Blog

Due to popular demand, this post from last week has been re-edited with new photographs added.

This was the scene in Madison on Saturday March 12. An estimated 85,000 to 100,000 protesters gathered to express their opinion of Governor Walkers budget bill.

The crowd filled the streets from one curb to the other, marching shoulder to shoulder in a counter clockwise movement around the capitol. Most carried signs to support their positions.

A speakers podium was set up on the capitol steps looking down State Street. The crowds were packed in tight, trying to get a good view of the stage.

There was interesting street theater everywhere as individuals expressed their views.

Mock Funeral

Hula Girl

Fat Cat

There was a large presence by the national labor unions.

Although white artist tents were missing from the square this day, I did find one sorry looking Easy Up minus its roof.

The End

This is the second year we have done this show. It is a nice group from the Art Center that run this show in March. The indoor event is in a barn that is set up well for an art show. Although it can be cool inside the building. Every booth has electric included ... and it is needed as the lighting in the building is dim. Lunch is also included. Loading and parking is easy. There is access into the building on all sides, making it easy to get to your booth. There are about 100 spaces in the show.

It did seem that attendance may have been down a little from what I remember last year, but our sales were up 24% from last year. There is a nice mix of artists.

Its a nice show to have early in the year.

Solutions: A Working Conference

May 19 & 20, Indianapolis, Indiana

In conjunction with the Broad Ripple Art Fair

In the past year we have been a part of many conversations concerning what are perceived as serious issues in our industry. While we were planning this conference, we began by discussing the "normal" format with Keynotes and other speakers. As discussion continued, it became apparent that the one advantage that NAIA has over other conferences is that we can bring artists and directors together to work on the issues and come up with possible solutions. So, rather than the same old format where all sit for two days listening, do some talking -- and, ultimately, little is accomplished -- we decided to work on issues.

We have selected three primary topics that were narrowed down after talking with both artists and show directors. Though specific formats are being worked out with facilitators, the general agenda will be as follows:

• The Cost of Doing Art Shows
• Booth Images
• Buy/Sell/Imports/Production

This conference will be the first in which artists and directors will work together to identify and discuss issues in the industry then work toward workable solutions during the conference.

If these are issues of concern to you then join us.

The rest of the story.

Are you ready for the chance to stay in the studio and do more creating?

Are you really ready to monetize your website?

Would you like to have clients and shops around the country finding you online?
 

Welcome to Chocolate in Peanut Butter*

                                             a boutique site of fine goods "made in the USA"
 
The team at Chocolate in Peanut Butter is looking for artists and designers of fine goods to join our community. We offer an extensive background in retail, fashion, media and public relations and are out to leverage our skills to create a one-stop shopping site full of amazing pieces of all handmade goods and items from the USA. The site will be marketed as the "go to" for retail buyers, media and clients to shop all things American.

Chocolate in Peanut Butter is not an Etsy, Big Cartel or Dawanda. CiPB is a meeting place for consumers who do not want to spend hours searching for fine goods online. They know when they visit our site that they can browse with confidence that all pieces were made in the USA. This includes retail buyers shopping for goods for their stores.

I speak from years of buying for my stores, if I had a "go to" like CiPB to purchase beautiful American made products, it would have changed my buying process and saved me a lot of time and money.

So, I reach out to you before we start our media blitz with Chic Exec's.** I promise you our fan base will grow quickly as there is no other website that provides an efficient way for consumers, retail buyers and media to search for products in a beautiful "store front" setting. 

NEXT:
  
    1.    Please go to www.ChocolateinPeanutButter.com

           and "join the crusade". We will then contact you for
           photos and a link to your site. If this email has found
           you, you have already been selected to participate as
           this is an "invite only site", all others must submit
           product for approval.

    2.    We will blitz/market using our 20,000 media contacts
           and facilitate all inquiries

    3.    Interested shoppers will be able to click directly through to your website to shop further

    4.    You will fulfill all purchases

                               No commission, no fees, no special advertising costs 

Please consider joining CiPB. Our media blitz is set to go out March 16th. We are busy putting new companies and products on our site, so please allow us time to do that same for you.

We offer an affordable way for you to market your brand or pieces.  
We offer 3 month, 6 month and 1 year representation on the site.
3 months - $60, 6 months - $99, 1 year - $200

We will offer 1 year publication to Art Fair participants for $150 a year.

This promotion will expire on March 18th, 2011.

Right now Diane Sawyer is focusing on companies that offer made in America goods. It is more important then ever that we provide an efficient, shop friendly atmosphere for clients to learn more about you. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/MadeInAmerica

Please contact me if you should have any questions,

Michelle Thelen
New Talent Director
cellowoodard@comcast.net
www.ChocolateinPeanutButter.com

********************************************
*The site's name is derived from an unmistakable and uniquely American combination-chocolate in peanut butter. We have hand selected designers that offer posh pieces that are only "made in America."
 
**Chic Exec's have been successful with product placement in over 100 mainstream publications just within the last year!  Their clients have been featured in magazines such as Brides, Parenting, "O", People, In Style, Tot Trends, In Style, Pregnancy and Newborn, US Weekly and Glamour - just to name a few!
 

Hopefully i have downloaded the pics in the right order to match descriptions.

First, all the beautiful babes at the show, Kim,Bea,Ellen and Bonnie. Next my buddy who was gonna bring moonshine for me to write a report about.  he sold three big pieces early Friday.  Next, nice pants. She walked in my booth and I persauded her to let me portray her best side.  Next,Looking down the shaded lanes past Swayze sculptures.  Next,Frank discussion of art early in the morn.  Next, Mr. Webber with the lovely "Lu Fuller" and faiat, barry Bernstein is lurking behind.  Last, but certainly not least, award-winner Janet Rogers' piece.  Last year she was Best in Show.  that lady does know how to paint.

Well, nothing like a jury smackdown to keep you humble!  I applied to a show I've done for years with a new media....I want to continue with the jewelry so they told me I had to make a separate application for each category.  Okay, so I did that.  But since the new "stuff" had already won a Best in Show, two international awards and sold for high dollar, I thought it would be just a piece of cake.   Hahhhh!   Although I was accepted in my usual category of jewelry, I got a resounding "No, thank you" on the new work.

This isn't a complaint......more a laughing at myself that it does no use to feel a little smug about something because it's so easy to get put in your place even after 45 years in this business.  Oh well, a glass of wine, a little whine and whimper and then back to work...the show must go on!

September 3 & 4
Oak Brook, Illinois
Oakbrook Center
130 Artists
Deadline: April 1
 
Oakbrook Center is a premier outdoor shopping center located in the affluent western suburbs of Chicago.  The Center features more than 160 fine shops, including Bloomingdale's Home and Furniture, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Sears.

For over 40 years, Oakbrook Center has held the Invitational Fine Art Exhibition, offering artists, from all over the U.S. an opportunity to display and sell their original work in watercolors, pastels, oils, acrylic, photography, sculpture, and mixed media.  All artists are located throughout the mall's walkways among trees, flowers, plants, waterfalls and fountains.

This is a contemporary fine art exhibition.  ONLY original work in design and concept is allowed. Thus, no imports or works made with the use of commercial kits, molds, patterns, plans, stencils, or prefabricated forms accepted.  The exhibition features live entertainment, free parking and admission.

Festival Facts:
    •    Jury Fee: $25
    •    Booth Fee: $350
    •    Checks Payable to: Oakbrook Shopping Center LLC
    •    Ribbon Awards: $5,000+
    •    Attendance: 130,000
    •    Event is promoted extensively through various media
          outlets
    •    Friday evening and Saturday morning set-up
    •    Continental breakfast for exhibitors on both days

For additional information, please contact:

Oakbrook Center-Marketing Department
    •    Suzanne Beres, Sr. Marketing Manager
    •    Miriam Blumenthal, Assistant Marketing Manager
    •    Stacy Kolios, Marketing Coordinator, 630-573-0700

or visit:  www.oakbrookcenter.com/events/signature-events
 
 
Please mail application and checks to:

     Oakbrook Center
     Attention: Suzanne Beres
     100 Oakbrook Center
     Oak Brook, IL  60523-1838

OK. I was off chasing birdies this morning, got one good one, and now I am ready to report.

Ah, Vero Beach, early March.  Think cooling breezes, falling pollen (from the oak trees), think overwhelming citrus blossoms in the air, think cool artist party at Alan and Barbara's, and most of all, think great sales.

I have done this show,off and on, for more than 20 years.  Don't get in every year.  It is an overwhelming winner, for me, most years. Always one of my best three spring shows in Florida.  This year was the same.  It ended up being my best show in 2011.

What's not to like about this show.  First off, it is the very antithesis of Gasparilla.  Instead of a hard schlep up the hill, you can park right behind your booth.  And eureka, you get to start packing out at 4 pm on Sunday, what a concept.

The show is held out on the beachside by a very classy art center, think serious money.  Booths are aligned around a circular roadway with booths on both sides. You are in a big park with lots of oak trees.  You can park behind, there is plenty of space for inventory, and even showing on one side.  Then, you got people with disposable income who show up ready to buy art.  Also there are not a lot of other shows in the area like Naples and Bonita.

Ok.  This show is not for everyone of us.  If you do cutting edge art, you are gonna die here.  
y neighbor certainly did.  I don't think he cracked $500 for the show--and he gets in all the biggies.  The crowd is mostly upper-fiftyhish, and that is putting it kindly.  They are mostly east coasters who spend their winters here.  They like mostly traditional work.  And when thery like what you do, they buy it by the thousands. 

This year, on the the average, most exhibitors made at least a paycheck, and then lots of us had a real show where me made moola.

So, Ellen and I headed out Thursday around 11 am from Tampa.  The stormy front had blew thru us and left a half inch of rain on the ground.  We figured it would be thru Vero by the time we arrived after 2pm.  I just love how a good plan can actually succeed.  We chased the storm and got to the park around 2:30, it was pretty quiet, but no rain, it was gone by.  Amen!

Easy mellow setup for everybody.  No hassles.  Again this was the direct opposite of Gasparilla last weekend.  Thank God for the ying and the yang.  Couldn't have come at a better time.

We set up, got out by 5pm and checked in at the hotel.  Did the Olive Garden that night, nothing exciting, but it was satisfying--of course anything is after three Jack Daniels Manhattens.

Dumb us.  We thought it would be just nice and toasty.  Neither of us brought a jacket or a vest.  It was very crispy Friday morning.  Very,very crispy.  My ass almost cracked in half.

Friday crowds arrived early and were searching for art.  For a lot of us it was a great day with many having sales over $2K for the day.  A wood-turner, newly acquired friend( I don't know if he was trying to bribe me, but he said he was going to bring me some authentic North carolina moonshine so I could do a "Moonshine report." But he couldn't get the alcohol) started off with a gentleman coming in and buying three of his best pieces right of the bat.  He was a happy camper.  Ellen sold a biggie early.  Bill SARGENT, did I spell it right?, sold a great original image of his, later he got an award, he was a happy camper too.  But, there there where many who bartely made expenses.  The show was crowded with people.

There is a wonderful restaurant right under the bridge aside the show called the Riverside Cafe.  Every year, I leave my booth for an hour and go over there and have a fish sandwich with a tequila and a beer.  The boothsitter will only stay for a half an hour, and I take an hour, but I don't care.  Life is too short.  I did it Friday and Saturday, I don't care if I lost a bejillion dollars in sales, it is always worth it to me.  I figure if they want it that bad, they will come back, and most do.

So Friday night, the show puts on a great free artist feed for us.  How they get the food out to people can leave a little conjecture in some of our hearts.  But it is good food, delivered with good intentions, and what the heck, if some of you have to wait a hour-and-a-half to get it,don't complain, the price is right.  It is a good feed at the art center.  They announce the awards there too.  Me and Ellen skipped it, went for great thai and Sushi at Siam Orchid.  Just me, but I would rather pay for my own dinner and get what I want.

Saturday brought more great cool, crispy weather with a very odd, mostly non-buying crowd.  People were there by the hoards.  When I went to the Cafe around 2 pm, the cars were backed up over the bridge waiting to get into Riverside Park where the show is held.  Not lots of art in anybody's hand.  I sold mostly little packaged pieces of paper all day, barely it $1400 in sales, and this is supposed to be the strong day.

Ellen and I went for sushi again--only after attending the annual party at Barbara Krupp and Alan Tegers house'.this is a party not to be missed.

They live in a gorgeous house by the ocean, a architectural masterpiece replete with beautiful gardens tended by Barbara, thinks orchids, lush botanicals, verdant palms.  Then there is the food.  Then there is the wine, then there is all the people who attend. It is an awesome party.

I tried a little trick that glass artist Andy Shea, from Minneapolis, showed me last year when we both attended.  He said, Nels, we are going to walk out of the party backwards, very slowly.  Just wave at everybody and say hello.  They all will think we are coming in."  That Andy he is one sharp watermelon.  Ellen and I tried it this year, and we were busted, everybody wanted to know where we were going.

We went to Siam Orchid for more sushi.  This place is so cheap and so good, it is not to be missed.

Sunday, dawned,crispy and clear.  I figured at best, we had three prime hours to sell.  Sunday show hours are 10am to 4pm.   I figured crowds wouldn't even show up til noon.

We did our usual Sunday number, find a Starbucks, get a New York Times, then find breakfeast and get to the show in time to get Ellen's van in "Position A"  (some day we will have to talk abou Position A, not now I don' t want to give up my advantage because of it, maybe when I retire we can talk about it).  My van was in position since Thursday.

Well, was I ever wrong.  In a good way.  Crowds were there at 9:30.  They started buying right away.  They bought all the way up to 3pm.  Finally, we were seeing people carrying large art objects in there hands.  The place was popping.

Overall, I think most artists were happy, a small number were not, but this show was a winner this year.

Twice a year the art league on Anna Maria Island holds an art festival, one in December, the other this past weekend. I've exhibited at the Winterfest show for four years and every year the sales improve, this was the first time I participated in Springfest, WOW what a difference. The island is packed with snowbirds, springbreakers and year long residents and as you can see from the above picture many of them come to the show. My sales were double of the best winterfest show I had done here. I was so busy I didn't have a chance to poll many artists about their sales, hopefully a few of our members that were there will chime in.

Set up is on Friday and the layout allows you to unload at your space, generous spaces, many corners, level grassy field, the only down side is that wind can be a major factor so bring extra weights. Breakdown is just as easy. Artists ammenities include donuts, fresh fruit and coffee both mornings, water throughout the day and boothsitters if you want them. Provided artist parking is close. The show also has decent award money. Joyce, Laura and the rest of the volunteer staff are accommidating, helpful and friendly. This festival also has some great music, and it's kept at a level that it still allows conversation in your booth.

This is a fun show to do, in a beautiful setting with relaxed, friendly people. I'll be adding it to my spring lineup and would recommend giving it a try.

http://bit.ly/gpityF

I came across a college scholarship that I would like to pass on to everyone here.  Having put 4 boys through college, I know how hard it is to fund those four years of higher education.  I also know how hard it is to find scholarship money that my kids qualified for.  So, I am passing along this scholarship hoping one of you has a talented budding artist who could possibly qualify for this money.

The scholarship is the "Third Annual Clear Choice Art Scholarship Program" sponsored by Krylon.  They are awarding 5 -  $1000 scholarships.  To qualify, the student must be a graduating senior or a freshman or sophmore in college.  You can find all the rules and information at www.krylon.com/art/.  It is due April 30, 2011.  I know that right now is the time when kids are applying for scholarships.  You might as well add one more to your son or daughter's list.  Someone has to win these 5 scholarships, your son or daughter might as well be one of the winners.  The Art Fair Calendar has so many talented artists here.  Surely, the offspring must also have a lot of talent!  Keep us posted if your student wins.

Good luck,

Jacki B

 When I look at other peoples work, it feels as if everyone has narrowed thing down and their work covers a small part of the spectrum of art.  It feels clean and focused.  

When I look at my work, I feel that it has many different styles and levels.  I have cheeper wearable things, expensive one of a kind things, and artwork.  In those categories, I feel like my work covers a wide range as well. From texture to humor.  I kind of like not doing the same thing all the time, I also like to show to people that I can do a wide range of things (I do custom work).  I also still want to explore and not feel penned into one thing only.  I'm also a younger artist, I don't know if that has anything to do with it.

I would like to know if people feel it is important to be a bit focused in your work that you display, or if a range of things is ok.  I'd love it if people could tell me if my work is scatted or if there is a focus that I don't see (website www.caz-designs.com), but I do understand that people are busy.  Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated!

-Colette A. Zilka

What a great, inciteful article on Eugenie.  I'm sorry that comments weren't allowed on the article posted.  I've met Eugenie a couple of times and have always admired and respected her work and her ability and desire to continue to find new paths.  It's been awhile as I've cut back on the shows I do, and not sure where I saw her last but it was an amazing display and without a nod to doing something commercial but what she truly wanted to do for artistic expression.  Food for thought for a lot of exhibiting artists.

Stephanie