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This is to bring attention to artists and all in the art show trade industry of Sunshine Artist in which the June 2010 publication posted an Event Listing for “Art on the Lake, Orchard Lake, Michigan” in which the Information is Misleading and Not True for an event that was supposed to take place end of June, 2010, and has been cancelled. (I did not notice the listing previously in SA, which means the listing was placed “last minute”.)

This promoter, Great Lakes Art Group (John LaCroix of Royal Oak, MI) is trying to take advantage of the Event that Hot Works, LLC, has built over the past 8 years. Everyone needs to know that THIS IS NOT THE SAME SHOW. LaCroix’s listing claims estimated public attendance 8,000 (source: past years) - which is not correct. In addition, how can LaCroix say 268 applications last year when he has no idea of the event’s previous history nor has he ever had anything to do with our Original Orchard Lake Fine Art Show™ that used to be held at that location (Orchard Lake St. Mary's Schools) the previous seven years?

For everyone’s information, in 2010 Hot Works has moved the event to a new & improved location in the heart of West Bloomfield. Hot Works has worked very hard to build the show and our reputation with the Artists and then someone from out of the blue attempts to play off of this? The Orchard Lake Fine Art Show™ has been produced by Hot Works, LLC since its inception and has been voted in Sunshine Artists Top 100 Fine Art Shows in the Country the last 3 years in a row and last year, made Art Fair Source Book's Top 100.

Also, this promoter claims 9 years at this site when he has NEVER done the Event before; therefore a 60% return of what? Zero? I guess so since the event is not happening. This hurts a Show like ours both with false listings and artist’s livelihood. I'm curious as to what Event/s he ever promoted in the past, if any.

A Promoter who takes another Art Show Director's information to benefit his Show should have a "Buyer Beware" Flag posted on his head. Actions such as this hurt Hot Works reputation, and other Art Show Promoters, and Artists, when they use a similar name and use others' statistics (worse yet, which are incorrect). Unfortunately, many do not realize the hard work and financial investment events are to produce and this is not the first time artists and the trade has seen this happen. Artists: Buyer Beware of this Promoter. If he is misleading with this listing - what else is he doing that is fraudulent and misleading. I hope he did not take anyone's money. If he did and doesn't return it he will have the shortest lived career in Art Show History.

Patty Narozny
Show Producer
Orchard Lake Fine Art Show


www.HotWorks.org
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Tucson Art Bazaar

This is the second indoor summer Art Bazaar that is being sponsored by SAACA (Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance) and this month, they were a bit more organized. They had taken out ads in the newspapers for thursday, had up a sign, had music and had a food vendor out front. Though still very low attendance, I like to think of it as good practice as I keep redesigning my booth. This time I actually sold something, though not all artists could say the same. For Tucson this is nice to have an indoor summer fair, if only they could get the attendance. July will be worse. During July, most people leave Tucson and most restaurants close for the month. It is worth doing an event, where you barely make the booth fee in the hopes that this will turn into something bigger? What do you guys think? Merry
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I'm 52 and ready to take mine and my husbands' hobby of hiking and photography to the next level!

But, even though I recieve alot of positive feedback on my nature photos...are they good enough to sell???

I have questions I would love for someone to help me with:

My first show will be Aug. 14

Do have absolutley need a tax I.D. now??

Some apps are not requiring it.

I've read some of your comments on the hassels with the credit card co. I think I will wait to apply for that untill later..good idea or will my business greatly benifit from allowing cc sales?

Is there a good market for nature pics?

I would love some SIMPLE ideas for bookkeeping please.

How do I protect my photos once they are on my site - or any where on the web? I saw someones pic on this site with the words "patend" or similer...I know someone could still steal it and photo shop out the words. Sad to think, but I've heard stories where a pic was stolen and used for personal gain!!

I fall short of calling myself a photographer...I'm a nature picture taker!! I don't have much knowledge of high-end camera's or fancy techniques. I just have a love ot walking in nature and spending that time with my husband of 35 years!

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This is a hugely popular street festival, with very iffy qualifying standards: the festival "is specifically for Exhibitors who are Artists, Crafters, pre-packaged Gourmet Products vendors or Eco-Friendly businesses with Five employees or less and Non-Profit Groups only" says the application.

The pictures tell the story. There were a few genuine artisans, I saw photography by Emerson, but no Emerson, and amongst the multitude of buy/sell the ever present Baltic Amber Importers.

I did not think the food at the fair was particularly noteworthy, although it was above the usual standard. I liked the french fried artichoke hearts with crab topping. Instead I think I will append pictures of our meal at Quince, a 1 star Michelin restaurant that I got into solely by knowing an important local food person. The dishes: nettle soup with fried squash finger & house made cheese, white asparagus with raw fried egg yolk, scallops with morels and potato puree, corn soup, zucchini carpaccio with fried stuffed squash blossoms, corn stuffed ravioli, pasta with mushrooms (I begin to get a little vague thanks to all the wine consumed), squab with fois gras, a mushroom, rabbit, and finally desert: white peach soup with lemon sorbet, pistachio souffle with semifreddo, perhaps a mango gelato with some very tasty creams, strawberry soup with sorbet and fried strawberries, and then some more deserts so that we did not go away hungry. Food is art.

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This is where it began for us, 38 years ago: as street artists selling our jewelry at The Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf, and Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Back-in-the-Day it was the perfect slacker venue; if you woke-up and felt like selling you went to one of those spots and looked for a booth location. Except on weekend, there wasn't a lot of competition for spots. A license was perhaps $10.




show the farmer's market, known for its organic produce, chef-prepared meals, and lots of free-sampling.
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firefly festival in dickson, tn

Any thoughts?? Haven't done this show and am a bit concerned about driving all the way with the flooding issues and the general economy... Hmmm, probably will soldier on... Anybody with experience for this show please shout out!
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Milwaukee's Lakefront Festival of Art has always been held in long tents right next to Lake Michigan. It is now held right in front of the architecturally incredible Milwaukee art museum on the lake. It is now held on a street, rather than grass so that now when it rains, they don't need to spread hay on top of wet muddy grass. (this isn't wonderful the first day of the festival but by day 3, it is downright obnoxious!!)

Quality at this festival is always among the best. There is always a good mix of artists from previous years and new ones. The jewelry is always amazing but I think that this year had to be the best. This is supposed to be the year I only buy bracelets so of course I bought two pairs of earrings, from new artists who had incredible pieces. If my lottery ticket had the right numbers, I would have bought the entire booth of jeweler Beth Solomon. Exquisite work with metal, stones and pearls.

Beautiful oils, luxurious textiles, wonderful glass and useful ceramics were a joy to look at.

One of the major sponsors of the festival is a plant nursery. As you walk into the tent from the admission booths, you pass by what looks like a garden with large pieces of art placed throughout. It was a great way for a sponsor to contribute to the atmosphere of the show.

On Friday the show runs until 9pm so that news of a possible storm with 70 mph winds arriving around 5 was cause for concern. The rain arrived a lot earlier and most of the storm passed to the south of us. There were people from the festival advising the artists to make sure the back areas of their spaces were secured but they assured us that the tents were able to withstand the winds We took advantage of the situation and went to see the 20 artists with booths inside the museum. They were of the same quality as those outside.

Since weather always plays a role here, having a small amount of booths inside is not the disadvantage it may seem to be. Before the rain, it was sunny and extremely hot--so much for Cooler by the Lake. Going into an airconditioned building for a shot of cool air and more art is a good thing.

This patron drove home happy to find a dark house and no electricity for 24 hours. Yes, it was definitely LFOA weekend.

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Three shows down and new experience

My first show of 2010 was Broad Ripple, follow by the Community Section of 57th St Art Fair and last one Hinsdale Art Fair. What I was hoping is so far off that I can not understand.

The weather did not help in Broad Ripple but I walk away happy from the show. I learn that my Way system is not supported by processing and they upgrade me to Nurit 8000. Thank God for leasing the unit. Also, I need to run a credit card each month for $1.00 to keep the machine current and active.

At 57th I change spot from south side of the street to the north. I was avoiding the bad drain when it rain. Of course this year didn't happen. My sales when down also so I just wondering?

Hinsdale was my second zero of my life. To make matter worst someone stole at the break down two of sides for my EZ UP. I just got those in and they are back order from EZ Up. The crowd never show at this show and you can not blame the weather (even it rain a lot). This was my third and last chance to this show. The crowd has not improve and the quality of artist is beyond great. This the only show that I see potter, potter, glass, potter in a row.

The good thing even with all the rain none of work got damage. I still have my tent. I did not got hurt and I have a good time at all the shows.
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Kentucky shows so far this month....

Well, the Kentucky shows I'm showing in this year is really a hard sell for driving over 1400 miles! The economy has hit this state really hard. You would think that being an equine artist I would do real well in the heart of horse country but it even hit here. Louisville at the Summit was very slow, the date was changed to the Kentucky Derby Race day....hello...this is Kentucky...this is their superbowl! It was dead on Saturday and Sunday was a wash, rain all day. I had alot of clients that came on Sunday so I did okay but I feel for the other artists that didn't.
LaGrange Arts on the Green was a huge disappointment. I usually slam there, but I knew something was up when half of the store-fronts on the Main Road (the only one) was empty with for rents signs. This is a great little community, great show on a great park setting with a train passing thru on Main Street! But this year the quality of the art was way down. When you hear people walking by and saying 'looks like a flea market' that is when I say bye-bye. High-end art and flea-market type does not mix at shows...Hello..promoters are you listening? Either have a flea market or a nice high caliber art at the shows. People don't like to buy high-end art next to someone selling flea-market buy sell head-bands. So needless to say, I won't be back next year. Too bad, it was always one of my favs.
Onto Downtown Louisville on 4th Street. First year for that one and I was loving my location, I was under an over hang away from most of the weather. Publicity was everywhere but this show should be a Friday, Saturday showing due to its location in 'the city'. Most of the people that work there drive from their suburban homes miles away to work during the week and I don't think they want to come back on the week-end to stroll around minutes from their office. Also this is a very touristy area so by the time they come to see the art, the kids are already tired and want to go home so the parents have to whize by the booths. I have been doing shows with this promoter for many years and they are always trying new ways to promote the arts and shows. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't but when it does...its great...and when it doesn't, oh well. On to the next one. If they change the dates next year, I might be back.
Now I'm waiting for the Francisco's Farm in Midway College next week-end. I'm really looking forward to this show, first year I'm it it and have heard nothing but good things. I would love this to be a great show for me, it would make the loonnnggg drive home to Florida great.
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Baskets being displayed

I belong to the Thunder Bay Basket Guild and we will be having a display at the Besser Museum in Alpena, Michigan. It will be viewable, I believe, starting July 9th. I will have four of my baskets on display and I'm thrilled to have been asked to contribute to the display. We have been told the display will be up until, I believe September! Couldn't ask for a nicer Anniversary Gift.

Just thought I'd share a little smile on my day.

Have a great day and a brighter tomorrow - Terri at the Drake's Nest in Ossineke, MI

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Annapolis Arts Festival

Did the above show this past weekend. It was "produced" by City Dock Productions and held at the Naval Acadamy Stadium. Directions to the show had no street names and gate numbers on the the map layout did not match any gate numbers posted. Drove around the stadium twice before finally getting in. Signs were posted later on how to enter. Big help for the early arrivers. Show was on the parking lot with parking on the grass. Go figure. With heat index of over 100 degrees both days, you melted along with the blacktop. Needless to say the few patrons came early and kept their hands in their pockets for the most part. Layout of the show was terrible with booths backed up to each other. No storage space. Staff was friendly and the producer did come aroung several times a day with ice water.

Exhibitors were a mixed bag. Some good and others you can guess. Would not recommend this show to anyone even though Annapolis is an well to do area. Apparently there was some TV advertising and a spread in a local newspaper but no signs posted anywhere advertising the show. May have been a local requirement but did see some signs for local service organizations.

The only good experience was we found a great seafoon resturant that had the best crab cakes I have ever had. All crab with no fillers. All meals were prepared with fresh crab and seafood. Watress said the chef would take items off the menu if he could not get fresh ingredients. Resturant was called Deep Creek Seafood. Overlooked a inlet to the bay with boats of all sizes docking to eat there. Ate there all four nights and everything including specials were excellent.

Ed Schmidt

Wooden Toys

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Travels with Emmy; Allentown Art Festival

Travels with Emmy...

Our show this past weekend was at the Allentown Art Festival. Allentown is a party/artsy section of Buffalo NY. The weather report for both days included passing showers, of which we got few to none. Crowds on Saturday were sparse but we enjoyed a just-below-average monetary intake. There was heavier traffic on Sunday, but they didn’t spend much, at least not at our booth..

My wife is the artist, she builds beautiful bead embroidered jewelry, I am a retired truck driver. I get to do all things that are not actually artistic. We travel to the shows with our pickup truck camper and display trailer. It far easier for us to walk a few minutes to the camper and stay overnight even if the location isn’t ideal, than to drive the hour or so home and back in the morning.

This year’s overnight stays in Allentown were the quietest to date. Two years ago a security alarm started to ring loudly around 2PM during the first day of the show from the building whose parking lot we were taking advantage of. It rang for over 30 hours. I was surprised nearby residents weren’t alarmed and up in arms themselves. The police came shortly after the noise started but could not locate the owners to access the building and shut the alarm off.

The ringing bell wasn’t so bad, it helped to cover the noise of the college-aged drunken kids singing and arguing loudly as they roamed the streets from bar to bar. It has been pointed out to me that these are suburban children, not locals. I believe that to be true, when I was an inexperienced drinker I was one of those noisy young people. I lived in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo; I came to Allentown to enjoy the night life, noisily roaming the streets and frequenting the bars in that section of town.

I am always amazed at the patience the locals have for these arts and crafts festivals. I live in rural Western NY and when I have to wait for a car at a stop sign on the end of my road where there usually is no traffic I can be slightly perturbed.

Residents, who live where these shows take place, often have to park blocks away from their homes. Before and after ‘show hours’, while we are tying up loose ends or opening for the days show, neighborhood folks walk by with their dogs or hoof it to the market. They always have a cheerful “good morning” or “hello”.

‘Twere it I, it would probably be a growl… I’m just saying.

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The art fairs that are really the coolest are the ones that are deeply embedded in the local culture. Last weekend's Old Town Art Fair in Chicago (June 12 and 13) is one of those. The residents of that neighborhood are devoted to it and the tradition is deep as it goes back to 1950 when a group of Old Towners decided to have a party. Fast forward to today and you have one of Chicago's most beloved events -- 61 years old!

The first time we participated in the event we were amazed to turn on the TV and hear the weather report (aren't artists always listening for weather reports?) and hear the weather person talking about how it was going to be at Old Town this weekend. Any other city use their art fair as a talking point on the weather? Then the celebrities would show up for the art auction (for most years the booth fee was a donation of a piece of art for this auction), the political candidates were there. It was the hot place to be for that weekend.

I stumbled on the writings of Shirley Baugher who blogs about " My Kind of Town - Chicago" at this link. Those of you who haven't been there might enjoy reading her stories about the show.

P.S. ArtFairInsiders member photographer Alan Klug was the poster boy this year. Congrats, Alan! I miss seeing you and Sandy at the shows.
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Oshkosh, my gosh....what a town.....the show was on a lagoon in South Park, Oshkosh......the lagoon was run by ducks who did not say AFLAC!.....they just quacked jokes.....sorry, lol......just trying to get your attention..

$90 booth fee....$10 jury fee.....100 booths.....nice crowd.....and they wanted to talk ....they struck me as cost conscious.....and very middle class....Ill have to check demographics on Wikipedia.com......weather wise it was cloudy.....75 degees....

So no problemo with the basics....

Unloading.....well it depends where your booth is.....if you are next to the road....it is easier......but if you are nearer the lagoon, you often have to roll 20 to 40 yards over the grass....I need bigger wheels for my cart.....maybe next year.....maybe, not.....I like a challenge.....I like to see the grass wrap around my tires and then my stuff hits the turf.....but no......I know this is coming and have someone else help me hold stuff on my cart.....haha.....I am ready for this.....

The show is run by the Oshkosh Fine Art Association which is getting better than years before.....but now they even have a website.....in the past, it always seemed like the award winners came from Oshkosh....but to be fair, there are more artists from Oshkosh than other places.......and this year people from all over won awards.....

Someone from the Oshkosh Fine Art Association said to my booth sitter...not me....that my current booth did not look like my booth slide......gee am I supposed to never change? ...they said I should be sure to keep bringing my originals....whatever that means.....I had originals as required by the rules.....so these comments were a bit obscure to me...I rather talk about the art itself.....unfortunately booth slides are used for art politics.....way too much

I sold a ton of low cost prints of my original paintings....no high cost originals...as per I usually do........I paint sports art and landscapes.....

I was going to give 3 and a half DAVEY's out of 5 for this fine show.....my art is all signed "DAVEY".

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Is this new Bravo reality show a good thing for the arts and artists? Here is what judge China Chow has to say:

"We're trying to reach a mainstream audience with this and hopefully it's something that, as the episodes air and they get to see what we've done, hopefully they will put their stamp of approval on it. But ultimately, I feel like it's a gift more to mainstream America to be able to witness art -- artists making their work and having a dialogueabout it."

Now, that is cool!

The rest of the article where I found the quote above: www.realitytvworld.com

From the art critic, Christopher Knight, at the LA Times:

"Can a television series jump the shark in the first episode? Bravo's new, awkwardly titled reality-contest show "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist," which debuts Wednesday at 11 p.m., doesn't merely argue in the affirmative. The plot also gives new meaning to avant-garde, spinning off its axis before getting to the 10-minute mark."

This is a pretty snarky review: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/tv-review-work-of-art-the-next-great-artist-on-bravo.html

Here's another article from the Milwaukee Journal. You've got to love this quote from one of the artists when told the first challenge was to crreate a portrait:

“I’m really into lilies right now and hermaphrodites,” says Peregrine, like a 3-year-old turned artist, describing herself.


Hmmm...just remember that one the next time you are asked to do an art fair interview.

Note to you: Do not be calling me on Wednesday nights at 10 pm.
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Arts Festival Oklahoma - Sept. 4 - 6

Does anyone have any words of wisdom on the Arts Festival Oklahoma Show in Oklahoma City over Labor Day weekend? Fantastic? O.K.? Sucks? Anything you can offer would be appreciated.

Also, how does it compare to the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts Show in April? Is is as well attended? More/fewer artists?

Thanks to all.

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Art in the Park- Columbia, Mo June 5-6

This is an established show that has good community involvement and a staff of professionals and volunteers to put it on who know what they are doing. Not an overwhelmingly large show it is about proportioned to the size and market for the area it serves.The location for the show is Stephens Lake Park on the east side of town about a mile from the big University of Missouri Campus. The park is lovely for the people who attend but a little unhandy for the artists. The administration does not allow vehicles in the park so everything has to be loaded in and out on foot, with a hand truck, or on one of the ATV’s that are provided by the committee.The ATV’s and trailers are a new wrinkle this year that worked out pretty well as the distance from the parking areas to the show is about one hundred yard or so making the walk (with a load) an issue especially for artists living with some sort of challenge or other.The weather was hot on Saturday and very nice on Sunday. The general attitude of the fair-goers was good and everyone seemed like they were having fun.There were numerous side events that complimented the atmosphere and added to the experience for the public. The crowd count was good on both days. Sales were decent for a show of this size and most artists I spoke to were generally satisfied with the show.The only thing that could hurt this show in the future is if the committee tried to expand it. It might be a little big right now but not overly so. The size of the show was reflected in the jurying which was good but slightly soft at times. Overall this is a great event for the public and artists alike.www.renegadeheart.net
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