First art fair
 

Today I got notification that I have been accepted to my first art fair as a portrait artist. I feel pretty good about it as it was "invitation only" and I wasn't invited to begin with. I was referred by another artist who was unable to participate. They wanted only well known artists, and I'm not exactly there yet.

So, now I buy the tent, the supports, frame my paintings, find a model to pose for me during the show, and heal my body the rest of the way by August.

The art fair is in an upscale artsy shopping center in a suburb of Madison. The neighborhoods around it are very eclectic. The original area of old, gracious victorians, then a new development of craftsman style homes for the yuppies, and then the cream of the crop for all the corporate moguls. I call them "big roof" homes (the larger the roof the more important you are).

Anyway, I'm happy! Now I'll print out all the threads on art fairs and soak up all the knowledge before I blow my small wad. :sunnysmil

Jean

I wish you a ton of luck and hope you get commissions from it! :cool:

Good luck with this Jean. Sounds like a fun opportunity... keep us posted on how it goes?
Congratulations!

Congratulations!
You can try this link out for some good used equipment - often not used very much. http://www.sunshineartist.com/forum/index.php This magazine also has good reccomendations on many things to do with art festivals (plus lists and ratings of some of them).

Thank you Jimmie and Terri!

Jane, I took a quick look at the site and will head back there later.

I know that quality supplies are important for an artist, but can I get away with a canopy that is $200 instead of $1200? What is the difference, I doubt that I will be using this more than twice a year.

Jean

For two years I used a canopy that was $100 and it was fine. I'd recommend you get one with fabric "walls" to block the distracting view of other stuff behind and beside you. Costco had 10x10 foot white (this is important for a lot of shows) canopies with walls a couple of years back. I think they were $200. They may be carrying them again so it might be worth checking out. I got mine at a local sporting goods store in the camping section. I didn't get the fabric walls but I would if I was going to do more shows.

If you are going to do a lot of shows I'd highly recommend you set yourself up with a set of solid walls from ProPanel. It would cost over $1000 to outfit a whole booth but it's the industry standard and nothing looks as good.

The website for Sunshine Artist, referenced above, has a lot of information on how to succeed at art fairs.

Best of luck to you Jean! I'm sure you'll do great.

Besides propanels you can also look at armstrong panels - equally good, - but the sizes are a little different and they break down more easily for carrying in a car (I have these and I love them). http://www.armstrongproducts.com/
Many festivals will require that you have a white tent with white walls - many juried ones will require you send a picture of your set-up with your application. The only problem with the less expensive tents is that they are more apt to blow away or leak water in a rain storm. I would at least make sure that the tent is well anchored with sandbags or some kind of weights no matter what kind you decide to purchase.
A few links of interest
http://www.flourish.com/
http://www.shadeking.com/
http://www.dlrsupply.com/
http://www.newvp.com/pricing.html

Question about security
 

Hi, i'm happy for your progress Jean!
Since we're both learning something new from seasoned artists who've provided valuable feedback here, i thought i'd ask something slightly off-track from Jean's concerns. I thought Jean might also benefit from the answers to this question.

Has anyone here done their own art fair, i mean stand-alone canopy, your paintings and yourself only? I'm asking because i'm working out thoughts to do a show at my own neighbourhood, commemorating 1 yr since we moved away from our old neighbourhood (the whole estate population was moved to a new location where i'm living now, you see)
While it's easier to work out the logistics, but how does one handle security matters? :?

I don't know how it works in Singapore but in the U.S. you'd have to get a permit to set up a booth for selling stuff on the street or in a park.

Marcus,

If your talking about the safety of your paintings from thieves - I'd suggest not doing it alone. When loading and unloading paintings and setting up - that is a time at a crowded place that something could happen. I guess it depends on where you are - a large city where there are thieves on the streets or a small town where this isn't a concern.

David, thank you for the vote of confidence, I'll read all these comments again the week before the show (when my stomach is turning upside down).

Michele, that is what I hoped you would say. I don't intend to do a lot of fairs, I don't think my body can take it yet, so a large investment would be a waste. I'd rather put the money in more supplies, and I need a nice collection of frames. I'll definately get the walls and I want a nice rug also. I'll need a table for my portfolio, literature and a guest book. And everything has to look good too. I'll be a basket case by August.

Jane, thanks again for all the links and the info on Armstrong panels, they look good but may be too pricey for me. I try not to rely on my husband too much for my supplies (although he has invested an awful lot in me). I owe him a Porsche.

Thank you Marcus, I don't have a clue but would be interested in any info on security. Security is provided during the show that I will be in, but I will also have my sons, husband, and numerous large friends.

I spoke with the artist that referred me today (Lee Weiss), and I have a contact from her for some one on one advice. So, I can handle this, I can, I know I can. :sunnysmil

Jean

Anyone interested in doing art fairs should definitely check out current and back issues of "Sunshine Artist" magazine. This publication specializes in art fairs and contains a wealth of information on how to make a sucess of a fair. Lots of dos and don'ts as well.

Hi michelle, yes we need to apply permits here too...in fact, i don't remember anything in Singapore that doesn't need to...groan ;C

Thanks for the tip Kim. Where i'm staying, it's a little "smurf estate". But thank goodness you prompted me about thieving, as it seems there are quite a bit of thievery around "smurf land"

I wish you all the best, Jean! Having a chance to show your works big-time is one thing, but having family and friends around you during the show, provides that emotional security and warmth that is even more important to anyone.
I'm happy and envy you for that. :)

Thank you Richard, I'll be reading that magazine before the show and start coaching myself. I spent 17 years in sales before I went into HVAC, selling was easy then because I was selling a decent product that I was very knowledgable about. Selling my artwork is a whole different ballgame, I feel like I'm giving away part if my soul and never know what to say. So I'll read alot and practice on my poor suffering husband.

Marcus, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences selling in Singapore. Be sure to start a thread on it, it's so fascinating to read about other countries and cultures. I complain a lot about my family, but I wouldn't have it any other way. My father, mother and others of the older generation are all dead, and even when they were alive were inaccessable (just not really interested). I made it a point to keep my own kids close and I have a big crazy extended family! Plus if I really needed security I could bring my german shepherd, but then the customers would stay away too. :oops:

Jean

Hi all,

I got my tent yesterday. I ordered one from Dick Blick, with two sidewalls and the weight bags. We're going to set it up this weekend, hopefully it's as easy as the advertising says it is! It cost a little over $200. so well within my range.

I'm going to use "Jux" as my demo painting. Unfortunately, he is in Arizona so I will have to use a stand in and work on his jeans while I'm there. Hopefully, I won't be painting much. If I start another painting for the demo, I might not have it far enough along. It would be in the "ugly, scary" stage. Maybe that would be okay as long as I have finished works there to compare to. What do you think? It may be very confusing to people to look at a demo painting with a stand in model,("Jux" with my son standing in as the bluejeans model).

I still have to frame some of my work, and am getting very nervous about this whole thing. I talk to myself daily to calm myself down and when the anxiety level gets too high I walk in the woods or go find the horses. They bring me back down to earth and reality. I'm really not that important in the grand scheme of life.


:sunnysmil

Jean

I personally would not use a stand in model when painting a demo. People walking by will have one thought and that will be, "Boy, that painting doesn't look like that guy at all!" Really, they won't stop to think that maybe the model is an understudy.

If the whole thing is making you nervous, don't demo. That way you can just stand there, be charming and talk to people about your finished works. An artist who's demonstrating but is nervous is much less effective than an artist who's not demoing but is relaxed and talking confidently with people who stop by, I think.

I recommend my pal Half Nelson who also looks good in jeans. Not to imply your son is reluctant to model, but he may be useful for other things (taking money from art buyers while you work.... ).

You're smart to paint from life in public (even if you use Half Nelson - he counts as "life" for these purposes) because then you'll not be dismissed as "just copying the photo".

I think you will be terrific at this and I hope this fair goes really well for you, Jean! Best of luck to you!

I agree with Michelle completely on this one.

Have fun Jean!

Linda, I forgot about "Half Nelson", he might just be the solution! Working on a new one in the early stages scares me to death, I'm just not that comfortable in front of people yet. But finishing up the bluejeans would be a piece of cake.

Thank you all, this was a big help. Michele, I know I would be quaking in my shoes if I had a new painting to work on. Kim, I'll do my best to have fun, I hope it doesn't rain and storm. The last time I was in an art fair, we had tornadoes and heavy rain and lighting. Everyone had to run for cover as the police were evacuating the exhibitors till the worst of the storm was over. That was in 1992, when I was making art quilts. What a disaster!

Jean