Finally, a chance to sit down and write about my Labor Day weekend! I've been pretty busy since Steve and I got home on Monday evening. It feels good to be busy and back at home though.
I hope everyone had a fun weekend, despite the rainy that seemed to hit most. The rain managed to miss us in Harrisburg during show hours {thankfully!} but the rest of the show was pretty much a massive bust. Let's start at the beginning...
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FridaySteve and I arrived in Harrisburg around 5pm. We set up my booth at a record speed of 2 hours. We both took in our surroundings and thought it was a decent setting. Right on the river, in the state capital, my booth located close to one of the 3 entrances of the show. Not too bad.
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| Our view of the Susquehanna River |
Our hotel was the furthest away out of all the shows I did this summer season-- about 30 minutes travel time from the show's location. We checked in and ate at a local diner across the street. I felt nice and relaxed. I liked our hotel, the bed was comfortable, and it was nice to get away from home and all the busyness there. I did miss my dogs, though. :)
Saturday
The show was opening at 10:00am. Steve and I got there around 8:45 and finished setting up and putting the final touches on my booth. I put up burlap on my walls and I really liked the effect it had on my booth. It gave it warmth and texture!
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| The front... notice my new sign above on my tent!? |
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| Left side of my booth |
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| Right side of my booth |
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| Steve sitting... and sitting... and sitting. |
I did get a few people in my booth, but most of patrons of Harrisburg just weren't loving my work. I was in an off mood, too. I was crabby and just not wanting to be at the show. Bad combination. Nothing good comes from that. Steve walked the entire show and the festival/carnival that was going on right next to us. When he came back to my booth and reported a carnival was going on, I wanted to throw the towel in right then and there. Good art shows and carnivals do not go together.
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| Mental note: If you see a pic like this on an art show website when researching the show, DO NOT PARTICIPATE!!!!!!!!!! |
The show closed at 7:00pm and I had zero sales for the day. And I still had 2 more days to go. Joy.
Sunday
We had a bit of a reprieve on Sunday. The show opened at 12:00pm (church is HUGE at the State Capital!). Steve and I were able to go out to breakfast and take our time. It was nice.
We got to the show around 11:30 and I was insanely bored by 12:00. 7 hours of sitting and smiling and greeting non-customers. It wasn't all wasted time, though. I sketched in my notebook, came up with some new painting ideas, texted my mom, got to know some of the other artists around me. Apparently I wasn't the only one suffering in sales. One artist across from me was selling clothing and she said she wasn't selling much of anything. I spoke to a few painters, and they were having zero luck, as well.
I can tell you what was selling though. Word art. You know what I'm talking about. That crap people just love to spell their names out of. "Oh! The 'o' in my name is a wheel!"
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| Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate. |
I loathe this stuff. I won't even call it art. It's everywhere. Its a fad and its stupid. Every single damn art show I've done this year has included this word crap. And it's a different vendor selling it at every show. Its like its a franchise! I'd rather there be a Subway booth at every show than this garbage.
Okay, enough of my anger. Where was I? Oh! Okay, so I was talking to a few of the other artists, and some of them were telling me they were planning on packing up that night to head home. With poor sales and thunderstorms in the forecast, some artists just weren't willing to stick it out another day. Steve and I talked it over and decided to stay. We were planning on meeting his cousin Karyn and her husband Phil for dinner that evening, and we didn't want to throw in breaking the booth down in the mix. :) Plus, weather forecasts are usually wrong.
We met Karyn and Phil later after the show in Elizabethtown (hated that movie!), a halfway point for each of us. Karyn was doing the Longs Park Art & Craft Festival, so we were only 45 minutes away from each other. It was really nice to see them, especially after a long boring day at my booth. Karyn and I exchanged amusing stories about our shows, which is always fun. After talking for about 3 hours, we parted ways, headed back to our hotel in torrential downpours, and called it a night.
Monday
Last day! It was only from 10 to 5. And it didn't rain. At least until the very end. I started out all gung-ho on making a sale, but it went away after a dozen or so people drifted in and out of my booth. I still had my bad attitude on my sleeve. Around 4:00 I told Steve it was time to pack it all up and leave. He agreed, got the car, and we were out of there within the hour.
As we were leaving, I had my epiphony: I would rather not do an art show at all than do art shows like Kipona. I can't do any more bad shows. Just can't. It's a waste of my time and our money. I promised myself that the only shows I would be applying to going forward would be the tough ones to get accepted in. Those are the only shows I have a fighting chance of selling my work. Shows like Kipona and Shaker Heights and Blue Water sell jewelry and wearables like crazy. Stuff that I do not make. So, I quit those shows for good.
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My final rankings for the 2011 show year. How sad! A brief overview of how I do this: I list my important categories and rank them 1 through 10: 1 being the worst to 10 being the best. Please keep in mind this is simply my opinion and I'm trying to sell contemporary paintings.
Location: 5
It was decent. Right on the river in Harrisburg. The set up and break down were really easy, but it was mainly because my booth was close to the main street.
Sales: 1
I didn't make a single sale, and all of the artists I spoke with were annoyed with the lack of buying.
Show Organization: 5
When we arrived to set my booth up, there were plenty of greeters there to let us know where to go. There was a coffee tent for the artists every morning, but it closed right when the customers were allowed to come in. Other than that, the show pretty much ran itself.
Overall: 3
Just wasn't a good show for me and my work. I know I needed to work on my attitude, and the show was good to some of the vendors there {right!?}, but I'm not going to be applying again...ever.
Done and done!!!!! My last big show for the year is officially over, and I'm back in wedding mode now! My first year was eventful and full of learning experiences. I know I have a lot more to learn, but I feel like I have a good start.
Time to unwind and watch some HAAAAAAAAUSE! My favorite show. :)
Peacing out,
Nikki
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