Fall Transition

So I finally made it through the longest outdoor season I've ever taken on.   It started earlier, ended later and had more shows than anything I've done in the past.  I did 9 outdoor shows between early May and late September and traveled for the first time.  So, how did that work for me?

Of the nine shows I participated in I squeaked through without quite losing money on any of them, but there are 3 that I will not be returning to because I just covered my costs.  Two of them were out of town and had the lowest sales all year with the highest travel costs.  The local one was just too lackluster to spend the time and money at again. 

I sold more framed pieces than anything else, and my tie dyes were a hit!  Of course I've refined them a bit since I started making them:

  I like them so much they are the focus of both my new business cares and my updated website!  I've also updated my garden pieces,

the colors really pop now and that is something that I sold out of last year at One of a Kind...  oh wait, it's time to start getting ready for OOAK again!

So that is why this post has "transition" in the title... I'm not so much finished with outdoor, I'm beginning to get ready for OOAK!  I've got my booth assignment, much better than last year!  I'm planning how to handle the displays in this different layout, and I'm fusing like crazy!   If you take out the two quick trips I'm taking before December there 48 fusing days left... sounds like a lot but since many of pieces require 3 trips through the kiln, and each one takes a full day that means I can only product 16 kiln loads of pieces between now and then.  Oh panic!!!!!!!!!!

The Deal of the Art

I spend a lot of time interacting with other artists via the internet.  We pass information about good and bad shows, good and bad promoters, good and bad restaurants at shows etc...  And sometimes we get collectively enraged.  Last week one of these artists pointed out a news item that implied a promoter was going to "teach" art patrons how to "negotiate a price" on art.  The number of posts, rants and opinions that was generated in 24 hours was immense.  This is a topic that pretty much every artist agrees on:

Negotiation should not be considered standard practice at an art fair!

The wonderful people who attend art fairs and consider buying the artwork they see should be aware of the following things before they question a price:

• We pay to apply to be in an art fair (usually $20- $50), and then if we are accepted we pay for our space (typically $200 - 500... but it can be significantly more) 

• We supply our own tents, displays, labor, transportation, room and board.  So by the time we open up on the first day of the show we are already in the hole, usually $500 - $2000.

• All of the work we bring to the show is hand made by us!  We have costs sunk into supplies, tools, classes, scrap and most importantly our time. 

• Our prices are set based on the cost of materials and the amount of time and resources required to create the art.  These are not random prices that we hope you are willing to pay so we can rake in the cash, they are prices that are based on what the value of the work is.

• We are at the mercy of the weather, the economy and many other things outside of our control (try doing a show in Green Bay during a packers game!).  If there is a storm and we are told to vacate the show for safety reasons we do not get a refund.  

• Most of the artists you meet do this as their full time profession.  The income generated over these weekends is used to pay mortgages, food bills, doctor bills, tuition bills, utilities....  For many this is the only source of income. 

If you have read my other posts you probably realize that I am in the unusual situation of being a part time artist with a full time job.  I participate in one third to one half  as many shows as most full time artists and I don't travel nearly as far as they do.    Even so  for 2013 I will be doing 12 shows, translating to 27 show days, with 4 hours of setup and 2 hours of teardown per show.  I am travelling for 4 of these shows so that adds 8 travel days.

In my last post I described the math that I use to figure out what it takes to break even and then how the profit is calculated for a single, local show.   Now scale that up and think about what I need to sell to have any profit on the year!  When I set my prices I do charge for labor involved in creating the piece, but not for the time I spend at the shows, so my version of profit is how I pay myself for the time spent driving, setting up, tearing down and selling.

Please understand that I am not writing these posts to host a pity party for what an investment of time and money it is to be an art fair artist.  I am just trying to educate the art fair patrons so that they will value our work appropriately.  I don't do this to get rich, I do this because I love it.  

Done Waiting (for now)

On March 17th I showed you my status summary for show applications...
I posted an update on April 8th...
Here is where I stand on April 21st... I have results from every application that has been sent!

By the Numbers:

• 14 applications sent
• 1 more applications to send (due 4/30)
• 4 rejections :(  and they came all in a row!
• 1 wait lists 
• 9 Acceptances ... I am still deciding about my participation in 2
• 0 in progress

Analysis:

• I have spent $300 on jury fees.  I was "invited" to 3 of the shows so my jury fee was waived). 
•  I am committed to $2495 in booth fees across 9 shows.  

So, before I generate any income in 2013 I have already spent $2795!  Luckily some of the later shows will let me do a payment plan so I can pay them after I have made some money at the early shows.

"Show Math":
There is a cost associated with the materials, labor, and kiln time (electricity) for every piece.  So when I make a sale, I have to take that cost out before I can begin applying the income to pay for my booth.  That income also has to cover travel expenses.  My cost of production is usually 30-50% of the selling price.  Let's call it 40% for now.

Sample Show (yes this is a real show, near my house so there is no hotel cost)

• Costs (jury+show+mileage+food) = $573
• I need to sell $955 to start making a profit.  60% of sales AFTER $955 are profit.  
• The average price of my pieces is $85.  I need to sell roughly 11 items BEFORE I CAN BEGIN TO MAKE A PROFIT!
• If I sell $2000 worth of items then I have made a profit of $626.  

Conclusion:
At least I know where I will be this summer!  To see the shows that I will definitely be at check out my site or "Like" Heartfire Studios on Facebook.

Oh, and based on the math, I'M CRAZY!

Still Waiting... Part 2

On March 17th I showed you my status summary for show applications... here is the April 8th update:

By the Numbers:

• 13 applications sent
• 3 more applications to send, although 1 may not be sent if others come back as acceptances
• 4 rejections :(  and they came all in a row!
• 1 wait lists 
• 6 Acceptances  (one came off the waitlist!)
• 2 in progress - next notification dates is 4/15/13

Analysis:

4 rejections from shows that I have never done before.  I've applied to 2 of them in the past and was rejected then too.  Next year I may try to apply with a different style of piece and see how that goes.



I am also deciding whether I will attend 2 of the shows that I have been accepted to.  They are difficult weekends for family reasons and if I don't think they will be amazing it probably isn't worth the trouble.

To see the shows that I will definitely be at check out my site

Conclusion:

It's still a crapshoot

What next?

The best thing about not selling what I had hoped to at One of A Kind is that I may actually have enough stock to get me through most of the outdoor shows.  A very freeing concept, I get to try new things!

So the big question is what do I want to try?  Working with the deep glass blocks was so satisfying...

 

I think it's time to work on more depth and dimension!

I'm thinking about trying my hand at some level of casting, or a variation of pate de verre.  I'd like to play with inclusions, and maybe something more like a mini chandelier or mobile.  So many options, it's playtime again! 

I wrote the above paragraphs before I went to bed.  I had dreams about Pate de Verre... I'm visiting the glass store this weekend... My family goes out of town without me tonight... I feel cosmic forces at work 

Still waiting

2013 Art Fair Application Status Summary as of 3/17/13 (yes, this is how I think)

By the Numbers:

• 13 applications sent
• 5 more applications to send, although 2 may not be sent if others come back as acceptances
• 0 rejections
• 2 wait lists 
• 5 Acceptances
• 6 in progress - next notification dates is 3/28/13

Analysis:

I'd like to say I'm doing a good job picking shows, but 3 of the 5 acceptances were invites from last year and I may not attend 2 of them.   The 2 new acceptances came from shows that are further away than I have traveled before so I am now making bigger commitments but I am excited.

Both wait lists are shows that I will do if I come off the wait list, and both are local.

Conclusion:

I have no idea what any of this means.

Waiting to Plan

I like to plan.  If you read my previous posts you will realize how much time I spend planning, it is somehow comforting to me.  My brain loves to be occupied with planning.  My brain is happily obsessed with making plans.  I even plan to plan!

I hate to wait.  The worst kind of waiting is when I am waiting for information from which I will make plans.  This is a hard time of year for me.   Right now  I am waiting before I can go further in my planning.  sigh.  About half of my applications have been sent, most of the rest will be sent next week.  Some of the responses will start coming in the beginning of March.

With the exception of the shows that I have been invited to or grandfathered into I have no idea where I will be this year.  Because I am adding some travel (see my post about this) I feel like there is even more planning to do.  Where will I stay?  Am I taking my 9 year old SUV or renting a vehicle?  Will anyone come with me?  And of course, What Items will I bring to sell?

I have my ideal schedule on paper, with a list of backup plans.  I have my photos, I have my money tied up, I have a few custom orders to fill and more than enough stock left from OOAK to be able to relax going into the season.

Now, what else can I find to plan?