I am keenly interested in participating in a local juried art fair. It's close by, it's well-attended, it's reasonably priced and they don't allow no stanky import junque. So far, so good. They want 4 slides for the jury process ... 3 of the work itself and a 4th showing my display area with my merchandise set up ready to go. And therein lies the rub. 1) I don't have a pile of work to display (pens are not big items ... so I will also need to finish out the bowls I have roughed and drying) and 2) I don't HAVE a display table / shelving. What I am asking the group for are pictures of their display arrangements and also any plans or tips you might care to chip in as well. This is my first show ... or will be, if I can convince the judges that my work merits an audience. The show is in June but I need to get cracking because the applications (with slides) needs to be in the mail on the last day of March. TIA for any assistance you might be able to render in this. Bill
"Anonymous" wrote: (clip) 1) I don't have a pile of work to display (clip) I will also need to finish out the bowls I have roughed and drying) and 2) I don't HAVE a display table / shelving. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Are you perhaps getting ahead of yourself? Reading between the lines, I gather that you are fairly new to turning. If this is true, I suggest you concentrate on making some bowls that are really nice, and consider doing juried shows after your work has proven itself.
My work is already good. (I'm not being defensive, that's the opinion of several experienced turners who have seen my work firsthand.) It's definitely as good as or even better than what I have seen in several small 'art' shops.
It's not 'big name' good, but it doesn't need to be ... not at first.
What I lack is a market. Being seen at these shows is a way to acquire that market. Displaying at a juried show lends some cachet and exposes me to (among others) store owners who might be interested in carrying multiple pieces.
I'm 52. I have no intention of waiting until all of my pieces are totally flawless. They are good enough right now and experience will continue to make them better ... but getting enough of that experience requires that I be able to convert my efforts into money to pay the bills.
You know, your best bet may be to just get a card table with a decent tablecloth and one or two of those cheap particleboard bookshelves to set behind you (paint it or whatever else may strike your fancy). Presentation *is* important, but since you don't have anything to display yet, it's probably better to get the product done correctly than it is to spend a lot of time making cabinetry. And then if you decide that art fairs just are not for you, you're not out of a large investment.
The only rub on that is that the jury pics have to include the intended booth furnishings.
Funny thing ... I'd have a great deal more to display except that I am currently selling pens just about as fast as I can make them. In fact, I have about 5 definite orders and 2 tentative sold but not yet made at the moment. That is about how many I sold last week.
I'm within a couple finish coats of having the 'obligatory' family gifts turned (an ash wood bowl for my sister, turned sideways through the pith ... very nice contrast between the heart wood and the sap wood -- walnut oil on the inside and Minwax tung oil finish outside, both surfaces slurry sanded. Zero visible defects in the wood.) and can then dig in on the pile of roughed-in bowls that have been sitting for the past 4 months. I counted a couple days ago and, unless I mis-counted somewhere along the way, I have 62 bowls roughed in and dried. These will be a goodly part of my stock at the fair.
If you have a moment, I have an interesting experience to relate.
A couple months ago an acquaintance ordered a 3 piece desk set for his wife: a pen, a pencil and a combination business card and pen / pencil holder for his wife. There was no need to hurry so I took my time and did a good job. Last week, after many, many, many coats of tung oil on the holder (polished to match the sheen of the CA on the pens) I delivered and gave him the news on the price. I quoted $75, being $30 for each slimline pen and $15 for the holder. He agreed, but said he didn't have the money with him at the moment. Nonetheless I left the set in his possession. This week, in front of others, he apologized and told me he had forgotten my money but would be by my house Saturday morning with it. Again, I said okay and we left the building just a few moments apart. When we got out to the cars he flashed his headlights at me and then began walking towards my car. When I rolled down the window he handed me a wad of money, folded up. I figured it would probably be less than $75 but enough to indicate his intention to pay the full amount. I thanked him and passed the money to my wife and began to turn the car around in the street to head home. My wife counted it three times before she told me what he had done.
He had paid me $100 ... $25 more than agreed.
It is a good thing to set a fair price and be able to command it in the market. It is quite another to set a fair price and have your customers tell you that it is too low ... by paying the higher price that they reckon is the more fair one.
A fluke? Maybe. But the fellow has ordered two more pens for friends and has convinced his adult daughter to buy one for her fiance. So he's directly responsible for three more sales. So far.
I've been asking and getting $30 (or more, depending on the plating) per slimline. I'm not dramatically under priced.
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