Corey Ave Arts & Crafts

My second Arts & Crafts event will take place June 6 - 7 on Corey Ave. near St. Pete Beach. I decided to rework the walls of the tent after the pegboard showed signs of wear after just one show. Looked into buying commercial art display panels until I discovered the cost.

Making your own display walls on U-tube and found a couple of alternatives using a polyethylene woven material, which could be purchased at a home improvement store or Joanne Fabrics. Discovered that the home improvement option required the purchase of exterior shades, which was expensive. Joanne Fabrics didn't carry what I was looking for, but found another possibility on the discount table  - 10 yards for 19.99 - but upon checking out I was told it was the price per yard - I let the employee return it to the table.

At Home Depot I happened across outdoor carpet that was 6 x 8 feet and on sale for 17 dollars. Quick math told me I could carpet four panels with one roll. I purchased one in order to test the viability of the project. My first two panels favored the iffy side since I stapled the carpet to the pegboard, then used a razor knife to trim off the excess - couldn't hold a straight line and the staples didn't penetrate without using a hammer.

Wondering what 'Tool man Tim' might do, I decided to cut the carpet using scissors and use spray-on adhesive. Discovered the carpet adhered with a heavy duty commercial grade adhesive, but not so well with hobby adhesive.

Over all it took me three days to complete the project, but the carpet really improves the look of the walls. I also re-engineered how the walls would be assembled, since they were wobbly. Knowing that the up-coming show was close to the beach, wind would be a factor. I figured out a way to secure them to the frame of the tent and with the new weights I made to hold the tent down in wind, the added weight of the walls should hold up against heavy wind.

I'm optimistic that the show will be profitable - although, I am concerned with pricing my work. According to other artist, the rule of thumb is $1 per square inch - unframed. So the question is, 'do I price according to clientele attending or for what the work should be worth?'  Not knowing the volume or type of customers attending this show, I at a loss.  I have always told my children, "Something is only worth what someone is willing to pay."

I have decided to leave the large pieces at home since they would command a thousand dollars or more, and I would be surprised if there would be people walking around with that kind of cash burning a hole in their pocket.

If anyone out in cyber land  would like to weigh in on this, I would welcome the comments.

When I assemble the new booth I'll post pictures.  

The Greenhouse at First Snow

16x20 oil on canvas from digital image - one of the most detailed works I have done. I love the shadows and contrast  of light.

Sand dune at the Beach

Painted from memory on 11x14 canvas

Trail To Misty Mountain

16x20 oil on canvas painted from photo taken in Alaska by Brian Canaiy

Magnification of a flower

The color is brighter than the photo - painted on a 24x24 gallery wrap canvas. I have several photos of flowers and selected this one to magnify because of the brillant reds on white petals.

Recognition

After creating something that took me hours to produce, put my heart and soul into giving it birth, then hang it out for the public to view, positive recognition makes my heart take wings.

A few months ago I made the decision to start displaying my art at arts and craft shows. I designed and built the walls for the white tent, which are the standard for most shows, and my wife and I got up at 5:30 am to assemble our booth in time for the 9:30 am opening.

I received several positive comments regarding my work, and the frosting on the cake was selling three paintings.

Encouraged to press on, I joined a couple of sites that specialize in handling art festivals and sought out shows still calling for submissions, which means you can submit your work to see if it is good enough for the judges to offer you booth space.

One that caught my eye was a show managed by Art Design Consultants, which is a large interior decorating company in Cincinnati, Ohio. They sell paintings to private collectors, as well as commercial enterprises, such as hospitals, banks, corporate headquarters and such. May 1st was the deadline for submitting your work for their June show, 'Art Comes Alive 2015 - Last Exhibition'.

Before applying, I wanted feedback on my work from the gallery. I contacted them via email and included my blog site link. Within a few days I received a replay that they thought my work fit their gallery clients. I decided to send in their registration fee and four samples of my work. A panel of judges would evaluate my work, and if they liked it, I would receive an email inviting me to submit one of my paintings.

I didn't get my hopes up, after reviewing the list of judges and their qualifications, but heart be still, they congratulated me on being among those artist asked to submit their work.

This is not just an art show, it is a show case of art and attended by hundreds of buyers. ADC also promotes your work in their catalog, which goes out to over 50,000 buyers. If that didn't send me into an euphoric state, I would also be in contention with others for monetary awards that could be significant - heart be still.

Now all I have to do is sell enough artwork at my next show that happens to located on Corey Ave, in St. Pete Beach on June 6 and 7th.

I've been putting in long hours painting in order to build an inventory to suit almost anyone's tastes - but not necessarily their wallet.

    

Old Pump House

I loved the colors and composition in a photo taken by Brian Zingler - It was painted on a 14x18 canvas

Alaskan Steam

I used a photo given to me by my good friend Brian Canaiy - 16x20  oil on canvas

Lilly pads

36x48 oil on gallery wrap - painted from a photo I took while walking around the pond in downtown Brighton, Michigan.

Into the storm

24x36 oil on canvas