[Colin_Partridge]

Hi gang, just made the four hour drive back home after attending a wood show in Northern Ontario. That is it for me I have had it with these shows, too far to travel, standing on a cement floor for three days, eating fast food, sleeping in a strange bed etc, etc.
For those of you that do these shows do you feel the same after expenses it really doesnt pay and now with the cost of gas and hotels I feel it really isnt worth it. Plus the fact there are too many of these shows anymore and there are never enough people. It used to be that when the show came to town everyone turned out but for the past few years less and less attend. So I was just wondering if you have had the same experience or am I just getting old. I will definatly miss meeting all the people but this guys show days are over.
Colin

[Callynne]

Bummer, Colin, sorry you didn't have a better time! We're happy to have you back safe and sound with us though!!

Hope that shoulder is feeling better! I posted a 'therapy' over in one of the other threads....Off Topic I think it was, that might help. Hmmmmm, I'll run over there and check....be right back! Callynne

[Callynne]

Yeah, I found it, it was in Off Topic, under Dragon Slayer Update. Tried copying and pasting it, it worked, YEAH!! Here it is!

I don't know if this advice would help you, I don't see where it would hurt though, and it may help the others. My brother-in-law has had a lot of shoulder problems, a Doctor gave him this advice and it has worked absolute wonders with him. When you're in the shower, stand with the hurt shoulder towards the shower wall with the water, as hot as you can stand it, running over the back of your shoulder. Place your hand on the shower wall, and very slowly 'walk' your finger tips up the wall as far as you can. Each day do that, walking the fingers a little further.

Hope it helps you! Callynne

[Paul_Guraedy]

Colin, I had an interesting conversation with one of the displayers at a show last spring. While admiring his carvings of birds (I am primarily a bird carver), I commented that there did not seem to be as many people at the show this year. He advised me that not only were the number of tables down (slightly): but, that the number of people attending was down (substantially). He said that he had found this at a number of shows and it was having an impact on him personally. His carvings were intricate and in the higher price ranges for the show. The number of people willing to buy carvings priced in excess of $100 were becoming very scarce at the shows he usually attends. We did not talk about the reasons behind this phenomena. But, after reading your post, I wonder if it is not a combination of the economy and the number of shows that are now available.

If I ever manage to carve enough pieces (and hang onto them long enough) to warrant a table, I think I will concentrate on shows where people number in the thousands and high price items are not unusual purchases. I would look for shows that included all kinds of art and my carvings would not be lost among the many hundreds of woodcarvings on display. Especially, if mine were a little more detailed and therefore more expensive than others of similar design. In these times, people seem to be willing to settle for a little less quality and save money.

We have a couple of shows fitting this description here in northwest Arkansas. The largest takes place in late October at War Eagle creek. Art, of all type, from all over the Country, is on display and they say that several million dollars changes hands during the 5 days of the festival. Quality is the norm and people expect to pay for it.

Doing something similar would not alleviate your aches, pains, and sleeping in a strange bed. But, it might make it more financially rewarding.

[Thor]

Colin, I completely understand your feelings about shows, but at least there are other alternatives to getting your work to the public and even meeting the people you get positive feedback from.

I don't know if you have available in your area the idea of "trunk" shows at galleries or not, but here, I welcome artists to come in for a day or a weekend and demonstrate their work and sell directly to the public without me taking a commission from the sale. The "entertainment" and extra advertising are worth it to me to get more traffic, and the artist usually brings their own following through their own mailing list as well. While this isn't an option every weekend, it does develope a partnership between galleries and artists.

And to address the other issue, here is a quote from Aristotle:
"Art and Science cannot prosper without peace, prosperity and benevolence present in society."

I think we all have a waiting period ahead of us before we see much money again. I've been in this buisiness for 30 years, art that is, and I've seen ups and downs, but never has it gone from so high to so low so quickly. Most of the galleries I knew of in my area have closed, and another good friend called me just this week to say that she will sell her gallery after 15 years. She's done.

The answer to me is, price it low, keep it simple, sell velvet Elvises if that's what they want.
Thor

[BobD]

Colin,
I've already done my share of shows on the concrete floors! One tip I heard at the last show was to wear a different pair of shoes each day--it's easier on your feet and your back!

Bob

[Ron Davidson]

Colin- I am glad you made it back ok. I think part of the problem with show attendence is alot of people don't have the patience to do carving they want instant product. In the last few shows I have been to that is what I noticed that everyone is crowded around the big power tools etc. At least thats my opinion. Ron

[Irish]

Colin,

Mike and I gave up shows many years ago. At the time we were doing both general public arts and crafts shows as well as industrial shows (business to buisness). By the time that we would have our inventory prepared, as some shows at that time resticted you to what you could display so to decrease the competition between vendors, packed the van, drove to the show to get set up ... did the show ... then did everything in reverse we were doing at least four days work in studio for a three day show. Add to that the two or three days to get rested up from the show ... AHHH! We always tripled the number of days needed to do a show. So a three day show meant nine days of non-studio work.

Add the gas, logging, and someone hired to tend the store while you are way, even if we just ate peanut butter sandwiches we never broke even. (Totally aside ... isthere just one Hot Dog Vendor that does each and every show and aren't those the same hot dogs under the heat lamps that we saw at the last show???)

But I think the biggest reason we surrendered was that there just is not enough time to properly talk to the client-customer-fellow artist. Because you never seem to get more than five minutes with someone there is little or no chance to make a true connection whether it's to create a sale or to establish a new friendship. I always felt "short sheeted"! And I can't imagine what the customer felt as we could never really spend any reasonable time with them.

We have not done a show for years and our business has prospered. I think that one reason is because we can do so much more right here in our own backyard both in creating what we sell as well as establishing long term relationships.

Susan

(Even if you bring THREE pair of shoes, each with different height heels, it's still a concrete floor!)