Show update

[valis2]

I am, as my next door neighbor's kid used to say, sausted. I haven't had enough sleep this week, and the show I'm doing today and tomorrow requires a one and a half hour drive to get to it. There are varying levels of driving while tired, and this morning, I can safely say, was the second worst ever. It was waaaay too early to call anyone. Earlier this week Nick Cave was singing, asking me if I loved him (baby), and that worked, but this morning even Dave Draiman from Disturbed was having trouble keeping me completely alert. I've heard so many horror stories of vendors and falling asleep behind the wheel...that's why I usually have a lovely new CD or a phone call to a friend. Fortunately, it wasn't so bad that I fell asleep, and I got there fine.

So then I got to the show. This is a show I've done for years. It was one of the first outdoor art fairs I've ever done. It's a wonderful, wonderful show, with great volunteers. But I noticed when I received postcards for the show that they neglected to put a map on (as they had done before). Not only that, but there is no mention of the street or location of the show, other than the name of the park. When I received my acceptance letter in the mail there was no vendor map. I started to worry that someone new had taken over.

My worries were quite justified.

I arrived at 7 am, promptly, and there was no promoter there. The volunteers were there, and one lady recognized me and told me that "he" wasn't there yet, "he" being the new promoter. Well, "he" didn't show up until 7:34, and "he" had the only map of the vendor locations, so I had to wait a half hour to set up. Still, it could have been worse.

This show is well-established, and there are always a few ladies who show up early to shop. I had my first sale at 9:40 am, even though the show doesn't open until 10 am. Well, "he" started walking through the show and yelling at the top of his lungs that anyone who hadn't moved their car to some parking lot somewhere would be towed. Over and over again.

Also, there was this whole thing about "live jurying at the show" in the vendor information I received this morning, and it mentions that only 25% to 50% of the vendors will be asked back! I'm astonished, especially given that there are twenty fewer artists here this year already. I really hope that they allow me to come back next year.

Anyway, the show was insanely successful for me today, I did in one day what I usually do in two days there, and I am giddy with delight. Sunday is always slower, but still, wow. I'm pretty geeked. I wish that I had spent more time preparing for it.

I even brought some awful romance story I started writing years ago when I still worked at Waldenhell. I thought I'd have time to read it. Hell, I never even took it out of the bag. That's my favorite kind of show day: busy. (ahaha!! I accidentally typed "busty" first...)

Comments

[cordelia_v]

I'm so glad you had a successful day. But it sounds very exhausting, too.

I'm ashamed to say that I've never been able to figure out what your craft or art is. Would you be willing or able to post some pictures of your pieces someday, so that the rest of us could admire them?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I would love to, I really would. But my LJ is all public, all the time, and the problem I have is that the world I inhabit for work is small, and connected to my dear friends, and I would hate to have my babblings breach their privacy. I really like the anonymous feeling of LJ in a way, because it allows me to rant and rave about things I would otherwise never say in a public forum. :)

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

I can understand your attitude about liking the feel of LJ anonimity.

Still, would you be willing to give out one teeny-tiny hint about what you do? When I read your entries lamenting about trying to catch-up on making inventory, should I be mentally picturing you running a sewing machine, wielding a glue gun, or standing in a room full of power equipment?

Or is it just that you don't want to admit that you have Taiwanese house-elves slaving at a production line in your attic? ;-)

[kitschicat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that despite the hijinx and tomfoolery from the promoter that the show turned out successful for you!

And, I for one, must admit that I would categorize both "busy" AND "busty" as good show days. ;)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the promoter is clueless and I hope he gets taken to task.

Heh...well, given the nature of my bosom, I think every day qualifies as "busty". *giggles*

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

Ahah! So be ye one of those vixens that fills out a wench's bodice properly?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Verily! *laughs* Definitely supah-sized in that department...

[cactus-wren.livejournal.com]

Yay for insanely successful days!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank goodness! I'm crossing my fingers that today will be great, too, which is why I got up on time instead of being all sleepy girl. I want to be completely ready to go at 11 (opening time today) instead of running around and panicking because I'm not set up yet.

And if no one's there, I get to read the awful romance story. Bonus!

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, a 'busy' show... What a great feeling! Isn't it?

So, a new show promoter. Oh, *joy*...(said in that 'been there, done that, burned the T-shirt afterwards' sort of tone.) No location directions, no vendor map, a promoter who can't bother to show up on site on time... Why do they let the village idiots have positions of power?

And that whole 'live jurying at the show' routine? Does this mean that that promoter will have the sole authority for deciding who gets to be a vendor next year?

Now, I am accustomed to meeting promoters who will visit regional shows in order to hand-select merchants that they wish to invite/encourage to participate in their own shows. I've also dealt with promoters who will do walk-throughs to be sure that each merchant is in compliance with the published rules of their show. But 'live jurying' with an announced plan to cull 50% or more of the existing vendors the following year? Gee, he chose a 'wonderful' way of ensuring that all his merchants this weekend would have a pleasant and relaxing show. Sigh...what professional tact...NOT!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes, and this "live jurying" was only mentioned in the pack-up I received yesterday! And it was written on the survey, and you know as well as I do that no one reads the survey until the last hour of the show. Absolutely evil, because most of the vendors will have (or had) no idea they were already being judged. And normally we get a map in our pack-up (a map of all the booths), and there was none, which suggests to me that customers didn't get one either! I suppose that isn't a giant concern, especially with fewer artists, but still, it is a sign of a well-run show.

I'm really starting to get worried that I won't be invited back. I'll be so crushed! This is either my ninth or tenth year, and many of my customers are regulars that see me every year.

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

Hopefully your worry about not being invited back proves to be nothing more than traditional craft vendor paranoia. (insert 'reassuring and sympathetic' fellow-vendor smile here)

And if that promoter is actually serious about culling out over half of his existing vendors? Sounds like he might be trying to change the entire focus of the event and he's already decided that his current stock of vendors don't fit in with his new world view.

Though the reasons for making a major overhaul of an already successful show normally have more to do with the inflated ego of the organizer rather than the realities of the show...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I know, I get paranoid a lot, but I have reason to be paranoid, as my category is pretty full, and I had a table in the back full of buy-sell stuff, which isn't a good idea at a nice art fair, but I've been doing it for a couple years, and it's related to my craft...I still feel guilty about it, but it's been a nice money-maker. But with success comes grumbling from other vendors, and if someone noticed they might complain, so I'm crossing my fingers.

The promoter is insane to think about culling existing vendors...this is one of the nicest shows I've done for years, with lots of great local talent, and I'd hate to see it ruined.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Why would you be afraid of not being asked back? I'm not an expert but I suspect that the "jurying" had more to do with checking out who was doing a brisk business than what they were selling. If it was seen you were busty busy (well busty might have helped too!) it might be assumed that people will come back next year looking for you--which means come back to "his" show making him look good.
Nothing whatsoever to do with your product being any good or not, as long as Mr. Promoter looks good and brings in business--since we all know all those people came to see HIM!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

"Jurying", as it's known in art fair circles, is the art of bringing a few artisans into a darkened room and making them look at endless slides of each person's art until they weep in despair and begin to vote in the people they know first. Or maybe it's just a darkened room with slides of art showing and they score each artist until they go mad---wait, no, no, until they have scores for all of the artists, and then they tally it all up and take only the top people in each category.

Mr. Promoter, nor the jury, has no idea how much money people made during the show nor how busy anyone was, because such feedback isn't given to them. So they are just going on slides. And who they like.

[bell-witch.livejournal.com]

It sounds like that promoter suffers from having no dick. He must compensate by making things difficult for others because it makes him feel powerful.

Glad you made it safely there and home, and that you did so well despite his stupidity. Having a good crew otherwise helps.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

The promoter was pretty lame, and I hope they go with someone else next year, that's for sure!