All Posts (7588)

Sort by

I was not planning on going to this show.  Hadn't found much in the  past few years and the quality was very uneven.  But, a jeweler  I hadn't seen in several years was going to be there and I wanted to add another of her pieces to my collection.  I hopped in the car and got there as soon as the festival opened on Saturday.

 

The minute I reached the artist's booths, I knew this was not the same festival as in the  past.  The quality of work was solid throughout the festival.  There is a lot of 2d and it seemed to be of good quality.  (this is not my area of expertise)  There was a lot of ceramics and pottery, unusual for a show.  There was minimal glass.  There was good quality jewelry also.  There was lovely wood work.   There were quite a few artists I had never seen before and that is always a great thing.

 

I don't know about load-in  or artist amenities. The show was fairly well organized along the pathways in the park.  The vendors were over by the food area and they were unobtrusive.  There was what I call 'festival appropriate' music with live entertainment.  EM Events runs a tight ship, if it wasn't in your jury photo, you weren't supposed to sell it in your booth.    There was plenty of parking nearby for both artists and patrons.  The volunteers I spoke with were helpful and enthusiastic.    There were lots of signs around the area advertising the festival.  Hot weather was a deterrent but what can you do about that?  Atleast there were no damaging winds or rain.

 

The artists that I spoke with said they were doing OK.    I didn't see a lot of packages but everything I bought fit into the gigantic bag that I carry and both pairs of earrings I considered on Saturday were gone on Sunday. 

 

Thanks EM Events for bringing this show back to life.

Read more…

Gaithersburg, Maryland- 6/25-26

 

   We checked into the hotel on Fri., flipped on the tv for the weather and there was a tv ad on the local Fox station; I had a comp. copy of the washington post and there was ahalf page ad. Feeling good we went to the site and saw tons of signage on the way.  A first year show, fit our northern bound schedule, we have done fine in previous Paragon events, so here we were at this town center that was packed with people Fri. night. We also saw a CNN  ad for the show when we returned to the hotel. These are big $$$$ ads.

   Set-up was easy, the quality level of the art was fantastic- especially my neighbor Edward Loedding- his photo drawing flowers (I am beyond description words) were WOW.. A pleasure to be next to a 2-d exhibit that isn't littered with browse bins and $25 copies. Just as it was really great to see people SELLING ONLY ORIGINALS at Virginia Beach (more on that later).

    Our sales were real good; many were not so fortunate- as is the case at all art festivals- the folks that came were there to buy and we saw many packages and paintings walk by. Neighbors around us seemed to be doing o.k. but we stayed at our booths and had to work hard for every sale. It never seemed crowded on site although there were few parking spaces available. Maybe the vast layout just spread the population out. One point-- the event was advertised as at The Washingtonian Center (this is how the developement company has branded this town center) --the locals know this site as The Rio- Paragon will for sure advertize it as being at The Rio next year-.

    Paragon had coffee,snacks,water, Sat. lunch; and an overall great attention to details and THE ARTIST'S SUCCESS. Keep it up-some shows work and some don't, weather etc. We were real pleased with Paragon and their energy.

      BY THE WAY-WITH 5000 MEMBERS HERE WHERE ARE ALLTHE EAST COAST REVIEWS ??????

 

Read more…

Just a quickie.

 

Crowds filled the walkways.  Cool breezes off the lake kept the high 80s temps livable--and people were buying--mostly lowend.  But artists were making money at this usually very reliable show.  I did today, what it took me three days at Boston Mills to do.  A fellow photog from Iowa doubled me, hope he is doing shots of Patron tonite--I know, I would--more on Monday--Walter Winchell reporting live from St. Joe.

 

A lot of you heard that my wife, ellen marshall, fainted while setting up and was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  Thanks for all your Alohas.  She is doing just fine and will make an appearance tomorrow at the show.  As usual, beautiful blondes always know how to make a great impact--but an ambulance, come on Ellen, maybe on a great horned steer.  Thanks for your salutations everybody.  She is going to make it.

Read more…

Quick Howdy

It's been a while since I've posted anything and that is due to be extremely busy. Have participated in a few retreats with a basket guild, doing photography ops and working on some fiber art. A lot of my time was taken up with proofing and approving a book that I have written. It has been released and I guess I'll be busy with the promotion of it. It's nothing earth shattering, but does get my foot in the door in the world of writers and it has been an interesting journey.

Just a reminder that the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival is fast approaching and if you would be interested in displaying/selling your work, please contact Melanie Kirn at mjk361@comcast.net and she will provide you with all the particulars. I will have a booth there again this year with photo's and photo/needle art combo's and perhaps a few other surprises and will be the official photographer for the Festival. Hope to see some new faces there.

All the best to each and every one of you.

Terr at the Drake's Nest in Ossineke, MI

Read more…

Gold Coast: LIVE

Swinging down through the Chicago Loop with the great Cher and Christina belting out about burlesque("show a little more, show a little less, let them know what's in store, welcome to burlesque!), we started out our journey to Gold Coast in high spirits.

When we reached the lake we could open the windows and feel the great breeze off Lake Michigan.

 

And that's what my tent has: a great view of the magnificent fountain in Grant Park and a cool breeze. Our booth is backed by huge trees that offer total relief from the noon sun. Amy handed out water jugs to everyone and there are tons of ice and water available at all times for us.

 

We were the first group to set up(we pulled in right by our booth. I owe that all to a fellow AFIer named Robert Campbell. He stalled unloading  and saved a loading space until my husband arrived. Thanks, great guy!)

 

We left at 4 pm as the next group was arriving. I must say it was an impressive sight to see all those white tents....and that was just half the number.

 

I feel like Christmas Eve. I just can't wait to wake up tomorrow. 

Read more…

Haddonfield

This weekend is the Haddonfield Arts and Crafts show. It has always been a great show. I was disappointed, however, after reading the Philadelphia Inquirer, that there was no advertising and not even one of the FREE listings in the paper or the weekend section. Despite being a very well established show, customers need reminders of upcoming show dates and times. Most promoters at least take advantage of the Free listings at least. This is a serious oversight as this paper is a large part of our audience base.

The Roses of Rosesquared productions always post where they have advertised. I like this practice and wish more promoters did so. It assures the participants that everyone is working hard to bring buyers to the shows. I always send out our own promotions to our mailing lists but also rely on the organizers of the show to make the general public aware of the event.

Where there is no entrance fee as most summer shows are, the motivation of the promoters to up the attendance numbers is not as concrete as shows where their is a "gate" fee for them to count on.

And that is my rant for this Friday morning. I have to go prepare for the show now. Glad the weather looks good for the weekend. Weekend road warriors unite!

Read more…

dumb questions

OK everyone I know you will be able to help with this. I am a peer group mentor for an arts incubator, next month I'd like to do a role play exercise to help them think of ways to deal with all the crazy/dumb/odd questions the public can come up with at festivals, fairs and showings of their work. So what I'd LOVE to know is what kinds of questions do you get all the time, and if you'd like to offer advice on how you handle those questions I'll be sure to pass that along as well. Thanks in advance for your crazy questions!
Read more…

Saturday, September 248871884300?profile=original
Overland Park, Kansas
Santa Fe Commons Park
200 exhibitors
Deadline: July 15

  • This Overland Park tradition spans more than 50 years and features the county's best Arts and Fine Crafts Fair that displays the work of up to 200 artisans.
  • Additional fun comes from the three concert stages, one downtown under the iconic clock tower, one on the historic bandstand and one just for children.
  • The 2011 headlining performers are Kansas City's own Celtic band the Elders, take the stage at 3:30pm to 5pm.
  • The children's area has multiple age appropriate entertainments including a performing dog show on the hour, children's musical and dance acts, inflatable attractions and more.
  • Food is not only the traditional festival favorites but also brats, Chinese fare, kettle corn, gyros, baked good and specialty beverages including beer.
  • There's a free classic car show and the historic Santa Fe Trail Parade marches down Santa Fe Drive at 10am.

EVENT TIMES:
     Craft Fair is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      Farmers' Market is from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or sell out.
      The Parade begins to march at 10 a.m.

Booths are first come, first served. Purchase quickly for prime space.DSC_4589.jpg?width=250
Booth sizes are:
      10'x10'...$75
      10'x20'...$145
      10'x20' End Cap...$210
      10'x10' End Cap...$120 - End Caps have two selling sides
We do not provide electricity or tents. We will rent you a table or help you find a tent vendor.

Special thanks to our presenting sponsors:

OP Fall Festival web site: http://www.opkansas.org/Things-to-See-And-Do/Overland-Park-Fall-Festival

Read more…

Muskegon - Part II

I was also in Muskegon.  This year due to health issues with my husband we have tried to stay closer to home.  This show was a BIG mistake.  The park is set up like a wheel with 4 spokes.  I was placed on a spoke and found that at least half the people didn't come up the spoke.  Had terrific show neighbors who also were doing the show for the first time.  We all agreed that this would be the only time.  On top of that 2 of us had thefts.  My other neighbor with the theft ran into the promoter who said "well we Do have security"  Couldn't prove it by us, they never came into the middle........same with the judges.  I saw the artists who won and their work was very nice but it would have been nice to be included.  Never saw so many people with whole body tatoos and pink, blue and  yellow hair.  I though the clown brigade was passing through.  The park wasn't exclusively fine art there were lots of crafters in the mix.  There were no redeeming features to this show in my opinion.

 

sherry curtis

Read more…

Selling artwork on the internet.

Hello All,

 

I have been attending art shows now for over 10 years.  In the past I would ask the artist if they had a website and most would say No.  When I asked why the most common answer was "I don't want to deal with it".  So after 5 years of serious pondering over the idea, I built a website for artist to sell their work on.  Now I go to shows and meet artist and discuss the possibly selling their work on the website.  I normally leave each show with anywhere from 3 to 5 that are interested. 

I explain that I will go all the administrated work which includes product upload and removal.  Promote their artwork on the blog and channel it through face book, twitter and Utube.  Then notify them when an item sells.  The interested artist is excited about the idea when I leave.

Now here,s the thing......when I do my follow up calls to discuss further, most of the time I have to leave a message.  I never get a call back.  I will call 3 more times, no answer.

Here is the question, I will do all the leg work so "why don't artist want sell on the internet?"

Here is the website  http:\\www.artdelightshop.com

Any input would be great.

Thanks

Linda 

Read more…

Trading art at shows

Although I have been going to shows for six or seven years, I only do a few each year and still consider myself a "newbie" with a lot to learn. I started trading with other artists fairly early on. Another artist asked me if I traded and I thought that would be a great way to add to my collection so I said "Sure!" Since then I trade at 60% of the shows I do. Most of the artists I ask about trading are eager to "shop". The first, and only, man I asked looked at me like I had left a slime trail in his tent, so I don't ask guys anymore. There are artists and crafters at one show I do in Memphis that I trade with every year. We wear or display each others' things and send customers to each other.

I haven't found a mention here of artists trading at shows. Is this a taboo I have unknowing committed?  Or does everybody do it but it just hasn't been discussed here?

Read more…

Wow!  We were blown away by the welcome we had at the Crescent Hill Art and Music Festival in Louisville, Kentucky on July 3&4.  This is an old-fashioned neighborhood 4th of July Celebration and I envy the people living in this neighborhood! It looked to be a delightful combination of music (2 stages), food, art show. pet show,  silent auction and fun run, held on and near the shady grounds of a historical house/museum.

 Set-up was Saturday afternoon and Sunday early morning.  My husband and I set up late afternoon on Saturday.  We were shown to our booth, and almost immediately members of a local high school Key club were there offering to help us our.  They helped unload, set up the tent and carried water for our weights.  And they were soooo polite!  We were able to back up the car behind our booth to unload, and we were able to do the same on Sunday and Monday mornings.  Parking was a few blocks away with shuttle buses running.

Once the event began, there were volunteers coming around about every hour.  There were coffee, juice and fruit available in the morning during set-up, switching over to iced tea and water as the day went on.  The volunteers offered more fruit, including frozen grapes during the heat of the day, (and it was HOT and HUMID), and peanuts, and water later on. 

Monday morning was an Artist's breakfast with ham biscuits, quiche, muffins, fruit, juice, etc.  Delicious is too small a word.  Throughout the day, more fruit, water and pretzels brought to the booth.

We sell jewelry, so we take out our "wares" at the end of the day.  We weren't able to bring the car in, but the volunteers showed my husband where to bring the car, and at precisely 6:45 PM a golf cart showed up with 2 young men who took all of our stuff to the car.  At the end of the show, more Key Club members to help us pack up, and again, the golf cart was there to take everything to the car!  We began closing up at 6:00 and were in the car on our way before 7:00.

Now about the show:  There were 96 artists according to the map.  I was able to walk the show on the first day.  There was a wide variety of artisans, and there didn't seem to be much overlap.  Even with the jewelry booths, (which seemed to be breeding on the spot!) there weren't many artists whose wares were like each other.  (A word about the number of jewelry artists.  I counted the number of jewelry artists on the program and came up with less than 25%, but when I looked around, there were  booths selling jewelry where the primary art was NOT the jewelry.  A pet peeve of mine)      That first day  was really slow.  Lots of lookers, and not so many buyers.  Many of our neighbors were discouraged at the end of that first day.  One of my Wire Wrap teachers, John Darlin, whose booth was 3 down from mine didn't think he'd be back next year.  I didn't see many large packages being carried.  And, as mentioned before, it was HOT and so humid, we just stewed in our own sweat!  Lots of booths had fans.  I missed the part in the application about electricity being available!  We did have an occasional breeze.  Hopefully next year we can get a booth in the shade. 

July 4th. was a totally different story.  There were a lot more people and they were buying.  I'm not sure what was selling except for jewelry, because we were pretty busy, but everyone I spoke to said that they had a better day.  We made expenses on the first day, so Monday was gravy.  I LOVE gravy!!!!

Read more…

Ludington West Shore Fine Art and Craft Fair

This was my first time at Ludington's Art Fair, so I didn't really know what to expect.  155 artists which is about double the size I'm used to doing.  It was a Saturday/Sunday show, July 2nd and 3rd.  We arrived on Friday to set up.  Our hotel was literally 30 or so yards from my booth and we were able to leave our trailer in their parking lot for easy access throughout the day.  Load in and out was very simple from one of several streets surrounding the park.  Sidewalks angled through the park for easy wheeling of dollies and wagons.  Help was available for those who needed it. 

 

We lucked out with weather, no setting up in rain, but just a little wind.  Stakes are not allowed, but the park is 2 or 3 blocks off the lake and it wasn't too windy.  Registration was easy and the promoter and her helpers were all ready to answer questions and direct us to our spot.  They said to expect 80,000 people and I lost count at about 40,000... At any rate, the show was busy from about an hour before opening each day until 1/2 hour after it closed.  Each morning they had wonderful breakfast foods: granola, cereal, bagels, fruits, juice/coffee, donuts, and plenty of it for all of us.  They came around with water once or twice during the day as well. 

 

I was able to walk the show a couple of times and I suspect there were several booths of bs jewelry, but I'm no expert and wouldn't want to say for sure.  There was also a booth or two with 2d art that was from kits I think.  They kept the food booths all in one area by the information booth which I thought was a great idea.  There were not a lot of other 2d artists, maybe 1/2 dozen or so.  A few really nice pottery booths and several high-end jewelry booths. Lots of photography, jewelry, fiber art, and furniture filled in the rest. 

 

I rent 2 spaces for my shows and this show decided to display my paintings in groupings according to subject rather than color.  My palatte is similar for most of my works, (colors of nature) so it all flowed and looked really nice.  I ended up almost doubling my sales, not sure if it was the groupings, the large crowds or both, but I was very happy with the results.  My second place prize money recouped my booth fees.  My prices are somewhere in the middle compared to other 2d artists there, and one of the higher end artists said he'd had a good show. 

 

Read more…

This is a show that is a part of the 9-day Summer Celebration, and the fine art is located in Hackley Park.  The surrounding streets are designated for low end crafts, BS, and everything else.  More about that shortly.

Thunderstorms dogged setup and the first half of Friday for this 3 day show.  While we arrived early, at 12 pm on Thursday and set up as soon as we arrived, the late arrivals that night and the next morning had to contend with rain and lightning all around.  I have to say this was by far one of the easiest load-ins we’ve done, since we tow a 40-foot RV and it can get pretty hairy in a city.  The show director was actually glad to have us in so early so we could get out quick, and that we did, and managed to escape setting up in a downpour and instead gorge ourselves on some damn good wings and potato skins.  Yep, pre-show fuel up! 

This year, parking was not free, as it has been in the past, and there is no parking allowed on the park streets.  Or so we were informed in the show packet.  Framer Dude managed to wangle a spot for the Artship Enterprise for $50 for the weekend, and I suppose that comes from experience of working on a submarine in the Navy.  However, other artists/vendors with RV’s were parked along the streets outside the park with no apparent repercussions.  It really irks me when I try to adhere to the parking instructions and others just go ahead and do their own thing-I would have loved to have saved myself fifty bucks and been closer to the show too.  Friday the storms continued, and I was a bit nervous, being in a park with lots of tall trees all around, especially when one bolt audibly crackled directly overhead with a deafening crash.  The storm seemed to just circulate and keep redeveloping over Muskegon all morning, though surprisingly, there were a few people out and about, which is one thing I’ve forgotten about Northerners, we’re a bit more blasé to inclement weather.  Still, I was very glad I decided to pack my Gore-Tex raincoat for this trip North!

The show itself is set up in Hackley Park, a beautiful setting with huge tall (lightning magnet) trees, and it’s a full 3 day show, which I like, since Saturday becomes a mellow day to relax and interact with patrons without the pressure of setting up and tearing down within 48 hours.My booth was perfectly placed in the shade of a maple, so I stayed cool once the skies cleared and temps crawled into the mid 80’s.  Framer Dude walked the show, and was very surprised at both the scarcity of 2D work and the enormous amount of jewelry.  I think I saw two other oil painters in my excursions around.  There was not a lot of high-end art, and I suspect I could have won an award for the highest priced artist there.  A Michigan artist said that this part of Michigan has seen a steep drop in painters at the shows.  Who did well? The henna tattoo artist across from me did. (Tattoo artist at an art show? you’re saying. Yup.) The yard art people did.  The beaders did.  The suspect BS vendors did.  I hit my target, and was happy with my sales and the 3rd place prize money.  The infernally annoying salsa vendor behind me in the street was hawking obnoxiously to all the women passing by and to the credit of the show promoters, he was told to tone down his act or leave.

Saturday and Sunday the weather was great.  The crowds were large and steady on Saturday, and the oh-that’s-gorgeous-but-my-hands-ain’t-leavin-my-pockets folks were in full force.  The artist next to me said this is more a B, B-minus show.  Overall, Framer Dude and I were not impressed with the buying power of this crowd, as the fine art buyers were pretty few and far between, and there is a lot of other entertainment vying for tight dollars between the flea market/craft section, the food section, and the evening music venues. From our five-star parking lot, we got to hear loud and clear Night Ranger on Friday Night, and a Journey tribute band, I think.  I should have busted out my acid-washed jeans and Stiff Stuff to tease my hair out.  Don’t stop belie-e-eving...

Teardown went off without a hitch: we decided to wait for the vendors on the street to clear out before we towed our RV right up to the booth and loaded out, so we went back for more greasy pub food.  (MAC’s has the best potato skins I’ve ever had, as well as a really good seared tuna if you’re not into clogging your arteries.)

Overall, I was pleased by the general crowd reception to my work, as I’ve never been to Michigan before and I’m testing new geographical markets, and I was Okay with my sales, considering the crowd.  Krasl in St. Joseph next weekend has the reputation as the high-end art show in southwest Michigan, and I am still on their waitlist at this moment, ready to hold a small animal sacrifice to the gods of the art shows that I’ll be able to participate in that one.  

Read more…

Blessed at Boston Mills

Bob and I are local yokels, so sometimes we are looked upon as the red- headed step children...not as important as the artist exhibiting from far away...we live twenty minutes away from the Boston Mills art show, and people think we are accessable all the time..This was our second time showing our art work there and we had an excellent show.Sleeping in your own bed AND making money- it doesn't get much better than that!

Cleveland Magazine has a very large supplement in the summer issue detailing all aspects of the two weekend show, including the attending artists and their spaces...for Clevelanders, this periodical is the Bible of all summer activities-priceless!

Last year our booth location was outside, this year, inside...we will take inside any day of the week...lights and no sun. This year was beastly hot and  the West tent worked for us...North tent has the reputation as the "best" tent, but I subscribe to the theory that if you are in the beginning or end of the show, either people say they "just got there" or at the end, they possibly have spent their budget already. In the middle is where we feel best...

Load in and load out is tougher for people in the middle, as they have to dolly to their vehicles...the North and East tents seem easiest to park nearer to.

Okay, as Nels always says, let's get to the meat of the show...hot is hot... it will keep some  people away no matter what...and it was very warm this past weekend.The 4th of July falling on Monday seemed to keep the crowds on Friday very sparse...people do travel on holidays, and having Monday off, may change schedules somewhat.I always ask the people who wander in our booth where they are from...being from the area, it helps us alot..Akron, Sagamore Hills, Bath etc. pulled in large crowds.We also saw many people from the east side of Cleveland, where we reside.

Some of our neighbors, a clay artist and encaustic painter had great shows...we enjoyed the comraderie we had with all of the surrounding artists and would not change a thing for next year.

We ended up selling a large piece on Friday and two smaller pieces on the other days, peppered with smaller "milk money " pieces.Monday night at 10:15 p.m. we received a call from another perspective customer from Columbus, wanting the most expensive piece in our booth. Bob and I just decided to drive the 90" piece to Columbus this morning- two hours and change...to deliver and pick up cash...this pushed us into a fantastic  show outcome...it is not over until the -----------.

I would be remiss if I did not mention our two great evenings spent with Nels, Ellen, Leo and Carolyn at the Blue Canyon Grill for yummy dinners and TOO many martinis...what a BLAST!!!!!

 We love staying home, doing a show, and making good money at Boston Mills....this  will become a definite addiction for us- give this show a try if you are lucky to get juried in- there are great rewards here....

 

 

Read more…

6a00e54fba8a7388330147e262463e970b-200wi?width=200September 30-October 2

Lee's Summit, Missouri
New Longview Shopping District 

90 Artists

Deadline: July 20

Friday: set-up 9am-4pm; Show 4-9pm

Saturday:   10am-9pm

Sunday:  11am-5pm

 

Expect: 

  • 90 booth spaces available
  • AGAIN THIS YEAR!- We will have electricity (included in the booth fee) available for each booth.  
  • There will be monetary awards in excess of $3,000.6a00e54fba8a7388330133f5103bf9970b-pi

The Longview Art & World Music Festival is a high quality and innovative fine art event.  Our mission is to have a long and illustrious run as one of the nation's top destination fine art event experiences for both the artist and attendees.  Our Festival attracts art enthusiasts from a large geographical area.

 

It will be held in the New Longview neighborhood shopping district located on the Lee's Summit, MO, west side.  Lee's Summit is an affluent city in the Kansas City metro area, and is rated in the top 100 cities in America by Money Magazine.

 

The event parking is free to the artists and the public.  The event management and its sponsors, Summit Art, New Longview Foundation, and Gale Communities, plus regional media and businesses are providing an unprecedented level of support, including advertising, for this event.

 

6a00e54fba8a738833013488306648970c-piOur three-day festival of fine arts introduces visitors to the diverse talents of world-class national and regional artists.  Beyond the wonderful art exhibits, this extraordinary event offers delicious food, outstanding music, and interactive art experiences.  There is something fresh for the whole family.

 

The New Longview area has become one of Kansas City's fastest growing neighborhood communities.  This area originally was the Longview Farm, built by R.A.Long, which opened in 1914 and was hailed as, "the world's most beautiful farm."

What past exhibitors are saying: 

 

I have exhibited at LAWMF since the very first show.  This show has continued to evolve into a must show for me.  The organization of the show has continued to grow and the needs of the participating artist are listened to by the staff.  Every year the show has gotten better and I look forward to showing again this year.-KED

 

I attended the art fair last October and had a great time.  My 6a00e54fba8a7388330133f50c27ff970b-piexperience with the show last year was that it was my most enjoyable show that I had participated in last year.  Despite the fact that it was the first year, the organization was fantastic and the people even more so...Sales were better than I thought they would be, which is always good.  The combination of the world music and the fine weather made it all the more enjoyable and I look forward to participating again this year.-Bryan B.

 

Excellent location and the volunteers were the absolute best! -Marc M.

 

Applications available: http://www.zapplication.org 
 

If you have any questions please email:

 summitart@sbcglobal.net  

 

 

Read more…

I left the Boston Mills Art Show Monday, outside of Cleveland,and headed back to Saugatuck.  It is a six-hour drive, which leaves me plenty of time to think.

This is not a blog about the art show, I will leave that to Patti Stern or Leo Charette.  This was more about me, and the rest of us in this biz.

I have been driving this stretch of I-80 thru Ohio and Indiana for more than 24 summers (15 times coming back from Boston Mills).

It is reassuring to see the corn growing in familiar fields.  I have passed that same Ohio barn with its automotive signs on it for years.  seen the same campground outside of the big city slowly grow.  Stopped art Smith's restaurant in Wauseon,Ohio  for a sturdy farmers breakfeast.

I have seen a lot of familiar artists at that show over the years, also noted a number who have passed and are no longer with us.  So there, I have set the scene.

Between listening to Brit singers David Gray, and Adele, wail away to their heart's content (on Sirius/XM) it got me thinking for the first time about my mortality.  That is a very sobering subject.

How many more times is God going to let me run down this road. Or maybe we could phrase it, how many more shows will I be able to do before: cancer gets me, a stroke gets me, a bad back gets me, or hell, I just get to be an old fart who can no longer put up the booth and haul 40-pound boxes.

I turn 66 in October, been doing this for 36 years.  How much longer am I good for?Six years (that makes me 72), maybe 10 more years (that makes me 76) or could  make it to the big Enchilada and do it for 14 or more (making me a lucky, spry 80-something).

Many of my peers are dropping out now, in their mid-sixties.  You see very few doing it in their mid-seventies.  Hell, 80-year-olds should be in the Sunshine Artist hall of Fame.

Ellen was just telling me at Boston Mills, "You know Nels, you can't be climbing up on a six-foot ladder to put your roof on much longer, what if you fall?"

Boy I can see the headlines for that one.

                        TEQUILA-TIPPLING ARTIST TOPPLES AT (Insert a show, any show)

When she said that, she made me think I was almost ancient.  Trouble is, I feel just fine.  In fact I feel like I got a purring motor and can keep on going for a long time.

Sure.  I may get wiser, and by age 70 (yikes, only four years from now) and buy a booth with fabric walls.  Then I won't have to go up on a ladder beside my van to put my booth panels on the roof racks.  Maybe get one of those booths where you put the roof on at ground level and then raise it.  Maybe I would go to all canvas for my photos and get rid of all that troublesome glass that weighs so.  Hell, maybe I should just chuck photography and become a jeweler.  Then I could go to shows in a minivan, a light booth, and fully loaded revolver.

Heck I hear Luciano is thinking of getting out of the biz and moving back to Italy, will Galbo follow to France?  A fantastic black and white photographer, Rick Preston, who I have known for 30-plus years, told me at the Mills this was his last year in the biz.

A lot of good people have come and gone over the decades.  People who gave me great pride to say I knew them and really loved their work.  Some of my contemporaries who used to kill them in the 80's and 90's are having a tough time getting juried into good shows.

My clan of artists is slowly shrinking each year.  I try to reach out and meet some of the talented newcomers.  But you don't establish close ties overnight.  it takes show upon show to sometimes build up a relationship.

As long as I have my health, I will do shows.  Heck, I wouldn't know what to do with all my time if I had every weekend off.  I want to still drive down familiar byways, plus see new ones.  i like getting in the van for an art show and looking back in my rear mirror.  There's the cutest blonde, with blue eyes, following me again.  What will it be like if Ellen quits before me, which is likely.

Well, I thought about all this on the ride home.  It was the first time I ever thought about my having limitations in my biz.  I have always gone out with this unlimited passion for doing shows.  And then assuming there was no end of them.  I always thought Marchetti, a very talented painter, got out the right way.  When we used to do the nine-day Piedmont Art Fest in Atlanta, it was always a friendly contest to see who would be first in line with their van at teardown.  Usually it was Rene.  He passed away at the art show in his chair.  Just went out quietly and peacefully. Or Andre, the jeweler, died peacefully in his sleep, in his van at the Miami Beach Art Show, years ago.  They just did what they loved til their time came.

Somebody up there knows my number.  I keep hoping they misplace it and can't find it for a long time.

I got too many blogs about shows that I want to write.  I got dreams and aspirations about getting in Cherry Creek some day.  I got hopes about getting into Winter Park somne day.  Heck they have only juried me out for 26 years straight, after I was in three years in a row back in the 80's.

As Otis Redding sang,"I got dreams..."

I tell you one thing, i am still going up that ladder for a few more years.

Aloha, Nels.

 

And here now, if I knew how to do it, we would include Otis on YouTube, or better still, Jackson Browne singing the "Load Out" song.

Read more…

If YOU could change ONE THING?

Today is Independence Day. On AFI we celebrate our individualitiy every waking moment. I have been with vocal groups before but YOU ALL define the concept of a "think tank."

 

So I wondered about all I have read over the past months. Could we get it down to:

 

ONE THING WE EACH WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE ART WORLD OR BEING ARTISTS?

(no repeats, except to add an inportant concept to the original)

 

How high could we go? Each person number your change.

 

I'll start.

 

1) I love creating. But I hate having to make enough money to keep the accountant happy. If I could change ONE THING I would improve the economy faster.

 

 

 

Read more…