Chautauqua Art Festival was really just the banner event, the cover if you will,  for the Every One Sell Everything You Can Festival.  And they did a bang up job.

There were:  Yard sales, garage sales, porch sales, street sales, bake sales, farmers markets, auctions, and church socials.  Scattered around town, just beyond the boundaries of The Art Festival, pockets of little unregistered, art tent cities huddled together to scavenge off wayward, unsuspecting customers.

Restaurants, normally not open for lunch, did so (come on, a cup of chicken noodle for $8).  Chili and hot dogs were hawked from church lawns.  A  young man sold airplane propeller art from his porch (uh, real propellers, not paintings of propellers).   Kettle corn on every corner, front yard tables stacked with apples and honey, an old lady sat alone in her driveway, pitching her framed sketches from a card table.

The whole town had the fever to sell the whole town.

Oh, and there was the real Chautauqua Art Festival…

…and we did have a ton of traffic coming through our tent…

…asking how to get past us to the sidewalk behind…so they could see the House For Sale By Owner, who in the spirit of the day had set up easels bearing huge, color posters of their remodeled interior and amenities…

…so they could sell it, and then buy a new house with a bluff-top-view, and a bigger yard…

…for more…art.

:)

"Time guards" by Manfred Kielnhofer
The constant struggle with concepts of space, sculptures and installations as well as the engagement of mysticism and primal religions led the Austrian artist to create “timeguards“. The first timeguard was built in 2007 and is reminiscent of a withdrawn monk. Kielnhofer likes to present his sculptures at exciting locations. They appear and disappear. You can never anticipate where they will show up
next time, reminding us that we are never unobserved. Every one of our actions is seen by the guards and evaluated. They were already in existence a long time before humans populated the earth.
http://kielnhofer.at

The Festival of Lights is one of the largest illumination festivals in the world. Every year for twelve days in October, Berlin’s world-famous landmarks and monuments are dressed in spectacular light. German and international artists and lighting designers present extraordinary illuminations, light art and creative designs. The festival is accompanied by numerous cultural events, all exploring the theme “Light”. The festival is an admission-free, top artistic event for an audience of millions. It generates massive media interest worldwide, and as a result, promises real sustainability.
http://festival-of-lights.de

Have any of you ever been to Berlin or this festival? Are there any festivals like this in the U.S.?

I (and others) posted last week about two shows in the Fairfax, VA area last weekend.  Could anyone report how they made out?  You don't need to write a full review unless you want to...but it would be nice to know your medium, how you made out sales-wise, how the attendance was, and if anyone visiting your booth mentioned the other show. 

Thanks in advance!

I live in Pittsburgh, PA. I am a photographer. This (2011) is my fist year doing shows. I guess I picked the wrong year. I have done several shows and so far I'm a little below even. That's not counting the amount I paid to build indoor and outdoor displays, canopy etc.

Unfortunately, the shows that I have been finding even though having a modest attendance seem to have a lot of boy scouts selling hot dogs and crafters with wonderful works like the mini marshmallow gun. HELP!

I have a large show at the Monroeville (Pittsburgh) Convention Center coming up and a few smaller but hopefully better shows coming up. I need to find more in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. I don't really have the funds to go too far.

My work is salable and well displayed. I get LOTS of compliments, but they don't pay the bills.

Any ideas?

Don Dixon

earthimagesgallery@gmail.com

Since my daughter moved to Nashville I would love to do a show there but don't know what is the right show for me.  Anyone ever participated in this show?

T his beach house is a constantly changing canvas and work in progress

  All of us struggle to balance our act between production of new stuff and doing the rest of what it takes to make a living in this business.  With our photography, we come up with a lot of our new material on the road between the shows. 

  When we have more time than we’d like between shows, however, we recharge our batteries with a favorite fallback. 

    Beach Vacation Trade!!

  A few years ago we had rented a beach apartment through a real estate agent.  We had taken a nice picture of the place a year earlier and left a copy with the agent to pass on to the owners.  This beach area has been a favorite of mine since the age of 7 when our family first started vacationing there.  I’ll be the first to admit my pictures weren’t worth a hoot in hell until I reached the age of ten or so.  

  That night, we heard a vigorous knock on the door and it was two of the three partners who owned the building.  Along with several other properties on the surrounding beaches.  They wanted to trade us two weeks on the beach for updating pictures of their properties for their website and brochures. 

     Well, we said we’d think about it.  For two seconds.  

We are grateful for having fallen into this relationship and for making good friends in the process.  They’re constantly needing updates.  We’re glad to help.  

    We also have taken pleasure in inviting a couple of our friends and bitter art show rivals, Steve Vaughn (and Renae) and R.C. Fulwiler (and Kim) to stay with us so we can try our best to outdo each other.  

   We want to share our experience because there may be opportunities for other  artists to keep their eyes peeled for barter opportunities.  If you're trading for time at a vacation space, the best window is during the low season when there would otherwise be vacancies.  We either make arrangements for early December or during the middle of Summer when rentals are usually light.  During the high season, our friends say they have their rabbit cages booked!  

  We’d like to hear from others who have worked any kind of barters with their art any time in the past.  It would be interesting to hear how they were able to score good trades so that more of us can be on the lookout for opportunities like this one.  Thanks for sharing.  

 Ann was glad to be there.  'nuff said

In 1927 the upper floor was floated across the water from Egmont Key.  The military station had closed and anyone who wanted to was welcome to pick up the old barracks buildings and take them away.  This was one of those giveaways.  

   The couple who started this one originally had it up on stilts and gradually added more rooms.   Eventually the downstairs was filled in.  The new owners acquired it a few years ago and made it what it was today..   In an age of beach MacMansions this, along 

other with other units belonging to them, is a refreshing departure from the adjoining structures of the Edifice Erection school of architecture.   

Mr. Steve Vaughn at work.  Florida's premier panoramic photographer..   shooting a non panorama.  

Mr. Steve's masterpiece.  

 R.C. in a target rich environment.

    He nailed the essence.  Double click on this for a better appreciation.

      I have to say we were lucky to have fallen into this situation and were able to share it with friends.  I also hope that anyone out there with a remotely similar story will share it with the rest of us.  Let's hear from you.  

Life gets lonely in the studio, or sitting here at the glowing screen of my computer. This website has become a place where like-minded people can hang out, learn some new skills, make some new friends, pick up some tips and make plans for the future. There is a constant inflow of new people and information. But I've got a problem today and am asking for your input.

It has repeatedly been brought to my attention that some members' remarks make others uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that they leave the site and/or won't participate in the discussions any more. We have banned some members from the site and others have not been banned even though they appear to be breaking our "code of conduct." Most of the time, in the middle of some of the "rants", there are some excellent ideas and things to think about. Not always. In order to have an interesting community it is necessary to talk about things besides what kind of tent to buy and should I take credit cards. Right?

I do not read everything that appears on the site and often don't know if something is happening unless I see lots of comments on a topic. I do not want to moderate other adults' conversations. I want to keep this site alive and full of helpful information and entertaining discussion and I want you here.

The question is about censorship and moderation. 

What is true censorship?

1. Moderation that expects everyone to "be nice" and is enforced, or
2. a site where members can say what they want and effectively silence others.

And, just in case you think this is something new here, visit this link from a year ago: http://www.artfairinsiders.com/profiles/blogs/this-is-your-mother-speaking

I am interested in your comments. Comment on the site or here.

I had so much success on an earlier post today I thought I'd try my luck againl.  The first group mqy have saved me around $10,000 so, I says to myself, "why don't I present the new issue I've been dwelling over and see if I can solicit the same type of outstanding answers.

I feel sure that all of you, like me, are concerned about the cost of traveling and how much it's taking out of your bottom line when you need to do a show 1000 miles away.  We can't do much about the cost of fuel so I won't mess with that one;  The second largest expense for most of us would be motels and that's the one I'm trying to cut out of the loop

I travel by myself most of the time so I don't have to please anyone other than myself.  I bought a new trailer this summer which is much larger and nicer that the rent trailer I was using.  I've rigged it out to sleep in and, for just myself, it's as comfortable and I would ever need a hotel to be.  I have heat, a.c. and can carry a small tv if I want.

It's lacking in two respects and those are the two hurddles I'm trying to jump.  The lesser of the two is finding a place to park it for the night if the show does not allow parkiig of this sort near their facility;  Have any of you found the 'secret" to this issue.   And how do you go about locating these "parking" places?  Also, I believe some of them may charge as much as some motels

The big issue for me is the lack of a bathroom.  I don't think I could deal with the issue of not being able to take a shower at the end of each day,  And, the lack of a bathroom also has it's obvious problems.  Can any of you address these issues without getting too colorful especially on the latter Part of the problem.  I know these facilities are available at most campgrounds but I detest taking a shower and then having to walk a half mile across a 40 degree campground wrapped in a blanket or something.  I'm afraid to even ask your solutions to the other part of the proboleml  I can't imagine many of you using chamber pots  so I can't imagine what your answers might be.

Finally, if you're in the campground that does not have shower and restroom facilities, what then?

If I don't get some of these sorts of expenses off my bottom-line, especially in today's economy, I may find myslf working as the Greeter at Wal-Mart.  And, no, I don't think there is anything wrong with being a greeter - I just can't stand in one place that long!

Thanks to all.

Don

I apologize for getting into such a "personal" issue but we're talking about the second larget travel expense most of use havel  I figure any dollar saved is a dollar added back to the profit line and I could use thatl]

Thanks for any and all input.

Don

This really has nothing to do with art shows but where else would I find a group of people with more experience and knowledge of the art world in general.  In fact, it may have nothing to do with the art world either  but comes down to a general question involving the Internet, the sale of art, legalities and ethics in general.  So, if I'm in the wrong place for something like this I apologize.  But, if anyone has had any experience with this sort of thing I'd love to know how it played out.

I sell very little via the Internet.  I have a web-site but it is designed as an introductory sort of thing as opposed to a sales tool.  It has a lot of photos and offers a pretty fair sampling of what I do.

About 10 days ago I received an email from a man in a European country wanting to order 100 pieces (all the same) of one of my items that he'd seen a photo of.  He said he is with a Trading Company.  He is willing to give me a credit card number for the charges so, I have the safety of receiving the money before I send anything.  Sounds pretty good so far but I keep asking myself what he's going to do with 100 of the same piece.  Then about a week ago he writes and tells me that he has a freight forwarder who will handle the shipping for him and will pick it up from me when finished.  My involvement ends when it is picked up.  However, his freight forwarder does not accept credit cards and he's asking if I would run the freight charges through my credit card system, keep the money for the freight and turn around and pay his forwarder what is due him.  In other words I would be charging his credit card around $7000. for the items plus $3500 for the freight for a total of $10,500 that would go into my bank account.  Then I would turn around and pay his forwarder the $3500 for the shipping.

I really can't see a place in here where I could be hurt.  However, it is such a strange transaction that I can't help but feel a little nervous about it.  If there is anyone out there who has experience with any sort of similar transacction, Internet scams, or anything even close to the above I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you.

P.S. I believe it may have been Nels who, awhile back, mentioned that the Bayou Festival in Houston has a lot of welding.  Anyone who was there this weekend can attest that they also have a lot of rain!  First time I've ever known of them to close early.

Robert Stolarik for The New York Times...

"On Saturday night, the Occupy Wall Street movement managed to gain a temporary foothold on Wall Street, courtesy of an art show partly inspired by the group’s protests." ... follow the story at this link: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/09/artists-occupy-wall-street-for-a-24-hour-show/

40 minute Secure, Weather-proof EZ-UP Tent Booth Set-up Process by Karole S. Bowlds

1. Remove tent from bag
2. Center in spot
3. Walking around all sides, extend all sides outward
4. Duck in under/inside- place Frisbee (or other similar item) on top of peak pole

     (I use an old chip/dip dish- the center fits perfect over the top of my pole)

5. Using 30x30 sheet clear plastic sheet, center between canvas top and Frisbee, extend to

       Scissor framework on all sides, clamp in place if necessary. This is your water shield.

       NO tent is completely waterproof, and I prefer prevention, rather than damage control.

6. Pushing upward on center framework, fully extend tent.
7.  Lock all ring pins at each top of each leg. DO NOT EXTEND LEGS at this time.
8. Attach sidewalls, awning (optional) and any outside banner. DO NOT ZIP SIDEWALLS YET.
9. Using 10x10 white tarp, attach to scissors framework with ball bungies, forming a ceiling. This prevents wind blowing into peak of tent, which causes tip over. This will also act as insulation, keeping your tent cooler in hot weather, warmer in cool weather.
10. Attach top hooks of 6 long bungies, one at each corner of the two sides and back walls. Leave bottom hooks loose for now. These should be inside the sidewalls.
11. Attach top hooks of 3 ratcheting tie downs, one at each center of scissor framework on sides and back walls. Leave bottom hook loose for now. These should be inside the sidewalls. (If you use any curtains for décor, attach to frame at this time also) Doing this BEFORE extending legs, prevents you having to stand on step ladders or chair later.
12. EXTEND ALL LEGS to desired height, one leg/notch at a time. Make sure tent is relatively level.
13. Attach stay bars to sides and back walls. (Run bars through cinder blocks first, if using weights. 1 per leg, two per bar, on two side and back walls. These should sit on ground, close to legs, inside sidewalls)
14. Check zippers at each corner, to assure they operate freely, without splitting, making sure walls are taught, but not in danger of tearing. Unzip til final step.
15. Using bottom hooks of bungies from step 10, attach each to the opposite leg at the bottom,

       Forming an X on each side and back wall.

      This prevents wind from blowing the sidewalls in, which will damage your displays and product.

16. Using large screw stakes (if allowed) screw into ground at center of two side and back walls.

       If not allowed, skip this step.

17. Attach bottom hook of ratcheting tie down to screw stakes if allowed, or alternately, to the stay bar.

When attached to the stakes, this prevents tent from rocking and moving, eliminating the need for weights. Ratchet til taught.

 If attached to the stay bars, it will prevent rocking, but you will need to use weights on staybars. I use cinder construction blocks on the rare occasions when I need to use weights, I just put one or two near each leg, and run my stay bar through the holes in blocks, before attaching staybar.

IF using Armstrong panels or gridwall panels, Install now.

18. Zip up all walls, and Door. You now have a dry, relatively wind proof, temporary storefront!
19. Set-up your displays and decor- this will depend on your product and preferences.
20. To secure at night for multi-day shows- Pack up all electronics, your purse, cash box and receipts, your personal/valuables for removal. Lock in vehicle. Install stay bar to FRONT of tent. REMOVE AWNING. If no security is present, PACK YOUR PRODUCT. If security will be present, secure product from weather damage. Lower tent legs to lowest possible settings (this will depend on your displays), re-tighten ratcheting tie downs. I zip all zippers, and secure with zip ties, in the closed position to staybars. Use padlocks if you feel the necessity. Have flashlight handy- unplug surge suppressor from main electrical supply. Secure Door.
21. To re-open: unlock, or cut all zip ties, remove FRONT stay bar. Install Awning. Loosen all ratcheting tie downs.

Extend legs to desired height, ratchet tie downs taught, plug surge suppressor into main electrical supply, and set up cash box, electronics, personal care stuff (lunch, wipes, tissues, etc) Set up any product you packed/stored. OPEN front wall/door- you are once again ready for business.

When packing up after show, take your time and store all items appropriately, with care. This keeps your equipment and goods in good condition, making it easier for unloading, and all will be ready for next show, saving you time later.

I am 46 y/0, 5 feet tall and weigh about 100 lbs, and do this set-up ALONE, every show. My product is jewelry.

Please note: I MOVE when doing my setups, I tend to be very energetic!

My Tent is an EZ-up Encore II, purchased on line in 2008. I have been using this set-up for three years,

My outdoor season is April to October, here on the coast of Maine. I do shows in: heat, cold, wind, rain, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, lightening storms, on the beach, in parking lots, on farms, street fairs, parks, Festivals and Agricultural Fairs. I do one day, to week-long events.  My tent has never blown over, walked, jigged or danced. It has leaked in severe rain, for the first time this year, (2011). During winter, I pack it away after cleaning, and waterproofing. I rarely use weights, UNLESS the show requires them.  I carry a gym duffle to store the sidewalls, banner, stakes, ratcheting tie downs, bungies, clamps, etcetera, and plastic sheet.

I do not use Armstrong panels or grid wall- if I did I would install them between steps 17/18.

 I do not use flooring- that is my purchase for this coming winter.

Every spring, I practice my tent set-up procedure til I can do it in 30 o 40 minutes or less.

Every time I add a new display element- I practice and rehearse in my yard.

All my purchases have been sales items and purchase during winter, when prices are lower.

I use checklists for packing- display totes, sales totes, and vehicle packing list.

My sales desk is a 3 drawer wheeled cart. This holds all my boxes, bags, office necessities, electrical, lighting, and small clamp fan. I never unpack this, just inventory and restock it. It can be stored under my worktable, or used separately.

 I plan my space layouts in advance on graph paper. However, weather and ground terrains require flexibility.

 I have an EMERGENCY milk crate, with hammer, screw drivers, wrenches, spare plastic sheeting, duct tape, wooden blocks (for shimming table legs), S hooks, etc.

 I ALWAYS load my car the day before a show. My electronics, and lunch/personal bag goes with me the morning of the show. If allowed to set up the night or day before, I do. This makes for a less hectic show, and allows me to dress more professionally, without having to change!

 With planning, and preparation, common sense and care your booth can be safe, inviting, and secure environment, without stress, major financial investment and hassle for you.

A few of the art fairs I attend entertained record temperatures this year, the Ann Arbor Art Fairs and Arts, Beats and Eats in Royal Oak, MI, much to everyone's disappointment as it impacted attendance and subsequently possibly the sales, but what do you make of this? I'm sure you know of the historic drought in Texas, so severe that cattle were killed because they could not be fed and watered. What happened in Houston this weekend just in time for the Bayou City Arts Festival? It rained.

What next folks?

I predict the Tigers will win the World Series and the Detroit Lions will win the Super Bowl! And while they're at it the U-Michigan Wolverines may as well be at the Rose Bowl!

The 16th Annual Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival is now a sweet, and tiring, memory. It was held in Alpena, Michigan from October 6-9. The main event was held at the APlex in Alpena and there were artistisans, authors, a homemade sausage vendor, entertainers such as Carl Bearinger who sang about the Great Lakes and the wonderful lighthouses, there were satellite events at all the Lighthouses found in Northern Michigan from Mackinac to Tawas to Presque Isle. The weather was absolutely beautiful with temperatures varying from 70 to 89! There were also dinners and auctions.

Aside from being a vendor/exhibitor, I was also the photographer for the festival and did lots and lots of running around taking photos of the events, people and the exhibitors/vendors. It was quite the show. Over the 4-days, I sold lots of my photographs and almost all of my first published book! I didn't do too badly considering that I was not at my booth the entire time, so I can well imagine how well I might have done had I been there manning my station.

If you ever get a chance to come to Alpena, Michigan, please, do stop to see the Lighthouse Festival and/or become a vendor/exhibitor. Considering the state of the economy, we did draw quite the crowd and, for the most part, people were buying!

Now all I have to do is get ready for next year and, hopefully, I'll even have my second book published by that time. Just had to share a wonderful 4-days that I thought were well spent, although exhausting.