We've formed a new art group that focuses on the business of art... it's called Fine Arts And Crafts Entrepreneurs (FAACE). We started on this 'project' last year although it's been something that's been discussed and we've been tossing about for much longer. Within the first week of making it public we've already doubled our membership!
To kick off the group we're holding a show in Fayetteville, Georgia at the Harvest Community Center. They've graciously donated the space! The show, Art with Heart, will be on February 5th from 10 - 4. We're hoping all you Valentine shoppers will stop by and pick up something truly unique for someone you love... or yourself (still someone you love, or you'd better!).
FAACE focuses on fine arts and fine crafts, no buy/sell or similar. Speakers at the monthly meeting will include business related specialists who'll talk about incorporating, insurance, how to get into shows and galleries, ways to grow business, utilizing the Internet and other related topics. We're also going to promote member artists talents of course!
If you'd like to know more visit or new website, www.FAACE.org. We're on Twitter - @faacega and have a Facebook fan page (Fine Arts And Crafts Entrepreneurs if you're doing a search, haven't figured out how to share a link to a fan page yet...).
Back to the show... we have potters, fiber artists, stained glass, painters and more. I hope some of you will stop by to see us and / or join the group.
FAACE meets the first Tuesday of each month at the Towne Club Center in Peachtree City, 7 p.m. Members are from the south Atlanta area, although if you're willing to travel you're more than welcome to join us.
We're working on shows all over the south metro area and will probably add a few around the rest of Atlanta in time.
Showing posts with label fine art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fine art. Show all posts
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Time for a break? Nope...
Just settled in at home after the Fayette Fine Art Show... and decided to blog about it while all was fresh in my mind.
I had a great time! It's a spectacularly well-run show with some of the best people around working together to make it all happen. Last night a bunch of the artists went to one of the show organizer's home for a lasagna pot-luck dinner. Homemade pumpkin bread, brownies, cake... oh, almost forgot, yep, there were a few things on the non-sweet menu, too! Watermelon, veggie and meat lasagnas, bread, salad... and more importantly, lots of good company.
It was fun sharing experiences with other vendors while we munched. Pretty much everyone lamented the downturn in the economy and the affect on sales.
Today was a much better day traffic-wise and sales-wise. However, it certainly didn't come close to what I experienced the other times I participated in the show. According to the other vendors that's pretty much par for the course in most shows.
I know I had considered doing the Powers Crossroads show and the Cotton Pickin' Fair in the past. Both used to be excellent shows. However they've let in a ton of buy and sell types and the quality has gone waaaayyy down hill. How do you sell a nice piece of fine ceramic art for $300 plus while in a booth next to crocheted toilet roll covers or mass-produced puppets?
There was a lot of discussion about which shows were doing well, which ones worked for various types of art, etc. I picked a lot of brains this weekend and now have a list of shows that may work better with my kind of art.
I'm too late for some of the shows as the deadlines have passed, but I'm putting them on the list for next year.
No rest for the weary though... and no time to really think much about future shows. Next weekend I'll be at the Buckhead Design Center in Atlanta Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I understand the traffic is up and they're doing extensive marketing to try and keep the crowds coming.
The following weekend I'll be in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I think I may have mentioned both of those shows in here already.
Back to this weekend's show in Fayetteville. I did OK. Not jump up and down great, but good. I learned a lot from artists who've been doing this for many, many years. I really appreciate everyone's openness and willingness to share! Aren't artists a fabulous group???
I got to see a lot of old friends, too. It was fun chatting and catching up with folks I haven't seen in a while. I made a few new friends also.
Overall, it was a good show. I'm hoping that we see an uptick in the economy that makes it a little easier for people to feel comfortable buying some non-essentials... well, in truth, I think art is an essential but that doesn't mean everyone else thinks the same way ;-) However, essential or not, I'm keeping my pocket book snapped a lot tighter, too. I understand perfectly well how hard it is to justify spending money on art when you're concerned about losing your job or have a pay cut looming on the horizon.
Anyone read this far? I'd have probably quit reading about half way through this long blog... or maybe I'd have slogged through hoping that the writer would come to some insightful point sooner or later... sorry, I'm tired and am just rambling. No profound insights, just a lot of disconnected thoughts tonight. Let me stop now before I start talking politics or cooking or something!!! Night all.
I had a great time! It's a spectacularly well-run show with some of the best people around working together to make it all happen. Last night a bunch of the artists went to one of the show organizer's home for a lasagna pot-luck dinner. Homemade pumpkin bread, brownies, cake... oh, almost forgot, yep, there were a few things on the non-sweet menu, too! Watermelon, veggie and meat lasagnas, bread, salad... and more importantly, lots of good company.
It was fun sharing experiences with other vendors while we munched. Pretty much everyone lamented the downturn in the economy and the affect on sales.
Today was a much better day traffic-wise and sales-wise. However, it certainly didn't come close to what I experienced the other times I participated in the show. According to the other vendors that's pretty much par for the course in most shows.
I know I had considered doing the Powers Crossroads show and the Cotton Pickin' Fair in the past. Both used to be excellent shows. However they've let in a ton of buy and sell types and the quality has gone waaaayyy down hill. How do you sell a nice piece of fine ceramic art for $300 plus while in a booth next to crocheted toilet roll covers or mass-produced puppets?
There was a lot of discussion about which shows were doing well, which ones worked for various types of art, etc. I picked a lot of brains this weekend and now have a list of shows that may work better with my kind of art.
I'm too late for some of the shows as the deadlines have passed, but I'm putting them on the list for next year.
No rest for the weary though... and no time to really think much about future shows. Next weekend I'll be at the Buckhead Design Center in Atlanta Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I understand the traffic is up and they're doing extensive marketing to try and keep the crowds coming.
The following weekend I'll be in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I think I may have mentioned both of those shows in here already.
Back to this weekend's show in Fayetteville. I did OK. Not jump up and down great, but good. I learned a lot from artists who've been doing this for many, many years. I really appreciate everyone's openness and willingness to share! Aren't artists a fabulous group???
I got to see a lot of old friends, too. It was fun chatting and catching up with folks I haven't seen in a while. I made a few new friends also.
Overall, it was a good show. I'm hoping that we see an uptick in the economy that makes it a little easier for people to feel comfortable buying some non-essentials... well, in truth, I think art is an essential but that doesn't mean everyone else thinks the same way ;-) However, essential or not, I'm keeping my pocket book snapped a lot tighter, too. I understand perfectly well how hard it is to justify spending money on art when you're concerned about losing your job or have a pay cut looming on the horizon.
Anyone read this far? I'd have probably quit reading about half way through this long blog... or maybe I'd have slogged through hoping that the writer would come to some insightful point sooner or later... sorry, I'm tired and am just rambling. No profound insights, just a lot of disconnected thoughts tonight. Let me stop now before I start talking politics or cooking or something!!! Night all.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Fayette Fine Art Show this weekend...
I'll be at the Fayette Fine Art Show (also known as the Old Courthouse Fine Art Show) this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. We set up around the old Fayette Courthouse, which I understand is the oldest courthouse in Georgia. It's a beautiful setting and a very well-attended, well-known, well-respected show (enough well's for you? ).
This will be the 42nd year for the show and will be my third or fourth time at the show.
I won an award my first year at the show... am hoping maybe I'll pick up another but it really is dependent on the taste of the judges.
All the money raised from the show goes to support art scholarships for students which makes the show even better in my opinion! Patsy Gullet, an excellent artist who has a large following, and Debi Lenox, another artist and lover of arts, do a spectacular job of running the show. I'm sure there are others who help, I just happen to know those two.
Saturday night all the artists are invited to Patsy's for a pot-luck dinner. They provide the main food, the artists bring snacks and whatever they want to drink. I've had a conflict every year and have missed the fun.
This year I'm debating... There's an opening at The Seen Gallery in Decatur which I'd really, really like to go to... but it'll mean running home, showering and changing then getting over to Decatur. Chances are I'm going to be tired after a long day of selling, selling, selling (yes, I'm optimistic!).
I hope the weather holds out. There are other events --- Fayetteville Main Street's Taste of Fayette and the kids bouncy things and stuff, plus plenty of music and other talent.
OK, nuff. I'm running on and on, aren't I? Hope you'll MapQuest Fayetteville in Georgia and then stop by to see the show... and see me, too!
Fayetteville GA - Old Courthouse Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Show
May 15-16, 2010: Fayette Fine Art Show (a.k.a.Old Courthouse Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Show), courthouse square. 10am-6pm Sat; 11am-5pm Sun. Hosted by the Fayette County Art Assoc. Juried by slides. Only fine art show in affluent southside of Atlanta. Fine art, pottery, jewelry, sculpture. Awards: 1st, 2nd, 3rd places + 4 merits. Promotes the arts in Fayette County. All profits from artist booth fees is allocated to HS seniors who will study art in college.
This will be the 42nd year for the show and will be my third or fourth time at the show.
I won an award my first year at the show... am hoping maybe I'll pick up another but it really is dependent on the taste of the judges.
All the money raised from the show goes to support art scholarships for students which makes the show even better in my opinion! Patsy Gullet, an excellent artist who has a large following, and Debi Lenox, another artist and lover of arts, do a spectacular job of running the show. I'm sure there are others who help, I just happen to know those two.
Saturday night all the artists are invited to Patsy's for a pot-luck dinner. They provide the main food, the artists bring snacks and whatever they want to drink. I've had a conflict every year and have missed the fun.
This year I'm debating... There's an opening at The Seen Gallery in Decatur which I'd really, really like to go to... but it'll mean running home, showering and changing then getting over to Decatur. Chances are I'm going to be tired after a long day of selling, selling, selling (yes, I'm optimistic!).
I hope the weather holds out. There are other events --- Fayetteville Main Street's Taste of Fayette and the kids bouncy things and stuff, plus plenty of music and other talent.
OK, nuff. I'm running on and on, aren't I? Hope you'll MapQuest Fayetteville in Georgia and then stop by to see the show... and see me, too!
Fayetteville GA - Old Courthouse Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Show
May 15-16, 2010: Fayette Fine Art Show (a.k.a.Old Courthouse Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Show), courthouse square. 10am-6pm Sat; 11am-5pm Sun. Hosted by the Fayette County Art Assoc. Juried by slides. Only fine art show in affluent southside of Atlanta. Fine art, pottery, jewelry, sculpture. Awards: 1st, 2nd, 3rd places + 4 merits. Promotes the arts in Fayette County. All profits from artist booth fees is allocated to HS seniors who will study art in college.
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