Suggestions About A Show

I would go for the Christmas point, but back towards September through mid-November. I would not go for the second half, or December either.

Congratulations, Rebecca!

Mid-October is my favorite time for a show. In this part of the country, of course, weather plays a big part -- it's less hot, less sticky. Also:

- Kids are settled comfortably into the school year, so some parents are beginning to get out a bit more, and spend more money.

- People are thinking about the holidays, and already picking up 'early' gifts -- but haven't yet overspent.

- Summer art shows have petered out; holiday shows have not yet started (for the most part).

- Blockbuster movie season is over! People who like to be out and about are looking for something else to do with their evenings.

Best of luck with your show! :-)

after thanksgiving and before mid december

I need to also keep in mind that some of the others chosen will want the same months, so they asked us to have a few choices; the committee will make the final choice if there are several of us wanting the same month. So what else would you suggest besides October?

Rebecca

Wooo hooo - Congrats !

What the heck - my first thoughts were - July.
Why not, people are in a good Summer holiday mood - & no big expensive Summer holidays where their money is expected. So they can pick out an indulging piece of their choice.

Early May -- though I don't do May shows as it's always too hot here.

May is less rainy than April (I think), and the snow is long gone. Christmas is a distant memory, and Mother's Day and Father's Day are just around the corner, so buyers have their eyes on and wallets open!

Our own art guild gallery and our photographic gallery in Murphy, NC have the most visitors during October, November and the end of December just after Christmas. The visitors are mostly tourists visiting the Smoky Mountains. The next best season is summer before the kids go back to school, but sales are definitely best in the fall...
Celebrate life, Debra and Dave

Oh yes - it's from the 1st of the month to the last day of the month - no overlapping from one month into another.
Loving all the feedback - thanks!

Rebecca

I think October is the best bet. There are a lot of festivals and nice weather to bring out people but they aren't yet too busy with holiday preparations.

I would pick September because I like this month and my birthday is in this month. Maybe Jan or Feb so the opportunity to do a repeat might do better. Congratulations!

Rebecca,

ASSUMING you have a choice as a new artist, I would go for Sept. then 2nd choice,October. November is shot and forget about December. With that said, you now are in the "gift sized" realm of artwork and few people will buy large pieces for freinds and family, so that is good news/bad news. So if "browse bins" are allowed, then I would invest in filling them with 8x10's up to 16x20's.matted out to that size and then larger pieces hanging and framed.

Good Luck and good news too!

Rich

Great news....base your decision on foot traffic for your area. All else will be grand!

Yeah that is good news.

Most of the organised people(ladies) I know are already doing their x-mas shopping. With this in mind I'd suggest Oct. People are on the lookout for gifts, but they will be taking their time about it and considering things carefully. Good luck with it. I wish you all the best Rebecca

Barry, I like how you put ladies as the organized people you know!

Rich, I had to tell you that they loved all of my artwork they saw on my AW site, and they really liked the photography! So I will either put together a show of acrylics and encaustics, or go with just photography. And bins are allowed, so I was thinking of how I would do that. I've been printing 8 x 10's and putting them in mats and plastic bags, and giving them as gifts. But anything larger than that and I will have to have them printed locally. I'm waiting to hear when my appt. is to meet with the committee to show them a selection of the real thing. Going to be kind of hard to put 3 D pieces in a portfolio, so I better have a nice box. I know this is old hat to some of you, but it's a new experience for me!

This area has a 1st Friday Gallery Crawl every month, with a reception at each gallery, (can be very simple, wine, cheese and crackers) and there is usually a good turnout for that. This is the same gallery that had the juried Small Works Art Show that I had a piece in last year. And guess what - it's held in October! (I had forgotten about that!) I have two of my encaustics entered this year, haven't heard yet about the final selection. So, hmmm, I think October is out. Right now I am leaning toward September. I will be responsible for the reception for the month I'm in. Now I need to think about decent wines that won't break the budget.

And Marlene, Curtis, MM, Debra&Dave, Wendy, Janine, Dan and Carolyn, thanks for you kindness and suggestions. I'm glad I have a few months to plan!

Rebecca

September would be my pick and I'd jump on it as soon as I could.

If sept is out I'd take April or May... people redecorate and buy new homes when winter is over.

Rebecca,

I'd have prints made from Sam's or Costco, 8x10's and some 5x7's,(Of course, make one of each image as a test print,before getting 10 or 20 of each image), of most of the images you'll be hanging,so if they like the image, but can't afford the actual painting, they can go home with a print. Selling stuff from browse bins has saved the day for me,many times. I might sell one or two framed images, but I usually sold out the browse bins!

You can go to places like Jerry's Artarama, :

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/?gclid=CKnt_o2C3MACFa_m7AodbysAUw

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/discount-art-supplies/framing-and-matting/mat-board/ambiance-conservation-mat-boards-and-pre-cut-mat-packs/pre-cut-single-mat-packs.htm

and buy ALL the things you need, pre-cut mats.backing boards,and nice bags. Depending on your budget, I would have at least 3 of each image hanging, in the browse bin and then some other images that aren't in the show,which might drive people to your web site.

What I did for a big show I had, was order the mats,boards,bags from Jerry's and then when I got the mats, measure the "window",they tell you when you buy them the hole size, but I wanted to wait and see for my self. Then I would make the image, smaller all around by 1/4 inch. So the mat board hole is 4.5" x 6.5", for a 5x7 image. The print size then would be 4" x6" and that would leave me with a border of 1/4" around the image,white,when I put the mat onto the image/backing. AND then that looks almost like a double matted print! As the sizes get larger, the border should too!

You'll need to decide about business cards and WHERE the business cards send your clients, FAA or your own site. But you have time to decide that stuff. When I had indoor shows, I made my own browse bins out of 1x2's,as the legs and then 3/4" wooden dowels as the hangers and nice thich,rough cotton cloth, as the "baskets". The could fold up,once the printswere removed and stored and the cotton could be washed. I stained the wood and sprayed them with a nicesatin poly.

For outside bins, I had made some heavy duty plywood bins, that one was the bottom and the other the top,with a clasp on each side(4), so they can be locked up,with the prints inside and stored until the next show. Depending on the "quality" of the show, I would have images from 4x6, up to a handfull of 16x20's.

For your show, you could go to some post card company and get 500 post cards made up and then have your image/images on the front and your info on the back and just leave 30 or so and every once and a while, come and refill the pile. Very cheap! And, you have post cards to mail to friends,etc!

Rich