Well. First off this is one of those shows you have to experience before you retire from the circuit.The neighborhood is one that everyone might dream to live in.Turn of the century brown and graystones, the center courtyard,private gardens. A beautiful setting for an urban show (all 6 of them).
The organization is so well done, it almost runs itself.The Southern politeness is wittnessed everywhere.People ask how you are, and patiently wait for a answer. Yes ma'ams and no ma'ams the the order of the day.Load in and load out takes patience, but it just plain works.
I had asked a few vets what to expect. First, they said, you will end up on the inner court.Just the way it is, gotta pay your dues. Don't expect big sales, you will see less than half the traffic the outer parts receive.Well sports fans, the sages were correct on all accounts.
People did flow thru, and sales for Friday were typical for a three day show (Always call it "Booth fee Friday"), but right off the bat it was distressing to see the difference between the crowd inside, and the ones outside. Maybe a grass is always greener thing,but really felt like a gut punch.
Saturday, things were rolling nicely, had $5K in my sites, when the sunny forecast changed to rain. Now, inside is grass on grass, outside is booths on grass with pavement.It turned cold, the rain came around 2 or 3pm and it became a ghost town.Good bye $5K.
Sunday, well hope springs eternal but the cold temps and no sun didn't help things much, and we ended up a bit less than $2500 for a three day show. One meduim sized piece, the rest all small stuff.Damn.This covers show expense, food, the room but no profit. Translates into a lost weeked from a financial perspective. So I began my reflection on what I had experienced.
I was unprepared. My work takes a specific type of buyer. I don't do art that makes you smile, I need you to think a bit.I need a bit more of an urban adventurer, folks here pretty traditional in many respects (and this is just fine by me). For me to find my audience, I need that large cross section of bodies coming thru, inside we just didn't have it, and quite possibly the demographic is all wrong for me.
The show peeps said there was no power, and had I studied the map it would have occured to me that being placed in a North/South orientation with a tree canopy on two sides meant it's gonna be dark baby, and when your work is of the same nature, it's like trying to show bats in a cave setting.My work just didn't pop, so no moths to the flame for me.
Then the epiphany of sorts. No matter where I walked (my son spells me at the booth when I become frustrated, walking burns it off for me) there were no people in booths other than the didgerredoo dudes, or the "funny art" set ups. I am of the opinion the show is so large,that folks have the mindset they are going to see it all and walk and look without stopping. Kinda like shooping for a car by driving down the street and looking at all the dealers stock at 30 MPH. I did my usual unofficial count of 50 people walking by (do this several times every day), counted packages.Less than 10% had stuff, and what they did have was small. Got a bit better by the end of the day Sunday, but not much.
I have to say, before this comes off as overly negative, I loved the town, respect the show promoters and adore the people (just wish they'd open the purse strings up a bit). Had a fine time meeting and talking to folks, Nels set me straight with dinner advice (Irish Rover's hands down the best pub I have been to, and I love pubs).I was set up across from the historical society booth, asked for some gritty points of interest, and at the end of the show the director asked me to do some interpretive photography of the area, guided tour and all. Looking forward to that.
I have to also admit, the end of the court where I was set up felt like the tail of the dog (could use another reference but this is a family show).There was a "beads for Autism" booth. Excellent cause, but art show stuff? The iced tea sponsor right across.The dude was catatonic by Sunday after 3 days of begging people to try the stuff. Next to him, Costco.Then the historical society. Guy selling photographs of KrispyKreme donuts with miniature people climbing them. Hand made kites at the end(at least I think they were hand made). Don't mind paying my dues, but man, I felt like I was at the local farmers market. Started off feeling pretty damn good with folks congradulating us on making the cut. By the end, wishing I had gone to Cottonwood instead.
