Wow Holly, I thought I posted a response to this earlier, but I must have done something wrong.

That is the show I was speaking about. The site you gave is nice, but unfortunately doesn't list the dates for juried entries. I still haven't heard back from my sister.

I did get some good news today

Yikes, we need a vendor's license in some states?

My state does not have a sales tax, but how does one collect it in states that do - and what do you do with it after it is collected?

Hooray! I got in!
 

I got juried into the WSOAE (Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit). I have to sign a contract and send in a copy of my sales tax certificate of authority. Now I'm scrambling to get a set of business and rack cards reproduced professionally. And I'm preparing to get artwork reproduced by a giclee outfit not far from here. Then I'm going to try to paint a few more still-lifes, because I'm afraid I'll sell out before the two weekends are over (ever the optimist!)

I've never heard of having to get a vendor's licence. All the applications I've seen insist that you show proof of being authorized to collect sales tax.

I was going over last September's (2002) issue of Sunshine Artist magazine. It ranked the top 200 art and craft fairs in the country. I'm looking forward to receiving my copy of September 2003 Sunshine Artist magazine to see if this is an annual event. The info in that magazine is worth its weight in gold! It is bar none my favorite magazine!

Beth, there are no restrictions on how to display your art. My Graphic Display Systems panels can be arranged in almost any imaginable way. With each three sets of panels I got an extra foot thingie that allows for making a 'T' arrangement where you can hang art on both sides. Some display examples I've seen even provide for a little back room where you can stick your dolly and rubbermaid tubs and extra inventory.

I'm reckoning that the first time is the toughest. If you're happy with the suppliers, giclee people, printers, merchant services, etc., you won't have to shop for those a second time. And you'll replace your tent and display stuff only if you want to upgrade. So, if I get all set for this event, I'll be largely all set for future ones!

Dear Karin:

Since you are a superb portraitist, art fair is not best way to promote your speciality. But paint landscape at some point, will help you sell portrait. Still, art fair may not be the best choice.

Some artist do art fairs is just for the prize.
I am sure you will win some prizes at fairs.

(P. S. If you go to Tampa Bay, please don't ask Cynthia to "download" your works. Internet is faster!)

Catherine: Congratulations!

Shubert: My intention is to sell still life and landscapes at art fairs as I paint those in addition to portraits. I will probably display one small portrait and have my portfolio nearby if anyone is interested - you never know.

Meanwhile, I have found that my landscapes sell very well through galleries but that 40% fee is painful to give away. At least at an art fair I can keep nearly all of the $$.

Update
 

I just bought display panels from Armstrong. They are just like Pro Panels but the legs are more adjustable for uneven terrain. I got a set of Stakables and a desk in Cloud Grey.

website: http://www.armstrongproducts.com/

I just sold 5 gicl

Bravo, Karin!

My event is going to be a week from this weekend. My poor charge card is *smoking*! I had a nice batch of rack cards made to distribute at the art fair. My girlfriend sprinkled a few around her building, and today somebody called to arrange a commission! Looks like the boat's leaving the harbor. Yay! I'll let you know how the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit went for me.

I've had a bunch of giclees made both on canvas and on paper. I'm very happy with the giclee company, "Crimson Atelier", which I found via google. The unit price is reasonable if you order 15 or more at a time. Ask for Charles Lombardo. The website also makes recommendations on how to price giclees. Very useful info, that!

Don't forget to try out Sunshine Artist magazine. It lists, ranks, describes, reviews and categorizes arts and craft fairs in a manner that is **most** useful. My favorite magazine by far!

Thanks for the info. on "Crimson Atalier." It is late and I'm having trouble navigating their site as the net is soooo slow tonight. I saw their retail pricing guides and my prices are much much higher than their suggestions.

I do pay more for a print on canvas but I have the option to order only 1 if I wish and not have to get a lot. I am using "Parrot Digigraphic" in Billerica, MA. (Dan Hunt).

I'm getting a gicl

[quote] I guess that I will have to consider these gicl

I'm doing limited editions of 100 for each piece that I'm having reproduced. They are numbered n/100 and signed. My giclee provider suggested that I even make a little document to include with each giclee that states the edition size, the number of artist's proofs and the number of printer's proofs. I guess so's that the buyer can have a documented "provenance".

Some of my repro's are on canvas, which I'll varnish with a spray Krylon UV-resistant clear acrylic coating, and then stretch them. After that they'll be shrink-wrapped to protect them from all the pawing over they'll get. The repro's on paper will be matted and backed with foam core, then bagged in clear bags or shrink wrapped, for the pieces that aren't a standard size.

How I figure the selling price
 

I originally thought it would be much easier and cheaper to produce a gicl

I have a friend who does very well at the art show circuit. He does wildlife and his giclee's on canvas, framed with painted remarking on the mat go for $300 to $450 depending on the size and the materials cost. He does very well with them.

Also Karin:

One thing I have learned this summer of shows is:

Don't split your message.

People come into your booth and you have to have everything completely oriented to selling the art that is in the booth. Don't split your message by displaying work that is a different subject make your booth consistent - all outdoor subjects, all figures, all landscapes, all still life, all portraits, etc.

The public comes into your booth and looks around. They need a buy me signal in 3 seconds or they will leave. Nothing should interfere with that signal. I started the summer out with portraiture on one side (seeking commissions) and still life and landscape on the other. It did not work. They came in and saw portraits, turned around and saw still life and landscape and their little brains just fizzled. People want to put you into a little box. I was "the portrait guy" and the buy signal never comes for the still life and landscapes. I did get one or two commissions, but it was not enough to keep me doing the shows.

So, make your booth floor to ceiling one type of work if you want to maximize the "buy me" message and sell more work.

Thanks Michael. My gicl

Karin:

Yes, I think that landscape and still life is not too large a leap for the viewing public to make. I think you should be fine with that - especially if everything has a similar "feel".

The thing about humans is that they want to "classify" everything. In the show circuit, you have to grab them and make them pull out their wallets. The artists that do that best are the artists who populate their booth with works within a very consistent theme. Everything is for sale, nothing gets in the way of that "buy me right now" message.

I am going to finish this season with what I have, soliciting portrait commissions. Over the winter, I intend to rethink my whole show strategy with an eye to making the message completely consistent. I too may go with still life and landscapes and drop the portraiture for the show circuit.

You have an advantage Karin in that the East coast market should be much more robust than the market out here.

Oops?
 

Michael,

You make an excellent point - one which I didn't do: I've got mostly portraits and figurative, plus a fistful of still lifes. I'm planning on advertising portraits predominantly. Oh, well we'll see what happens. Good advice, though. I hope that not having taken it before hearing it won't leave me with zilch for my efforts!

I just cleaned and emptied out a large closet which had clothes and stuff and stuck all my tent and display supplies in it. The two biggest closets in my possession now are given over to art and art display supplies. That leaves a skinny coat closet and my small bedroom closet. It's nice that an artist doesn't need a power wardrobe!

Cathy:

Well, for the Colorado and general market out here in the West, that is the case, but who knows, the East coast crowd may be able to parse that you paint multiple things and not have it turn off the buy signal in their brains. Give it a shot over a couple of shows and decide for yourself. :)

My current plan is to find some shows within a day's driving distance from home (I would plan an overnight stay on a two-day show).

I figure that there is a learning curve to this but I eventually want to do the two big shows in Coconut Grove, Florida and Cherry Creek, Colorado.

I have a friend who made a nice living just doing two major shows a year. One was Florida and the other was near NYC (don't know the name). He did this for years and managed to send both his children through college from the proceeds. Now he doesn't bother with shows, has a following and his clients come to him.

Hope springs eternal!
 

Well, I didn't sell a thing at the WSOAE. But I turned right around and signed up for the Memorial Day WSOAE. I lost 10 pounds lugging the equipment, paintings and reproductions from the apartment to the car, then to the exhibit site, and back again, five times. I came to the conclusion that at this venue, offset reproductions ranging from $30 - $100 are the things that move. I didn't get many names, partly because I forgot to invite people to sign.

Nevertheless, I've sent in applications for more art fairs around the region for October and November. Below is a picture of what my exhibit in a 10x10 should look like. I set up the display on the roof of my apartment.

I discovered a website, www.festivalnet.com. You pay about $59 for a yearly subscription. I found it handy for locating the little regional art fairs that accept last-minute applications. Together with Sunshine Artist magazine, festivalnet.com should be very helpful for me to pick out what events I would want to exhibit at in the coming year, and to get my application sent in before the jurying deadline has passed.

I'm getting a U-Haul hitch attached to my car, so I can pull a small 4'x6' U-Haul trailer with the equipment and inventory. My half-size display filled my car to the point that I could not see anything through the rear-view mirror. Does anybody have any experience in parking these trailers? Well, for a $9/day rental with no mileage charges, I can handle a learning curve.

I sure hope my luck improves. Other artists at the WSOAE said that receipts fluctuate wildly from zilch to alot.

Ten pounds - way to go girl! This sounds cheaper than a weekend at at fancy fat farm spa and a lot more fun! Do you have a dolly to move the heavy stuff? With a trailer you'll probbly have room to carry one.

Sorry you didn't sell at the WSOAE. Were you selling the paintings shown in the picture above? If so, what was the price range?

This seems like one heck of a lot of work for selling $30 to $100 items. How about going for the more high end show? I cannot see big ticket items selling at a small show.

Hi Karin!

My stuff was priced alot higher. The originals went from $500 for colored pencil on canson mi-tintes (glicee repro on arches at $95) to $2000-$2500 still-lifes (oil) ($250 for giclee on canvas). I had an oil portrait (14x18) going for $3500 ($450 repro.). Pastels and sauce pieces priced at $1500-$1800 for originals, and about $250 for giclees on arches. The big pastel of the woman in yellow dress on dark blue background was priced at $2500 ($550 for repro on arches). All the reproductions were stretched, if canvas or double-matted, if on paper. Then they were bagged or shrink-wrapped.

Friends said that the prices might be appropriate in a gallery. I'm thinking of keeping these prices for the venues I'm hoping to get into during October & November; the areas are affluent, and the populations aren't diluted with tourists.

Soooooo, we'll see. I've got lots to learn about pricing, marketing, (driving and parking a trailer), and learning to live with income arriving at it's leisure, rather than biweekly. But I'm excited about at least injecting my advertising into these populations. Hey! if I'm not generating enough interest in my art, then it's back to the drawing board, right?

Here's my exhibit at the WSOAE. The nice weather on this day didn't require putting up all the tarps, which is a pain.

Sharing a first show experience
 

I've enjoyed reading through this topic and everyone has contributed good information. I don't want to discourage you (it didn't discourage me) but I thought I'd add the experience I had doing my first Art fair show a few years ago. Because my brother is a potter and was doing this show (I hadn't seen him in years), I thought it would be a good chance to see him. It was the Tubac show in Arizona and lasted a whole 9 days (boy was I ambitious). I scheduled my vacation time from work, packed up my stuff - including my wonderful $199.99 Costco tent and stayed with some friends in Tuscon.

To make a long story short, the show actually went quite well, lots of interest and went through hundreds of brochures - but you know you are at the wrong show for making sales when every third person that passes by exclaims "Look, a REAL aritst!"

The ninth day of the show, I was sunburnt, dirty, hoarse, and ready to go home. That morning, there was an intense storm blowing through and when I arrived at my tent (or what was left of it), I knew it was time to leave. The 50mph winds had ripped through everyones tents (even though I had weights on all four corners and dangling from the center post was a 5 gallon bucket filled with rocks), knocking over all of my display tables. A year's worth of now worthless ceramic sculpture lay in pieces in a worthless pile of dirt.

Hard lesson learned - but it was a blast doing my first show marathon. Now I only do high end 2-day shows in areas that are much more sheltered and have had much greater success. Here's to hoping you do very well and enjoy the experience.

This weekend was my first major

This past weekend I participated in an open studio tour. In two days I probably had 150+ people tromp through my studio, managed to sell 5 gicl

Hyde Park Art Show
 

:sunnysmil

Great going Beth!

Your booth looked great.

Don't worry about having had the 'littles' in there, now you know better.

Hope you handed a lot of cards and info out. It looks like this was a good show to get yourself out there.

Live demos are the real attention getter. You'll have more fun and time will pass a whole lot quicker if you make room for the demos next time.

I did the same thing this weekend but with models and two live demos. The models and I had a blast. Sure you spend a little extra to have the models but it grabs the people and pulls them to you. Trapped in the 'Art Tractor Beam'.

Don't sweat it Beth, the commissions will come!

This must have been "art fair weekend" across the whole country. I also participated in my one and only annual art show this past Saturday and Sunday.

I show only portrait samples and do a demo from a photo (an existing commission, so at least I get some work done!) I did this same show last year, and got two commissions for two figures each (one three quarter length and one full length) from it.

This year, like last, I gave out perhaps a hundred cards and had many serious enquiries about commissions. I won't know for a while if it paid off in direct terms, but the exposure keeps the idea of portraiture "top of mind" for the thousands of people who did see my booth. In this part of the country, portraiture is not something that people think of as a "must have". I believe that most prospective clients need to see the work repeatedly and think about the idea for a long time in order to make a decision.

Like all advertising, it's hard to quantify the immediate benefits and only a long term campaign brings results. This show brings in huge crowds and is in a fairly affluent area and since the booth fee is small and I had the canopy and signage from last year I feel it's worth my effort.

I put in four days of work to do it (two days of the show itself, and about two more days of prep/loading/unpacking). I'm pretty tired out today from all the physical set up and take down, and from demoing for two days for eight hours straight. Now it's time to send out "nice to have met you" cards with a sample of my work on it to the ones who signed my guest book and see what happens.

Here is a photo of my booth. I'm not very happy with the cluttered look, most of which is because of the see-through walls and the booth behind me. Next year I think I will get some solid panels or nice draperies. I borrowed these walls from a friend. I also plan on raising the banners much higher since they block so much light. (I had them made at Kinko's for about $200 last year.)

The small portrait in the foreground on the left is the demo I was working on. I put the blue ribbon around my booth to keep kids from coming in and getting messed up in the paint as I demo. I know it keeps people too far from the paintings but interested people can come in if they want to.

Two of the paintings I show here are giclees I made as examples, since the originals are with the clients who commissioned them.

This next photo is of the nearby booth of a portrait photographer who has become a friend through this show. We share marketing ideas. (Mostly I pick her brain since I'm a lot newer at this than she is. I help her set up her stuff and she gives me suggestions on marketing.)

I love the way her booth looks. Everything about it says "quality" to me. She has nice backdrops, expensive wooden display easels and wooden chairs, and has decorative props here and there. She shows up wearing a long skirt and wears a lovely bright jacket once the show is open for the day. (Don't know how I'd paint in a get-up like that but I might consider it!)

I just got a phone call to do two portraits (two kids in the same family) from a woman I met at the art fair yesterday. Hooray!

Wow! Congratulations Michele!

Wow, congratulations! I have to re-think my views on the fairs now!

Michele: You have done a great job - congratulations!

How do you attach your signs to the tent? Did you design the signs and give the info to Kinko's on a zip disk and have them print it out? Or did they do the entire thing? Are they printed on a waterproof banner material? All 4 sides?

Also, on props, what do you feel would be effective "quality" props? Display easel? Vase of flowers? In the show I just had, I only had one portrait to show and the rest of my work was still life and landscape.

Interestingly enough, all 5 paintings I sold were hung at eye level. Maybe in the future, I'll only hang a row at eye level and not hang so many things...sometimes less is more. Any thoughts on this?

Although I think it is a good idea, I don't plan to demo at shows as that would drive me nuts. I tried this at PSOA in Washington with Genesis paintslast year. I accomplished virtually nothing at the easel as there were so many people to chat with.

Congratulations on the phone call Michele, I hope you can sprinkle that magic my way.

Your photographer friend looks like she rented two spaces. This was not an option at the show I was in. I like how you showed just a few portraits too. I remember Marvin Mattelson talking about his show where he just put up 3 portraits. Can you post one of the prints so I can see it comparably.

I like the thought your friend uses with props and think my marginal use of them worked well. I remember seeing how Cynthia did the SOG booth, and was wishing I could find a rug. I was amazed a what some people had.

Lynn, I did pass out a ton of cards, bio's and rate sheets. I hear you did the same and I love that you did a demo. I would think with your vivacious personality you wouldn't get a whole lot painted either! :)

Michelle: I forgot to ask the size of your banner signs.

Does anyone else have input on signage?

Beth,

I got my rug cheap at Lowes. But, it fit my scheme and I thought it worked well. Home Depot also has nice rugs.

Thanks for the positive feedback, everyone. I think I may also get a call from a different woman who seemed the most interested. She said she was "researching portrait artists" and knew all about ASOPA, etc. She lives in the most expensive part of Seattle so this show brings people of all demographics in. I'll keep my fingers crossed that she chooses me!

Karin, to answer your questions:

I took a digital file on CD to Kinkos and they printed three banners, each 10 feet long by about a foot tall on waterproof vinyl stock for me. There are grommets on the corners and in the middle of the banners. I attach these to the underside of the canopy structure with wires.

Next year I plan to attach poles to my canopy legs that will extend up above the tent itself and I will attach the signs to them, so I can put the banners up higher.

As far as props, the photographer has a three foot column in her booth with a vase of silk flowers on it, and a couple of baskets with items relating to fall (leaves, small pumpkins, etc.) She also has what look like velvet and other high quality tablecloths on the display tables in her booth.

Beth, I'm not sure if I understand your question about "posting one of the prints". Were you wondering which of my samples were giclee prints and which were originals? In the photo I posted earlier the painting of the two kids reading is a print, and the others that are visible are originals. I have another print hanging on the outside left of my booth. I didn't want originals on the outside walls since I thought they might get banged up in the traffic flow.

I only have one giclee made of each of my favorite paintings, since I don't sell them but use them only for marketing purposes. It costs about $350, including frame, to get one giclee done. I have them printed on canvas at the size of the original painting, put them on stretcher bars and then frame them like a regular canvas.

Also, Beth, as an aside: you mentioned in an earlier post that you talk to parents about getting a portrait of themselves to give to their kids and grandkids. Children's portraiture is almost two thirds of the whole portrait market. (This was told to me at an ASOPA conference by Portraits Inc. of New York and they get a ton of corporate commissions.) Portraits of kids is by far the largest number of inquiries and commissions I get.

Less is Best
 

Hi Karin! Try the auction halls. I got two nice 8x10 rugs for $20.00 and $25.00. Go to the country auction, not the upscale one. The rug idea is great but from my antique show days I found that the rugs can be a draw back. They swallowed up what I was selling plus they get absolutely filthy.

My sign I got at a sign maker by my house. $42.00, he and I designed it and it was ready in a couple of hours. He could have done a sign with my art work for $80.00 but I wasn't prepared.

Don't be shy on the demos. Go to a park on a busy day. Practice. Live demos draw so much attention and learn to tune the chatter out. The folks who are really interested in what you do will wait for you to change out a brush or take a sip of your favorite beverage (I know, no eating or drinking around paints, but I need fluids all the time). The really interested folks will wait to get your attention.

Putting a few paintings in your booth at eye level is enough, especially if there is a live demo. That is all you need. We are a skill for hire, not a painting they can carry out that day.

Marvin has the right idea. The draw is the demo and the skill. The art hanging in the booth is the end results of that skill that is possessed.

Less is best. Here is my booth from this weekend,
skimpy but I wasn't selling the booth I was selling myself and my skills (sounds bad).

Now it's time to wait and pray.

Sorry for the confusion Michele, but yes, I would love to see a print next to your original, especially if you have the scan or transparency copy made for the giclee. My photos of artwork are so bad you wouldn't see anything.

But as things always go for me, I am at my show trying to sell my wares and this fella comes up to try and sell me. Turns out he does Giclee prints for a few artists and he thought my work would reproduce wonderfully. Then it turns out he was a form color house (separator) owner that worked with my husband... but that's another story.

I do understand that portraits of children are the largest segment of the market, but I really feel that parents leave a treasure to their kids when they have one done of themselves too. Kind of an upsell, but it is usually something they don't think about.

This is a link to an ad I developed which I display at all my showings.
Portrait Ad

I think it is just food for thought, in a digital, photo world.

Cynthia, thanks for the Home Depot tip, I also remember you had a lovely desk. If I am right, is it a heavy costly one or something you found as a knock off of an inexpensive piece?

Nothing I could post here would show you the difference between the originals and the giclee, since they are so close in appearance. Only up close examination of the giclee itself would show it to be a print. (A good thing, actually.)

I would say that the two I have had made (by different companies, but who may be using the same type of printer) have produced output that is lower in contrast and greener in the darks than the originals, despite many efforts at color correction.

I spent a portion of today setting up a tent in my back yard in order to get this picture. I understand that many art fairs require that this be included in the application. I do hope it isn't too obvious but I got a little lazy and only set up two walls.

What a lot of work when the sides of the tent don't fit properly! I do NOT recommend the Costo version of this Caravan tent (even if it was a bargain). It is not fireproof, and I suspect that it iwill not be very rain proof.

As to doing a demo, I just cannot face the thought of it right now. My purpose is to sell landscapes and still life directly and get some feedback from the public about this part of my work. Having a gallery sell my work prevents me from ever knowing who buys my work and why...not to mention that painful 40% (or more) that they take.

I do, however, plan to show just one portrait at a show and keep my portfolio handy. The economy must be improving a bit as I am starting to get more portrait commissions lately.