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SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
August 2009
Please Help Keep the Creative Industry Going
Written by: Carla Vaughn-Mead
As Artists we need to support the small community we're part of. We have all been hit pretty hard by the current economy and I've found many artists that attend Craft Shows as their main source of income are struggling to stay afloat.
It is easy for us to stay home and surf the web when making purchases - often not knowing the origin of the product we're ordering and never meeting the person that crafted it. Many of the artists that exhibit at Craft Shows don't have an Etsy Account OR a website. They rely soley on old school face to face business to sell their creations.
Over the last four years we've seen a decline in attendance at shows which is causing some artists to basically give up. The cost to be a part of a show is great (Booth Fee, Food, Lodging & Gas) and they can’t afford to keep attending. We've found it to cost an average of $500 per show minimum - multiply that times a few shows a month and it really adds up - especially if you don't generate any sales at a particular show.
Please visit Craft Shows in your town. If you're on vacation check your destination's Chamber of Commerce website to see if there's a show scheduled while you're there. Even if the promoter allows resale (not made by an artist) items in, you're bound to find some artists that are just starting out - getting their feet wet at their first shows.
Benefits of Buying Directly From Artists at Craft Shows
- Shows usually have no admission fee - a nice Free outdoor activity on the weekend
- You get to meet the maker face to face
- You're directly supporting the US economy - purchasing something made in the USA
- You’re helping the local economy since we collect retail taxes that go back to the town we do a show in
- You can ask questions about what you're buying and how it was made
- You can purchase a unique gift that can't be found everywhere
- You're keeping the creative industry going
Show exhibitors have many price points but the $25-65 range is our lifeblood. It's an unexpected and happy occasion when someone purchases an expensive piece but we work hard to produce and rely on those lower dollar sales. It's a true compliment when you know another artist loves your work and decides to buy from you.
It can be inspirational to visit and talk with artists at a show. Even if you can't afford to buy we appreciate your visit. Feel free to talk to the artists about how they make their pieces and let them know if you like their work. Nothing is more flattering than when another artist (you) likes and shows interest in our work.
Tip - We love having a good conversation - we talk all day to visitors and we want to talk to you too! If a visitor comes up asking questions and looking to buy we have to shift our attention to them - after all we're there working - so please don't take offense. Please stick around so we can finish the conversation or walk around the show a bit and stop back. The best time to visit and not get an interrupted conversation is when the show starts. It's always quiet in the morning and a great time to talk - before the show gets busy.
If you connect with an artist and their work please spread the word! Remember, many travel with all their wares and don't have a website - this is their only chance to sell their work. Some artists do have websites but don't actively market them. Please get business cards then Blog and post on Twitter and Facebook - word of mouth means so much!
Here are some of my Blog entries about other artists - Jewell's Fine Art Festival, Torreon Resort - Flagstaff Art In the Park - Artists - Flagstaff Art In the Park - More Artists
Speaking just for myself and my show experiences now, I treasure the artists friends I've met. You see people again and again - part of a small traveling gypsy artist community. You admire other people's work and cheer for them when they're doing well at a show and commiserate with them through bad weather and lack of attendance. Back when the economy was better we'd often trade with our show neighbors but now money is more crucial so we try to buy something each show - whether it's new coffee mugs, a small photo print or a special gift for someone else. We've had a couple shows that would have been a bust if other artists weren't buying from us. It's my goal to spread the word about the rest of this gypsy family whenever I can - we need to lean on each other.
Maybe we'll be in your area and meet you one day! I hope you'll start attending shows to meet other artists that have traveled to your town. We all start each show day hoping people like what we craft and make a little purchase so we can keep doing what we love.
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Carla Vaughn-Mead I have a BFA in Fine Arts but became a "non-practicing" artist until my husband and I started our business in 2005. We've exhibited in craft shows for 4 years now! I've worked for other artists as an assistant and office manager and even worked 8 years as the buyer for an international mail order bead catalog. I love what I'm doing now! I get inspiration from where I live - immersed in nature - I have so many new jewelry ideas I want to create. Contact Information:
info@blackmountainjewelry.com
Website:
www.blackmountainjewelry.com
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/BlkMtnJewelryCo |
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