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Anyone else do this show?
September 6 and closing the festival. Firefighters and paramedics came
to the rescue. Read the rest of the story here: http://www.news9.com/global/story.asp?s=13107536
I give Artists a discount on my artist chairs,I only charge $300.00 to artists which about what it costs to make them.Mahogany frames,stainless steel hardware and cordura seat ,they last for 20 years or more.I also do repairs for the life of the chair and refinish and reseat them.
Labor Day Wknd 2010: This was my first time at the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts. This is a good, solid show and the weather was PERFECT both days. It was nice to do a show that made a good profit. The show is well managed and the community is involved! The committee running this show is invested in making it a positive for both artists and patrons. The Patrons....wow!... they support this show in numbers. The show claims 48K attendance, I'm not sure if it got to that number but there were hordes of people attending the show. The image above shows the attendance on Saturday around noon and it was much this way on Sunday.
The organizers have kept the show small, 120 artists. I think that's perfect. Booths are all in a line, up both sides of the tree shaded 4th Street, so no bad spots...patrons walk the entire show. Plenty of storage behind your tent and artists parking is near for easy access to inventory. Bring shims... you will need to level but not too much. This is a Zapplication show: jury fee was $25 and booth fee, $200.
Sales were strong for me on Saturday and if things had continued on Sunday, the show would have been outstanding. For many artists I spoke with, sales were down on Sunday though attendance was equally strong for both days. There was a lot of energy and enthusiasm for the art. A lot of folks come out to enjoy the creativity with a nice mix of young and old (no gate fee). Sales for me were mostly for small stuff, under $100, though I did sell a few pieces for $200 and one piece for $300.
This is a well juried show and deserves its top ranking. I would return if given the opportunity.
Cheers, Leo
P.S. Restaurants in Bloomington are FANTASTIC. I usually pass on the vendor food... but not here... fabulous.
P.S.S. Judy Goskey, good to meet you at dinner!
I am doing it... opening the can o' worms that is. This is something I have wanted to discuss, but wanted to wait for just the right moment. Heading into the home stretch of this blog series I figure now is the time to cover the topic of buy/sell over the next few questions of this blog series mostly because many artists are finding they are having a hard time competing with it when at art fairs. Before I dive in head first, I want to make sure we are all on the same page. For this question I am going to cover the basics first.
Question #31 Buy/sell: How did it get so out of hand?
First, clarify the terms. I hear buy/sell, retail, and re-sell or re-sale used interchangeably and don't think that is right. Buy/sell refers to the idea of buying something that is already made - at cost or wholesale value - and then resold to make a profit. This has been going on for many many years as this is how retail stores work and do business – in this aspect there really is nothing wrong here.... Just think of the can of corn, tools, cleaning supplies you buy... this is all re-sell. However, the best way to describe the issue with craft artists is re-sell as it is the re-selling of items, mostly non-handmade by the "artist" yet proclaiming it is made by them. The issue grows from this as much of the items are imported from China or India where labor wages and work ethic is deplorable and the more we perpetuate this, the more it says to others it is ok because "we" are saving money. This is where everyone gets their panties in a bunch – including myself! However, the wedgie will have to be adjusted later... The question is how did it get out of hand.
Think back to when you saw this popping up... For me it is the early 1990's. Based upon my research, I am almost dead on as much of this started in the late 1980's to early 1990's with the beginning of NAFTA (North American Fair Trade Agreement) – a good amount of info on this is available via wikipedia to learn more about NAFTA – which created a trade bloc with the US, Canada, and Mexico. A trade bloc which is an intergovernmental agreement to reduce taxes and tarrifs on traded goods in hopes to build relations with other countries. Not much later APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) was formed. In the formation of these groups the flood gates opened to allow more and more goods come into America. One of the best examples – and not the only one – is Wal-Mart in their push to have lower prices. Being they are such a mega company where money can and will be made, getting “product” cheaper to make a profit, is where much of this school of thought comes from. Who cares if the quality goes down – and this is me talking (don't forget the issues with kids toys and toothpaste recalls) – at least “I” am making money. The issue is when cheaper labor is available, businesses follow and take advantage of that because it is an easier out. After all many of us want to keep costs low to increase profits. This is enticing to artists because many are just one or two people. If that artist has found a niche and is exploding they may find this is the best road for them, never really having the forward thinking of what impact this might cause. And it is this way of thinking, where I think re-sell has greatly affected the art community all in the name of making a couple of extra bucks.
The issues this has caused is a battle of quality vs. quantity. “Artists” are now (and have been for at least 10 years or more) trying to pass off work as made by them when it is most likely something made overseas. Then there is the issue of determining what is and what isn't re-sell when it comes to jurying. What erks me, and countless others, is that the true artists who have learned their medium through years of training, making each item by hand, and jumped through the hoops of getting into juried shows to see their neighbor who simply took their “art” out of a box, slapped a new price tag on it and start selling at the same fair is what makes me (us) irritated beyond measure. This is not fair, it is cheating, and plain wrong. It cheapens the show and the hard work of fellow artists. Now that I hope we are on the same page, future questions which I will answer, will be the subject matter in this blog series. The next question will deal with this re-sell issue in ways how to over come this by educating the public and then tips on how to deal with possible culprits at shows you sell at. I cannot say enough how thankful I am to know all of you reading this support this and are able to get something out of my tips. Knowing that makes my day. Please keep reading and print and pass them along to friends or others you see may benefit from this blog. - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com
From the Free Press: http://www.freep.com/article/20100904/NEWS03/100904029/Big-crowds-for-day-two-of-Ford-Arts-Beats-&-Eats?GID=PA9+8tqIfTsx/ER83dzu73FMkNCRvrZ/ueL6N0qOFmM%3D
http://www.freep.com/article/99999999/NEWS03/100827084/0/ENT05&template=theme&theme=2010_ARTSBEATSEATS
From the Royal Oak Tribune: http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2010/09/04/news/doc4c82c7a6e0a48757892742.txt
Of course I am a little biased...working my a.. off here! Hope all my friends are having great weekends around the country on this beautiful weekend. Perfect art fair weather here in Royal Oak today.
Historic Old Town -
Key West, Florida
Application Deadline - October 1, 2010
100 artist booths
The Key West Art Center, a non-profit community art center, sponsors this fine art show that highlights 100 artist exhibitors. Locals and tourists alike flock to the Old Towne to see what's new each year and to see old favorites.
Cruise boats dock just blocks from the show and passengers are dropped onto the street a block from where the canopies line the beautiful tree lined streets. Running parallel one block from famous Duval Street and its famous bars and restaurants, is an added bonus.
In its 46th year now the show has grown from an all local art show to a nationally rated Fine Art Show. Like Key West itself, this show has a wonderful mix of styles and traditions and the locals and tourists alike find their favorites. February's warm tropical breezes bring tourists of all kinds to our tiny island city and many of them plan their trip around the Key West Craft Show.
The 100 juried artists set up on Whitehead and Caroline Streets in the historic district and through the famous Presidential Gates into the private residential community known as Truman Annex. This compact arrangement makes it easy for visitors to walk the entire show.
This show is run by artists for artists, and strives to bring all the right things together for everyone to have a great show. Advertising is done throughout the Keys and South Florida with support from the Florida Keys Tourist Development Grant and the Key West Art Center.
Please feel free to call for more information. We are Key West...... we are happy to answer all your questions and hope you come visit!
Lois Songer - Director
KWArtCtr@earthlink.net
My director chairs I have been using for twenty years are worn out. I have seen several artists with nice heavy wooden framed chairs and padded seats. They are not the x crossed leg directors chairs but four legged straight or slightly curved leg type. Can anyone tell me where to find them? Have searched on line but apparently not under the correct description.
Thanks
Ed Schmidt
Art at the Glen, Glenview
Show was at the site of the old Glenview Naval Airbase which is now an upscale community with condos, shops, etc. Set up is generally easy although some exhibitors had store customers parked in their booth space which presented a problem for those few. Otherwise set up and tear down is quite easy. Typical of any show, many did well and others not so well. Quite hot and humid which tried the paitience of many exhibitors there. We had a significant increase in sales, almost double of last year. Great response from customers to our work.
Gold Coast
New location at Grant Park this year. City would not allow the show to be in the old location on LaSalle Street, so it had to be moved. Chicago Bears scheduled a preseason exhibition game after show date was set. Chicago Police initally would not let to show open at all on Saturday. After intense lobbying with the mayors office, show was allowed to stay open only until 3:00PM on Saturday. Attendance and sales were slow on Friday and just getting started good on Saturday when we had to close. Sunday attendance and sales were excellant. Will take a year or two for the public to get used to the new location. Total sales were not as well as expected but still acceptable. All exhibitors had to be out of the park by 11:OOPM Sunday or there was a fine. Thought tear down would be "NIGHTMARE" but most artists and security personnel worked well and everyone was out well before the deadline. Always a hot head or two around who didn't want to follow the rules but they were quickly quelched. All in all show went well. Some problems with mud and standing water from the rain Friday night. Amdur was limited by the park commission as to the remedies (no mulch, hay ect). Put down topsoil and plywood and made the best they could of the situation.
Port Clinton
The name says it all! Attendance was great both days although Sunday was very hot and humid. Public still came out and spent. Again many exhibitors did well and others not. Tough competition in two dimensional work. Many in my opinion overpriced their work. Don't know if this was their regular price or raised them because it was Port Clinton. Many well known high end artist did well while others sold very little although their work was of excellent design and execution. We had our best show of the year and both days were our best selling days of the year. Sales started at show opening both days and continued after closing time. May have been the fact that were are the only toymakers in the show and our price points are in the $50-175 dollar range. Poster for the show was a play on the tortist and the hare theme and we were the tortist when it came to teardown as we were one of the last to pack out. Show lived up to its' reputation and looking forward to next year.
Ed Schmidt
Toys 'N' Stuff
Wooden Toys
I exhibited at the Santa Fe College Spring Arts Festival in Gainesville, Florida last April. When I opened up my tent Sunday morning I discovered that watersprinklers had gone off in my booth during the night.yes""> The sprinklers were really buried in the grass and I didn’teven know I had sprinklers, in fact, it took me a while to figure out why partof my booth was absolutely soaked. Luckily I had placed my directors chair right over the invisiblesprinklers and that prevented the water from spraying high enough to soakeverything. I had $1460.00 indamaged work (watercolors) and another artist (photographer) had about twice asmuch damage to his work. The showorganizer, Kathryn Leyman, spent the next three plus months trying to get thephotographer and me compensated for our losses.yes""> The city owned the land the sprinklers were in - butSunTrust Bank owned the sprinklers - but a maintenance/landscape company was incharge of the sprinklers – the finger pointing went on and on! I think sometimes Kathryn was patientand sometimes she was angry but I do know she spent a lot of time and did notgive up! It’s a nice show and Kathryn wants to see to it that the artist arewell treated and fairly treated. The photographer and I owe her a great bigthank you for persisting. She gotus our money and justice did finally prevail!yes""> We couldn’t have made it work without her. Thank you Kathryn Lehman!
Christina Smith
Christinasmith.net
csmithstudio@mac.comArtists are really struggling as a demographic for a myriad of reasons. Yet I keep running into artists who are telling me they’re having the best year ever, simply because they have embraced change and done things differently. Some of them are working larger, which is a smart way to go. When I go to shows and galleries these days, almost everything on display is small scale. Too many artists are working small thinking they’re going to increase their sales because money is tight. The success stories are artists who are working bigger and making their work more expensive and more impressive. People who can afford to buy art live in large homes and often have more than one. These successful artists, in these tough economic times report to me that they are selling large scale art at higher price points over smaller pieces. It really makes sense that people who have money to buy art do not want small scale. The people who used to buy small art are so financially stressed they can no longer afford it.
Overall, I believe the event is on the right track by lowering admission and parking fees, but it'll take a while to get the crowds back. The jury process is really broken and needs fixing - there's always been some buy-sell people at this event, but they were separated from the really hand-made people. This time everyone was all mixed together, with about 25% buy-sell. The supposedly juried area layout is one of the worst I've ever seen. Attendees can't tell where they've been or where they're going. The spoke arrangement just doesn't work, but after hearing how many crafters have complained about it and how often, I don't think they'll change it. I still can't figure out what the area we were in was supposed to be (it was called "the Country Store"), but even though there were buy-sell folks in it, it turned out to be the most comfortable and lucrative area to be in. We'll try Lucketts again next year as long as we can get the same spot!
November 20
Canton, Michigan
Plymouth High School
8400 Beck Rd.
9 am to 4 pm
Deadline: when full
a 501c3 organization
125 exhibitors
Canton is in the metro Detroit area, right here.
Several years ago, with funds from the school district drying up that supported a nationally recognized band program, the parents rallied and started fund raising so their children could continue to be enriched by participation in the music program. Their drive to provide an excellent music program for their children is illustrated in their similar efforts to provide a quality craft show.
The juried arts and crafts event is held annually to support the music/band programs at the Plymouth Canton Educational Park. A bake sale, raffle, concessions, and entertainment will also be available. All funds raised go to the band programs at all three Plymouth-Canton High Schools, including the nationally-acclaimed Plymouth-Canton Marching Band that ranked 7th in the Nation in 2007.
What does this mean for you?
- a small quality event
- low booth fees
- easy in and out in one day
- solid support by the community
- resulting in a day well spent by you