Marin Art Festival Review

A few weeks have passed since the Marin Art Festival, and I have to admit, this one wore me out! It wasn't the festival itself, since set-up was relatively easy. It was the mental strain of preparation, and that difficult switch to the "selling" side of art that did it.

The show wasn't a resounding success. It wasn't a failure either. Like most shows I've done this year, it was so-so. Marin puts on a gorgeous art festival. The quality of work was high, the food was very good, and the live music and entertainment was engaging. Attendance could have been better, but people were buying. Unfortunately, When you pay $1,000 just for the booth space, it's difficult to break even.

Despite the cost, I'll continue to do fine art festivals when I'm able. They are worth the effort for the opportunity to meet people face-to-face. When your art is hanging in a gallery, you usually don't get that chance. Someone I meet at a festival this year could result in a commission, sale or connection years later. When you spend most of your time holed up alone in the studio, that's invaluable!

There I am, in requisite floppy hat

Booth interior

The show from above

artist, Hines

another female figure artist (a rarity), Chelsea Croy

some very elegant stilt walkers

glass sculpture by the bay

Countdown to Marin

Time is whipping by me as I prepare for the Marin Art Festival, June 21-22.

To be my guest at the most beautiful art festival in the country next weekend, print this free admission ticket to save yourself $10 per person.

There are paintings to finish, prints to make, and giclees to stretch. My list is always a mile long preparing for these shows, but I have the hang of it now. The trick is to do what is absolutely needed first. If the rest doesn’t get done, it will be ready for the next show!

I’m going to post a few I completed last month, since they never graced the pages of my blog. New paintings are in the works, and I’m so excited to finally feel the gates of possibility opening up once more.

30x40" Quincy Jones, a commission.

A few more of the continuing mini series:

Goldfish #7 -sold

Daylily buy

Petals buy

White Dress #4 buy

Old Town San Diego Art Festival Review

I've been trying to write a blog for days now, but can't seem to focus. There is too much information. It's like I'm going through a crazy roller coaster crash course of tent mastering, solo traveling, and the fine art of art sales all in one. I recover, get back to painting, and finish projects for the next show when I'm home.

The business side to being an artist is one most people are unaware of. It's necessary evil if you want to be a working artist. It's unnecessary if you can hire people to do it, or play an artist on TV.

My second San Diego show was my first show out-of-town ALONE. Am I crazy? Yes. I can absolutely confirm my insanity. Even the other, seasoned art festival folk think I'm crazy for taking this on alone. On top of it all, I'm showing figure paintings. No one is showing figure paintings at these shows.

So I take off for a 6 hours drive to San Diego a day before the show. I always feel so alive at this point. The sun sparkles a little more; I breathe the fresh air and crank up the music.

Driving through Lost Hills, CA

Once I hit LA, the fun is over. Have you ever tried to get off the LA highway in some awful area to find a place to pee while pulling a trailer? Don't do it.

I check in with my hotel an hour before set-up. Most 2-3 day shows allow set-up the day prior, and I won't do a show if they don't. Returning to the car for my bags, I notice the trailer is leaning to one side. Incredulously, it has a flat tire. Thank you, Uhaul. After freaking out for a moment (ok, a few moments), I realize there's only one choice. I detach the trailer from the car, and unload it into my car in two trips to set up the tent. It's freaking exhausting, to say the least.

Unloading the trailer

Grrr…I need my own trailer, but at least they fixed it.

The next morning, my mood restored, I have a good breakfast and set off for the show with a steaming cup of Earl Grey. I drive to the artist parking lot, find a good space, and look down, only to find my cell phone floating in the steaming cup of tea. This is the point where I nearly cry.

I ended up making it through the day. My neighbor, Nha Vuu is a blessing. She let me use her phone, and we chat the whole show. Her art is lovely, so I want to share it:

http://www.nhavuu.com

I learned a lot at this show; from other artists, and from the experience. I was visited by some friends I met at Artwalk the week before. We went out for drinks, and it was nice to get out of the hotel room. Even my new friend at the art gallery came by for a visit. Which reminds, me…I need to mention that I have all my paintings back. The gallery agreed to wait until I finish the show season. At that time, we will discuss an arrangement again. I am so relieved, because I didn't feel right about the situation. It's all written in my last blog if you want to check it out.

People at the show

My tent

Show review: This show had a good amount of people, but most of them were tourists, uninterested in art. The quality of the work here was below average, with people selling things like key chains and poor quality jewelry. There was very little high-end 2D art. Both days, the locals came early, and that's when I made sales. From noon on, the sales tanked, and I had to deal with a never-ending steam of giggling, pointing, and joking tourists. There were also a lot of creepy old men with beards who enjoyed hanging out in my tent for some reason. I didn't lose money at this show, which was a relief. I didn't make much, either.

I may be back next year. We'll see.

Best quote of the weekend: A boy about 6 years old walks by with his dad. He points to one of the nudes, exclaiming, "Daddy, I don't want to BE like that". I'm sure dad was relieved.

Part two will be up soon, the Danville show. Thanks so much for reading.

The Most Successful Unsuccessful Show Ever

I have two more art festivals under my belt; first let me backtrack to the Sept 7^th show in Shell Beach. Driving down from Paso Robles, I entered a low, misty cloud and remained in it for the rest of the day. It was cold and damp the entire time.

the cloud

I’m getting fairly accustomed to setting up the tent, but had some technical difficulties with the dolly. It lost a wheel, so setup and take-down required extra trips.

The crowd was drastically different than the month before. For the first few hours, they walked around, remaining a few feet away from the tents. Arms crossed, they acted like us artists were going to accost them with sales pitches and grab their purses.

a new necklace display

Luckily, I had some visitors to keep me company. A few of my lovely models stopped by, and some friends stopped in to chat. I barely broke even with sales, but had a fun day nonetheless.

this guy was popular

San Diego’s ArtWalk (Sept 13-14^th) was my first art festival out-of-town. Applying to these shows is risky, since I’m incurring hotel and gas expenses along with the entry fee. Entry fees can range from $300-$800 for some of the bigger shows, so it’s a gamble, especially since I don’t know what to expect. I took the gamble for the networking opportunities. I’ve outgrown the central coast, so I’m hitting the road to get more exposure, bypass the gallery system and take the reins of my career into my own hands. The work is hard, and I’m teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, but at this point, the only direction is forward.

the night before, setting up

The setting is beautiful. Right on the bay, the tents have the ocean behind them, with a thick jasmine bush to keep everyone hedged in. My first “fine art” show, I was in awe and intimidated, but thrilled to be there. Some of the art is impressive; gorgeous paintings, sculpture and glass. I recognized some of the artists from magazines, but my admiration was tempered by a good amount of displays lacking in professionalism, to put it nicely.

ArtWalk provides tents. This is good, because I don’t have to tow a trailer around San Diego (this time). It’s bad because I lose control over the presentation of my work. Luckily, the mesh walls from my own tent fit over the provided one, and set-up went smoothly. That night, we had a good night’s rest and showed up at the show ready to go

all set up

I soon discovered the crowds were not art buyers, for the most part. They were families and couples, here to enjoy the day. I sold some necklaces and prints, but no where near enough to make up for the money I shelled out. Useful art sold the best. The woman next to me sold $10,000 in stained glass lady-lamps, and a furniture maker was mobbed the entire weekend. It seems like artist here do really well or not. It’s tricky, because it may take a few years to build up a clientele. There’s also the possibility I’ll find my audience in places like Beverly Hills. Still, I had a wonderful time, and met some incredible artists who gave me invaluable advice.

the lady-lamp

The second day of the show, I was visited by a gallery owner. He carefully looked at all my pieces, and said he wanted to meet with me in his gallery-that day. He was looking for nudes, and wanted most of my originals. The gallery is located in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, and carries fine art, sculpture, and glasswork. The artists are way out of my league (not in quality, but in exposure and career level), so I’m left feeling unprepared, and a bit confused.

In the end, I left San Diego without rent money, OR paintings. I want to be excited, but I'm filled with trepidation. The gallery may not work out, but for now I am represented by them. The reins are once more out of my hands, and there's another show in three days.

The best quotes of the weekend:

A man walks into the tent, his wife remarks, "Course you know where Joe goes...naked ladies". She rolls her eyes and walks out.

A little boy and his mom were passing by, the little boy sees my stuff and shouts, "Ewwww!" Mom says, "just cover your eyes, cover your eyes!" They RUN by me.

Art Festival Review: Shell Beach

Yesterday was another art festival, Art in the Park at the Dinosaur caves in Shell Beach, CA. It was a gorgeous day, and this is my second show. It's my first time doing a show alone.

The day before, I was relaxed. Jeff and I packed the car with relative ease, and I slept like a baby. The show had an 8:00am set-up time, so I woke early, had a big breakfast, and set off on the 45 min drive to Pismo. Some ambitious artists were already set up when I arrived at 7:30, so I got my space assignment and went to work.

Art in the Park is located in a gorgeous park, right on the ocean. We weren't able to drive on the grass, so everything needed to be carried from the car. Lucky for me, I had an ally in my convertible dolly.

It's genius, and I was able to carry my whole tent in one trip.

Upon seeing my tent contraption-a very large mess of heavy poles and bags, people around me were shaking their heads, "that poor girl"… I stubbornly set to work, and with some difficulty, had the thing up by 9:30. The only casualty was my finger, which was bloodied by a shotgun bungee cord.

Once assembled, the tent was the envy of the show. I keep telling myself it was worth the extra cost and effort.
A burry cell phone pic:

This show had tents arranged in single rows, with people walking in front and behind the tent. With some quick thinking, I eliminated the back wall, allowing free access for people to walk through. I didn't realize most people would be walking on the grass, making my display backwards. Oh well. I'll get it right next time.

My reception was much different than the Cambria show. People were here to look at art. Being the new kid, my tent was intriguing to the locals, and the artists were very friendly. Sales started before I was completely set up, and continued throughout the day. I was only able to leave the tent once to run to the bathroom, and happy I ate that big breakfast. The only other food available was kettle corn and ice cream.

My new painting had lots of attention. :)

My improvement list for this show is much shorter than last time.

-bring a mirror (for necklaces)

-find a better necklace display

-bring many more prints (I sold out of most of them)

-stop selling cards and sell matted 5x7 prints instead

-get a banner sign

-devise a better way to display bio and business cards

-bring lunch

The most common phrases for the day:

"How did you get my picture?" (A joke made by women repeatedly). "YOU'RE" the artist?"

The oddest question of the day:

A girl asked me, as she was holding up a 5x7 card to the original painting, "how do you paint each one so perfectly?"

The best thing I bought since the last show:

My convertible dolly. In second place are the slightly more expensive, but biodegradable plastic bags for purchases.

I also discovered it was slightly uncomfortable eating a big frozen, chocolate & nuts covered banana in a tent full of nudes.

When the show was over, I broke down the tent with some help from a new friend, artist Abbey Onikoyi.

Here's his website: www.spiritsofafricagallery.com

I drove home exhausted, every bit of my body sore. It's much like moving out-and-into an apartment in one day. The next few weeks will be spent preparing for the next shows. This is what I've been practicing for.

Three shows in a row, starting off with another Art in the Park in Shell beach (Sept 7th), followed by Art Walk on the Bay in San Diego (Sept 13-14), and the Old Town San Diego Art Festival (Sept 20-21st). (Evidence of my masochistic tendencies)

Whoa, honey...don't go in there Part 2

Part 2


Once the tent is up, Jeff mans the tent while I check out the fair. It's a small one, with about 20 exhibitors. The show is predominantly "hobby" crafters and artists. Most set-ups are makeshift, which makes my monster-tent-o-nudes stand out even more. That may not be a good thing for this show, but it shows me I'm on the right track for big shows later this year.

The few "pros" are there because they live close by, and the conversation goes something like this:

"Your tent looks amazing. Why are you here? You should be at a bigger show."



*disclaimer: I hope I'm not coming across like a festival/art snob. This is my livelihood and career, and I treat it as such. If you want to make art your career, you should too.



As I speak with the vendors, something I never anticipated becomes apparent. Over and over, I'm asked a variant on the same odd question: Are you the muse for the nudes? I'm confused at first. Artists usually aren't their own muse. Then it dawns on me. Everyone is assuming Jeff is the artist. Ahhh!
So I begin a list of things to buy/make for future shows.

As I hunker down in my tall director's chair (tall so I can sit at eye level with my guests), another strange thing happens.

My paintings are getting some extremely odd reactions. My exhibitor neighbors, The Craftinistas notice it too and begin to laugh. As customers meander past the tents, a look of shock comes over their face when they see the nudes. This doesn't happen with everyone, but it's enough that it becomes a sort of entertainment for us throughout the day.

Funny comments get thrown my way, like the man who quickly ducks in (trailing his wife), to say he likes my work, but his wife would never let him have it. Then there's a burly man with his young son. He loudly points out the naked ladies saying, "You'll be interested someday".

A nervous couple comes in, giggling. I suddenly get the feeling that I'm selling dildos instead of paintings.

The highlight of the day was a middle-aged couple. The husband is numbly walking into my tent when his wife body blocks him, grabs his arm, and steers him the other way. What is going on?

Without getting into the conservative nature of the American psyche, and my own interpretation of the figure (I'll leave that for future blogs). I'm going to blame this strange behavior on the show. It's not entirely their fault, because I shouldn't be in this type of show in the first place.

The festival is poorly advertised. There aren't any signs on the main street to announce it, so it's much like a band of tents decided to randomly pitch in downtown Cambria. The customers who manage to find us aren't expecting art. They are tourists and shoppers who stumble across what looks to be a flea market, hoping to find some neat stuff to take home.

I don't take it personally. In the end, we manage to break even on the $25 entry fee. I meet some wonderful people who I hope to see at future shows. I accomplish all I want to accomplish and gain a deeper insight into this festival world I'm delving into.

Here's the completed list:

-a sign, with my name and a photo.

- a credit card terminal

-some sort of desk for credit card transactions

-sturdier picture hooks

-a folding table that fits in the center of the tent

-a table cover

-baskets for the 8x10" prints (to go on the table)

-hand wipes to clean my hands and whatever else gets dirty

-a jewelry display

-small merch bags for the cards

-gloves

-better title/sales tags for the artwork (ones that don't fall off)



A side note:

To demonstrate the rollercoaster ride of the art world, I ended up selling one of my paintings on art festival day; except it wasn't at the festival. As I unloaded the car to place the paintings back onto Vihuela's gallery walls, a woman purchased one.

Whoa, honey...don't go in there.

Part 1

Yesterday, I participated in my first art festival. I plan to do these things full-time next year (12-18 shows), so it’s a milestone.

First, let me explain a bit. In order to enter fine art shows, you need to send an application 6 months, to a year ahead of the show date. Included in that show entry, you need a “booth picture”. This photo is a picture of your art tent, fully set up at a show. This is an important part of entry, because it determines weather or not you’ll even get in. These shows are strictly juried, and many enter year after year without getting in.

Did I mention it costs big bucks too? I just paid $600 for a 10x10’ space in San Diego later this year. Fees can easily be in the thousands! That’s not even factoring in gas and hotel stays. Let’s not think about that right now.

Back to the booth picture. Since I’ll need to enter shows so far in advance, I bought my tent months ago, just to get that little booth photo. That’s a big leap of faith. I didn’t want to start small either. I’ve been showing paintings for a long time, and I know presentation is important. I want to play with the big boys. I’m cannon-balling into the icy deep end. This means I need a monster tent with all the bells and whistles. It’s heavy. It’s hard to set up, and I’ve got to learn how to transport and maneuver this thing all by myself.

Yesterday’s show was a local show in Cambria. This was a dinky one-day show, part of Cambria’s heritage day celebration. I found out about it from a Craigslist ad and entered because it was cheap, and close-by. I don't expect to sell any paintings, but hope to break even with a few prints and card sales. This show gives me a chance to test drive my tent before the 3-day shows later this year.

My little Nissan Xterra was loaded a day ahead. This was tricky, because I didn’t even know if everything would fit in the SUV. The other tricky part was maneuvering the heavy, awkward tent poles down my stairway of doom. After stealing all my paintings and prints out of Vihuela winery, I tried to squeeze them into the car without damaging the canvas. It was tricky, but I managed to do it.

I'm only showing nudes at this show because I want to present a cohesive body of work, which means I need to pick a series and go with it. So I’ll show nudes in San Francisco, abstracts in Palm Springs and landscapes in the suburbs. I won’t know what works until I actually do a show, but at least I have flexibility when I enter. (i.e., I was just denied entrance into show because they don’t want nudes, then re-entered with my landscapes and got in).

Back to the Cambria show… I barely sleep the night before. Lists are floating around in my head. I still need to remember to pack the tent instructions.

The next morning, I forget the tent instructions. Luckily, there are a few practice set-ups under my belt and the poles are marked with color-coded Sharpies. I get to the site on time. It’s 8:00 in the morning, and everything needs to be up by 10:00. Jeff is helping with this show, so we finish 30 minutes ahead of time. My anticipated tears of frustration never show.

Whew! Here it is, all set up:

and me, trying to look awake...


Stay tuned for Part 2!