Shownotes
BUSINESS BUILDING INSIGHTS
- To be a good exhibitor, be open to coaching. Be open to new ideas to be successful.
- The ability to sell is something you learn, just like any other skill.
- How you display will help you sell better.
- Learn how to talk about your work. You can have great products but if you can't show and talk about it the right way, you will struggle to succeed.
- Listen to the full episode to get all the biz insights!
Amy's Art Show Display Ideas
- Reduce the variables to keep the focus on your work:
- Wear simple, solid-colored clothes.
- Display a cohesive body of work. Show pieces that relate to each other.
- Use simple, consistent props that don't take attention away from your pieces.
- When selling online, good quality images are key. Let your images do the talking for you.
- The title and description are really important online because it's how you communicate about your work.
- Tune in to get even more amazing tips for art displays for shows!
Resources Mentioned
Amy's Contact Links
Website | Facebook | InstagramJoin Our FREE Gift Biz Breeze Facebook Community
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Transcripts
Gift biz unwrapped episode 287.
Speaker:Let me be you.
Speaker:I'm going to show you how I would talk about your
Speaker:work Attention.
Speaker:Gifters bakers,
Speaker:crafters, and makers pursuing your dream can be fun.
Speaker:Whether you have an established business or looking to start one.
Speaker:Now you are in the right place.
Speaker:This is gift to biz unwrapped,
Speaker:helping you turn your skill into a flourishing business.
Speaker:Join us for an episode,
Speaker:packed full of invaluable guidance,
Speaker:resources, and the support you need to grow.
Speaker:Your gift biz.
Speaker:Here is your host gift biz gal,
Speaker:Sue moon Heights.
Speaker:Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue And welcome to today's episode being that it's now
Speaker:October. That means all eyes are on holiday sales.
Speaker:Black Friday is only a few weeks off and in the
Speaker:past, that's what kicked off the shopping season.
Speaker:I'm sure you've seen that that's changed over the years and
Speaker:this year more than ever.
Speaker:I don't know about you,
Speaker:but I'm already well into buying my holiday gifts.
Speaker:All reports are pointing to this being the biggest online holiday
Speaker:sales season ever.
Speaker:And if you're still waiting and thinking about turning your handmade
Speaker:products into income,
Speaker:it's actually not too late to get started and make some
Speaker:extra holiday money through Facebook shops.
Speaker:Listen, you don't need a website shopping cart or any of
Speaker:that yet.
Speaker:It's the perfect place to begin and test the waters.
Speaker:If you will,
Speaker:with selling your products,
Speaker:check out my setup and sell in Facebook shops program to
Speaker:make this happen.
Speaker:I take you through step by step,
Speaker:how to get your shop up and running,
Speaker:and then how to attract people to buy from you.
Speaker:But time is running out to gain traction for the holidays.
Speaker:So stop this podcast.
Speaker:I give you permission and sign up now.
Speaker:Gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com forward slash Facebook shops is the link to go to,
Speaker:to learn more moving into our topic for today.
Speaker:Now e-commerce is one thing,
Speaker:but there is still nothing like being in person connecting one
Speaker:on one face to face with your customers.
Speaker:Yes, we've been challenged this year with making that happen,
Speaker:but we've been inventive despite the odds.
Speaker:You found ways that you could do it today.
Speaker:I want to introduce you to a woman who's been producing
Speaker:in person events for 37 years.
Speaker:Let's just say she's a top notch pro.
Speaker:We're going to be talking all about in-person shows what makes
Speaker:for a good exhibitor tips on how to best display your
Speaker:products and more,
Speaker:make sure to stay until the end because Amy reviews what
Speaker:art zipper is all never heard of it before.
Speaker:Stay tuned.
Speaker:Let's get into the show today.
Speaker:I'd like to introduce you to Amy Amador,
Speaker:the founder of Amador productions over the last three decades.
Speaker:Amber productions has produced hundreds of art shows,
Speaker:fairs and festivals,
Speaker:and has worked with thousands of artists.
Speaker:These events,
Speaker:approximately 20 a year throughout the greater Chicago area,
Speaker:give artists and makers a place to show and sell their
Speaker:work. Amber productions also runs free online art seminars,
Speaker:covering all aspects of showing and selling art,
Speaker:both in person and online.
Speaker:This is combined with art zipper.com,
Speaker:an eCommerce site where artists and art makers can show and
Speaker:sell their work 365 days a year.
Speaker:Amy, welcome to the gift of wisdom wrapped podcast.
Speaker:Sue, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker:I'm so happy to be with you and your listeners today.
Speaker:I am thrilled that you're here and I've actually had you
Speaker:in the back of my mind for a while.
Speaker:I've really wanted to get you on the show.
Speaker:So I'm glad we're doing it today.
Speaker:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker:Perfect. Let's start off with a question.
Speaker:That's become a tradition here and that is to have you
Speaker:describe yourself by way of a motivational candle.
Speaker:So if you were to think of a candle by coloring
Speaker:quote, that would speak to who you are,
Speaker:what would your candle look like?
Speaker:This might be a kind of out of the box,
Speaker:answer to that,
Speaker:but my candle would be clear.
Speaker:It would be there's an artist who does our shows,
Speaker:Greg Semanski he's a candle maker and he creates these beautiful,
Speaker:clear candles.
Speaker:So my candle would be clear because when the flame of
Speaker:the candle is lit,
Speaker:there's this luminescence to the candle itself.
Speaker:And I love that you can also see the world through
Speaker:the candle,
Speaker:but it's just brighter.
Speaker:So it was kind of a metaphor for me that that
Speaker:candle would just kind of light up everything that I looked
Speaker:at and the quote,
Speaker:I think it would say lead by example.
Speaker:I really take that to heart,
Speaker:not only in my business life,
Speaker:but also as a mother,
Speaker:I have two children and I always try to lead by
Speaker:example because I think that is really the strongest way to
Speaker:set an example for other people.
Speaker:So don't follow what I say,
Speaker:follow what I do,
Speaker:type thing.
Speaker:Exactly. So I have to tell you,
Speaker:I have two of his candles.
Speaker:Oh, I love them.
Speaker:And they're not cheap,
Speaker:but they're so pretty.
Speaker:They are beautiful.
Speaker:And he,
Speaker:to me epitomizes something really special about an artist that he
Speaker:is always creating something new.
Speaker:And with artists and art makers,
Speaker:we may know what sells and that's okay.
Speaker:It's good to have what cells.
Speaker:It's also good to challenge yourself and be open to creating
Speaker:something brand new from time to time,
Speaker:A hundred percent.
Speaker:Did you like art ever since you were a little girl
Speaker:or did you gravitate into the whole arch?
Speaker:Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker:There's a really funny story.
Speaker:And it's a true story.
Speaker:And when I was little,
Speaker:when I was about four years old,
Speaker:my mom,
Speaker:we grew up in Highland park,
Speaker:used to go to the grocery store and she went to
Speaker:the butcher and then she went to a dairy store where
Speaker:she got milk and cheese and things like that.
Speaker:And I would go with her because it was a long
Speaker:time ago and I would just,
Speaker:I, she slapped me everywhere and I'd go.
Speaker:So when she would go to the dairy store,
Speaker:I used to stand outside cause it was a kinder,
Speaker:gentler time and five-year-olds could just be left outside.
Speaker:And I would look in through the door of an art
Speaker:school that was right next to the dairy store.
Speaker:So if I knew my mom was going to the dairy
Speaker:store, I always wanted to go and I would watch the
Speaker:people paint on easels.
Speaker:I loved the smell of the paint.
Speaker:It must've been oil paint and turpentine.
Speaker:I loved it.
Speaker:And I would just stand there and mesmerized until she would
Speaker:call me to go back to the car.
Speaker:The summer I was five turning six.
Speaker:I convinced my mom to let me take painting classes.
Speaker:And my mom,
Speaker:God bless her.
Speaker:She found a place in Highland park and I was enrolled
Speaker:in real painting school if there were kids classes.
Speaker:And our very first day was,
Speaker:it was all plain air,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:painting outside.
Speaker:And our first day was going to the Highland park beach.
Speaker:And my first painting was of sand water and a single
Speaker:sailboat. And I still have that painting.
Speaker:And what I did after I painted the sand,
Speaker:I took actual sand and I pressed it on where the
Speaker:sand should be.
Speaker:That was my first painting.
Speaker:Oh, that's adorable.
Speaker:So I've loved making art since I was little.
Speaker:And it's just stayed with me my whole life.
Speaker:That's really interesting in doing this podcast now for all five
Speaker:years, over five years at this point,
Speaker:I like asking this question just to see how people have
Speaker:come to what they're doing now.
Speaker:And so often it's something that was started in their childhood,
Speaker:either cooking with a grandmother or just the love of the
Speaker:outside and flowers are to your point painting.
Speaker:It's amazing how some of those childhood memories and like that
Speaker:to me,
Speaker:it feels like that's your soul because when you're a child
Speaker:you're so innocent,
Speaker:right? It's your pure love of things that come out Exactly.
Speaker:Right. There's no ulterior motive.
Speaker:Right. And you were able to turn it into a whole
Speaker:career. So how cool is that?
Speaker:Yeah. And I never knew that was going to happen.
Speaker:Seriously. I went to school,
Speaker:I was a dancer and a choreographer and I did make
Speaker:art, of course,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:while I was in college and took art classes as well.
Speaker:But I wasn't an art major.
Speaker:In fact,
Speaker:I was a social policy major in the college of arts
Speaker:and sciences.
Speaker:I went to Northwestern,
Speaker:but I also went to the school of the art Institute
Speaker:where I took studio classes.
Speaker:So it wasn't until I was working.
Speaker:And I was working with my,
Speaker:my dad was a real estate developer and he was redeveloping
Speaker:downtown Highland park.
Speaker:And so I was there wearing little suit every day,
Speaker:going into the office.
Speaker:This is when I've been doing this for a long time.
Speaker:So this was a long time ago.
Speaker:And when we were getting ready to open up this project,
Speaker:which is called port Clinton square in downtown Highland park,
Speaker:I said to my dad and to his partners,
Speaker:what are we going to do for a grand opening?
Speaker:And they said,
Speaker:you handle it.
Speaker:So there I was pretty much fresh out of college,
Speaker:given the job of creating a grand opening for a shopping
Speaker:center in a downtown.
Speaker:And so I thought I needed something that was going to
Speaker:bring people to this brand new place and give them some
Speaker:reason to walk around and kind of investigate all the twists
Speaker:and turns of this new shopping center.
Speaker:And I thought of painting footsteps down on the ground.
Speaker:You follow the footsteps.
Speaker:And I thought that was kind of lame.
Speaker:And then I had this idea that if I had artists
Speaker:and I had art booth set up in different places,
Speaker:people would go from art booth to our booth.
Speaker:And I had always loved art shows ever since I was
Speaker:little, I never thought of doing one myself,
Speaker:but it just came to me that this would be a
Speaker:great thing to do.
Speaker:So I talked to a family friend,
Speaker:her name is Rita price,
Speaker:who I knew was an artist and a printmaker.
Speaker:And she did art shows and she told me what doing
Speaker:a jury show bent and how to get artists.
Speaker:And she gave me some basics from her perspective.
Speaker:And that became my very first art show called the poor
Speaker:Clinton art festival.
Speaker:And we started with 40 artists and that was 37 years
Speaker:ago. So Freaks me out because I remember when port Clintons
Speaker:Oh, okay.
Speaker:Well, there you go.
Speaker:And to think that it's that long ago.
Speaker:Yeah. Crazy.
Speaker:Yeah. It is crazy.
Speaker:That is crazy.
Speaker:And At time,
Speaker:because I wasn't involved in the craft and art and handmade
Speaker:community yet,
Speaker:but at that time,
Speaker:were there other shows going on,
Speaker:like there are now,
Speaker:or was it kind of a random event that would pop
Speaker:up here and there?
Speaker:Well, all I remember from growing up,
Speaker:there was a show at old orchard,
Speaker:the shopping center.
Speaker:And I remember a show in Lake forest.
Speaker:Those are the only ones I remember as a kid,
Speaker:but then there were shows going on at that time,
Speaker:like the gold coast,
Speaker:art fair and the old town art festival I think was
Speaker:going on.
Speaker:But our festivals were not as plentiful as they are now.
Speaker:And it was kind of different times.
Speaker:The idea of going to events and outdoor events wasn't as
Speaker:popular as it has become.
Speaker:They juried shows right from the beginning.
Speaker:Well, my show,
Speaker:I drew it from the very beginning and I have to
Speaker:tell you that until this lady Rita price told me what
Speaker:jury was,
Speaker:I didn't even know what that meant,
Speaker:but I did look and I did do something called jurying,
Speaker:which are listeners,
Speaker:especially the new listeners.
Speaker:What that means is that you have a group of people,
Speaker:of art professionals who look at the work and then give
Speaker:points is how it's done assign points to artists.
Speaker:And then the people with the highest scores are the ones
Speaker:invited in.
Speaker:So I did it from the very beginning and now most
Speaker:of our shows are juried.
Speaker:And we typically ask for four images of the work and
Speaker:one of what the display would look like.
Speaker:And even when we do our made our indoor art maker
Speaker:shows that we hold usually in the winter,
Speaker:we still do it.
Speaker:Some people may say,
Speaker:well, why do you jury a show?
Speaker:And it's just to have a sense of what the art's
Speaker:going to look like and why the display or booth booth
Speaker:shop is just to understand the kind of space needs someone's
Speaker:going to need.
Speaker:And when I'm actually laying out the show,
Speaker:I want to make sure that it makes sense to put
Speaker:one artist after the other.
Speaker:So I wouldn't necessarily put two jewelers next to each other.
Speaker:I'd probably go jeweler and then maybe a Weaver or maybe
Speaker:someone who's working in ceramics and mix it up and want
Speaker:there to be a nice variety.
Speaker:And I want people to really stand out at the same
Speaker:time. So that's what you're saying is,
Speaker:and that's why that the display or the boot shot's important.
Speaker:And that makes it a really rich experience for both the
Speaker:exhibitor and then the person going through the attendee of the
Speaker:shell. Right.
Speaker:And why it's really important.
Speaker:So is that ultimately my goal is that artists sell our
Speaker:company is based on the mission statement that we give artists
Speaker:a chance to show and sell their work at the events
Speaker:that we create.
Speaker:So ultimately I want artists to sell and we don't take
Speaker:a percentage.
Speaker:That's not our formula,
Speaker:but I know that the better the artists do,
Speaker:the better the show is going to be for everybody.
Speaker:Yeah, it's really gratifying to me.
Speaker:We just did a show in Barrington this past weekend.
Speaker:And we did an art walk and I love hearing that
Speaker:the artists tell me,
Speaker:Oh, this is my best show ever,
Speaker:which I heard a lot of this past weekend.
Speaker:And given the times we're in that means even more because
Speaker:I know that that's going to help the artists pay their
Speaker:mortgage, put food on the table,
Speaker:take care of their bills.
Speaker:And while not all artists are doing art full time.
Speaker:There's some people who have a full time job and kind
Speaker:of do this as a gig,
Speaker:but there are more and more people who are trying to
Speaker:make art their full time living.
Speaker:And I want to be able to give people a chance
Speaker:to do as well as possible.
Speaker:Get the shows that we run.
Speaker:Absolutely. I want to talk about specific shows today,
Speaker:but I want to do that in a couple of minutes,
Speaker:but I am just going to say this here,
Speaker:because we started talking about it a little bit in the
Speaker:show that I just attended a couple of weeks ago,
Speaker:I was asking some of the artists how they felt the
Speaker:show was going,
Speaker:given the situation we have here and all,
Speaker:and every single one of them said they were doing really
Speaker:well. So that's a little feedback for you.
Speaker:That's great.
Speaker:I'm so happy.
Speaker:Two questions I'm thinking about for juried shows.
Speaker:Does it cost more to go into a jury show?
Speaker:Well, typically there is a jury fee associated with a show
Speaker:and it depends on the show,
Speaker:what the fees are.
Speaker:So like we were doing these little Wrigleyville art markets.
Speaker:I think it was $10 to jury in that show.
Speaker:And what that does that covers the cost to a third
Speaker:party who we use,
Speaker:who is like a third party portal for the jurying.
Speaker:They're two big companies who do the jurying,
Speaker:who you work through.
Speaker:One is cultured art services,
Speaker:that's juried art services.
Speaker:And the other one is application.
Speaker:And they both charged the jury fees actually go to pay
Speaker:the third party portal as well as the fees associated with
Speaker:running the jury.
Speaker:So some of the other shows are a little bit more
Speaker:and it just depends what the jury fee is,
Speaker:but there is typically a jury fee to cover those costs.
Speaker:Okay. And then there are also awards associated.
Speaker:We do awards.
Speaker:I really like awards on a regular year when we have
Speaker:a full normal show.
Speaker:We like to do awards and I'll tell you,
Speaker:it again,
Speaker:comes back to the idea of helping artists sell.
Speaker:I have found that there are times that the public is
Speaker:a little undecided if they're going to buy something or not.
Speaker:And when they see that award ribbon up in that artist
Speaker:booth, it kind of is an endorsement that this is someone
Speaker:who's really worthwhile and it I've seen it help sales.
Speaker:And it also,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:we want artists and art makers to receive recognition from their
Speaker:peers and to know,
Speaker:Hey, you're one of the top dogs in this show when
Speaker:you're working all the time by yourself,
Speaker:like art makers do,
Speaker:they're usually loners.
Speaker:You come to the shows and it is really nice to
Speaker:be recognized for what you're doing.
Speaker:So that's another reason I like giving out the awards.
Speaker:I agree with you.
Speaker:I'm smiling over here is you're saying that I also think
Speaker:it's really nice for an artist then to be able to
Speaker:go back and put that on their website or talk about
Speaker:it in some way,
Speaker:they've been recognized by a jury of their peers,
Speaker:right? Like a professionally.
Speaker:Exactly. So from an organizer standpoint,
Speaker:what makes a good,
Speaker:That's a great question.
Speaker:I have a lot of years of experience to call on
Speaker:to in answering this.
Speaker:What makes a good exhibitor is someone who is open to
Speaker:coaching. And after I've been running art shows and art fairs
Speaker:for about,
Speaker:Oh, I don't know,
Speaker:15 plus years,
Speaker:I'd seen thousands of artists I'd seen.
Speaker:I've probably seen millions of images,
Speaker:whether it's in the old days,
Speaker:they were actually 35 millimeter slides.
Speaker:Now, of course they're all electronic images,
Speaker:but I've seen a lot of images.
Speaker:And I try and draw on that to coach people,
Speaker:to things that I know that work and do a lot
Speaker:of free webinars.
Speaker:I'll be doing them this winter in the off season to
Speaker:coach people on those very principles.
Speaker:So for example,
Speaker:I could say to somebody,
Speaker:your images are great,
Speaker:but you would do better if you had four images of
Speaker:your work that relate to each other.
Speaker:So a good exhibitor is someone who's kind of open to
Speaker:that coaching and listening.
Speaker:They may or may not do it,
Speaker:but who's open to it.
Speaker:And at our events,
Speaker:I try to go and I do.
Speaker:I go booth to booth,
Speaker:spend time with every single artist and coach them on the
Speaker:best way to not only show their work,
Speaker:but how to talk through and sell the work.
Speaker:Because that's something you don't learn in art school or you're
Speaker:in art class.
Speaker:So the ability to sell is something that usually has to
Speaker:be learned and to know how to talk about your work.
Speaker:And even this past weekend,
Speaker:we had this wonderful new photographer at the show and her
Speaker:work was spectacular,
Speaker:but she really didn't know how to talk about it to
Speaker:the public.
Speaker:So I said,
Speaker:her name is
I said,
Speaker:Mashama let me be you.
Speaker:I'm going to show you how I would talk about your
Speaker:work. And you know,
Speaker:so I like coaching people to get them to the next
Speaker:place. Again,
Speaker:it's ultimately,
Speaker:so they have success.
Speaker:So someone who is open,
Speaker:I think of a photographer,
Speaker:Mark her,
Speaker:she's a photographer.
Speaker:He takes an old image and old archival photograph.
Speaker:And then he'll go to the same point and he'll rephotograph
Speaker:it. So think of Michigan Avenue,
Speaker:he has an old photograph of Michigan Avenue,
Speaker:a new photograph of Michigan Avenue,
Speaker:and then he blends them together.
Speaker:So it's old and new at the same time when he
Speaker:came to us two years ago,
Speaker:I wanting to do our shows.
Speaker:He knew nothing,
Speaker:but he was so open to coaching.
Speaker:He's now doing very well.
Speaker:He was open to ideas and that's really important.
Speaker:So let me summarize here and make sure I'm capturing what
Speaker:you're saying.
Speaker:So the two overall themes,
Speaker:you've talked about the way you're representing your product with booth
Speaker:development and display.
Speaker:Correct. And then also how you're talking with customers about what
Speaker:you make.
Speaker:Exactly. They're really important.
Speaker:You can have great work,
Speaker:but if you don't show it the right way or talk
Speaker:about it the right way,
Speaker:you're not going to reach the same levels of success.
Speaker:And when I say success,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:generally people are doing this to make money.
Speaker:And while that's not the only reason people make art,
Speaker:really, my dad used to say,
Speaker:farmers would rather plant than leave their fields.
Speaker:Unplanted because the idea is that artists are passionate about making
Speaker:the art,
Speaker:whether they're painter doing wearables,
Speaker:making candles,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:making body products,
Speaker:hampering products,
Speaker:the people who we come across,
Speaker:the artists,
Speaker:the crafters,
Speaker:the makers,
Speaker:they are passionate about this.
Speaker:This is what they love.
Speaker:The crochet is they love to crochet.
Speaker:And the knitters love to knit the weavers.
Speaker:Just thinking about someone.
Speaker:I know who's a Weaver.
Speaker:She is happy as all get out.
Speaker:You're putting eight to 10 hours a day at her big
Speaker:floor loom.
Speaker:And this is what people are passionate about.
Speaker:So I just try to help them go from there to
Speaker:the highest level of success that I think that they can
Speaker:have by helping them with showing and the actual selling of
Speaker:their work.
Speaker:It brings up a thought to me that I agree with
Speaker:you. People are so passionate about what they're making and their
Speaker:happiest place usually is in their creative studio with whatever that
Speaker:encompasses. Exactly.
Speaker:It's not necessarily out at shows,
Speaker:talking with people It's hard.
Speaker:And a lot of artists tend to be introverts and they
Speaker:express themselves through their art.
Speaker:So it's easier for some people,
Speaker:and it's a lot harder for some others,
Speaker:but I found over the years that as long as they're
Speaker:open to it,
Speaker:everyone can learn how to show and sell their work.
Speaker:So we give our listeners something tangible to take away.
Speaker:Could you share with us a few mistakes that you've seen
Speaker:that could be advice for people who are doing not some
Speaker:of these upscale juried shows,
Speaker:but even local craft shows or farmer's markets or church bizarres
Speaker:even what mistakes have you seen from the exhibiting and that
Speaker:you would advise people to watch out for?
Speaker:So I summed that up in three words,
Speaker:reduce the variables,
Speaker:reduce the variables.
Speaker:So we want the attention to be totally on whether it's
Speaker:candles or ceramics or jewelry,
Speaker:whatever they have,
Speaker:whether it's a table,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:eight foot table or a 10 by 10 booth,
Speaker:it doesn't matter.
Speaker:So how do you reduce the variables?
Speaker:Well, I'd say where's something that's not calling attention to itself.
Speaker:So if you have a shirt and it's a green Bay
Speaker:packer shirt,
Speaker:and you're in Chicago,
Speaker:this would be taking too much attention away from what you're
Speaker:doing. Oh yes,
Speaker:it would Now.
Speaker:And I'd see this mistake made in variations all the time.
Speaker:So I'd say,
Speaker:so reduce the variables.
Speaker:Let's get rid of that.
Speaker:Let's just have a solid color shirt or a solid color
Speaker:dress, or certainly if you're making clothing wear something of yours.
Speaker:So that's one reduction of variables.
Speaker:Another is someone who let's say it's a eight foot table
Speaker:that you have to work with.
Speaker:And you're a jeweler trying to have a cohesive body of
Speaker:work. You don't have to show everything in the world,
Speaker:try and have work that relates to each other.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:when the public is going from tent to tent or booth
Speaker:to booth or table to table,
Speaker:it's a lot of visual stimulation.
Speaker:So if you can have a cohesive body of work,
Speaker:it will help the public focus on your words.
Speaker:So that's really huge.
Speaker:And another way to think about this,
Speaker:and I say,
Speaker:and this applies to a jury situation,
Speaker:but if you were to give me four photographs of your
Speaker:work, and let's say I had 50 artists and I was
Speaker:to shuffle up everybody's cards and I threw them up in
Speaker:the air and fell down,
Speaker:I should be able to put back the packs together so
Speaker:that I know like Sue,
Speaker:if you were a jeweler,
Speaker:you know that I would find your work.
Speaker:And that is cohesive enough that it fits together by design
Speaker:or by material.
Speaker:That there's something that connects Grabanski who we mentioned earlier.
Speaker:The candle maker,
Speaker:his work,
Speaker:obviously these clear candles with different things set in,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:his work would fall together.
Speaker:So reducing the variables is a basic one of my 10
Speaker:commandments. Did you say there were three?
Speaker:Yeah. Well,
Speaker:so that's one of them.
Speaker:You said the packer shirt and then also the display cohesive
Speaker:display. Yeah.
Speaker:Cohesive display.
Speaker:So the display is important and how you display also will
Speaker:help you sell better.
Speaker:So putting some time and attention into your display is really
Speaker:important. And so here,
Speaker:the next big thing,
Speaker:that details matter details,
Speaker:matter how you price your work,
Speaker:where you put the price tags,
Speaker:how you do these little details is important and how you
Speaker:show your work is important.
Speaker:So details matter.
Speaker:So let's say you have jewelry and you have an eight
Speaker:foot table that you're showing and selling off of.
Speaker:Well, let's start off with a good base,
Speaker:a good foundation.
Speaker:I like a black fitted table skirt that goes down to
Speaker:the ground.
Speaker:And why I like that.
Speaker:Whether you're in an indoor church show,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:or outdoor on the street show,
Speaker:it gives you a place to hide things.
Speaker:When you have a fitted table store and they cost like
Speaker:12 or 15 bucks,
Speaker:you can get them online,
Speaker:fits around the table,
Speaker:goes down,
Speaker:you can hide things underneath,
Speaker:put your backstock underneath,
Speaker:and it gives you a good foundation then for whatever you
Speaker:might do on top.
Speaker:And it's also really practical.
Speaker:Cause when you have a black tablecloth,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:you can just throw it in the Washington.
Speaker:Perfect. The next time it doesn't get dirty.
Speaker:So looking at the components of your display,
Speaker:and of course it gets more complicated as you get into
Speaker:a bigger space,
Speaker:like a 10 by 10,
Speaker:but still that's a basic to me as having fit a
Speaker:table covers.
Speaker:How do you feel,
Speaker:Feel about the display items?
Speaker:So not the artwork,
Speaker:but like using a crate or the,
Speaker:So the prompts are great,
Speaker:but we have to make sure just like the packer shirt
Speaker:that it doesn't take attention away.
Speaker:And I've seen some times where the props are.
Speaker:Unfortunately the thing that gets the attention.
Speaker:So your props should be there to show off the work,
Speaker:but should really not get too much attention themselves.
Speaker:So if you're going to have props,
Speaker:let's say they're all going to be weathered wood.
Speaker:For example,
Speaker:make them all weathered wood.
Speaker:Oftentimes people have too many different types of props.
Speaker:I've seen jewelers have black stands,
Speaker:white stands and velvet stands some other things.
Speaker:And it's such a jumble,
Speaker:but if we reduce the variables and if we have,
Speaker:let's just say,
Speaker:all the props are going to be black or they're all
Speaker:going to be white,
Speaker:just pick a color and just have consistency in your props.
Speaker:That's a really,
Speaker:really good move.
Speaker:And you will know if people are commenting more on your
Speaker:props than on your art,
Speaker:then you know that it's time to reduce the variables and
Speaker:dial that one down a little bit.
Speaker:I always say that you need to make your product,
Speaker:the star.
Speaker:Absolutely. So that is a mistake that a lot of people
Speaker:make. I see it time and time again.
Speaker:And it's not that the artist isn't art maker,
Speaker:isn't trying,
Speaker:they're trying,
Speaker:they're trying too hard maybe.
Speaker:Well, we just need to kind of do a little redirect
Speaker:on that.
Speaker:What would you say?
Speaker:This is a challenge that I know a lot of people
Speaker:who are listening right now,
Speaker:have they make a lot of things,
Speaker:their creator,
Speaker:and maybe they're making things that are disconnected.
Speaker:So perhaps they're customized ornaments,
Speaker:but they also knit.
Speaker:And by the way,
Speaker:they also do pie.
Speaker:Sorry, Here,
Speaker:Amy's answered to this question right after a quick break.
Speaker:Yes. It's possible.
Speaker:Increase your sales without adding a customer.
Speaker:How you ask by offering personalization with your products,
Speaker:wrap a cake box with a ribbon saying happy 30th birthday,
Speaker:Annie, or at a special message and date to wedding or
Speaker:party favors for an extra meaningful touch.
Speaker:Where else can you get customization with a creatively spelled name
Speaker:or find packaging?
Speaker:That includes a saying whose meaning is known to a select
Speaker:to not only are customers willing to pay for these special
Speaker:touches. They'll tell their friends and word will spread about your
Speaker:company and products.
Speaker:You can create personalized ribbons and labels in seconds,
Speaker:make just one or thousands without waiting weeks or having to
Speaker:spend money to order yards and yards print words in any
Speaker:language or font,
Speaker:add logos,
Speaker:images, even photos,
Speaker:perfect for branding,
Speaker:we're adding ingredient and flavor labels to for more information,
Speaker:go to the ribbon print company.com.
Speaker:So a really good question.
Speaker:So if you're in a space like a 10 by 10
Speaker:tent, have the luxury of that kind of space,
Speaker:then separate things.
Speaker:So one area is going to be your knitting and other
Speaker:as your ceramics and another would being whatever else you do.
Speaker:I think that that works really well because not everyone may
Speaker:like all those things.
Speaker:So maybe someone's just really looking for ceramics.
Speaker:They're gonna easily hone in on your ceramics and focus there
Speaker:and you'll ultimately sell more that way as well.
Speaker:So just separate an affair,
Speaker:working off an eight foot table and separate them as much
Speaker:as you can and different sections of the table clap.
Speaker:Okay. Let's talk a little bit about the season that we're
Speaker:in right now,
Speaker:where we still have the virus to contend with.
Speaker:Now there'll be people who will be listening to this after
Speaker:that, but I really want to talk to the current situation
Speaker:because I'm a proponent Amy of live being able to see
Speaker:people in person,
Speaker:especially artists,
Speaker:because that's what connects you so much to the art and
Speaker:potentially making a purchase.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:the artist,
Speaker:you love the artist,
Speaker:you learn about their story.
Speaker:And so you first off want to support them.
Speaker:You're willing to pay more and you get a piece that's
Speaker:one of a kind,
Speaker:and you have a story that you can bring forward about
Speaker:the product and the artist and all of that.
Speaker:But people have concerns about the shows these days.
Speaker:And as I was telling you in our pre chat,
Speaker:I wanted to come to one of your shows.
Speaker:First of all,
Speaker:cause I know you're a professional with this,
Speaker:but I wanted to share the experience with everybody just to
Speaker:understand how a show could work during this time to get
Speaker:people to feel comfortable that maybe they would want to exhibit
Speaker:right now,
Speaker:too. So can you share with us a little bit about
Speaker:what happened to you because your whole livelihood are these productions?
Speaker:Well, a lot of it,
Speaker:a good portion of it,
Speaker:but how did that evolve to what I saw a couple
Speaker:of weeks ago,
Speaker:which was a fabulous event?
Speaker:Well COVID and I look forward to people listening to this
Speaker:in the future and not really knowing what we're talking about.
Speaker:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker:I hope it's just a distant memory,
Speaker:but for those of us who in 2020 are living through
Speaker:the summer of COVID,
Speaker:it's been very difficult and we've dealt typically like our core
Speaker:Clinton show in that Highland park or a gold coast,
Speaker:art fair in Chicago feature more than 250 up to 300
Speaker:exhibitors. So now we had to pivot because governor Pritzker has
Speaker:mandated how many people can be at a gathering.
Speaker:And we have to think about life safety.
Speaker:So what we did is we created a series of events
Speaker:called art walks that would happen outside because we know that
Speaker:when you're out in the air,
Speaker:studies are showing that that's healthier environment than being indoors.
Speaker:So we decided all of our art walks would be outdoors.
Speaker:And then we worked with different municipalities to find out what
Speaker:their comfort level was on size.
Speaker:So in some communities,
Speaker:it was 25 exhibitors and insomnia.
Speaker:It was 50.
Speaker:In some places,
Speaker:they said 25 people in at a time public coming in
Speaker:to see.
Speaker:And at some places they said 50.
Speaker:So working with all the different rules,
Speaker:we created these art only events that did not have food
Speaker:or beverages for sale didn't have live music,
Speaker:which we usually always have.
Speaker:Didn't have a youth art area.
Speaker:So they were art,
Speaker:only events where the public would come in and they would
Speaker:need a time to reservation.
Speaker:And we used a system called eventbrite.com.
Speaker:So people would have a time to reservation hour that they
Speaker:could come in.
Speaker:We took people's temperatures and we're still doing this protocol.
Speaker:Now we take their temperatures when they walk in and then
Speaker:we set a unidirectional,
Speaker:like a single path that people follow so that all the
Speaker:people are walking in the same direction.
Speaker:We indicate that with arrows and signage,
Speaker:and then we put each exhibit,
Speaker:each booth,
Speaker:we spaced it at least 10 feet,
Speaker:12 feet,
Speaker:sometimes 15 feet from each other so that there was nice
Speaker:spacing. And we call these event artful mindful,
Speaker:socially distance events,
Speaker:and we've done five so far the summer.
Speaker:We have three more still to go.
Speaker:We've got coming up in October.
Speaker:We have Bayshore,
Speaker:which is in Wisconsin.
Speaker:And then we've Wheaton in Illinois.
Speaker:And we have closed the season with Glencoe,
Speaker:Illinois. And we also have hand sanitizer stations all over the
Speaker:place. And artists have hand sanitizer and artists are asked to
Speaker:do as much cashless transaction as they can to avoid touching
Speaker:cash and to have transfer tables.
Speaker:So if someone buys it that you just set it down
Speaker:on the table and the public picks it up from there,
Speaker:we actually have 49 points to our COVID plan.
Speaker:And this is to keep the artists,
Speaker:my staff and the public is safe as we possibly can.
Speaker:So it's been a time of real trailblazing.
Speaker:I can tell you.
Speaker:Yeah. I also found it interesting.
Speaker:Only one person or one family group could be in a
Speaker:booth at a time.
Speaker:So if there was walk in exactly,
Speaker:you could be in there.
Speaker:And then if you were with another person,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:you guys could be in there together.
Speaker:Talk to the artist if the artist was also in there,
Speaker:but then anyone else who wanted to come in would have
Speaker:to wait.
Speaker:Thanks. So I thought that was smart.
Speaker:And I also felt just observation wise,
Speaker:Amy, you'll have to tell me if this is indeed true,
Speaker:but I felt like some of the booth setups were a
Speaker:little bit different.
Speaker:Like I was talking to one person,
Speaker:an artist who you could walk into the front of their
Speaker:booth, but they also had things on the side.
Speaker:So people who needed to wait,
Speaker:didn't just pass them up and go to another booth.
Speaker:They could look on the outside when normally those would have
Speaker:all been inside the booth.
Speaker:Exactly. So by spacing the artists with 10 to 12 or
Speaker:more feet between them,
Speaker:it gives especially 2d artists,
Speaker:a chance to show their work on their outside walls or
Speaker:a jeweler.
Speaker:I think of Dana Reed,
Speaker:she's a jeweler out of Highland park.
Speaker:She did a really nice three counter setups.
Speaker:So people can come up from the front or each side
Speaker:and no one actually walked into her booth and it was
Speaker:really good.
Speaker:It was open air,
Speaker:lots of air circulation.
Speaker:She had a back wall only,
Speaker:and it gave her three selling sides.
Speaker:So she could have one person on one side,
Speaker:someone unrelated on the other.
Speaker:So she was actually able to have three different groups looking
Speaker:at her work at any given time.
Speaker:And is that different than what she would normally do?
Speaker:Yes, it is.
Speaker:And so we've seen a lot of that and it actually
Speaker:gives the artist,
Speaker:the art maker,
Speaker:more display space as well,
Speaker:because if you're in a tight show and you're wall to
Speaker:wall with the next artist,
Speaker:you have no choices.
Speaker:So here,
Speaker:those people who wanted to be able to have triple counters,
Speaker:or I even saw there was someone named Dan Hedblom,
Speaker:he works on copper and he did something similar where he
Speaker:was showing his work on the outsides.
Speaker:And what he did in the middle of his booth is
Speaker:that's where he had his storage,
Speaker:but it was behind panels.
Speaker:So you couldn't even see it.
Speaker:So some really creative solutions to this,
Speaker:Definitely a couple other things,
Speaker:just in terms of the experience that I've heard both from
Speaker:your show.
Speaker:And then also from my community,
Speaker:some of the people who are here who are doing shows
Speaker:right now first is that it's kind of nice because there's
Speaker:more of an even flow of people coming through because you're
Speaker:only letting a certain number of people in at a time.
Speaker:So for an exhibitor,
Speaker:it's just paced nicely.
Speaker:They're always busy there aren't the lags,
Speaker:but there's a nice flow of conversation from start to finish
Speaker:of the show.
Speaker:Exactly. And we saw that starting early in the season when
Speaker:we started doing these art walks and especially at those events
Speaker:where people had to wait in line until our capacity went
Speaker:down, we have to wait for a few people to leave
Speaker:before we let more people in is that instead of just
Speaker:walking through the show or walking down the middle of the
Speaker:show, people actually looked at every single exhibit.
Speaker:And I thought that was just great.
Speaker:And so what artists are telling me is,
Speaker:even though the crowds are not same sizes,
Speaker:not as large as what they've been in the past,
Speaker:it seems to be a more qualified group of people coming
Speaker:in who really want to look at art.
Speaker:And we've been messaging the public that this is the time
Speaker:it's very important to support art makers.
Speaker:And it is,
Speaker:it's always important to support our makers,
Speaker:but it's more important now than ever.
Speaker:I look at artists and art makers as micro businesses.
Speaker:And when I say that they are a business,
Speaker:they may be working from their studio or their spare room
Speaker:or their basement.
Speaker:It doesn't matter where,
Speaker:but they are making art and they are selling it.
Speaker:And there are a lot of programs that are out there,
Speaker:not a lot,
Speaker:but there are some programs out there to support small business,
Speaker:but not all micro businesses are being supported.
Speaker:So we've been messaging to the public that this is a
Speaker:really important time to support art makers.
Speaker:And I believe that's true.
Speaker:And I think we see sales artists are reporting to me
Speaker:that they are selling very well right now it shows.
Speaker:And I'm so happy about that.
Speaker:Yeah. I've heard the same thing.
Speaker:That's a delicate question for me to ask someone.
Speaker:I don't know.
Speaker:So I wasn't really asking a lot of people at your
Speaker:show, but what I've heard from my community is the feeling
Speaker:is that a lot of people are going with the intention
Speaker:of buying or they're not really planning to go.
Speaker:You know how sometimes art shows are something to do in
Speaker:the afternoon because it's available and it's in my downtown or
Speaker:the community right next door.
Speaker:But there are more used the word qualified earlier.
Speaker:The intention is more to purchase than just to Exactly.
Speaker:They are making the same,
Speaker:if not more money with fewer people walking the show.
Speaker:I think that is absolutely true right now.
Speaker:So happy about that.
Speaker:Yeah. Yes.
Speaker:And what do you thinking?
Speaker:I know we can't project the future,
Speaker:but how are you feeling in terms of when we get
Speaker:the vaccine and all of that?
Speaker:What do you think the future?
Speaker:Well, that's funny.
Speaker:We had a staff meeting this morning and I was talking
Speaker:about it.
Speaker:We are planning of regular season in 2021,
Speaker:and we are hoping for the best.
Speaker:We also know how to run these smaller streamlined art walks
Speaker:if we need to,
Speaker:but we are putting our 20,
Speaker:21 schedule together now.
Speaker:And we are hoping for normal return to normal life,
Speaker:especially with the outdoor shows.
Speaker:I love hearing that from you.
Speaker:You don't think it will be a hybrid a little bit
Speaker:between both.
Speaker:Well, it may be and something that we're doing and we've
Speaker:launched this a few years ago is we have launched arts,
Speaker:zipper.com and what art zipper.com
Speaker:is, is our eCommerce platform.
Speaker:And it kind of rides along with the shows.
Speaker:And this year when we couldn't run the gold coast art
Speaker:fair, which was really sad because the show is such a
Speaker:kind of landmark in the world of art.
Speaker:And it was the 63rd annual event this year when we
Speaker:couldn't do it,
Speaker:we ran the gold coast virtually and we ran it on
Speaker:our arts for platform.
Speaker:So our zipper is,
Speaker:if you think of other art commerce sites like Etsy,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:it's the same idea,
Speaker:except a little different.
Speaker:And with our virtual festival,
Speaker:we wanted to give the public a chance to experience artists.
Speaker:You consume with an artist,
Speaker:so you could talk to them and you could watch art
Speaker:demos live and was really exciting.
Speaker:It wasn't an in-person show.
Speaker:And I agree with you that in person is exciting and
Speaker:you get to the public,
Speaker:gets to have a relationship and hear the artists talk about
Speaker:their process.
Speaker:We try to replicate it with gold coast.
Speaker:Virtual site arts at foresight does it's free.
Speaker:There's no cost for artists,
Speaker:art makers or makers of any.
Speaker:When we talk about beauty and bath,
Speaker:and then that category,
Speaker:there's no charge.
Speaker:There is a commission that goes back to the site to
Speaker:keep it going.
Speaker:But we wanted to really promote that now,
Speaker:because there are also artists who may have health situations,
Speaker:which don't allow them to be out in public right now.
Speaker:And we're trying to think really broadly about how can we
Speaker:provide opportunities for everybody.
Speaker:So our arts zipper.com
Speaker:site is an eCommerce platform for everybody.
Speaker:And so that's something else that we have and that we're
Speaker:going to continue to work on and fine tune and develop
Speaker:as we go forward.
Speaker:So the future,
Speaker:I don't have a crystal ball.
Speaker:I wish I did,
Speaker:but I'd rather be optimistic than pessimistic and have some backup
Speaker:plans in my pocket in case we need them.
Speaker:Yeah, I'm right with you.
Speaker:And I think if this hasn't shown us anything,
Speaker:it's how much,
Speaker:just as a human,
Speaker:you want contact with people now that we can't have it,
Speaker:we're seeing that we want it.
Speaker:Absolutely. And I think that here,
Speaker:especially in the Northern climates,
Speaker:like us summer,
Speaker:we live for summer and maybe we hibernate a little bit
Speaker:in the winter,
Speaker:watch a little bit more TV or do what we need
Speaker:to. But winter is also a great time for art makers
Speaker:to be creating.
Speaker:And during the early parts of the quarantine,
Speaker:I said,
Speaker:be creative.
Speaker:This is a time to be creative.
Speaker:So looking forward to it and we will figure it out
Speaker:together. And you're right.
Speaker:The public has as much a need to see art as
Speaker:the artists have to make it art soon as the soul.
Speaker:And we're going through a hard time and art will continue
Speaker:to be part of our healing.
Speaker:Yes. I agree with that.
Speaker:Totally. I know that there are going to be questions from
Speaker:my audience about art zipper.
Speaker:Can you go into it just a little bit?
Speaker:If there was somebody here who's like,
Speaker:Hmm. I wonder if my product should be there.
Speaker:What should they do to check it out?
Speaker:Walk me through a little bit of how that works.
Speaker:Okay. So,
Speaker:well, all you have to do just to see the site
Speaker:is go to art,
Speaker:zipper.com and you'll see there on the home page that we
Speaker:have all these different categories that you can be in.
Speaker:And in fact,
Speaker:I'm just going to do that while I'm talking to you.
Speaker:So we have a category called wall art.
Speaker:So that's pretty much anything that can go on a wall
Speaker:2d or 3d jewelry.
Speaker:We have a sculpture category objects.
Speaker:So a lot of people fall into objects,
Speaker:especially in crafters and makers.
Speaker:We have a section on glass wearables,
Speaker:and then each of those categories has dropped downs.
Speaker:So if you don't see where category fits in,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:we even have a category called paperweights platters and plates and
Speaker:objects, floor rugs,
Speaker:toys, candles,
Speaker:and soaps.
Speaker:Mixed media is always for someone who doesn't know where they
Speaker:go. I say it makes media as a place to go.
Speaker:So you can always just email us info at
And we're happy to get back to you.
Speaker:And I also do some webinars and I will this winter
Speaker:repeat and launch some new ones on how to be successful
Speaker:selling online.
Speaker:And that's a little different than selling live in person because
Speaker:your images have to do all the talking for you.
Speaker:So I talk about what makes for a good image.
Speaker:How does the image South?
Speaker:And it's also when you're selling online and a lot of
Speaker:people are looking at this as an option these days,
Speaker:your description and your title become really important because they're part
Speaker:of the way you're communicating this piece and also having really
Speaker:good quality images.
Speaker:So make sure that your lighting is good,
Speaker:that everything is in perfect focus so that it really communicates
Speaker:as best as possible.
Speaker:The beauty of your pieces.
Speaker:Yeah. We've talked a lot about this in terms of product
Speaker:names and descriptions also,
Speaker:as it applies to search.
Speaker:So all of that we've talked about before.
Speaker:Another question on our zipper,
Speaker:I don't mean to keep you laboring the point,
Speaker:but I am in the listener's head.
Speaker:So I know that they're going to be asking this,
Speaker:do you then supply if they were to come and show
Speaker:their product on our zipper,
Speaker:is there already a checkout system established?
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:So it's a totally secure payment plan over the lines that
Speaker:we have.
Speaker:And then the arts zipper site cuts a check to the
Speaker:artist within 30 days of the sale.
Speaker:So Pretty turnkey in that respect,
Speaker:It's turnkey.
Speaker:And a lot of people are using it now because we
Speaker:are marketing it all the time.
Speaker:And we're doing heavy marketing for holiday this year heavier than
Speaker:usual, just because we want artists and art makers to sell
Speaker:really well.
Speaker:This holiday season probably marketed heavier than someone could market their
Speaker:own website.
Speaker:So of course,
Speaker:artist should have their own website,
Speaker:but the advantage of being on a site like art zipper
Speaker:is that you're benefiting from the size of it and all
Speaker:the marketing that's going into it.
Speaker:I'm so glad that you talked about this in terms of
Speaker:our zipper being an option for people.
Speaker:In addition to a website,
Speaker:we're also now talking Facebook shops a lot here.
Speaker:And just because you have one online presence doesn't mean that
Speaker:you won't have several because audiences all come from different places.
Speaker:So having multiple options coming in your same product,
Speaker:but you're presenting it and representing it in multiple places is
Speaker:only gonna make you stronger as a business.
Speaker:So if his listeners,
Speaker:if you think that this is something that could work for
Speaker:you, please go over the site is beautiful.
Speaker:So go over,
Speaker:look around,
Speaker:maybe support a fellow artist.
Speaker:And if you're interested,
Speaker:definitely reach out and see if it could work for you.
Speaker:Let's talk a little bit more on two things,
Speaker:Amy. First,
Speaker:what about your classes?
Speaker:Where can we learn about when those are?
Speaker:Well, we're just putting the class schedule for 2021 and it
Speaker:will be posted on our website,
Speaker:which is amateur productions.com.
Speaker:That's a M D like David,
Speaker:you are then the word productions.com.
Speaker:They're usually Saturday mornings and they're free.
Speaker:And all you have to do is sign up and the
Speaker:sign up super easy,
Speaker:just directly on our website.
Speaker:And there'll be everything from the how tos I call it
Speaker:art Fest one Oh one.
Speaker:We have pro level.
Speaker:We have selling online images.
Speaker:I have an advanced selling course on how the things that
Speaker:you and I spoke about suing how to really sell your
Speaker:work. And we even have figured out how to have a
Speaker:mock jury.
Speaker:So if you want to know,
Speaker:how would your images be seen by a jury?
Speaker:One of our webinars is just a mock jury.
Speaker:So you can hear comments from other listeners on what they
Speaker:think. And then I also identify tips on how you can
Speaker:take your images to the next level.
Speaker:And I actually indicate that through some computer magic,
Speaker:using some special tools,
Speaker:I have to show how things can be improved.
Speaker:So they're meant to be game changers and to shorten the
Speaker:learning curve.
Speaker:A lot of times,
Speaker:the more you do shows,
Speaker:the more you figure it out,
Speaker:but right now let's make it easy for people.
Speaker:So I want to pass on these tips and just get
Speaker:people. I want to teach them the tips.
Speaker:So we call them a lot of tips and tricks.
Speaker:Love it.
Speaker:Well, I'm intrigued already.
Speaker:I'm sure our listeners are as well.
Speaker:Then Andrew productions.com
Speaker:is also where you can see our schedule for 2021,
Speaker:which is the coming year.
Speaker:And we will be accepting applications and doing jury over the
Speaker:next few months.
Speaker:So even though it feels like just end of summer,
Speaker:it's actually the time to be thinking about next year.
Speaker:It will come before we know it and we'll be back
Speaker:into the season.
Speaker:And it's Just for local artists,
Speaker:either. Even now with the restrictions that we have.
Speaker:I just want people from California,
Speaker:people from here,
Speaker:Florida, exactly.
Speaker:Maybe New York,
Speaker:like all over Coast to coast,
Speaker:come to our shows.
Speaker:And over the years,
Speaker:I think we've even had artists from Alaska and Hawaii come
Speaker:in for our shows.
Speaker:God bless them for that.
Speaker:And most of our shows have people who are from the
Speaker:Midwest, but yeah,
Speaker:there are those people who do travel and this is their
Speaker:lifestyle. And some of your listeners may be in that group.
Speaker:So you can be from anywhere to do our shows.
Speaker:I've also talked to some of the artists who are at
Speaker:your show,
Speaker:who come here and they just stay for a month because
Speaker:when you're fully scheduled,
Speaker:not this summer,
Speaker:but hopefully next summer,
Speaker:then there's a show every single weekend Most,
Speaker:well there is you're right.
Speaker:And we start in may and 2021,
Speaker:we'll be starting.
Speaker:Our lead show.
Speaker:Next summer will be the Northbrook art in the park.
Speaker:And then Barrington is Memorial day weekend.
Speaker:And then we just flow through every week we have a
Speaker:show or a fair,
Speaker:and some of them are more fine art.
Speaker:And some of them are more all encompassing.
Speaker:And there is a show for everybody,
Speaker:whether it's are prominent of art in Arlington Heights or Wheaton
Speaker:Artwalk or Valparaiso,
Speaker:we do that one in Indiana.
Speaker:All special shows.
Speaker:If you work in the Botanic themes,
Speaker:the Chicago Botanic garden art festival is for you because that
Speaker:show requires that the art be somehow related to Botanic themes.
Speaker:So that enables someone.
Speaker:I know she actually works with dried flowers and presses them
Speaker:and puts them between glass.
Speaker:That would be your like bats.
Speaker:That would be a great show.
Speaker:Is that the one that dad Botanic gardens it is,
Speaker:is it your show?
Speaker:Yes. I didn't know that.
Speaker:Oh yeah.
Speaker:We do Whitefish Bay in Wisconsin.
Speaker:That's a good general show for everybody.
Speaker:Art Fest,
Speaker:Michigan Avenue.
Speaker:That's in July.
Speaker:We do showing Glencoe art at the Glen printers row,
Speaker:which has this really cool area of Chicago.
Speaker:We do a show in Evanston Lincoln Shire,
Speaker:the big gold coast show.
Speaker:I mentioned poor Clinton as the Highland park show.
Speaker:One of my favorite shows is the third ward art festival.
Speaker:It's in Milwaukee in what's called the historic third ward.
Speaker:We do the millennium show in Chicago.
Speaker:We'll do a show up North in deer park,
Speaker:Oak Brook new this year and repeating in 2021 will be
Speaker:the Bayshore art and artisan fair.
Speaker:That might be really good for your listeners when you're a
Speaker:maker and you see art and artists unfair,
Speaker:that is a code for saying,
Speaker:Hey everybody,
Speaker:whether you're a maker,
Speaker:you're doing wearables candles,
Speaker:pampering products.
Speaker:That's a great show for you.
Speaker:And then a whole bunch of the art smart seminars going
Speaker:pro live image reviews,
Speaker:selling online virtual RFS.
Speaker:We got something for everybody.
Speaker:Okay. Give biz listeners.
Speaker:I'm sure you did not catch all of that,
Speaker:but I did then it's in the show notes.
Speaker:So just jump over to the podcast episode,
Speaker:show notes for this show,
Speaker:and you'll have all the links.
Speaker:I'll have everything there ready for you,
Speaker:and you can see which show is best for you.
Speaker:I'll also have the link for art zipper.
Speaker:Of course.
Speaker:So lots over in the show notes for this episode,
Speaker:Amy, thank you so much.
Speaker:This has been so enlightening and interesting to speak to you
Speaker:as the one behind the scenes and what we should be
Speaker:looking at.
Speaker:I really appreciate your expertise and sharing with us today.
Speaker:Thanks for being on the podcast.
Speaker:Oh my pleasure,
Speaker:Sue. And if you or your listeners have any questions,
Speaker:you can always reach me@infoatamateurproductions.com
Speaker:and I'm really happy to converse or email back and forth
Speaker:with people.
Speaker:I have been my pleasure.
Speaker:Thank you so much.
Speaker:Wasn't it interesting to get insights into events from the organizer
Speaker:point of view,
Speaker:as I told you in the beginning,
Speaker:not many have the perspective Amy does given all the years
Speaker:that she's been at it,
Speaker:and it's obvious that it's such a passion for her.
Speaker:You can hear her love and commitment to artists even after
Speaker:so much time,
Speaker:make sure to check out her free classes,
Speaker:art zipper,
Speaker:of course,
Speaker:and maybe just maybe one her live events is for you.
Speaker:That would be really exciting because we'd possibly have a chance
Speaker:to meet in person face to face you and I,
Speaker:as you're doing the strategic planning,
Speaker:a final reminder to consider how Facebook shops could fit into
Speaker:the plan gift biz on wrapped.com
Speaker:forward slash Facebook shops is where to go.
Speaker:If you want to know more about my mini course,
Speaker:$27, I mean,
Speaker:seriously, it's a no brainer on to my little teaser about
Speaker:next week.
Speaker:The hot topic,
Speaker:always this time of year,
Speaker:of course,
Speaker:the upcoming huge holiday selling season.
Speaker:Our eyes are on just that right now,
Speaker:selling and making and shipping and all the things overwhelm and
Speaker:stress are part of that equation too.
Speaker:Let's face it.
Speaker:Most of us are exhausted by the time the holidays finally
Speaker:get here,
Speaker:barely able to even enjoy it.
Speaker:What if things could be different?
Speaker:What if you could bring in and fill all those orders
Speaker:and also be in the spirit of the season.
Speaker:So you can attend your parties or zoom calls with excitement
Speaker:and anticipation versus exhaustion.
Speaker:And one more thing on your to do list.
Speaker:Cheers to that.
Speaker:Thanks so much for spending time with me today.
Speaker:If you'd like to show support for the podcast,
Speaker:please leave a rating and review.
Speaker:That means so much and helps the show get seen by
Speaker:more makers,
Speaker:a great way to pay it forward and now be safe
Speaker:and well.
Speaker:And I'll see you again next week on the gift biz
Speaker:on red Podcast.
Speaker:I want to make sure you're familiar with my free Facebook
Speaker:group called gift is breeze.
Speaker:It's a place where we all gather and our community to
Speaker:support each other.
Speaker:Got a really fun post in there.
Speaker:That's my favorite of the week.
Speaker:I have to say where I invite all of you to
Speaker:share what you're doing to show pictures of your product,
Speaker:to show what you're working on for the week to get
Speaker:reaction from other people and just for fun,
Speaker:because we all get to see the wonderful products that everybody
Speaker:in the community is making my favorite post every single week,
Speaker:without doubt.
Speaker:Wait, what,
Speaker:aren't you part of the group already,
Speaker:if not make sure to jump over to Facebook and search
Speaker:for the group gift biz breeze don't delay.
