Spaces Between The Gaps: art market

art market

Markets. In fine art circles this seems to be a bit of a dirty word. Artists seem to be expected to produce art for a year or so, pay for all of their living expenses, art materials, the cost of professional framing of all the works worthy of showing (and discarding all the failures), book an exhibition at least six months in advance and then either split the sale price of the art with the gallery or pay an exhibition hire fee and still split the sale price of the art. Is it any wonder the archetype of the starving artist is so widely known?

For artists early in their career under this model there is little choice but to starve or work at the art on the side. This is true even for mid career artists under this model.

But this model is not the only way. Artists can find ways to sell their work direct to the people who appreciate it. The internet is here. And so are Makers Markets.

I choose the new way. While I am early in my career. While my prices are still very very affordable. I choose to go to quality art and craft markets. To get out there, to meet and talk with the people who are taken by my art. The feedback is invaluable. The chats are fun! I get a chance to be in charge of my destiny instead of waiting to be 'discovered'. More people get to know what I do. I get a chance to make a living.

This past weekend was my first outdoor market experience. Bellingen Community Markets. There were a tonne of people, the weather was glorious and despite all the traders I spoke to saying the day was slow trading, I covered the cost of the stall and made a big dent in the costs of my preparation for outdoor trading. I'd had to purchase a gazebo, several trestle tables and numerous presentation bits and bobs. Another slow trading day and I'll be in the black on this front. The stall setup needs some tweaking to deal with gusts of wind. The layout will evolve to be more enticing and easy to understand at a glance. It wasn't a perfect start but it was a great step in the right direction.

I'll be back for more. Already I'm making inquiries regarding the Bellingen Growers Market, the Coffs Harbourside Markets and Port Macquarie Foreshore Markets. I may not end up at all of these. I may pop up at others as I discover and experiment. If you're on the mid north coast of New South Wales you are probably going to run into me at some point. My plan is to present my work at these higher quality makers markets for a year or three and see where it leads. It's not where I see myself in five or ten years time. It's a stepping stone up the ladder. At some point my work will be too expensive to sell at markets and other opportunities will arise to replace them. Until then, I'll see you on a grand day out in the sunshine, sipping coffee and wandering the stalls.

How to make a living as an artist? Take matters into your own hands.

art business

Ballarat Artisan Fair 2011

Thursday, November 10, 2011

art business

Setting Up an Art Fair or Market Stall

Thursday, November 03, 2011

The stall of WhereFishSing aka artist Fiona Morgan at the Ballarat Artisan Fair 2011

Set up of my stall in progress for the Ballarat Artisan Fair

Ballarat Artisan Fair. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday 4th, 5th & 6th November 2011. The Mining Exchange, 8 Lydiard St, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia (just a few doors down from the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery). 10am - 4pm each day. Some forty or so regional artists will be displaying and selling their creations, along with music, coffee, nibbles, artists talks and demonstrations. Come along if you can.

Today has been consumed with the set up of my stall at the Ballarat Artisan Fair. This is the first time I've prepared for an art fair. It's taken several weeks to get everything together, from varnishing all the (70+) paintings, to sourcing gift bags (that never arrived!) to printing promotional material. Below is a list of everything I've been able to think of to take along or have prepared. I'll append it afterwards as there are bound to be new insights gained from participating in the event.

Table

Trestle table or two
Many markets require a white table cover, so get a white sheet or two, or something nicer such as velvet (not velveteen as it looks cheap) or satin or canvas
Large butterfly clips for clipping tablecloth to table, and gaffa tape the same colour as the table cover for hiding the clips
Clamps for backup clipping tablecloth to table
A bucket or box as a bin for under your table is rather handy

Promotional material

Business name banner with rope & eyelets and gaffa tape for hanging options
Business cards
Email list signup sheet on clipboard (essential!!)
Pens for signup sheet, attached by string
Postcards of artwork
Photo books of artwork - show off more than you can bring on the day as interested people may ask for a commission based on what they see you are capable of
Photo board of artwork - lots of artwork to choose from on the day but too many paintings to display at once? Show photo samples of your full range. Individual artworks can be shown on request.
Artist statement for display, possibly laminated
Price tags, ready and blank (who knows what will happen on the day and how many you will need)
Nice paper to print out price tags and artist statement and any other small signage

Displaying artwork

Figure out the stall design and layout first
Builders level for getting frames hung straight (so good)
Wire/hooks/picture hooks (a roll of fencing wire, some pliers and tin snips are super handy to make hooks of any size or strength)
Framing wire (make sure it's rated to cope with more than double the weight your work weighs)
Fishing wire to make a washing line artwork display (useful for giftcards and other small lightweight works)
Sinkers to weight down display wire to make it stay taught
Small bulldog clips x 24 for hanging unframed artwork washing line style (these are super handy)
Cotton gloves for handling artwork
Frames, ready to hang
Pliers - fat and thin
Hammer
Wirecutters (tinsnips are far more effective than the scissor part of pliers)
Screwdrivers - an assortment
Masking tape
Scissors
Gaffa tape / cloth tape in colours to match your display elements
Blu-tack
Double sided tape
Backboard/screen on which to hang artwork
Window cleaner and paper towels for cleaning the glass & frames - essential

Storing artwork

Portable box storage system
Glassine paper for unframed artwork

Looking after me

Portable music
Lunch - no heating required, not messy
Snacks - nuts, fruit, quick, not messy
Water - have two litres
Coffee, tea, hot drink in thermos or hot water plus bags/containers, milk
Camping chair or something to sit on, plus a cover to make this presentable

Selling artwork

Change from bank for cash sales
Cash storage - bumbag or tin or wallet
Credit card payment facilities - if not provided, take a laptop with easy access to the Paypal site, laptop power supply, powerboard and extension cord
Certificates of authenticity - ready to print (take printer, extension cord and spare ink) or already printed out in doubles and take carbon paper
Clip board with attached pen for filling out the COA's - very handy
Packaging for sold artwork - precut cardboard sleeves / boxes or gift bags and bubble wrap
Phone, charged up
Red dot stickers
Paintings, varnished and framed
Pencils
Pens
Notepads
Packing tape
Regular stickytape / sellotape

If you're an artist and have useful notes to add from your experiences of art fairs, please enlighten the rest of us in the comments.

A long weekend vs buskers

Buskers Festival market

An ordinary market day

To market, to market

Ballarat Artisan Fair 2011