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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.

I've checked through the blogs, and I've found a couple of companies mentioned that I plan to contact, but I welcome any other suggestions on this topic.  I'm interested in comparing a yearly insurance policy for art fairs against buying insurance for a single event.

Originally I contacted the agent who has our homeowner's policy and discovered that what State Farm offered was not only too expensive to be practical, but it also had a whopping deductible that pretty much made the policy pointless.

However, yesterday I was happily sitting behind my tent on a glorious autumn day when much to my horror, the tent behind me lifted up and started to roll backward in my direction.  It was a tiny gust of wind that took it.  My immediate reaction was to fling my arms out to protect the artwork in the back of my booth (naturally the expensive stuff!), with no thought to the fact that one of those pointy legs could just as easily have impaled me as knocked things over.  Thankfully the stupid tent was stopped from blowing any further when it ran into a small sign and bush between our tents.  I decided to revisit the insurance question seriously this time. 

This was a lesson to the show coordinator who'd already had word with the artist about her sorry lack of weights.  It won't happen ever again at this show.  But other things can happen, and weights aren't the sole prevention of all issues.  This is the second show I've been to in the past few months that has seen blowing tents. 

So as long as there are idiots in the world, the rest of us need insurance, I guess.  I welcome input and suggestions as to what companies to contact.  I have looked into Specialty Insurance Agency and ACT Insurance Program.  Any others? 

Thanks in advance.

Christine

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

We've been through a bad phase lately.  Please allow me to share; and honestly, it's not THAT bad.

The scene:  Husband and I in the car, driving somewhere, and one of us would look at the other of us and ask "did you check the coffee pot?"  As in:  did it get turned off, or left on?

Somehow we have adopted the assumption that an empty coffee pot left turned on when nobody is home to watch it--well, it's probably going to burn the house down, right?

Yes, I know OSHA makes everybody put safety controls on everything nowadays, BUT aren't all coffee pots made in China now?  And I don't think OSHA gets to mess with them all that much, so net result:  we always turn around and go back to check. 

But, we're doing better recently.  I started unplugging the coffee pot.  Somehow that's easier to remember than turning off a switch.  Dios mio.

Similiarly, If my husband was a painter and we worked side by side on the same canvas, we'd probably be headed to an exhibit and one of us would have to question the other of us "did you check the values?"

Seasoned artists are pretty much a group of squinty eyed value-checkers (thanks Painter's Keys) all the way through the progression of a painting.  And yet that finish line appears and you think "two more brush strokes, and SIGN IT".  Blame it on the rush, the exultation of the finish.  But, that's when somebody needs to holler "did you check the values?"  What?  Again??  Yup.  And now I'm speaking for/to those of us who paint in color.  Technicolor.  Uber color.  Because we've all been told, and don't we know it:  color can be tricky that way.

Rise above that trickiness.  Grab your camera.  Photo that big old color coated canvas.  Load it into your happy computer and use your photo program to turn it to black and white. 

Could be the squinty eye trick worked great this time and all's well.  But every now and then, you get a little "hunh" happening, as in "whoa, didn't see that one coming".  So much easier to fix it before you get the varnish on--or heaven help us--before it's hanging some place important and the omission suddenly hits you and you are mortified by it.  :)

Check the coffee pot, save the house.  Check the values, save the painting.  Analogies flow rich at the Cooper studio this morning, eh?  Thanks for stopping by

Later, Cooper

    I have been told at shows that  sales are always down during an election year. Has any body else found this to be true? If so, how much less do you expect at shows?  

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple died yesterday at the age of  56 from pancreatic cancer. The lesson of his life for all is finding what you love. "You have to trust in something-- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has made all the difference in my life," he said at the 2005 Stanford commencement. He started Apple, was fired by its board of directors, still loved what he was doing and life took him back to Apple. He didn't lose faith. From that same speech:

     ...the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do
     great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet keep looking. Don't settle. As with all
     matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship it just gets better
     and better as the years roll on.

Here is the rest of that speech:

I was first introduced to Apple when as a Reading Specialist for the Detroit Public Schools I was part of the team that introduced the very first computers to the schools. We trained specially to open those new boxes full of equipment and installed one in each school and then trained the teacher on how to use them.  Fast forward to today, I now refer to my Macs as my "significant others."

Many thanks, Steve, for everything, but especially your vision that is an inspiration.

And as I heard on NPR today, there are three apples that have changed the world: Eve's, Newton's and Steve Jobs.