Hyde Park has a hip urban sensibility and a little younger vibe than what you'll typically see in many Florida shows. Lots of younger couples, runners, dogs, baby strollers on hand to complement the older age brackets that we're used to seeing. And until this weekend (my fourth time at this venue) I'd seen steadily increasing sales for my wildlife/bird photography. But at this show, it just wasn't happening. Show quality was quite good, though perhaps a little heavy on the jewelry. But it was almost spooky how every artist I talked with (save one, about which more in a minute) gave the same summary: Modest, but acceptable, crowds and sales on Saturday; sparser, more disinterested crowds and lower sales on Sunday. Personally, I did about 40 percent of the business I'd done last spring (two weeks before Easter, when most snowbirds typically clear out from Florida). More tellingly, my sales compared with last fall's show were down 25%. No large canvas sales; nearly all my sales were 11x14s. Although I remarked ruefully to my neighbor (who zeroed on his fun, colorful "eco-art" made from scrap metal and rocks) that "at least my $4 notecard sales were up 800% year-over-year." Not exactly the fast start to the winter season I'd hoped for.
I'm thinking that Halloween might have impacted the show attendance, even though Howard Alan Events did their usual fine job advertising and promoting, and even brought around Halloween candy for trick or treaters and patrons (and, what the heck, a few artists, too! Howard's shows don't feature artist amenities so we have to take what we can get.) There were several other wildlife photographers on the artist roster, and although several had the same kind of weekend I had, local shooters Irwin and Carol Glazer recouped a slow Saturday with seven canvas print sales on Sunday. So, you never know! Gotta tip my cap to 'em, they're great photographers and really nice folks, too.
Besides the free candy,there were a few other positives to be had. Setup here is early, but easy: Narrow streets, but \ wide sidewalks behind your booth. What's more, several new close-in parking areas replaced the grubby, tight-quartered lot we'd used the last couple of years. Departure was, I must say, handled brilliantly by Helayne and her staff. Artists on either end were allowed in first, at 6 PM sharp...and folks in the center were asked to wait This enabled artists in the first group to enter from side streets at either end, eliminating the traffic jams so often seen on narrow streets when everyone tries to access the area at once.
The wait for us folks in the center wasn't long at all; in fact, my breakdown was complete just as Helayne gave the green light to get our vehicles. I was on the road a half hour later. It was almost like a parade!
Unfortunately, great logistics won't pay the bills. But there's nothing to do but dust myself off and get ready for Patty Narozny's fall show at Miromar (in Estero) this weekend. It's a local show for me, and it'll be good to sleep in my own bed on a weekend for the first time in months. Local shows in my hometown: a sure sign that winter--and snowbirds with vacation bucks to spend--are on the way.
Senate Report Card grades through the “Dirty Dozen” and “Same State, Different Story” profiles. Today, we bring you the final installment in our Senator Report Card series. The 
