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If you follow this blog, you probably figured out that Boston Mills ArtFest has happened. ArtFest is a two weekend event that happens on the last weekend in June (a party night and 2 show days) and the 1st weekend in July (a party night and 3 show days). Two years ago I did the show on the first weekend and this year I tried second weekend. In the past artists could only do one or the other, but applications were down this year and a handful of artists got to try their luck on both weekends. To my surprise, I did just about identical gross sales numbers this year as I did two years ago.... this is a solid show (but had still hoped to do a little better with the extra day).

Setup: The rendering above shows the layout. There are four large artist tents, facing in each direction and about 32 individual tents down the middle. The large tent, on the left, is considered the North tent, but the sun sets behind it; go figure. Setup and breakdown are not bad, but you have to dolly everything to and from the parking lot, that is unless you get one of the few areas where you can park behind your booth (North tent).

Both times that I've done the show, I pitched my own tent in the middle section. I recommend paying a little more for a spot in the bigger tents... weather is a factor this time of year... this year it was hot! The larger tents stay cooler and people linger longer. That said, sales were still strong for me.

Location: Where is Boston Mills? Seems like it should be near Boston, MA but not even close, Boston Mills Artfest takes place at the base of a bunny slope (err, ski resort) just south of Cleveland, OH in the township of Peninsula, Ohio. The show draws from affluent suburbs around Cleveland and Akron and they come in good numbers.

Sales: Very good art displayed at this show and patrons bought big, though with caution. Several painters did outstanding at this show. A friend of mine from OH was well above 5 figures with several commissions pending. I spoke with potters, stained glass artists, photographers and jewelers who had a solid show in the 5-7K range. Not all fared well; a painter I met had a very disappointing show as did a multi-media artist. Like all shows this year, some hit it out of the park and some don't.

The Organization: This is a well publicized and coordinated event. Show volunteers frequently checked in with me to see if I had any needs. This is a well oiled machine that has been coordinated for years by Ron Beahn.

Amenities: An opening dinner for the artists, which meant hands off on the food and refreshments provided to paying patrons during the opening drunken bash... I mean hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer tasting. With an artist badge, artists could enjoy the tasting during the last 15 minutes of the event and without a badge, could blend in for earlier tastings.

My booth was near the music performance stage, which is usually the kiss of death for any artist who draws that lot. It certainly was on Friday opening night, but for the rest of the weekend, this was a fabulous spot. The music was incredibly good!!... concert quality. Each performance drew folks from all around the grounds and many listening to the performances spent time in my booth - which resulted in sales.

8871839097?profile=original Here's a group call Mo' Mojo. They are a mix of Zydeco, Blues and Cajun. They can draw a crowd. I'll go to any art show that they're performing at. Hear an mp3 from their web site.

Bottom line: Would I return to ArtFest? You betcha.

Cheers!


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Kentucky Shows 2010 part 3

I am finally home after my 'tour' of shows in Kentucky. And what a tour it was! I thought Florida was hot but boy, it was sweltering. I never show in the heat and try to avoid it, usually Kentucky is tolerable but not so this time. My last show was Francisco's Farm in Midway College. I heard it was a great show and now I know why. Set-up on Friday was unbearable with the weather blistering. I took my time and usually a 3 hour set-up took me almost 6 hours, resting and drinking plenty of water. I loved the fact that this was the most orginized show I have ever done. They greet you with a 'team' of volunteers that help you load your stuff in carts and while you go park your car, your stuff is already at your spot..that was great but one thing is they unloaded it in the middle of my space so I had to move everything to get it out of the way in order to build my tent. The property was beautiful, my kind of show, sitting amongst horses under trees! Nice. After set-up they had a nice artist dinner in the college cafeteria by the local cafe' chef which consisted of chicken, and all the sides but nothing for a vegetarian that also has lactose issues. Eating is so difficult to do when I travel. So back to my hotel I went to pass out and head back in the morning. The next day it was even hotter! The news and newspapers where telling everybody to stay inside so you can guess that it was slow. But still, the art was all top draw, always had a volunteer to help me out. The next day was not so hot but it still was blasting. I had a little run of sales and even meet the original promoter of the show which turned out great for me, I got into the gallery he owns here in Lexington so everything happens for a reason.All in all, it was an A plus show in a D minus economy. I will definitly be back next year. This is my new favorite show (sorry Ocala, but I still love you too!). Everyone hang in there. This economy will pick up soon. Don't give up and keep treading the hampster wheel!
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VODKA REPORT- BOSTON MILLS ARTFEST JULY 2010

The only thing that beats sleeping in your own bed and doing an art show, winning an award and sleeping in your bed, and doing an art show- is having dinner with Nels Johnson, while you are doing all of those things! We did the show, won an award (so did Nels!), and had a fantastic dinner with Nels at the Blue Canyon restaurant in Twinsburg, Ohio. Nels was waiting at the bar for us to arrive-dirty martini in hand, we started drinking at the table..Bob and I love a drink we call the "Patti-thing"...Belvedere vodka chilled up with a float of cointreau- orange slice for effect, Nels ordered a very good bottle of wine for himself..a great dinner, good company, and two more days of the art show in store for us.

We did not fare that well at the art show..we were outside in extreme heat for two of the three days.The tents are where you want to be- rain or shine, you will see more people, and feel less stress.We hope next year we can be in a tent. I don't know how the customers perceive the artists outside, compared to the ones inside the tents.I think we are treated like step-children, as they hurridly walk from tent to tent...see you next year...in a tent!

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Berkshires Art Festival --LIVE

The mountains & weather are beautiful. The crowds are here and buying from alot of artists, and as usual not from others. This show is probably maxed at 10,000-12,000 attendees in this upscale vacation destination. 3 days, and looking for a large crowd again// just come and buy. If anyone knows how to put on a show it is Richard Rothbard, his energy,advertising, and knowledge of artist,gallery owner, and show promoter shine brightly. He proved in his Sarasota Show that a large crowd doesn't mean great sales// Just come and BUY which they did in Dec. His show in N.Y. in Nov. sure makes alot more sense to do than $2500 one of a kind show hidden in the merch. market//more on that later. Losing my laptop power,,see ya later// Hope to do a BREW Report as we have become friends with the brew pub in the mountains. Fair Winds from the Slades
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It was held on June 27 in downtown Menominee, Mich......which is a small city at the most southern part of the upper Peninsula......across the river from Marinette, WI.....50 booths....drove up the grass of the park to load and unload. The park is right on the water and there is a marina too...nice crowd all day....weather was hot and humid.

Now the important stuff......nice eats for the artists.....inside bathrooms in the Yacht Club.....yes I felt like a member.....where is my captain's hat and telescope?

In the morn, lots of people, who bought little....and us artists all started to worry.....is it me?.....is it my art?..is my display not displayed properly?...is my name badge on crooked..did I miss a spot when I shaved this morning?......do I look too artsy for older lady buyers....should I talk more?....should I talk less? ......etc, etc.

Suddenly my daughter, Karen, arrrived at 1:30.....and people immediately started buying.....she was a good luck charm....for sure.....and cute too....she is my little girl....only 29.

So i finished with over 10 times entry fee......which was $65, I think. And someone wants 50 copies at wholesale prices.

Saw some old friends.....used to work nearby.....Show rates 3 DAVEY's......I paint pictures and sell mostly prints of same.

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Stookey Companies Shows, West Des Moines

I don't have information from their last year's show at this location, but I have done their 'Other Art Fair' 3 times and I have to give them a 'thumbs up' for doing what they say they will do. Good organization and promotion.
I am participating in this years show for the first time (WDM) and am coming to Iowa in Oct instead of June. I anticipate a well done event.
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Call for Artists: ArtWalk on the Bay

September 18 & 19
Bayfront Park
San Diego, California
150 artists
Deadline: July 16

We invite fine artists to apply for ArtWalk on the Bay 2010. This two-day fine art festival is now in its 5th year. With its gorgeous waterfront location at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Park, the free public festival draws 40,000 attendees from throughout Southern California.

The festival is produced by the same team that brings Mission Federal ArtWalk (120,000 attendees) to San Diego's historic Little Italy neighborhood each April. The producers have been praised by artists and attendees alike for their organizational expertise as well as the high level of marketing for the event. Because the event takes place in avenue that attracts a huge number of affluent tourists and convention attendees, artists benefit from this unique mix of visitors and local residents.


ArtWalk on the Bay
Art Fair Calendar.com
What began as a local art event in 1994 has become two annual festivals that with outstanding reputations throughout the region, attracting artists from across the country and from beyond our southern and northern borders. Each year, ArtWalk on the Bay brings in seasoned collectors as well as first-time art buyers.
  • The venue is a grassy 4.3 acre park adjacent to the luxurious (and brand new) Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The flat and accessible park offers ease of load-in and out. ArtWalk on the Bay provides high quality 10' by 10' tents that are also 10' high.
  • Access to more than 40,000 annual attendees
  • A page on the ArtWalk on the Bay web site that will remain up until summer, 2011. Check out www.artwalkonthebay.org/
  • Tenting opportunity provided by show management
  • An opportunity to be included in the festival's very dynamic publicity outrreach (print, broadcast, online)
  • Listing in Event Brochure/Map
  • Booth sitters offered to participants

Artists who participate in ArtWalk on the Bay find that they sell artwork long after the event as a result of the comprehensive web page dedicated to each artist that can be updated by you as
frequently as you wish...you can upload new artwork images, change your artist statement, etc. This living gallery is a unique feature to this event, and one that many artists have stated "is worth the price of the registration fee."

ArtWalk on the bay does not charge an up-front jury fee. We typically receive approximately 500 applications, and we accept approximately 150 artists.


The festival is a celebration of arts and culture throughout the region. KidsWalk features interactive art activities for kids, and showcases the art education program founded by our organization: ArtReach, which takes professional artists into elementary schools to address the lack of programming for our region's budding young artists.


To learn more:www.artreachsandiego.org


Musical performances also take place throughout the weekend, featuring everything from gospel to classical music. The festival is embraced by San Diego's Mayor, the Port of San Diego and numerous corporate sponsors, as a world class celebration of culture in the region.


Visit the website to learn more: www.artwalksandiego.org


To apply, go to: http://www.artwalkonthebay.org/register.htm

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Input on Bele Cher Asheville

Does anyone have experience with the Bele Cher show in Asheville, NC? Is it as crazy as it looks in the web site? Were sales satisfactory? Were there any glitches? Were the organizers helpful?
Rick Shamel
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Grand Haven Michigan Art Fair

The show is held on Washington Street, downtown Grand Haven. This is an awesome port town on Lake Michigan about 30 miles west of Grand Rapids.

The show is put on by Howard Alan. Show fee $350, $25 app. fee. Set up is at 5am Sat morning. The town revamped there streetscape which made some manuvering a little tricky, glad I started setting up at 4am(don't ask). There were banners above Washington street at both ends, yard signs pointing the way to the show and posters in many storefronts. People knew you were going to be there. Promoter provided Panera Bread bagels each morning, no other perks were provided..water, boothsitters etc. Which is fine with me, I can take care of those things myself. I would much rather see money spent on advertising.

The show was set up in two sections. Fine art down main street, around 80 artists. Crafters were on a cross street, around 20. The town had a block for sponser booths, kids activity, etc.

Saturdays weather started out with a little rain, by 10am it was blue sky and beautiful. Got up into the upper 80's. There were tons of people, but the buying energy just was not there. Plenty of interest,just could not get them to pull the trigger.

Early Sunday saw two thunderstorms come in. Lots of rain. Arrived at show to see around a dozen EZ-ups collapsed on the towns section. A couple of EZ-Ups in the art section were also damaged. I believe the rain filled the tops with so much water they couldn't take it, I don't think it was the wind. Sundays energy was about the same.

A bronze sculpture next to me sold his lowest price pieces for the weekend, he did around $1000. Was his worst show so far this year. A photographer friend of mine was happy with his sales, he has a double booth. I do not ask people what they make, if they share it with me fine. A fiber artist did $3000. A painter next to me did abstract fish. It was her second show ever and she did well. She sold her largest painting for $1100 plus a couple of smaller pieces. Was great fun watching her have success!! Me, I did $1800 and was happy to end up with that. This was my 3rd year here, previous shows were in the upper 3k. By the way, I make stone lamps and vases.

I sleep in my trailer so do not know what hotel costs are, I do know they are not cheap from the past shows. I pack my own food so no restaraunt reports. Sorry Nels, was to tired to go out for a drink to give you a report.

I will do show again, was just one of those years. Helayne with Howard Alan did a great job, was always around to put out fires.

Kevin

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June 26-27, Park Point Art Fair, Duluth, MN

This was my first time at this show. Thought it was a good idea to go north after the very hot weather south. Park Point is a long penninsula from Duluth into Lake Superior and you must go over a lift bridge to get there. The show location is a park at the end of the penninsula. This show has a Friday setup which was great. We could drive right up to our booth and even park behind it all weekend. Sat was very cool and cloudy with a breeze coming off the lake. The crowd was good early, but one customer told us they had to wait an hour while the bridge was up. People come from many parts of MN to to spend the weekend at their cabins along the lake shore. Sun. brought a few rain drops early, but for the most part it was sunny and much warmer with a breeze---a perfect day for an art show. The Park Point Community Club is the promoter and this was the 40th year for the show. Impressive! They offer coffee and donuts both mornings and a burritto dinner on Sat. after the show. The volunteers were around often if you needed a break, but there are two of us so we don't use this service. They were all very pleasant to work with. My art is a fine quality kiln-fired glass and this was definitely NOT my market. I did get many compliments, but then they would go to the booth next to me, you know the one---from Elk River, MN---with mass produced rock birds and ducks, and buy two or three pieces. Those birds were flying out of that booth! Gotta admit, those people know how to sell them, and they are sorta cute with with the mommas and babies. My question is whether they belong in an art show??? There was some great art here, but also much poor quality art and displays. My observation was...if you have rock birds, garden art on a stick or pottery, this is a show for you. If you have fine art or fine craft, find another show. Needless to say, my sales were a disappointment! :(
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Roycroft Festival, East Aurora, NY

Lots of trial and error over the years has helped me find shows that support fine craft and when I find them I hold them dear.( I work in paper, with hand bound books being the staple and collage and castings rounding out the mix.)

So, here in Upstate NY we have the Roycroft Campus which is a cherished place in these parts. Locals are aware of the Roycrofter tradition and when there is a Festival there devoted to craft it is well attended and there is an expectation about the quality of the work. For years the show was held on the Roycroft Campus which added to the allure and it really was very cool to be set up along the winding roads of the place where Hubbard actually worked. Across the street, there is an art show that is all 2D. Festival goers cross back and forth and both shows benefit. When something is that sweet you know it can't last, right?

Two years ago they started to fix the roads in town and that somehow led to the campus needing to rebuild walls and stuff and, long story short. They moved the show. 6 blocks off the main drag, in a school parking lot, tucked away out of sight. There was lots of signage in town, but this show draws regulars and they went to the campus looking for us and found antique dealers and craft demos.

Lots of folks did find us, but a lot didn't. And there were irritations. Like being on hot, unshaded asphalt instead of along leafy walkways. Like having the booths set up "cheek to jowl" making it close to impossible to roll up your sides or even zip them at the end of the day. I mean, really, 11 feet would kill your layout?

Most exhibitors said their sales were down but not as bad as they first thought when they saw the new location. The show may stay in the new place because the renovation of the campus back to its original state means no parking lots or roadways,

A regular customer asked me if I missed being on the grounds and I admitted I did. She nodded and said one of the sweetest things ever "Your work deserves better than a parking lot." Lovely lady, but you should see some of the places we've been! heh.

(I have no idea if this will show up as a review, but if it does, I may do more!)
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Traveling the show circuit you soon become aware that some shows are managed extremely well. Francisco's Farm Arts Festival is one of those shows. The show takes place on the grassy grounds of Midway College in Midway, KY, a very nice setting. This is one of those community shows, run by volunteers, where the entire community embraces it... there are other gems like this: Medina, OH; Williamsburg, VA; or Belleville, IL come to mind. Many of these shows hover under the radar of the big rating sites so word about them is passed on like folklore from artist to artist.

It was the 7th year for the show. Local sponsorship by area businesses was solid, which kept the cost down for artists (booth fee is $150). I was impressed with this show... knowing all the thought and planning that had gone into making the experience positive and hopefully enterprising for the artists. Seldom do you meet a group of volunteers who are as friendly and hospitable. There
must have been 50 volunteers working this show and each knew their role and worked hard to make the show as pleasant as they could for the artists and patrons who visited. There was a sense of pride on the part of the volunteers from Marcie Christensen (show director) on down ... it was their show.

So where is Midway, KY? Well, it's in the middle, midway between Lexington, KY (20 min.) and Louisville, KY (60 min.)...pretty country but it's out there. Because of its location, the show has the challenge of developing a marketing strategy and reputation that can draw folks from outlying
towns and cities. Surprisingly, most of the folks who visited my booth were from outlying areas and yes, several came from as far Louisville and Cincinnati.

About 150 artists attended and many like myself had returned; it was my 2nd year. The quality of the art was solid and mediums were balanced. I would say, most of the artists I met were local, an hour or two away but the show's web site indicates that artist came from 14 different states. I had traveled some distance to get to the show and my neighbor (fabric artist) came up from North Carolina, about 8 hours away. My other neighbor was local. There is a fun group of artists from the Lexington and Louisville area who participate in this show. It's a treat to be around artists that are so positive.

So how were the sales? The weather was hot...I mean, real hot (90 -95degrees!) A good number of the booths were out in the direct sun and I'm sure sales were affected. This made for slow sales, especially on Sunday. However, most of the southern artists seems to take the heat in stride and have created elaborate cooling systems in their booths... multiple fans that run off a marine battery. By the end of the weekend, I had battery envy.

The artists around me seemed pleased with sales and finished in the 2 to 3K range. For me, my expensive items, in the 300 to 600 range, sold again and again. I had a good strong show and finished in the 3 to 5K range (up from last year). Though money was spent by patrons, folks were cautious about their spending. I'll get a better sense on how other artists did, later. This is one of the few shows that I've participated in that aggressively collects financial data and comments from artists and then generates a report a few months later back to the artists showing the sale ranges for different mediums.

Amenities: You could stay in college housing for $45 per night and many artists enjoyed convenience of on the grounds housing and free breakfast..a big breakfast but you're staying in a dorm. Sorry Nels, this is an alcohol free campus... but there are some good places in town. You can get Sam Adams on tap at Duggans and it went down real smooth after a hot set up on Friday. Dinner was provided to all artists on setup day, catered by a local restaurant. On Saturday, artists were encouraged to head into town and enjoy the local cuisine... a smart strategy for bringing business to local establishments. Six other artist and myself enjoyed a fantastic meal at Bistro La Bella (a little pricey but YUM). The show had music, GOOD music, a nice mix and not too loud.

Things that need changing: Layout was confusing. It was modified this year because of construction on campus. You had to pay attention to make it to every nook and cranny and a few booths somehow got lopped off the main flow of the show to an outlying area... those artists did not do well. I suspect that next year the construction will be over and the flow of the show will return to its previous flow.

Attendance could be better. It was light, especially in the afternoon and went down to a trickle by 4PM each day. That said, my largest sales came at the closing bell on each day.

From my perspective, this is a show to pay attention to. Would I do the show again? Hell yes! It is well organized, has community backing, and an increasing and faithful following.

If you were there, tell us how things went from your perspective?

Cheers!

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Fountain Square 2010 Evanston, Illinois

Hello vodka, it's me, Patti and I will be visiting you after the art show every night that I am doing this show!!The events manager is called Special Events Management, and they are far from special...We can't blame the weather, because it was near perfect- the perfect storm never really appeared..the quality of the art was far from stellar, but not bad.What bothered Bob( my husband) and I most was that one of the awards was given to an artist who was not present...and they could care less.When we heard that the award for Best in Functional Art went to a particular artist(name to be held for fear of something happening to us)Bob went to the office and asked how they felt about awarding an artist who was 600 miles away...they said, oh he was here, we handed him the award this morning at the awards breakfast- Bob stated"no, that wasn't him,that was a worker doing the show- I know the wood artist who does inlaid work"She asked "how do I know if it is the artist at check in?" duhhhhhh! Check an ID, is that rocket science? That was the way it went, and down hill from there.With our coaxing- ten times- the committee finally approached the worker -stand-in-guy, who was busted.

The crowds came to the show, most of them did not buy...what a shame...a beautiful area, beautiful homes to fill- no buying power.Scratch this one off my list!!!

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This was my first art festival I've participated of Bill Kinney's. He is a relatively a new promoter on the scene whose company name is Paragon Fine Art Festivals. The show takes place at Ship Bottom, New Jersey. It's a small beach town located on Long Beach Island, also known as LBI. It is about half way down the coast of New Jersey. The demographics of this area appear to be wealthy, at least on the island. This show is only on its second year. I don't often gamble on such new shows out of state, but I had talked to a few artists that had success at his shows and Art Fair Source Book had given this show a great review from last year sales. In fact it was rated # 44 in the country based on sales. So I took the plunge and tried something I figured was going to be a big gamble.


What happens when you gamble big can be a huge loss that makes you want to cry, as was the case for me. I had my worst sales in 5 years at an art festival. I am not going to bash Bill Kinney as I did see some positive things. I did see a fair amount of advertising (saw signs, saw full page ads in several newspapers, and even a tourist TV station ad.) Also I talked to people who heard about it on the radio. There was plenty of parking for patrons and parking for artists was only about 400 yards away. Setup and tear down went fairly smoothly with prior day setup available. Also pizza during setup was appreciated.

The weather was okay overall. Saturday was beautiful; Sunday was very humid in the morning and then threatened rain in the late afternoon. The show was officially closed an hour early to allow us to pack up before the storm hit. It was a good call, as there really weren't many people there at the time anyhow.



Despite the apparent advertising just not many people turned out, I'd estimate about 4,000 to 8,000 people with most attending on Saturday. Maybe the low turnout had to due with the fact not enough people live in the area. I thought this show was going to bring people from
New York City and Philadelphia but I don't think that happened. Maybe that was a pipe dream. Atmosphere of show was rather dull; it was just in a big field near an elementary school. No art festival program either was provided. The quality of art was varied from quality high end work to questionable. There were way too many photographers and jewelers, making up about 40% of the 140 artists at the show! There was not enough space provided for storage. Most spaces were exactly 10’x12’ with the 12 feet being on the side (not the back). There was plenty of room on the field, why not lay it out to give artists more room? Of course the worst aspect of the show was sales. I did only $250. Of fellow photographers I had talked with their numbers were 0, $200 and $800. Some photographers might have done better, but this was just a sampling from three that gave me their numbers. I talked to a few painters with sales of 0, $1800 and $3200. I talked to one sculpture artist that did about $3000. Of the dozen other artists I talked to but didn't give numbers about half did "horrible" and the other half did "okay".

Why the low turnout? I think part of the problem may be not enough people live in the area.

Long Beach Island only has a population of 3,500 people and the mainland across the bridge of Stafford Township only has 22,500 people. They need to draw people from places further out and don't think it did.

Would I do this show again? No. Would I give any of Bill Kinney's other shows a try? Perhaps I would but not likely. I think he is aiming his shows in locations and markets that might not work for me. I generally need to do shows with more people attending and with people that can visualize my whimsical work on their walls in their homes. This show provided neither for me. I am not sure I can put my finger on what sells best here, but those that sell well in
Boca Raton, Florida might have a chance here. As for me it was one of my gambles gone horribly bad. I’m over crying about it now and will soon be back at the craps table. We all gamble when we do shows, some gambles are bigger than others. Some pay out; some take all your money. All we can do is make our best judgments, based on the information we have available and throw the dice. May the dice be kind to us all.


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40 Questions Craft Artist Blog Series. Question #24 – What can I do tobe less technophobic and use today's technology to help build my artbusiness?

“I just don't understand computers. I have gottenalong without them so far, why should I start now? ” “I would like tohave a website, but I don't know anything about how to set one up –what should I do?” “With pedophiles, internet cons, and identity theftout there why should I use a computer?” Whether you are technophobic,a person who fears modern technology gadgets, or knows someone who is,this blog is for you (them). While, the media helps fuel the horrorsabout technology, the solution is to be more educated about what isgoing on in the tech world as it really does make our lives easier. Ifyou are stranded with a flat tire, a cell phone call for a tow truck iseasy as 1-2-3. Having a business website opens the doors for people allover the world to learn about your business and purchase what you make.By setting up an online payment account it makes it easier to payreoccurring monthly bills. I find it most useful to find raw materialsuppliers easier and compare prices with others via the internet.Technology is all around us and helping those who are techonophoic seeit as not something scary but easy and fun, can help bridge the gapbetween people of different ages/generation gaps. Here's my adviceregarding learning how to use computers and other tech gadgets.

Question24 – What can I do to be less technophobic and use technology to helpme build my art business.

Go to stores, the library, and visitfriends who have computers if you don't have one. The best thing youcan do is actually look at them and touch them and learn what buttons dowhat. What you might find is that a computer is much like a typewriteryet instead of paper you have a t.v. hooked up to it. A lot of peoplehave fears that they might break their computer. The answer is, if youtake the time to learn just what a computer is, how it works, and howyou can operate one, you will be less likely to do something harmful tothe computer.

The next step is to take a class at a communitycollege, library, or a YMCA to learn how to use a computer and basicsoftware that comes with a computer. A simple course in Computers 101will tell you not only what a computer is and how it works, but how tooperate it in just a few simple steps. When you are done with a basicclass there are other classes available to help you learn software,build websites, and even learn how to do certain computer art forms.

Computerscan help those who have art/craft businesses too. Some basic skillswhen used with a standard computer you can set-up an email account andsearch the world wide web (also known as the internet). Being able toconnect to the internet opens the doors for finding art fairs, locatingmultiple art suppliers and purchase supplies online, find articles andinformation on experts in your medium, and that is just the tip of theice berg. As you find using computers easy to use, explore softwarelike Quickbooks or Microsoft Money to manage your finances, read booksor explore websites to help you decide whether you should create yourown website or have someone else design it, and play with desktoppublishing software so you can design and print your own business cards,letter head and product description tags /name signs (great when usedat art fairs).

If you know people who falls into this category,do them a favor and print out this blog and share it with them to shedsome light on why computers and technology are useful. Care to sharehow you got over your technophobia – use the comment button and tell uswhy you choose to embrace technology.

Lastly, I will be taking 1week for some R&R and while I am gone I want you all to vote, viathe comment button, for what you want the next Question for this blogseries to be. Choose from “How do I write a Press Release” or “Why do Ineed business insurance if I already have homeowners insurance” or“How early is too early to start pushing Christmas/Winter holidaycraft/art?” Have a nice weekend and wonderful 4th of July weekendeverybody! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com
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