Life as an artist working in metals, fiber, paper, and more. It’s all about the art!

I lucked into the purchase of two large displays just before Christmas.  They were on nice wooden bases, and were originally the glass displays used in a high-end clothing store to show off sweaters or shirts.  I got a super deal on them, and used them for the first time at the Florence ArtsFest this past weekend.

The glass pieces are 10″ x 16″, and are designed to fit on the wooden bases horizontally.  This is not how I wanted to configure them for my jewelry, and I wound up using less than half of one display.  I bought four 4′ x 2′ tables from Sam’s Club, with legs that will adjust to children’s height, table height, or counter height.  They are the indesctructible light weight plastic.

I set the tables up two on each side at counter height, and had an extra table at the back.  I put the glass clipped together vertically on the side tables, and used some old displays on the back table.  I think for the next show I will get another of the counter height tables to use in the back.

A friend loaned me a small round table to put my turntable earring display on.  I need to find a counter-height way to show this - the small table was really too low.

I would also love to get some framing that I could put better lights on down the road.

Overall, I was pleased with the way the booth turned out, and thought it looked much more professional than the display I had before.

New tables and glass displays

You can see that the small round table is too low, but the glass displays look good, I think.  My lights work, but could definitely be better.

You can see the edge of the low back table in the left of the picture; that table needs to be the same height as the others I think.

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I was juried into the Florence ArtsFest 2009, both into the Juried Exhibition and into the Sale.  This was my first time participating in these shows.

The show format was different from anything I have done before.  Set up was the weekend before the show, Saturday and Sunday.  Then the juror chose awards on Monday from the work juried into the exhibition part.  The Monday - Thursday patrons were walked through the show to select Purchase Awards.  The Exhibition and Sale opened Friday night with a Gala Opening - $50/person, with Martini bars, wine, heavy hors d’ouevres, and live music, capped with the awards presentation.

Saturday the Exhibition and Sale were open to the general public at no charge.

Frankly, leaving my jewelry out for the whole week made me more than a little nervous, but they had a policeman on duty the entire week, and security was as good as they said it would be.  No one had a problem at all with theft or missing items.

The other thing they handle differently is that all sales are rung up at the main register - not by the artists.  Each artist is given receipts, and when someone buys a piece the artist fills out the receipt and keeps the original; then the buyer takes the receipt to the checkout and pays, and has their copy of the receipt stamped PAID.  They bring that back to the artist, who then gives them the work they purchased.  After about 2 weeks the Arts Alliance will mail checks to the artists.  The Arts Alliance handles all the credit card processing and all the sales tax filing.  Different.  Seemed to work ok, although I’m not thrilled with having to wait for my money!

In addition to the booth fee, they also take a 30% commission, which doesn’t thrill me either.  That said, they did provide excellent security; a really great and well attended opening reception; breakfast and lunch and drinks for the artists on Saturday, and good PR.  So I guess I got my money’s worth out of it!

This was my first show for 2009, and the economy in our area is really, really bad.  We have plants closing, public schools laying off staff, colleges laying off staff, the state university system is talking about closing at least 4 regional campuses, and businesses are shutting right and left.  So I really was not sure what to expect.  Lets face it - arts and craft show purchases are not necessities!  Pay the electric bill or buy a new necklace…gee….tough call!  Not!

The Arts Alliance said attendance and sales were down from prior years.  I had a personal goal for the show, and came very close to it, so I am pleased.  I also made several high-end (for me) sales, and received a couple of commissions - so not bad at all.

The show was held in the old public library, and was on two floors covering 4 rooms.  I was on the main, ground floor in a primo spot - not sure how I lucked into that!  There were 5 folks selling jewelry on my floor, and at least three on the top floor - a surfeit of jewelry.  Two were dichroic glass artists; one did some really incredible piercing in copper and brass; there were several beaders; and one with an assortment of stone items.  I was the only one with soldered metal as a focus of their work; and the only one with genuine pearls and top quality gemstones.

There were lots of painters, a couple of potters, one wood turner, and a fiber artist with some really neat stuff.

In addition to the juried exhibition they had a juried exhibition of high school students from the local public high schools, which I thought was a nice touch.

The show was well organized and well run, and I will add it to my schedule for next year, hoping the economy will improve and sales will be even better.

Pictures of my booth, with views into the painters on each side, are below.

View looking towards the entrance

view looking toward the back of the room

view with stairs to second floor in the background

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I did a show this weekend that was a new one for me, and in talking with the other artists realized that when I figure up the cost of doing a show, I do it rather differently than a lot of them.  I’m an artist, but I’m also a business person, and I do try to keep track of costs!

I kept hearing comments like “Well, I’ve made my booth fee, so I’m ok.”  Which made me wonder if they really throught that was their only cost for the show!

When I figure my show costs, they include ALL the costs associated with that show.  It starts with the time to fill in the application, the application fee, the booth fee, the postage.  If I have to submit photos, then I have to include a portion of the cost of taking the photographs of my work, plus any cost for having photos printed or put on CD.  Plus any time involved in doing these things!

Then you have to figure the costs of your booth displays and set up - a portion of that should be assessed to each show’s costs.

Next, the time to pack and load your work for the show, then to travel to the show, to unload and set up, to break down, return home, and unload again.  That is all time you should be “paid” for.

Part of your cost is your time on the show floor - that is time you are not in your studio creating.  What is it worth?

You need to include transportation costs - gas, mileage; food; and any accomodations needed.

Then you have your office supplies - price tages, signs, sales receipts, etc.

You balance these costs against the proceeds of the show.  The proceeds inclued sales, but can also include gallery contacts, custom orders, repairs coming out of the show - any benefits that accrue as a direct result of your exposure to the public in the show.

THEN you can figure out if your costs are outweighed by your proceeds!

It gets tricky trying to be sure you have included all your costs, and then trying to include the sometimes delayed or nebulous benefits.

I have a friend who sold nothing at one show, but got a solo gallery show from the exposure, which then resulted in large sales.  So sometimes the “benefits” may be delayed and at a distance.

In my most recent show I received two custom orders from the show, which will count on the proceeds side of the equation.  At least one of those customers has already indicated that if she is pleased she has more custom work she wants done - so that would also accrue to the show.

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that once you have covered your booth fee you have covered your costs!

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I attended the GLW wholesale show in Orlando last weekend for the first time.  I have attended their shows in Greensboro, NC when they used to have them there, and in Asheville, NC, but the Orlando show was MUCH bigger.  Since I can’t make Tucson, and haven’t been able to make the July Franklin, NC shows in several years, this was the next best thing for me.

One of the things I found was Tagua Nut.  I had  not ever heard of, or seen, this nut before.  The Tagua Nut comes from the agua palm, Phytelephas Equatorialis. It is a rainforest palm tree, and the nuts are sustainably harvested from the forest floor when the babez containing the nuts ripens and falls.

Each tree contains several cabezas and it may take 3 - 8 years for the cabeza to fully mature. After harvesting, the nut is dried for three months, before being dyed or carved to prepare it for sale.  Additional employment comes from the hand-crafted creation of figurines and jewelry by local artisans.Conservation International and other groups are involved in developing this as an economically viable way for the citizens of the areas of rainforest where this palm lives to make a good living while protecting the rainforest.

The Tagua Nut is also called “vegetable ivory”, as it looks quite similar to ivory, and can be carved much like ivory can.  Before the development of plastic it was widely used to make buttons, accounting for about 20% of the US market in buttons at one time.  It was also used to make buttons for WWII military uniforms.

As people become increasingly concerned about protecting rainforests, and eco-friendly consumerism, the Tagua Nut is gaining in popularity.

Browsing the internet I found a number of sources for this as ready made beads, slices, or whole nuts for carving.  Prices vary widely.  Mine are all large - about 1 1/2 inches long or so, and about an inch wide.  On the internet I found them in a range of sizes, with most being much smaller than mine.

I purchased mine from C & I International, Inc.; www.candiinternational.com.  I have also been contacted by http://www.pueblito.ca/, who also sell the Tagua nuts.

I preferred the ones with swirls and patterns, but got some solids also.  Pictures are below.  I will post again as begin experimenting with these in jewelry.

Plain, undyed Tagua nut strand

Close up of plaing Tagua nuts

Green Tagua Nut strand

Green Tagua Nut close up

Orange/red Tagua Nut strand

Orange/red Tagua Nut close up

Purple Tagua Nut strand - note these are solid, without the swirls

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My daughter and I gave a workshop for children in the 2nd grade up on the Monday before Christmas.  We taught them how to design a necklace, bracelet, and earrings.  They learned about symetrical and asymetrical design.  They learned the names of chain nose, round nose and bent nose pliers, and crimping pliers.

Each child made one necklace and then either a bracelet or a pair of earrings.  They learned how to use crimps and the crimping pliers; how to make dangles and loops; and how to add a clasp and earring findings.

We had a selection of beads and plated findings for them to choose from, all included in the workshop cost.

Each student had  a “station” set up, with a hand towel for a mat, and their own set of scissors, bent nose, chain nose and round nose pliers.  They had a grand time going through the different beads and findings, and laying out their designs.

We enjoyed watching them work, and the huge range of designs the girls came up with.

At the end they wrapped the items they had made as presents in Christmas paper and ribbon, and were ready to take their gifts home.  I was impressed that each girl made at least one of her items as a gift.

It was our first beading class for children, and went very well.  We will definitely do it again, and I will work up a list of classes that we can offer to give to the area arts commissions and recreation departments.

Laying out their necklaces and choosing beads.

Working on their jewelry.

One of the Dad

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I am very fortunate to have my studio at - actually under - my house.  It is partially underground (not the best thing, but such is life!), and has three outside walls, and one wall that backs into the crawl space of the house.  The three outside walls each have at least one window.  The wall that houses my bench has a window at the bench that looks out across the yard, drive, and woods.  To my right is a wall with two outside windows looking out across the swimming pool, and down across the bottom land and Thompson Creek.  Sometimes I see deer or a flock (?) of turkeys.  The wall behind my bench faces the pond and across to the state park.  That wall has one window and a double door with windows and steps up to the side yard.

So in three directions I have lovely views!  Always water, sometimes wild geese, deer, turkeys, blue herons, turtles, ducks….  some lovely fogs and mists rising over the pond.  Beautiful sun rises, and depending on the time of year sun sets from the bench window.

I’ve put in a few pictures to give you a sense of the beauty that surrounds me as I work.  I often use what I see as inspiration in my work, especially in the etchings I am experimenting with now.

Pond view looking towards state park

wild Canada Geese on the pond

Pool view with the palm trees I

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I did my final show of the year on Wednesday.  It was a new one for me, in a new setting - it was a Holiday Bazaar held by the Hospital Auxiliary to benefit the NC Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill, NC.  Booth fee was $75 for a 6 foot table, and since it was my first time and I was going to have to fork out for a motel room I only booked the one table (usually I use 2 tables).

The prospectus had said set up would begin at 8 with booths to be ready by 9:30, which I knew would be a bit tight for me, but probably just barely doable.  Then last week I got an e-mail saying my assigned drop off time was 8:50 - to drop off at least 10 minutes; drive to the parking deck, park, walk back to the hospital - at least 10 minutes.  So 20 minutes to set up???? No way!!  I e-mailed back and said  that wouldn’t work, could I arrive at 7?  They said they guessed so, but no one would be there to help me.  That was fine, I got my brother to meet me at the motel at 6:45 and we drove up, unloaded, grabbed a bagel, and he headed off for the day while I started setting up.

My first sale came just after 9:30, well before the 10 am opening time.

Since UNC is a huge hospital, I had anticipated big crowds, and hoped for a high sales volume.  Hope does spring eternal.  I got neither

I made cost and a modest profit, so it wasn’t a loss, but not the profit I had hoped for.  I will do it again, but try to find someone to stay with so that I don’t have the hotel expense on top of the booth fee and gas.

It was an interesting show - next to me on one side was a double table of Cookie Lee jewelry run by two very nice ladies.  I had never heard of Cookie Lee - “fine fashion” jewelry - rhodium plated not silver or gold or anything… but you can buy some kind of coating to paint over your jewelry so you don’t react to it!!!  (big excitement while saying this on the part of the sales ladies”).  Ok.  Right.  Big sigh.  They seemed to do a world of business, and worked on booking lots of “parties”.

On my other side was an Ardonne skin care booth with two very nice ladies, also booking parties.  They did a slam up business all day.  On their other side was a lady with beaded necklaces, then handmade aprons and maybe soaps….  Across was a lady radiology tech who had gorgeous xray images of flowers - really very nicely done.  Then a booth by the pediatric floor with baked goods, mugs, and t-shirts, then a lady with decorative accent furniture and some handmade decoupage necklaces.  On the other side of the Cookie Lee ladies was an Usborne book booth, then a friend of mine from the NC Society of Goldsmiths.  Across from her was another mass produced in China jewelry booth.  Up at the main entrance was a 5 table Mary Kay jewelry and cosmetic booth…

You get the idea.  Quite a mix!

The pieces I sold ranged from $5 to $200, with most being under $50.  Well under.  I had thought being a hospital there might be doctors with money, but if there were they weren’t spending it there!

A couple of neat things did happen though.  I had a lady stop by who wanted to take jewelry classes, and I gave her my card and said e-mail me - there is a neat lady outside of Pittsboro (a city nearby) who teaches and I’ll give you her contact info.  So just a bit later who wanders by?  Monnda Welch herself!  Workshop giver extrodinaire.  Turned out she had a booth just up the way!  So the next lady who wanted lessons got pointed straight to Monnda <vbg>.

Then I had another lady walk up and introduce herself; she had just left her husband for a bone scan, and a joint friend and Orchidian Jeanette Baugh had asked her to look me up!  Pretty cool!  It was great to meet Trish, and then she called Jeanette and we got to chat - very neat.

Then finally my $200 sale was a triple strand hand knotted pearl necklace, sold with matching earrings in a presentation box to one of the staff members whose daughter graduates from college in speech pathology this coming Saturday.  Pretty cool - she took my card, and plans to have me make a matching set for the next daughter when she graduates.

It was very interesting being next to the manufactured non-precious material jewelry, and seeing the looks on people’s faces when I explained that yes, I made everything myself, and yes, these were real pearls and gemstones!

And finally, yes Hans - I remembered to take pictures this time!!! <vbg>  Below is a picture of my booth.  The signs on the table skirting have American flags at the top; the Artisans of the South Carolina Cotton Trail (a juried group) on the bottom, and say “handmade in the Carolinas”.  Just to help emphasize that yes, I DO make all this myself!!

My booth

You can see the edge of the Ardonne skin care booth to the right.

Cookie Lee booth

This is the double Cookie Lee booth to my left.

Ardonne booth and beyond

This is the Ardonne booth, and the lady with the beaded necklaces, and then the aprons, etc.

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I just finished a three day show held by the Black Creek Arts Council in Hartsville, SC.  This was their second year holding a “Christmas Shoppe”.  It was a juried craft show, with only hand made items.  Hartsville is a small college town, the international headquarters of Sonoco.  So there is money in town <vbg> - but it is still a small Southern town, so also lots of poverty.

The Black Creek Arts Council is very active, and has its own building with gallery and classrooms.  The show was very small - just 11 booths - and was held in the gallery.  There were three potters; two folks with mirrors (one was a potter too); one glass artist pair; one hand made soap guy; one photographer; and three of us with just jewelry, as well as one potter with turquoise jewelry.

Black Creek has their patrons accustomed to Thursday evening opening nights, with wine and refreshements donated by local businesses.  So we opened on Thursday, and had a fantastic turn out, complete with Santa and workshops for the kids upstairs so their parents could enjoy the crafts show downstairs.

The director had done a fabulous job with promotion, with lots of press releases in area papers, postcards, e-mail notices, etc.  So lots of “buzz”.  The local library has some wonderful secure display cases, and he had also put some work in the display cases for the month leading up to the show.

I had one lady come because she had seen two of my necklaces in the library.  She didn’t buy one of those, but bought one of my high-end pieces ($250) plus a good many other pieces.

After a wonderful Thursday night, with great sales, I sold a total of $49 for the whole day Friday - just awful!  I think it was bad for everyone.  I would be surprised if we had 50 people come through for the whole day.  Frankly, it was more like 30!

Thankfully today was MUCH better, although still nothing like Thursday evening!  We had more traffic, and thankfully more buyers, so my total for the show was quite nice.

I also have a couple of custom orders still to complete, so that will up the total.

In addition to the good PR, the Arts Council provided hot spiced tea and snacks each day, and ordered pizza for lunch for the artists today - very nice of them!  I will definitely do this show again!

This coming week I am trying another show that is new for me.  It is a Holiday Bazaar at the huge hospital in Chapel Hill, NC on Wednesday,  Not billed as a craft fair, but as “gifts, crafts, art, music”….so not sure what I will find!  Given the other sales events I have seen the hospital hold, I expect it to have an excellent turn out, so hope for a good day!  It is not booths, but tables.  Given that it is my first time, I only reserved one table, which will be tight quarters for me.  But with the economy the way it is, and having to pay for a motel room (not cheap in Chapel Hill!!), I really didn’t want to plump for two tables.  If it goes well, I’ll get two next year.

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I have continued to experiment with electrolytic etching, and have found that I can use the same salt bath for up to two pieces with no degradation in etching.  The third and fourth in the same batch begin to have issues, and I have to remove the - plate and scrub it with a brass brush after the second etching, as it becomes caked with the extra copper.

I have still been using the Sharpie as my resist, and the next set of experiments will be with different resist materials.  I am still having trouble with the etch undercutting the Sharpie marks, and with the Sharpie beginning to wipe off with time in the etching bath.

I have also continued to experiment with textures and wtih hand coloring using Prisma Color pencils.

Photos of the latest pieces are below.  The tree earrings and the three tree pendant are custom orders from customers who saw my earlier pieces.

The snowmen were etched and then cut out of the sheet, with a bail added on the back.  I tumbled finished them, and am very pleased with the way that finish worked.  I used stainless steel shot and Simple Green in the tumbler.

I apologize for my photos - they are not as good as I would like them to be.  I’m having trouble getting the etching to show clearly.

Tree Earrings

Three Trees Pendant - custom order

Palm Trees, etched and hand colored

Snowman, etched and cut out and tumbled

Snowman etched, cut out, tumbled

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