Probably the final sunflower blog. Having made money for MMAC, sunflower looks to be spared another year although usual sunflower grice will surely pop up at any mention of Sunflower Whatever. No sunflowers, lacks focus, etc. Was there more focus this year? I don't think so. My first impression was fewer folk on the street, but the community center reported better traffic and sales than for the arts tour - as well as a good time to be had by all (including by previous sunflower bashers...).
There were only about 8 (sorry, no report - going on 2nd hand info here) retableros at the elementary school, which tends to be off the traffic pattern anyway. This was also where the Information Desk was. Without a report - no data on visitor traffic or sales, although 8 tables @ $25 a pop would tally up to $200 in MMAC coffer. Celeste Simon's studio open house no doubt helped move visitors from central area to MES. The visiting retableros themselves said they would have preferred being at the Community Center this year and want to be there next year.
The Van of Enchantment in front of the Community Center helps draw visitors there. Having even more going on in the open space in front would draw even more. I'm with Sister Morpheme in going for more fun stuff (sunflower maze, dunking tank, games, rides) and varied eats. Perhaps the Town Square will be in place by next year and some of the ideas brought up earlier tried out.
Tours of Rancho Bonito (very popular but unfortunately preventing Dorothy Cole from taking oral histories at the Van of Enchantment) and a handout on local folkart (Shaffer, Rancho Bonito, Gordon McMath's Critters) added interest and boosted "folk art" factor.
The Shaffer Hotel was the other major and heavily visited venue. We may just have to resign ourselves to local events not having a single center - neither Dr Saul/Broadway nor Shaffer but both - and plan accordingly. This year, in addition to the hotel itself (including gift shop, restuarant, and refurbishments) and the Poets & Writers Picnic, Sunflower at the Shaffer included Spanish Market style vendor display in front of the hotel and art and artists at the Pavilion behind the Gazebo. Karen assures us of a warm welcome (no vendor fees) and room for more art and artists in the Garden.
A minor grouse (singular of grice): PWP announcements that Artists' Trading Cards gifted in appreciation to feature readers were "courtesy of MMAC." Definitely NOT. In fact, none of the ATC artists/ATC appreciation gift donors are MMAC members - AND were conspicuously absent from "official" Sunflower flyers.
Megan Lempke with students (Nanci Lambert's granddaughters)
Fresh sunflowers by Geree
7 comments:
Suggestion for next year:
I have never understood the need to use the school for any art related event, as long as we have yet to pack the community center. I would suggest we eliminate that venue and keep what little we DO have closer to the center of "town".
Judy
Suggestion for next year:
I have never understood the need to use the school for any art related event, as long as we have yet to pack the community center. I would suggest we eliminate that venue and keep what little we DO have closer to the center of "town".
Judy
Isn't that already addressed in the post by reference to retableros taking matters into their own hands and putting dibs on Saul space for next year? Moving to Community Center was, I believe, under consideration, but the person in charge (and responsible) opted to remain at MES gym. Being responsible and doing the work do confer veto rights.
As to not using MES for any art event, what about STUDENT ART exhibits during the Arts Tour? Expecting a few teachers to schlep all that student art to another venue and back again is a lot to ask.
It certainly was addressed in the original post. i was just adding my vote. I agree, teachers should not have to schlep artwork around. Here's a radical thought...perhaps the students could help carry art? Carry really heavy paper or something?
I also agree that student art shows in themselves should certainly be held at the school.
Judy
Well, I was at the ATC table and we had very few shoppers and even fewer buyers. Maybe the high cost of gas kept people away and the local artists were busy with their own booths.
Suggestions for next year: free booth space for artists-there'd be more artists who would bring their friends and family. And, just having more artists would, hopefully, bring in more visitors. The MMAC could find ways to raise funds from the visitors (rather than the artists) by selling and auctioning artworks or artsy products, raffles, contests, or whatever. Creative thinkers can come up great ideas, right?
For me, I'm selling my ATCs on ebay and I'm doing fairly well. (I sold 8 last week and this week's auction already has 4 bids.) It is fun, easy, and inexpensive. (I spend 55 cents for each listing.) If you'd like to give ebay a try, I would be happy to help you by anwsering your questions. Either by blog or email me directly at gereemcd@earthlink.net.
Geree
The strong possibility of afternoon rain could also have been a deterrent. The pwp audience did seem somewhat smaller that last year.
As small a base as we have here for events, participants/ workers not being free to wander is a perennial problem indeed and not one yielding to easy solution.
Yes, droves of shoppers would have been nice - however unrealistic. Due to association with a larger event, the ATC tables had significantly more visitors than either the workshop or other trading days.
Being listed on the official MMAC flyer might have helped - ditto ATC artists pooling resources and producing flyers for information desk, community center, and other visited areas about town.
Free booths where? Karen has already offered free space at the Shaffer. Otherwise...just ain't gonna happen in the foreseeable future. Moving on makes more sense than wishing for the impossible (or at least highly unlikely)
I agree with everything Vanessa said, especially "moving on." That means to me, 'find other ways to sell your art.' I think the events are fun and are good ways to show my art, but to sell art, online sales are the way for me.
BTW, I tried www.artbyus.com about 3 weeks ago and have yet to sell anything on it, so I strongly recommend ebay.
I have also tried to sell sets of ATCs in 3's and 9's on both ebay and artbyus . Guess what? No takers. Single cards sell better and for more than sets.
I have also sold well on my own website lately, so if you haven't opened your online art store yet, now would be as good a time as any to get working on it.
Good luck, and as I said before, I would be happy to help anyone who needs it.
Geree
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