For those who responded last week, a little update/lesson:
I actually got to talk face to face with the "chair person" of the art association that's putting on the show... Re-learned the lesson of not relying on info passed down to me, for sure!
The fee is not $10 an item, it's $10 per ARTIST.. for a 2 day show
This WILL be a selling show..
The artist IS allowed to be there and they provide the table and chairs on both days..
The really cool part is that AFAIK I'm the only turner in the area... I met a couple that sells very nice scroll saw projects and a guy that does router signs and stuff, but the only bowls, vases, etc. there but mine will be from potters.. COOL...
I'll let ya know how it goes... the show is on Nov. 24th 7 25th.. We figure that even if nothing sells, it's a bit of exposure and networking..
If you happen to be in San Felipe, drop on by Playa Del Ora and check it out! ;-]
Thanks for the lesson, Mac. With your competence in turned wood art/craft and your agreeable personality as shown here, I'm sure you will do well and garner a lot of useful contacts. Best wishes for a good show and follow up.
Have a good time Mac and let us know how it goes. I am in the middle of putting together my Christmas orders, and don't have time for a show. They seem to be so dicey, one time this sells, and one time the same thing won't.
Thanks, Robert... This will be, I hope, different than the shows that I've done in the states.. They were either general or "craft" shows and I had a small following..
Here in Mexico I'm only known for pens because they're portable and I can pimp them in the places that we go at night... It's hard to carry goblets or bowls to dinner and bring them up in conversation.. lol
The gringo community here is fairly small and I don't expect the turnout to be very high, but it will be my first real exposure here.. I'm hoping that doing it in an "art show" atmosphere will help me in my 3 year goal (1 year gone) of establishing myself as an "artist" here..
If all I do is meet a few folks and expand my network, I'll be happy.. especially if I can reach a few folks that do interior design in the mega-buck condos they're selling on the "yuppie" side of the road..
So I'm curious Mac, are you able to find any native woods down there to turn? Mesquite, etc.? Or do you have to "import" your turning stock from the states when you visit?
Gonna post a photo of you booth and work I hope.
And it's getting cold up here in Alaska. When's the guest room available? ;-)
The only wood I've turned that's native to Baja so far is eucalyptus from a friends yard.. much nicer than the stuff I've tried in the States that smells like cough drops and like to splinter..
One of my clients gave me some really spectacular old growth mesquite from the mainland... There's a company in Mexico City that buys old home and salvages the wood.. They were built before things like mesquite, bocote and cocobolo were considered "exotic woods".. My client's had a dining rood set made out of 100 year old roof beams... wonderful wood and a really nice table and chairs.. Then, they moved in and found that the guys had messed up on the specs and made the whole set 7 or 8" too high, so I got 2 boxes of 8" long end cuts.. real pretty wood..
I was at a local festival last weekend and met a family that sells wonderful carvings, mostly out of ironwood.. I went to see them on the way to Yuma today and set up a deal to buy really nice ironwood.. all heart wood and from Sonora, MX.. First one they'll ship is two pieces, 7" x 2 1/2" x 3", for 6 dollars each.. That's 6 or 8 pens per piece...
As in the States, some of my friends and clients are starting to bring me wood... Some nice walnut burl, several oak logs and stuff like that.. Someone's always coming back from somewhere in the states and they're very helpful..
For sure.. My wife is doing the computer end and helping set up and stuff, and she'll be in charge of the camera..
It was a little chilly this morning.. about 58 at 6am.. It's about 6:30 pm now and 74 degrees...
Your timing is excellent, Kevin.. we had friends over for 2 weeks and they left yesterday.. Strangely enough, they just sold their house in Alaska and are building a winter home here...
The guest room and bath are available now and the RV is hooked up outside as a guest house... COME ON DOWN!!
oh... bring wood, I'll supply the lathes and tools..
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