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First Craft Show

Joined
Jan 13, 2021
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Hello everyone.
I haven't been as active in creating pieces since the end of July but I have been putting together my first craft show. It has been a learning experience and I'm happy with the interactions with people. Its only four days in December (first four Wednesdays) at a local upscale farmers/artisans market The Pearl Holiday Market. Two days down so far and I've almost recovered my costs for the event. Really though, I wanted the experience and exposure and I am getting that. I really enjoy speaking with people and showing my work. One thing I've done that is completely new is I've started a social media account. I am trying to learn how to use that effectively.
This show is a combination of lathe work (February 2021 - July 2021) and my previous "flat work" from 2019 through the end of January 2021.

Here is my new social media account.

20211129_185949.jpgWolfe Wood Works Booth 1.jpg


 
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Joined
Aug 19, 2021
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Ashland, WI
nice display--should bring customers in. One mistake I see people make at shows is to hide behind things--you need to be standing (or at least visible) when people approach your table and greet them. It sounds like you are talking to them already and I find that to be really important on a lot of different levels. It's kind of like professional development for us introverts.
 

Jim McLain

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Al - Congrats on your first show. Nice display of work for a first timer. My first show was terrifying. It was in a tent on a cold November day and one of the heaters went out. This caused condensation on the inside of the tent and it started raining inside. It was crazy but I came out ok in the end.
 

Randy Anderson

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Al, very nice setup and inventory. I use black table covers as well. I think they work the best for wood items. I usually create a U shape with my tables so folks can walk straight in but it appears you have side access. I usually don't. Hope you do well. I really enjoy them. I have an all day one tomorrow at the Moose Lodge about 20 minutes from my house.
 
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Al, very nice setup and inventory. I use black table covers as well. I think they work the best for wood items. I usually create a U shape with my tables so folks can walk straight in but it appears you have side access. I usually don't. Hope you do well. I really enjoy them. I have an all day one tomorrow at the Moose Lodge about 20 minutes from my house.
Best of luck Randy. And thanks everyone for the positive feedback. So much of what we do is on our own time in in private so being in the public eye is a nice change.
Al
 
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My suggestion would be to add some little pedestals or blocks of wood under the work to elevate them. It shows the work as more like art than craft. In my opinion the table is overcrowded as well. Show fewer examples but have more under the table. If they express interest you can quickly pull out something slightly bigger or smaller. I'm also a fan of having some pieces dyed with brilliant colors in the front row. People may prefer a natural bowl purchase, but a lot of people are drawn to the curiosity of a brilliantly colored wood. It get's them interested to stop and visit. I also prefer a "C" shaped display. They have to come in if they want to see them all, instead of cruising by the straight line as they hustle by.
 

Randy Anderson

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I decided share the experience from yesterday as a heads up to what can happen as you seek out new market events to attend. It was a new event for us (my friend and turning mentor and I do them together) and for the location. Once we arrived we quickly realized it was not going to be a good day. Most of the vendor tables were stacked with what I call trinkets and flea market type items. $5-$10 knick knacks, kids clothes, toys, etc. Some even looked like garage sale stuff. There were only a few higher end craft vendors like us. Some of them I knew from other events in the area. We almost turned around and left but decided to at least give it a try. You never know and it's bad form to bail on an event. Word gets around. It's also bad form to leave early but we did, as did most of the other vendors. The customer traffic was minimal to zero most of the day. I sold one very low $ item and my friend sold one. The homework I've done at other events but didn't at this one as much as I should have was - history and success of past events. list of other vendors, marketing the host has done to draw attention, other activities that draw folks in like a BBQ contest, festival, town gathering, kids activities, etc. We took the gamble that Christmas shoppers might have been looking for a unique gift which are a lot of my sales this time of year. Didn't pan out. Oh well, lesson learned.
 

Donna Banfield

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Sorry to hear of that experience, Randy. I agree with your original plan, however, and I bet you'll never second guess yourself again. I learned that lesson the hard way, too, early in my 'craft show circuit' period. I refer to that as shows 3 out of every 4 weekends, beginning in Spring/Memorial Day Weekend right through the Christmas shopping period. If there was a new event, I tried to visit it in person before agreeing to become a vendor. If I could not visit in person, I would at least throw out a feeler to talk to others who had been vendors in previous years.

The one time that I didn't do that, I had a very negative experience. It was a 4-day event (Thursday - Sunday), a Balloon and Music Festival. The promoter didn't do any screening, but simply took anyone who paid the booth fee. There were resellers of plastic model cars and cheap plastic toys and board games, novelty t-shirt sellers, flea market stuff, but very little in the way of hand made. I barely covered my booth fee. To top it all off, on the second night, someone had gone through several of the vendor booths, looking for cash or cell phones to steal. Nothing from my booth was stolen; I had a small toolbox that had been dumped upside down on the floor - probably thought it was a secret cash box. The individual was caught by the private security detail, and it was one of the employees of the promotor!! It's times like that which make those consignment percentages to a gallery seem a lot more reasonable.
 
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I never did well at wine and food festivals as people were more interested in that rather than looking for art and craft product. Best shows are ones around Christmas time, and in places where people are on vacation, which is the only time of the year people spend as much or more money than they do at Christmas. I only did one 'first year' show. I guess one could work if it was well promoted, but this one wasn't. A long running show is generally going to do well, but it is also harder to get in to. There used to be a craft guide that ranked shows, I would guess it is still around. If you are considering a local show, at least talk to some one who has done the show before.

It seems like every show I have done was some one's best show, and some one else's worst show. That's show business....

robo hippy
 

Randy Anderson

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Donna, to your point re consignment I put some items in a local craft store at the end of October. Very close to my house. The type and caliber of other inventory was in line with the likely customers for my stuff although my items might be at the high end for them. Hoping Christmas shopping would help and so far it has. Did very well in November and so far a few things have moved in early December. The 25% cut for the shop owner is I think a fair trade for not having to handle the sales, booth setup, travel, all day at a market, etc. Can set my prices as I want, change inventory easily as I want, etc. Very flexible and easy to manage. If I could find a few more consignment craft shops in the area I might settle on that as my main sales venue and cut back to just a few local weekend market events. They're still fun to do, if the right event and customer base.

Robo, one of my best events is a local winery festival in early Fall. After a few glasses of wine the shopping begins. Well advertised and very well attended by folks with a good amount of discretionary spend potential. Yep, I've had events where I've sold a lot and the poor guy next to me goes home empty handed. You never know.
 
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Not a craft show, but one local(ish) vender rents an empty store front in a popular mall here. Shows up about a month before Christman for a bit. He always has foot traffic through his store, or local one man/wife craft show. I enjoy chatting with him and have purchased a few turned items from him through the years. I don't know how he does $$ wise in the end but must be good as he returns every year. He has a little more than turned items, has small cutting boards, slab table tops, etc.
Is there a popular mall/area that would rent you and a friend a small area for a one/two person pre-christmas art show/sale?
 
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Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences. I have the 3rd of 4 days/nights coming up. So far I've double the sales and I expect to break even this week. That will leave the last day (Dec 22nd) to hopefully make some profitable sales. Thanks for the tips and I really am hoping to find a gallery owner or high end boutique owner where I can do consignments or possible commissions. I am enjoying the experience even though I can see how much time, energy and money go into ALL aspects of turning. Odie has posted before about his experiences and how its not about making money but doing something he enjoys. I would love it if it could be about both.
Is there a popular mall/area that would rent you and a friend a small area for a one/two person pre-christmas art show/sale?
I'm trying to learn how to use #'s and @'s in Instagram so I can reach galleries and boutiques. I like your idea about a small area in a mall. There is a crafter/antique mall that I've just found out about but it won't be until 2022 before I check into that option.

I'll update this post after the third market day.
 
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. That will leave the last day (Dec 22nd) to hopefully make some profitable sales.
The highest percentage of people who buy on Dec 22nd are husbands. They are a very poor demographic for me. I had one patron in that group who was very kind to me, but nothing at a holiday sale. Same goes for after Christmas. A local nature center has our sales display up until New Years Eve. That is one really dead week. I also think you will find that galleries are a dying business. Our local venue only survives on her framing business. Social media and pop-up events are the new marketing tool. One event that happens a few times a year around here is called "Poorly Organized Art Pop-Up". The quirkiness has a nice appeal to millennials, but I haven't participated. I still have a strong feeling that common brown bowls are not a hot commodity to the new power crowd. They seem to like color and embellishment. Just my opinions.
 
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I never really tried to go beyond plain and simple utilitarian pieces. They always sold well for me. I also had rolling pins, lidded boxes, spurtles, Irish potato mashers, plates, platters, etc. I never did many natural edge bowls as they are generally not usable for the table, and if I left the bark on, some one would pick it up by the bark..... Lots of 'natural' type people out here.... Never carried bottle stoppers or pens or other knick knacks.

robo hippy
 

Randy Anderson

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Natural edge bowls are what sells in my markets. 9"-12" is the sweet spot. Put a few really big ones out for eye candy and draw folks in but rarely sell. I've put cutting boards, hollow forms and even chopsticks out. Chopsticks sold fast but not worth the effort again. Cutting boards (and mine are simple straight piece designs) sometimes sell and sometimes no one even looks. I put a few traditional bowls out but they don't sell well.
 
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My best seller was cracked big leaf maple natural edge bowls with turquoise inlay. Even my giant walnut salad bowls wouldn't sell at cost. I just won't do that much work to make a few dollars again. It was kind of aggravating to get so many asking what my rock bottom price was. Look for high end craftsman shows......if there is such a thing anymore?
 
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When I could still work with walnut, it would sell in fits, as in crazy fits.... Some times I couldn't keep it on the shelf, some times I couldn't give it away. You never know...

robo hippy
 
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Update after #3 of 4 dates.
Passed the break even point (entry fees were steep and I had to buy all the tables, sheets, banner, lights and canopy).
I do enjoy talking with people and there is plenty of that. I sold a natural edge bowl and I've notice many people just gravitate towards those and want to touch the bark rims. I may do more of those in the future. The crushed stone inlays and the expoxied pieces are also popular with the crowd. I sold one of my small boxes (pretty much paid for the set up and fees).
I got asked about a few consignments but I will be pleasantly surprised if the potential clients follow through on them.
I got a few followers on social media.

One more show next Wednesday. Pearl Holiday Market.jpgPearl Holiday Market 2.jpgPearl Holiday Market 3.jpg

Thanks again for sharing all the feedback.
Not sure this will be profitable because of all the extra expenses and time involved.
Is anyone making a decent income from turning and selling at shows?
Just curious.
 
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Randy Anderson

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Income? No, but I do easily cover supplies, expenses and new tools from time to time with some pocket money to spare. Like a lot of folks here a good bit of what I make I give away to friends, neighbors etc. We had a number of out of town guests come visit this past year and they all left with an armload of items. I don't want it to become a source/need for income. Very impressive work on all the boxes and large vessels. I would think you'll need some really high end markets to sell those items.
 
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I would think you'll need some really high end markets to sell those items.
Yes Randy, I think that is the direction I would like to go. I'm finding galleries have crazy requirements that I can't meet such as art degrees and five years plus of resumes from shows. Do you have any suggestions on these high end markets you've mentioned and how to get my work into them?
There is a show in a small town near me about a month from now but the entry fees are very steep and the deadline is coming up soon. I just sold one piece from my I.G. account and I shipped it yesterday. I was a little reluctant but its not that difficult and shipping was not overly expensive. I wouldn't mind doing LOTS of online sales if I can figure that out.
Al
 
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I also think you will find that galleries are a dying business. Just my opinions.
I find your comment interesting Richard. Our local co-op gallery is setting records this year. I and other artists are having record sales. Of course we have 37 artists displaying different media from fabric, Jewelry, paintings, pottery and of course wood, etc. Our gallery is well managed, and the board members are active in promotional/marketing and it seems to pay off. I sure hope things pick up for you there!
 

Randy Anderson

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Al, high end market is probably a very relative term. I live in rural TN so for me a "high end" market is one where I can sell a fair number pieces in the $75-$125 range, a few less and maybe a few higher. There's really only a few events near me each year that fit that description. Most are smaller where the typical spend is $50-$75, which is fine with me. Natural edge sells in my area and I can turn out bowls in those price ranges fairly quickly and easily. In San Antonio I would think you have more opportunities for a higher customer discretionary spend threshold than I do here. My event fees range from $10 to $200 and I've sold a lot, over time, at markets with a $10 booth fee. As for online sales, good luck. I have yet to crack that code. I have an Etsy shop and occasionally sell an item but it is so crowded with lots of handcrafted bowls and similar items selling for very low prices. Haven't tried Instagram yet. The time sink to manage online sales always gets in the way. I'm hoping my local craft store consignment sales venture pays off. Maybe you could seek out some of those kinds of venues.
 
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Like Randy, I am also in a rural area. My first year selling stuff (this past summer) was mostly at the county farmer's market - At first , sales were very slow (I didn't have the greatest presentation of product anyway) but as I learned a bit more on setting up (the market was weekly outdoor on the county courthouse square) I also noticed my types of items (and sales volume) fluctuated based on events (and rural tourism - ours is the third smallest county by population in the state, barely even 16,000) Then later on in the summer, I started going to another farmer's market (monthly and quite small vendor-wise) and I couldn't keep some things in stock (they sold as fast as I could turn them) evidently it has more to do with their proximity to a "big city" (by our rural standards) just over the border in N.Y. Then I finally hit a couple annual markets where there was a booth fee at local church bazaar (my late mom's church that I grew up going to) and the local VFD craft show (also in my hometown) and my take-away from those 4 different venues is, You need to visit a variety of venues and judge for yourself - At one venue I sold a whole bunch of natural edge bowls, spindle turnings, and a few cutting boards.. at the other, I sold out my inventory of yarn boxes, garden dibbers, and bud vases, but very little interest in the same items I'd sold at the other place. At the church bazaar I sold a ton of birdhouse ornaments and orders for more, but at the VFD show, I sold ONE (and had a pile leftover) but sold a couple of my "big-ticket" furniture pieces (of my own design sort of proof of concept) and gained a couple commissions (also for flatwork) - The short of it is, different venues even within the same 25 mile area seem to have different tastes.. so what sells well in one market might not sell so good at the other one 10 or 15 miles down the road...

And finally, as far as galleries, I don't think we have any "high end" galleries around here, but we do have local artisan center co-operative (which is a more artistic and juried exhibit than a typical farmer's market) and have been putting some of my works in there too (just a selection of my better pieces) , has only been a couple weeks since I placed items there, so it remains to be seen what sort of items sell well there (but they do fetch decent prices per piece) and if you look around for artisan co-operatives in your area, you may find some galleries there (and perhaps, artists that can give you an inside track to bigger galleries) and I'd think just being able to have your items on exhibit at a gallery (even a local artisan co-op) might help towards that "5 year experience" thing also..? I considered selling on Etsy (and ebay as well) but for the time and effort one has to put into setting up and running an online store (and the endless fees those companies dream up) plus packaging materials, supplies, postage costs, label printers, what have you, I figure I would have to sell 4 or 5 "mass market" bowls a day to break even. I do sell and ship online but only through Facebook posts on my personal photo album I set up just for my woodwork, but those sales are few and far between.
 
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Thanks for all the feedback Randy and Brian, and everyone else.
This whole art has such a learning curve to it, from roughing out logs with a chainsaw to turning the pieces, finishing the pieces, marketing the pieces (online and at markets and shows). Thanks for all the great suggestions and for sharing your experiences.
Al
 
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