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Today I was reading how one artists was planning to keep herself cool at her next art show.  I think this could be a very timely topic as we are in the midst of a large heat wave.  What do you to keep keep cool?  What tricks work for you?  Have you ever had a heat stroke at a show?  Did you have to leave the show and go to the hospital?  I think this is a great time to share a few of your secrets to help artists who may be starting out and haven't given much thought to this topic.  Please post some of your cooling tricks. 

Jacki B

If you live in the midwest, or anywhere near Michigan, you want to do the Ann Arbor Art Fair.  The show is huge, the crowds are huge, and an artist's sales can be huge.  The show opened today and you can read what CBS Detroit had to say about the anticipation of the start of the show:

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/07/19/ann-arbor-art-fair-opens-wednesday/

Are there any Art Fair Insiders doing the 2011 show this year?

Hi Everyone! I've been lurking for a long time so I thought it was about time to earn my keep around here. Sorry there won't be any pictures. I was actually too busy all three days to take any!

Ok, here's the meat-

Artscape is a 3 days arts festival in Baltimore, MD. This year it fell July 15, 16, & 17. It is the largest outdoor free festival in the country. The organizers claim that 300,000 people attend over the 3 days and I wouldn't argue because I think I spoke to all of them. It's mobbed from 12pm-10pm Fri & Sat, 12-8pm on Sunday and seriously, I mean MOBBED.

Booths start at $500 and for that you get a 10x10 space under large festival tents + electricity. Some tents are 10x20, some 16x56 so you need to bring a frame to define your space. You can set up as early as Thursday afternoon and this definitely makes it easier. They change the layout of the festival every year but usually about 50 of the artists booths are lined up Mt Royal Ave. This street is divided by a large island and with the tents in the road you can't always pull up right in front of your space to unload, but I've never had to park more than 100' away. It's easy to dolly over. I think the other half of the booths have room to pull right up front but I could be wrong.

I got there on Thursday, checked in, got my welcome bag (1 warm bottle of water & a magazine about Baltimore), took my time setting up the display, then came back early on Friday to put out the jewelry. Traditionally this weekend is very hot, usually mid 90s with very high humidity, but this year we were spared! 80s with low humidity, hotter on Sunday but not by much. I was comfortable in my tent with a single fan. Friday and Saturday you have to pay for garage parking which will run $10-$20 depending on where you park. Sunday you can park for free about 5 blocks away.

Officially the show opens at 12 on Friday but my first sale was around 11am. Friday is a little slower than the weekend with the most people showing up after work. The crowd is extremely diverse. If you enjoy people watching this is the show for you. Baltimore is a crazy town and the crazies do come out. What I saw-- old women in bikinis & daisy dukes, old men dressed as gladiators (leather strappy things & bare chests!), lots of girls wearing very short butt-hanging-out rompers & wedge heels, 2 guys who would let you staple (yes, staple!) $1 to their bodies, a woman wearing a bird cage on here back with a parakeet inside, many tripping teenagers/20 somethings, piercings galore, tattoos of course, etc . But there are plenty of people who are shopping. I would say the funkier your work the better it will do at this show unless you already have a large customer base in the area. The majority of the jewelry I sell is under $60 but at this show I sell a lot. In the past people would buy 3-4 pieces, this year about 90% of my sales were single pieces. I sold less jewelry to more people so it made it seem like I was busier than I really was. Does that make sense?

Because of the crowds and the area theft is often a problem. If you do this show you have to have at least one other person helping you. There are no booth sitters and no one will really ever check on you so be sure to bring everything you need. There is a large police presence but you will be hard pressed to find an Artscape person to help you. The best help you will get will be from your neighbors. They usually put us veterans in tents with the newbies. The most annoying thing about that this year is the artists in the 16x56' tents are supposed to pull back to the curb leaving 6' in front of their display so people can walk down the aisle under the tent. I made sure my neighbor did this, then EVERY OTHER ARTIST in every other big tent pulled out to the front and no one made them move back, so I seemed like a jerk. I've done the show for 4 years and we've never been allowed to pull out but this year no one took charge. Oh well.

Back to the details-

as well as 100 10x10 artists booths there are also 50 (I think) 5x10' DIY booths, and 3 stages of music. Depending on where your booth is it can be very loud. The first year I was midway between the "urban" stage and "dj" stage. I thought I was going to die from the bass. It was also the year I made the most $. Go figure. There are also art installations, art cars, 2 kids areas, one sponsored by Target, one by lunchables. There are a lot of corporate sponsors, some are near artist's tents and can be very annoying. We had balloon bouquets at the end of our tent and it wouldn't have been an issue if there were very loud POPS every 15mins or so. There is a ton of food, but there is also a ton of beer and liquor. I don't remember hard alcohol being sold in the past but this year there were margaritas, lemonade w/vodka & some drink being served in a coconut carved to look like a head. Be prepared to have something spilled in your booth/on your display at least 1 time during the show.

Load out is a free for all and can be difficult to get your car in. They don't do a good job of clearing out the crowd so you also have to be very careful not to leave anything unattended.

Artscape is the most difficult show I do but it is also the one that is the most lucrative. And I think it's the only one where people ask to have their picture taken with you. I always feel like a rockstar here. It is a 3 day outdoor party that just happens to also have artists. And plenty of BS that somehow gets past the jury. I don't know if I would ever recommend it to anyone. I got back today and I'm sore, exhausted, hoarse from talking, and happy to have survived another year. And while I swear every year I will never do this show again, when it comes time to apply I send my best picture and keep my fingers crossed.

I must be crazy.

I thought I'd share with everyone something that nobody but the artist gets to see when creating marquetry (wood inlay) artwork... the way the picture magically changes when you apply the first coat of finish.

The video is included below...

Background info: My work is made of hand cut pieces of different exotic woods from around the world fit together to form a picture. There is no stain or dye used... I use only the natural wood colors and grain patterns. The true art of marquetry is to use those unusual grain patterns to look like the part of the picture it represents. If you can get the wood grain to look just like sky, water, sand, grass or leaves then the picture truely comes to life.

The wood's apperance drastically changes once a clear coat of finish is applied, as you can see in this video...

 (after you start it, hit the button in the lower right corner to make it full screen, then hit the "esc" button on the keyboard when it is done to go back to normal)

I always thought that it was a shame that I was the only one who got to see this exciting aspect to creating artwork from wood. So, once I started doing commission work, I thought it would be a nice touch to record that moment and give the client the DVD for them to enjoy. They have responded very positively to it. And, I'm glad I have this record for myself of these fleeting moments.

Here is another, if you are interested....

Let me know if you enjoyed the magic...

Charles Bingham

Although this show has been going for 37 years, it is our first time attending the show. It is organized by the local Art Museum, which is located directly across the street. The show was reorganized this year, with the booths being placed around the perimeter of park. This made loading and unloading very easy. We were on the side street, which is narrow, just wide enough for 2 cars (works for me!). They are very accommodating to the artists, with easy parking and signs at the food booths asking people to let artists go first in the lines, so they can get back to their booths.

The booths are very roomy. Plenty of space between the 85 exhibitors and yet close enough for attendees to walk the entire show. There does seem to be room for expansion in this show. The quality is good, although it is the same weekend as a larger show in Koehler WI, which probably cuts into the number of artists who come to this show. It is timed 2 weeks prior to an other good show in neighboring Appleton, WI. This offered attendees a chance to look at art, go home, think about it and (hopefully) buy it at the Appleton Show. There are plenty of volunteers to help you, if you need it.

It was VERY hot, with heat-indexes over 100 degrees. We had a beautiful view from your booth and a little breeze, which made the heat a little more bearable. The show opens at 10:00, but people were checking out the show by 9:30---wanting to "beat the heat". It was slower in the afternoon. I think the heat did affect traffic. I has a couple of ladies come back to my booth who said, they were not going to come back because of the heat, but really wanted to so do. Overall, its a nice show.

Ever notice how some shows get labelled for reasons that are not entirely under human control?  Well this show is turning out to be a hellish show to do and attend.  This is entirely because of the weather.  Temps in the 90's, no clouds and very little breeze did not make for a fun time.  This happened last year also. 

This is really a pity because there was some great art at this festival.  There were artists I hadn't seen in several years and some I had never seen before.  I love when that happens.  

I'll let the AFI'ers that actually worked at this festival tell Nels and everyone else about load-in/out, amenities, etcetera.  I have other things to discuss.

I understand that artists are trying to hit a wide variety of price points  so they can attract all customers but if you jury in under one category, bringing something else into your booth that will be a lower price point (cough, jewelry, cough) just doesn't seem fair to the other artists.   At the same time, promoters are being hit with either not enough applications for their shows or artists are canceling more than before due to the economic situation.  This means that artists that would not have ordinarily gotten into a show, are getting in to fill up the spaces.  I saw jewelry that I could have made in 5 minutes with beads I bought at Michaels.  I saw other things that were of poor quality when seen close up.

I got to see Carla Bank before she melted, Diane Ferguson wowed my friend with her jewelry and I finally got to meet Bo Mackinson and see her wonderful photography.  (Bo-the guy across from you sold 4 climbing people in a matter of 10 minutes after I saw you.)

Maybe next year the weather will be a little more temperate so everyone can have a great time at what is a very nice show.

ArtFairCalendar.com/featured artist 

You'll enjoy meeting Nancy, seeing her work and hearing her stories. Next show:
      July 20-23 - State Street Area Art Fair - Ann Arbor, MI

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Do you "like" this post? Will you show us that you do by "like-ing" it below? Bring those customers to Ann Arbor... let's do some viral marketing. Click!

Just in case you didn't know the art fair business reaches its zenith next week with the presentation of the Ann Arbor Art Fairs - July 20-23. This is really four sanctioned "official" shows, but in actuality it also encompasses just about every square inch of downtown Ann Arbor with "vendors", as the merchants cash in on the popularity of this annual rite of summer by selling storefonts, front yards, and spaces behind fences and parking lots. Around 500,000 people don their walking shoes, slather on sunblock and wear UVB protective clothing to view, purchase and have fun on the streets of the city and the University of Michigan campus.

Do we love this show in Michigan? Oh, yes, we do. Busloads of people also come in from Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne and Cleveland, and who knows where else. It was always our strongest selling show. We'd come back from Des Moines and Cherry Creek with big smiles and we'd do even better at Ann Arbor. I'm not going to pretend it is the powerhouse selling show it was in years past, but worth a glance at the very least.

Here is what I'm seeing in the press:

Preview: Downtown Ann Arbor retailers, restaurants plan price cuts, menu changes for Ann Arbor Art Fair --- Ann Arbor restaurateurs and retailers agree that the annual Ann Arbor Art Fair represents a major opportunity to generate sales — but actually convincing customers to make a purchase requires a defined strategy.... from AnnArbor..com

Townie Street Party offering locals an evening of free music and art activities --- Although thousands of Ann Arbor Art Fair visitors will soon take over the streets downtown, and surrounding U-M’s central campus, locals can stake their own territorial claim on Monday night, when the seventh annual Townie Street Party happens on East Washington Street...  from AnnArbor.com -- This little baby is hosted by the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair so the locals won't feel left out when the shoppers come to town.

And here's a very well written story from PureMichigan.org:

During the school year, the streets of Ann Arbor are filled with coeds, football fans and wolverines. But in the summer time, the streets open up to those enjoying a Michigan summer in a special place. A place that reminds some of the East Coast or perhaps an oasis in a state that is so diverse that no one city...

and when they run out of things to talk about they talk about the weather:

October 14-16
Suburban Collection Showplace
Novi, Michigan
200 artists
Deadline:  August 2

• Art fairs are always looking for ways to enhance the event both for artists and the attending public. This Fall the show will open on Friday at 1 pm and close at 8 pm. We will be returning with the hugely successful Friday Ladies Night Out promotion that drew over 2000 women to line up for entry on Friday!  It also allows for some Friday setup for artists.
• Robust marketing campaign planned with media partners 

hauling home the goods!

Fiber artist Sharon Snoeyink

• custom Great Lakes Art Fair discount coupons
• e-mail blast content
• free tickets, postcards and other collateral materials to distribute to their patrons
• drive up to your booth to unload and load
• artist hospitality area and reception
• artist gallery 

www.GreatLakesArtFair.com/artistapply.html

We use for our online applications.

Questions:  info@artfaircalendar.com

Visit the website for more info:  www.greatlakesartfair.com

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Looking for more art fairs for your business?
Visit www.CallsforArtists.com for a nationwide listing of art fairs looking for you!

Although I know the Art Show circuit can be fun and exciting, occasionally people have the need for a more stable job.   If that is the case for you, you just might be interested in this job opportunity. 

The Rapid City Arts Council is seeking an energetic, experienced and innovative Executive Director to further its mission and manage its operations which include the region’s premier art center. The Executive Director position offers an excellent opportunity to lead an established arts organization located in the beautiful Black Hills of western South Dakota. The Rapid City Arts Council is headquartered in the newly expanded and renovated Dahl Arts Center. The Dahl is a thriving art center dedicated to exhibiting local and regional art, and is home to 6 galleries, a 280-seat auditorium and 5 classrooms.

This is a full time job opportunity.    Applications are open till August 15, 2011.   Does that sound like anything you are interested in?   If so, you can find more information at http://www.thedahl.org/employment.html.

Good Luck

Just wanted to share this article :)

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/07/the-recessions-surprise-survivor-the-arts/241508/

July 9 I was in St. Joseph, MI, to do the "street jurying" for the Krasl Art Fair. The jurying was for awards and for reinvitations for the 2012 show. Their policy for that year is to reinvite the top 40% of exhibitors. We scored from 1 to 7 and then handed in the score sheets. I have no idea how the other jurors (there were five) scored. The report:

1. Sara Shambarger (Krasl Art Fair Director) is a rock star. I've been in this business since 1978, attended innumerable art fairs, met lots of art fair personnel and coordinated a few events also. No one could pay anyone enough to do everything she does to make this art fair a success for the Art Center, for artists and for tourism in St. Joe, MI.
   
   I can have a critical eye, as I've participated in some of the best and some of the worst, but no artist can complain that this show's staff doesn't try to deliver everything they can. This is as "artist-friendly" as they come. Fair booth fee, easy parking, in and out, food, beautiful setting, hordes of volunteers, and attendees for whom this is one of the high points of the season. They even had a staff person who visited every booth to insure compliance of their rules.
   
   
2. Judging an art fair is not for the weak of heart or body. I was a judge for the show. OMG - Sara asked that we introduce ourselves to each artist. I did my best, but some people were just too busy with customers and I had to keep moving but I believe I spoke with 95% of the artists. I had my friend, Barb Burkhardt, with me as my assistant and we started out at 9:45 am and turned in our jury sheets at 5:45 pm. 220 or so booths, two minutes or so apiece, 90 degree heat, led to utter exhaustion at the end of the day, and I'm no weenie.
   
   
3. Artists all have their own methods for selling their work, but I believe this group really takes it seriously. Very, very few were sitting in the back of their booths. They were up and talking and taking advantage of the situation. I got a few sales spiels even from friends who explained their processes even though I knew them well! Suddenly I wasn't Connie, but the judge! Amusing.
   
   
4. I was pleased to meet AFIers for the first time: Brian and Leslie Jensen, Bo Mackison, Bill Sargent, Judy Zeddies, Christine Reichow, Kara Aubin, Tres Taylor, Kathy Frey, Christina Smith, David Curles, Merri Pattinian, Patricia McCleery, Faith Wickey, Leo Charette and Judy Zeddies. Please excuse me if I didn't include everyone. I did learn that our community is pretty well known throughout the business. Of course, spent time with some of my old friends Mike and Carol Weber, Carol Swayze, Barry Bernstein, Chip Bingham, Paula and Charlie Shoulders, Lisa Vetter, Mary Cody, Diane Aronoff, John Gibb, Laurie Fowler, Michael Stipek, Clair and Dennis Thompson, Joy Wallace, Mike and Nancy Strailey, Larry Smith, John Leben, Kendra Krumpe, Holly Foss, Gary Seidel, Barbara Swift, Beth Crowder, Wendy Hill, Ellen Marshall, Dawn Adams, Jon Route, and Nels Johnson.
   
   
5. Saturday night we celebrated potter Tim Smith's birthday. Thanks to Diane French, Robin Renee Hix, Beth Crowder, Holly Foss and Barry Bernstein for inviting Barb and me to join them.
   
   
6. This show reinvites a large percentage of the participants and I can see it pays off for the returnees who can build an audience and for the fair goers who can find their favorites. This makes it hard to jury in, but does make a cohesive show with an almost family atmosphere for the participants.
   
7. The setting is lovely, high on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan with lots of shade. It is a very attractive place for patrons to spend the day.
   

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Do you like this post? Please click on the "like" button because this spreads the conversation across the Facebook universe and brings publicity to you and your art fairs. Come on -- click "like".

I just returned from Chicago where I participated in the long running Michigan Avenue Artfest put on by Howard Alan events. This show is in a downtown plaza bordered by the river, NBC studios, Tribune building and Michigan Avenue.

Logistally this show is a workout as everyone has to dolly to their space from the surrounding streets, but you're given a two hour free parking pass to unload. You can make your life much easier by renting a tent and displays from the company that travels with Howard Alan shows, it's well worth the money. This is a three day show with a day before setup well organized by Howard and his staff. The show is laid out single file around the plaza but there are a few back to back spaces (with plenty of back storage). The weather the first two days was low humidity 80's, Sunday felt like Florida.

Lots of tourists but due to the downtown location the show attracts  art buying locals as well. We even had Henry Winkler, aka the Fonz, buying art from some of our exhibitors. Most of the artists I spoke with were happy with their sales, even though most were down from prior years. I attribute that to the Gold Coast show which this year moved its date to the same weekend as our show just three blocks away. I think it diluted the buying pool for both shows. My sales were down 15% over last year, but last year was a VERY good year. I drive from Florida just for this show.

I usually post pictures with my reviews but my camera decided not to co-operate so if you would like to see some gorgeous downtown shots go to www.artfestival.com

Well after getting the new(used) van up and running and taking it out on the road for 2 shows, I thought we had it made. We got into Park City and now that we only had 35,000 miles vs 260,000 we thought hell yes...we're going. We decided to leave straight from Krazel rather than going back to Florida since it is only 1400 miles from Michigan and 2300 from Florida... all seemed well...Thank God the van seems to be working well...a small 8 vs a large8 , so the pick up is not really there and it seems there is something preventing it from going over 75...but that';s ok since I seem to have a heavy foot....but anyway of all the things that could go wrong, who expected our new (5 weeks old) cd player would not eject my book on cd...it is defective....with 1300 milkes to go...through Nebraska and Wyoming with almost no or very few radio stations....I was pissed!!! Lets hope I can get it fixed for the return trip.

Krasl Art Fair located at St. Joseph,MI about forty miles above the Indiana border on Lake Michigan.  Two hours from Chicago where many of the patrons are from.  One of the best-run art fairs on the circuit.  Hard to get into.  In the past, 50 per cent were invited back via onsite jurying--next year, less will be invited back, still a tough show to get into, but well worth it for most who exhibit.

Liberal spaces, 15-feet wide with ample room behind for storage.  Most ground is sloping and uneven.  Gotta bring shims, that is a given.  Easy Friday, all day, setup.  Easy teardown, can have your van right by the spot.

Nice preview party Friday nite.  Free eats, free water, nice award ceremony, nice breakfest, nice booth-sitters, nice volunteers (Thanks, Sara for all your help for Ellen during her sickness).

Gee, did I forget anything!  That is a lot of "Nices" out of me.

OK.  So that is the meat.  Wish more of you were more forthcoming about how a show is run and laid out, it would be so more helpful for all of us "Insiders".  Noted, the blogs are getting better.  Just look at any Jim Parker blog, he leads the pack.

First off.  My wife Ellen, got very sick during setup and needed a lift to the hospital.  The staff was right on it.  Sara Shaumberger, the show director, was able to get her niece and nephew to man Ellen's booth on Saturday, many alohas, Sara.  She arranged for a volunteer to help Ellen tear down on Sunday.  It wasn't just Ellen.  They would gladly do it for any artist in need.  It is that kind of show.  Many thanks to all the fellow artists who sent their caring wishes Ellen's way.  She is doing fine and on her way to good recovery.

OK!  Now let's get down to the business of making moola.

This is a two-day show, and traditionally, Saturday is always the most crowded and busiest day for most of us.  Sunday gets a different crowd.  You don't make as many sales, because there isn't the volume, but you get quality customers that can make your show.  That is exactly what happened again this year for many artists who need that "Good Shoes Patron."

Back to Saturday.  It was hot,hot, hot. But there was a refreshing breeze blowing right off the lake thru our booths.  Out in the bare sun it was blistering.  In the shade, nature's air conditioning kept things livable.

Crowds show up early.  Be ready to sell by nine because they are buying even though show starts at ten.  Savvy crowd, knows what they like.  Repeat exhibitors always have a strong following of repeat buyers.  Most sales on Saturday were in the lowend range, under $150.  But, and this is a big but, there were many sales of expensive sculpture and paintings going by my booth.  Wood artists did good, so did many potters.  Glass people didn't fare as well.

I have done this show many times over rhe years, it has always been a corker for me and this year was no different.  For example I did on Saturday what it took me three days at Boston Mills to do.  My buddy Leo Charrette who killed them here last year was a bit disappointed, he made almost 50 per cent less.  Barry Bernstein was not a happy camper.  Most people made $2K or better on Saturday.  Not bad in these 40 per cent off times.  (Example, pre-recession, the old $5K show is now a $3K show, ergo 40 per cent).

In two days here I can do nearly 70 per cent of what I will make at the next four-day Ann Arbor Show and not have to sit thru nearly as much heat and expenses.

Sunday was decent crowds and less sales, but then many artists who fared poorly on Sat. reported better sales.  Bottom line, most people will succeed at this show. What more can you ask for?

 Oh.  There was a "Connie" sighting.  After all, she was one of this year's jurors, and she was checking us out on Saturday, and kibbitzing on Sunday. When she came by my booth , she nervously looked over her shoulder, it was as if she thought Webbie might be lurking behind trying to get her into another "Tequila-shooting Contest."  I assured her she had nothing to worry about, that boy is in serious rehab along with Munks'  cat, Bill.

Well I have this weekend off.  get to work on my putting game and then it is on to Ann Arbor--a summer ritual.

Leave you with one last thought.  Learned a new summer drink from eatting at Butches restaurant up in Holland.  It is called the "Ginger Margarita."

Pour Herradura Tequila, or any other good one, into a glass full of cracked ice.  Add some Cointreau and the juice of a whole lime.  Than add Ginger Beer to fill it to the top.  Shake well and pour into a salted rim tall glass.  Sit back and be mellow and think of all the good things you are going to do this summer.

Aloha, Nels.

From the fwiw department:

Ever wonder why we keep asking you to click on the Facebook like "Likes"?

Actually I wasn't even sure myself but now have the answer. Hint: it makes the item go "viral" and put that post on other sites, insuring that if you are doing some publicity ("I'm going to be at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts this week," e.g.,), your friends find out, their friends find out, etc.

Here's a video that explains this better:

While you're reading, please "Like" this post...

Like so many other emails that catch my attention, this one has due to those magic words, 'call for artists'...

But, what the heck is this thing. I went to the web site and it looks so... I don't know, weirdly commercial. Not like other call for artists that I've ever seen. Does anyone out there have any comments on this venture?