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This will be the third year for this show, run by promoter, Lynette Wallace. It is scheduled for the weekend after Houston's Bayou Downtown. Since I have friends in Georgetown that I could probably stay with, I am considering this show. The layout looks nice, in downtown Georgetown. Did anyone do this show the first two years? I would be interested in your feedback. Lynette has extensive experience as a show director, so I would think that she would probably do a good job promoting and in making it an artist friendly show.

Thanks!

Aye yi yi!

(reposted from my HappyArt.com blog)

I’ve been avoiding thinking too much about the growing numbness and weakness in my right hand during these past two months where I’ve been ramping back up as a production artist, but a visit with a doctor friend who has an orthopedic surgeon for a husband has confirmed my suspicions. They say my symptoms are perfect for carpel tunnel. Zoiks!

Raise your hand if you've experienced this!

Of course I’ll go see a specialist and pay for a complete evaluation – but in the mean time I’ve begun looking for treatments and exercises online to help me alleviate this condition and perhaps even nip it in the bud.

Now I know I’m not the only artist out there with this little difficulty so allow me to share what I’ve learned so far in case any of my readers are bumping into this issue themselves.

My symptoms do not involve any pain

I had always expected pain to be a part of this, but nope. Instead in my right hand there is:

• a general sporadic loss of strength
• a weird tingling and
• sometimes a numbness.

The Good News

Happily there are exercises I can try to maybe undo some of what I’ve done so far and help me avoid any potential surgery altogether. Here’s a German drummer who’s created a short video showing us how to stretch for tendonitis and carpel tunnel:

Maybe that dude will help you too!
Here’s a page of slightly different exercises http://cts-carpal-tunnel-syndrome.com/CTS_exercises.htm

And another quick vid:

This will be my first blog post so bare with me if I dont follow tradition. Last weekend I did the Jersey shore fine arts festival and for me it turned out to be a good show. The weather forecast was not very appealling all through the weekend and it all turned out not nearly as bad as the forecast. Load in and out was the easiest I have ever experienced, I could park up to the front of my booth on both occassion without hassles from next booth neibours.

Saturday started with a light rain drizzle but by 10am it cleared up. It was dry enough to bring the crowd out but not as hot to send them all to the beach, hence the crowd was good and steady. Saturday started slow for me sales wise, not until about 2 before i made my first sale, but sales gradually picked up as the day went along, mostly my lower price items though. I did sell two of my larger pieces almost at the close of the day, one I had to talk my way to the sale, the other I woke up to, they announced that a storm was coming, the crowd went drasticcally down and i chose to take a nap only to wake up with a couple staring me  and requesting a transaction on one of my larger pieces. ( UNPROFESSIONAL) hey still learning. The show was closed one hour early to a storm that never came, better safe than sorry.

Sunday started the same was as Saturday, with a light drizzle, the crowd was steady again opting to come to the festival rather than the beach, sales was fair and the weather stayed good for most of the day inspite of the forecast.

This show did not compare to his Fairfax fine arts show in terms of sales but with the constant threat of the weather I am surprised I came close to what I did, I made about 4 times my expenses and was very happy with that. will I do it again? absolutely YES, this will be a very good show with the right type of weather. The jury selection was good and the crowd was there, guess thats all you can ask for from a producer. The weather and getting the card out their wallet or pocketbook is all up to DADA.

This was our first time exhibiting at the 54th Allentown show in Buffalo. We've always stayed away for various reasons but this year we decided to give it a try. Set up was the most unusual I've seen in over 18 years of doing shows. Booth numbers are mailed ahead of time and it states in the info set up begins at 6:00 on Friday nite if no one is parked in your space. The show has 400 some artists set up on the streets of the Allentown area with most artists on Delaware ave. Delaware ave is a major artery that runs through Buffalo. Around 6:00 everyone starts setting up but the odd part is the street NEVER closes and there are no police and no show volunteers on sight! Set up went smoothly which goes to show you that if you leave  artists alone to do what they do well,they get it done with  no supervision! Parking was where ever you can find it and I lucked out with my van and trailer right behind my booth! Weather on Saturday was forecasted for thunderstorms so we were told the crowds were down. On Sunday the show had one of the largest crowds I've ever seen with our booth packed all day!

 Unfortunatly a packed booth doesn't always equal sales. We had a slowday on Sat. and sold one small piece on Sunday.  We did win a second place award but that won't be enough to make us go back. This is a low end show with few high end  buyers. This could be a great show if you have low price items and need lots of people.

A FL painter across from us barely made expenses, a well known veteran photographer sold 2 larger pieces and the rest of his sales were of all small prints. Veteran abstract painter sold a couple small pieces but did have an appointment for a large piece after the show. A Fiber artist with $100-300 items sold well.

The show ended on Sunday with the mounted police marching down the street clearing it.  Breakdown went smoothly once again without adult supervision with the road reopening at 8:00 with artists still packing up and traffic whizzing by!

Finally I have to include this picture of this guy wearing one of the great Sonny Dalton's piece's. I told him that  I heard  Sonny wasn't doing shows anymore but is still creating work for his  many galleries.

So as the song goes We'll be leaving here in Allentown!!

this past weekend was my first experience at the allentown arts festival and allen west festival. i exhibited at the smaller side show (pun intenteded) called allen west.

the larger show was unreal...tents lined the main street for blocks, with one round the block section. i would be curious about sales on the 'round the block' section and at either end of this long long long line of artists.

as for our little sister show, i would think that the folks who do the 'main' show are probably not all that happy with us.  allen west is a much lower class show..sorry, but true....kind of got worse as it went on...but..it may just be what the customers are looking for, i'm not so sure.

i am curious how you all did at the main show..i know there were a few afi folks there. i did walk...well run it early in the morning and it truely looked fabulous.  our show was more of a street fair.  the customers (in our section anyway) were much more of a 'street' crowd.  you can check out my customer review by reading my blog post 'hats and tats'..that will give you a clue. www.juNxtaposition.blogspot.com

anyway....the show was much of a pay your money, get your spot, show up, put up your tent and sell...not much supervision or conversation from the organizers.

there is no pre-set up and tents must be taken down each day...quite a pain...

the crowd was HUGE...actually the largest i have ever seen..and i've been to my share of shows...and i wondered how they would get them off the streets...found out...at exactly 6 pm..the police came around and 'demanded' that we 'close up shop' and get off the street...strange...but i suppose it worked.

i have with me the best 'parker' around and we had a spot within walking distance so we just dollied over to my truck. it was quite easy actually.  i have a very simple set up when necessary, but i can imagine it was quite a hassle for some. 

each day went well, sunday far more crowded if that's possible..the rain pretty much stayed away although i was over prepared after hearing of so much damage of late.

hotels were slim pickins and were restaraunts in my opinion, we stayed at a super 8 which turned out to have a train track within 10 feet of my room...haha...and babies and even dogs kept me up each night...not happy..., took a side trip to Niagra Falls one nite which was nice...

for me..the show financially was fantastic, other than the country living shows (which are in a league of their own) this is the second best show i've ever done...by far....

i am now curious about the 'main' festival and would love some input here from you guys who were there...i would think it was more expensive (ours was 150-200 depending on street), i understand you didnt have to break down each night....and i would have thought the jurying would be much much tougher although i saw some exhibits that surprised me in quality??? curious what those artists feel about the sister show...be blunt, i wont take it personally....and any hotel recomendations for the area.

Well guys, sorry I haven't been posting or 'blogging' but alot has happened since my last post. The economy is making a come back but you have to 'evolve' your self and your work. If you have been on the art show circuit for along time, your stuff becomes 'tired' looking and  people that have seen you for 3 -5 years at the same shows start to see it too. Time to relook your work and think of ways to 'update' it. What? Do I hear that is what my work is and I'm not changing a thing? Well, as artists, we evolve every 5 to 7 years wether you want to or not, it just starts to happen in your work. Take a look at your work that you did 5 years ago and look at the stuff your churning out now...do you see the difference? So does the art festival goers.

So go ahead...go play with that idea that has been churning in your head and work it. See what happens....and let me know!

 September 18 & September 19

Application can be downloaded from

www.tallgrassarts.org 

P.S. The Village of Park Forest was built for the purpose of housing GI's returning from WWII.  Incorporated in 1949, less than 6 years later, it was home to an arts association that operated a gallery, school and art fair.  The arts association was followed a few years later by a symphony orchestra, classical chorale and resident, equity theater company - a very welcoming home for creative people! Please join us.

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

Looking for some more sweet shows like this one to fill your 2011 art fair season?

www.CallsforArtists.com

Mid-afternoon view of the show, from the Spice House

The Wells Street art festival in Chicago is usually one of my best shows. It is also one of the hardest set-ups we do. Early morning. Crowded streets. Two rows of tents down the center of the street, with food vendors blocking straight through access in the driving lane. Assigned times for artists are supposed to allow everyone at least an hour for load-in and setup before the show officially opens at 10AM on Saturday. In practice, artists find anyway they can to get their equipment in place as early as possible.

Dog's-eye view of the show

 
I've had a double booth in the same location, near the Spice House and Topo Gigio, for several years. It's a high traffic location, because of O'Briens, The Fireplace Inn and a new club, the Benchmark. The main stage is in the O'Brien's parking lot, and provides a steady beat throughout the entire show.Friday night I didn't leave Michigan until almost 10:30 PM. I had to pick up Karyn in Ann Arbor, and by the time we got to Chicago, it was about 4:00 AM. No sleep for us. I walked down Wells to see where our booth spot was -- new numbers meant that I was moved slightly south. At 4:45, I was able to get my traile and truck down to the booth, about a block and a half in. My load-in time was officially 6:45, but there is no way that I could get the trailer and truck in and out that late. I think that the show has finally realized after 40 years that some artists are always going to need early access to the show. The coordinator told me that the show director had given permission to a few artists to come in early, after a phone call. I've called in previous years and been told that it's impossible.Some artists dolly in from the northern paid lot on Wells, The Carriage Lot. Some dolly from parking spots on North Ave. Some dolly from the side streets, Schiller, Goethe and Scott. Some do bring their vans in. By 10AM, the show does get set up. It's a minor miracle, but we were unloaded, the truck and trailer parked in the paid lot at Franklin School, the double canopy setup and all the art hung, with lights, by 10AM.

My credit card machine always has trouble connecting here -- server overload with all the cel=phones and texting

Saturday was cold and drizzly. It didn't out and out rain, but it was chilly. It didn't stop the young urban professionals from crowding into the show, and buying art in the morning and early afternoon. But the temps got colder by 4PM, and the crowd slowly changed to a party mood. Lots of beer and lots of strolling. A mix of dogs, strollers, couples and professionals. I sold a few smaller pieces, but nothing large. By 6PM, most of the crowd were there to party, not to buy. My neighbors, Jean-Claude Louis, another photog with a double that looked exactly like mine, and David Bigelow, the well-known printmaker, both closed up by 8PM. Usually we'll stay open, and send some art home with new owners, but the weather put a chill into the sales. We closed up and walked down to our hotel on Clark Street. Along the way, we stopped at Panang, a friendly Thai restaurant on Clark. Good food, efficient service, and inexpensive. Since we hadn't had sleep for almost 42 hours, it didn't take long to catch a few zzz's. Luckily, we waited until we got to the hotel for that.

Jean-Claude Louis, from Agoura Hills CA

David Bigelow wins for Works on Paper -- Congrats, and well-deserved!

Sunday was bright and blue. The sun was out, and cheered me right up. We stopped at the trailer to restock, and opened the booth up about 10:15. Sunday was better for sales, but still slower than previous years. I saw a couple of previous customers, including Liz Hein, who posed for a shot with her favorite piece, "No Exit". My friend Maureen stopped by. I got to step into the Spice House for some fresh cumin and some Moroccan spices. The show provides a break room in the offices of the Old Town Merchants Association, and serves up coffee, pastry and fruit all day long. The bathroom is clean, too, but you might have to wait a minute for it. We spent a lot of time talking with David Bigelow in between sales. This year's crowd seemed much more intent on partying and being seen than in previous years. My sales reflected this, too. I did about 50% of what I did last year. Enough to pay a few bills, but maybe not enough to reflect the long hours and brutal setup.

The lovely Elizabeth Hein shows a little love for "No Exit"

 
I know that some artists did well at Wells this year. Photography was perhaps over-represented. My friend Lisa sent many of her well-designed t-shirts and tanks home with happy owners. Jean-Claude had a better show this year than last year. But all in all, it seemed to me that the energy was directed more towards having a good time than feathering the nest this year. It's an expensive show to do, when you add up all the extras. Electricity costs $150, and puts you in the middle of the show. Parking ranges from $75 to $150 for the weekend, and is definitely worth it if you have a hard-to-park rig like I do. The booth fee is average. Hotels are out-of-sight downtown, and I can't recommend the Howard Johnsons on Wells. Many stay out in the suburbs, at the airport hotels, or out in Schaumburg, which is a lo-n-n-n-n-g hike. 

Load-out is efficient. Artists begin closing at 8PM, but vehicles are not allowed on the street till all the partiers go home, which can be as late as 11PM. Many dolly out the same way they came in. Vans have a definite advantage over trailers here. Some folks rent an Enterprise van or cube truck specifically for this show. We didn't really start breaking down until about 9PM, had a couple big sales at the end to make it all right. The trailer was into the show at about 10:45, and by that time, over 75% of the artists had found a better way out. We were on the road by 11:45. A very long weekend. We can't drive the entire way back to Michigan after this weekend, so another night in a hotel is required. This year, I stopped in St. Joseph, and made the rest of the drive on Monday morning. Exhausted but happy. 

A last word: There is a lot of buy-sell here. Some is blatant, some is not. While the show says that all work must be original, some is clearly not. It doesn't matter. Bring whatever you want. At $7/pop "Suggested Donation", I'd estimate that the show grosses about $1.5 in gate fees alone. It's still fun, still unique, and one of the best parties in Chicago in the summertime.

Glad to read something about the Excelsior Art show, I see it in the midwest arts and craft guide, but know of no one who has done it. 

I had to cancel the June 18th Solstice Art show in Chippewa Falls WI due to a funeral to go to, so if any readers were there, would appreciate some info on sales, etc.  Thanks.

Here's a small animation I did when I set up a black & white booth a couple of years ago.

Here is a show in Chicago that I love to do so sales could not make feel bad for the weekend  and I will back year after year. I usually get there by 6am and the show runs until 7pm Saturday and 6pm Sunday. Everyone knows who you are in this show after while. It is simple approach but is a pleasure doing the show and working with the staff.

The show goes next to 57th St Art Fair and you only get help load and unloading the car. Parking is the City of Chicago. The crowd for this show has go down year after year and that also means sales are down. I did better this year but still not what I hope. Saturday the show end around 4pm because of the storms that later on hit Columbus Ohio. This has become a small show or filler (same for 57th St) so if you are not local or strong email list or mailing list skip the show.

Wells St Art Fair is held at Wells between Division Ave and North Ave in Chicago, IL during the second weekend of June. I got in from the wait list a month ago and was ready for this show.

My arrival time was 6am. Your arrival time for set up is set by the promoter and wont let you in until your arrival time or feel free to dolly your display and work but be there 30 minutes before your loading time. I pull in, drop off and then park my car. Your choices for parking  are find a parking space in the street and hope you get tow or paid 30.00 per day in a parking lot. Show start at 10am and ends at 10pm. You can not pull your car until 11pm. You will need electric for 125.00. Food around you is great. In my photography field there was 35 or so.  The crowd as large but they where more for the party than buying. Still you get a good crowd that will buy art from you. The closer you get to North Ave your sales will improve but you be closer to band stages the crowd going to Old Town Art Fair.

My sales was half of what I was hoping and will give another try to the show but if you can get into Old Town that is better show to do. The weather is nice both days but a bit cold Saturday.

I'm confessing here that when I am looking at jewelry at an art fair I have rarely thought to myself, "I wonder how this was made?" As a buyer you may be looking at the style, the intricacy, the inlay, the gems, the color, thinking how it will match an outfit, justifying one more pair of earrings, wondering if the artist will let you make payments, etc. Right?

This month's featured artist is jeweler, Carla Fox, who is a metalsmith, constructing wearable art from various metals using heavy machinery and chemical processes. It gives one pause and elevates "jewelry making" from "pretty nice work" to "amazing!"

Carla grew up with talented parents who were both handworkers; she took those skills to her first art, soft sculpture. This turned into a business of making large scale fabric & metal art banners for commercial buildings. The metal banners downsized when she discovered precious metals and her love of making small sculpture---jewelry.

Until I studied Carla Fox's jewelry pieces I never thought about how jewelry was made.  Visiting her website and seeing the amazing machines I have a new respect for this art. Did you know that in jewelry fabrication, millimeters matter and degrees make all the difference?

As a result Carla says, "I have become part artist, part scientist - perfecting my craft through trial and error, creative thinking, and dogged problem solving. Every finished piece of jewelry is built from many smaller pieces of metal. Gold, bi-metals, silver, and copper sheets are cut, hammered, filed and soldered. They go from 2-dimensional building blocks to 3-dimensional forms."

About her jewelry she says, "Jewelry says something about the person wearing it ... if I'm doing my job designing you will see jewelry you've never ever seen before."

Meet Carla and see her metalwork in June at the  

Des Moines Art Festival, June 24-26.

Learn more about Carla and her work:  

www.ArtFairCalendar.com/featuredartist

Enjoy this YouTube.com video of Carla in her studio:

I'm not a big fan of mall shows, too much compation for the dollar with the brick & mortar stores so I was a bit apprehensive about this show. I need not have been as it turned out to be worth the trip from FL.

The Summit is east of downtown in a very upscale neighborhood and the show layout runs along the street in front of the stores. The booths were single file and you could either pull in front or behind your space to unload. This is one of the Howard Alan shows that has a Friday setup yippee. Breakfast was provided both days by Costco, very much appreciated. Advertising was very good, lighted road signs, commercials, and live artist interviews on a local station on Sunday morning.

Saturday was very hot, mid 90's which unfortunately kept crowds down, I didn't even make expenses. The next day was polar opposite, sunny, low 80's, no humidity and packed with people wanting to buy art, I didn't sit down all day. My neighbor was a dress maker and she did very well, busy all weekend. A painter I spoke with said it was one of his best shows.  Breakdown was was also very easy, most of us could pull behind our booths, pack, rack and go.

This was the first time I've done this four year old show but it's  going to be added to my summer lineup as it's well worth the drive.

Here are a few pics from the Hinsdale "Sushi Encounter", you will notice there are no "green" smears hanging from anybody's nose.  That is Lynda Wallis  in one of them.  The other guys I have never heard of before, probably some fly-by-night artists posing as "vendors."

I will give one small hint.  One of them is related to Bill the Cat.  Gee. I wonder who that is.

"Shane, Shane, come back.  The show really needs you."

BTW Lynda.  Nice shots.  I think I am going to hire you to do my booth shot next year.

Click on the blue player widget below to listen to special LIVE online radio show “Pledge Drive” episodes of Art Fair Radio!

You can hear some great (free) art fair business-building tips from ArtFairInsiders.com publisher, Connie Mettler, and learn more about the annual Birthday Pledge Drive, too.

Listen to the Connie Mettler interview here or download an MP3 here.

You can also download an MP3 of the recent "Nels & Munks Interview" here.

Thanks for listening! (and for pledging here, too!)

Just got this important email from a good friend this morning.  Read it, do it and pass it on.

Starting this month the US Government is releasing all cell phone numbers to telemarketers and you will receive sales calls, and have to pay for them.

To prevent this, call this number (it is free and is run by the Federal Trade Commission)

                            888-382-1222

It is a national DO NOT CALL listing. It will prevent calls for five years.

Important.  You must call this number from the cellphone which you want its number blocked.

It takes about 20 seconds.  This is good info, pass it on.

The number again    888-382-1222

Aloha, Nels

Hot, Hot, Hot! and Humid!  It is coastal Maryland in June, but really!  Traffic was light, very little advertising we could see ( we did see an ad in the local free paper) and $8 pp entry fees.  The demographics in the area are very good, so it should have been a better attended show.  Wine and local food tastings in the big cool tent where everyone hung out.  Not a bad setup, but the staff was not to be found when a huge thunderstorm came thru at closing.  They did learn from last year and moved the show onto the field (used to be grass) and off the black top - cooler, but very dusty and dirty.  I had to buy bags of mulch to fill the big divots in my site.  The show is held at the Navy stadium, not a place anyone just happens by - low visibilitiy.

Lots of very nice art and artists, but also lots of crap, obviously buy and sell.  I dont belive it could have been professionally juried, but then they let me in!  Perhaps too many booths to fill with not enough applicants?

This is only the second year for this show, but it made me appreciate shows run by neighborhood/business/arts organizations as opposed to shows run solely from the profit motive.