| Author | Content |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 4, 2009 3:27 PM Post #6220214
| I am a member of a co-op gallery in an old warehouse building that has 170 studios/galleries. We mainly use ours for gallery space. One of us will occasionally go there to draw or paint if we want to work large.
The building itself has an open studio crawl on the first Thursday of every month. There are two three day weekends when the studios are open and it is a big party and great sale time. One is in May the other in November. We have had other shows there as well. None of us makes a lot of money on the sale days, but it is great advertising and brings other sales outside of open studio times. The sales at least pay the rent and bring in a bit of profit.
We all see it more as a way to get our work seen and some good advertising. There are some artists in the building that have made it big, but I am not expecting that. Minneapolis is artist friendly and the area of the city that we are in has many similar buildings. Large and small. We were on a waiting list for over a year to get our space.
Tomorrow night we are having our "First Annual Mid-Winter Celebration and Sale". Wish us well. Here is the web site for the building. The notice for our sale is on the first page of the site.
http://www.northrupkingbuilding.com/ |
grownut
Clarkson, KY
March 4, 2009 9:54 PM Post #6221656
| Well!! That's one thing I DO miss about city livin'! Artist studiosnstuff...
Wonderful Idee. |
imapigeon
Gilroy (Sunset Z14), CA (Zone 9a)
March 4, 2009 10:14 PM Post #6221734
| GOOD LUCK! Hope you have a great turnout!
Northrup King...wasn't that an old seed company? |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 4, 2009 10:36 PM Post #6221869
| Yes it is the building that the seed company was headquartered in. As big as the building is they must have really poured out the seed every year. The web site has a nice history of the building. |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 5, 2009 2:10 AM Post #6222880
| FINGERS and Toes are crossed for you and your fellow arists!!!!
Will you let us know how you do?
I am so excited for you!!!
Deb |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 5, 2009 2:36 AM Post #6223004
| Yes I will let you know how it comes out.
Pauline |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 5, 2009 3:59 AM Post #6223359
| AWESOME!!!!!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
deb |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 6, 2009 1:21 PM Post #6228626
| The economy is really in bad shape. We had a lot of lookers only two takers. Of the six of us in the coop two of us made sales. Me and one other, we are the two that started it.
|
imapigeon
Gilroy (Sunset Z14), CA (Zone 9a)
March 6, 2009 3:23 PM Post #6229113
| Well, congratulations on your sales; in this economic situation, that's outstanding! And having a good turnout of "lookers" is always nice. |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 6, 2009 4:16 PM Post #6229300
| The lookers are potential customers. A good share of my work is expensive enough that people don't buy the first time round. Of course I do make small inexpensive things at times. I love to make little pots when my hands want to work, but the mind isn't ready to sculpt. Or like now when i am experimenting with the horsehair and naked raku. |
grownut
Clarkson, KY
March 7, 2009 12:07 AM Post #6231004
| Zen --you will be posting some of your naked raku adventures, won't you? please? |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 7, 2009 1:03 AM Post #6231228
| I am supposed to do a craf fair in April...but I am having second and third thoughts. The economy is so bad.. people are hanging to every dollar they have which is totally understandable. The booth fee alone is $50,and if I don't want to drag my own tables then it is $10 per table. So that could be at least $80... with this economy I am not sure if I would even make those fees... not sure what to do.
Deb |
scarediecat
Ashland City, TN
March 7, 2009 1:29 AM Post #6231346
| It's a shame those who are interested in craft shows can't meet half way at some really great craft fair and go in together for a booth and share space to show their crafts. Like a big "meet and greet holiday"...but then I guess there is the gas to consider for the driving. Hummm, sounds fun though...tail gate party at a craft fair:) |
imapigeon
Gilroy (Sunset Z14), CA (Zone 9a)
March 7, 2009 2:35 AM Post #6231608
| Deb, is there a chance you could share the table with someone else in your area? I went in with a friend to the Rose Bowl Swap Meet (back before the earth's crust cooled---mmmmmm 1974?) It was the only way we could both do it. We split the fees and the table. She sold on piece and made back her share; I sold nada. But at least I was only out half the fees! Plus it was someone to talk to, and we had someone to watch our booth.
Another time I split my booth with a friend who did watercolors, and we arranged our work around each others' pieces. |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 7, 2009 3:56 AM Post #6231916
| I have to ask Chris (my instructor) if she is still going to do the craft show. If so we may be able to split the cost... but if sh ehas ALOT it wouldn't be fair to her.. I have to talk to her and ask her what she wants to do. I just don' know if it is smart right now. I'll ask Chris what she wants to do.
deb |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 7, 2009 1:51 PM Post #6233004
| I have shared booths and also been to craft shows where you can't share. It really depends on the sale. I haven't done any for awhile and don't do anything other one day. I don't want to set up more than once. The amount of time for outdoor sales is very limited here as you might well guess. The ones where people sell a lot are juried and expensive to get into. |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 8, 2009 4:20 AM Post #6236447
| OIhhh I know.
Chris ( instructor) has been in shows where the booth feel alone is like $500 and that doesn't include the juried fee befre that, then you have gas, food, hotel etc. I only do ones that are right here. I won't go anywhere overnight. I HATE to be away from home, from my hubby and fur kids. I LOVE to be home. The one I May do in April is juried but the people know both Chris's and my works so we're good to go.
Deb |
zenpotter
Minneapolis, MN (Zone 4b)
March 8, 2009 1:57 PM Post #6237255
| There is one in November that I have been in many times so even if I take a year off I can get back in without the jury process. It seems that each year I sell less there. |
mommacat11
Stafford, VA (Zone 7a)
March 8, 2009 11:08 PM Post #6239560
| I have been thinking of putting some of my pieces on ETSY. I love doing craft fairs bu it is so taxing on you physically and emotionally bec you are thinking I need to at least make my booth fee etc... If I do it online all I have is the cost of mailing unless I figure in that with the price.
deb |
