Kelly Savino on wed 28 may 08
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Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time
productively when there's nothing going on?
I'll be "sitting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee, all
day, and I'm not good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session and it's
kind of a ghost town around there, so it's likely to be dead.
(Jeff is sitting the show for me on Friday and taking it down, because I
am hauling a vanload of girl scouts to the national camporee in Hershey,
PA.)
Anyway, I am racking my brain for useful projects I can do sitting at a
little white desk in a gallery doorway.
So far I have:
1.) Sewing merit patches on scout vests and blankets
2.) Working on my taxes (I had to file an extension)
3.) Sitting with my laptop and deleting the several hundred old emails
in my inbox
OK... so what do I do on day two?
Any ideas would be much appreciated!
Also: I would like to put the title of my show and my name on the
gallery wall, I am told Kinkos will make them, but am also told they are
hard to remove form a wall afterwards. Hubby suggests putting them on a
piece of plexiglass and mounting that to the wall.
Anybody have ideas? I wonder whether I could buy those vinyl stick on
letters and do it myself...
Yours
Kelly in Ohio... where I unloaded my lovely salt firing Monday, and
loaded and fired the gas kiln Tuesday -- both with the assistance of my
offspring "staff" -- will load and fire two kilns of my guild class ware
tonight, and a load of my bisque at home -- then unload the gas at
school tomorrow and finish moving out of my EMU studio... Meanwhile
postcards, kids' classes and appointments, sticky letters and a shelf,
and my mom arranged morning at the spa, tomorrow, as a graduation gift
;0) Manicure, pedicure, haircut and massage. Moms rock.
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Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time productively when there's nothing going on?
I'll be "sitting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee, all day, and I'm not good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session and it's kind of a ghost town around there, so it's likely to be dead.
(Jeff is sitting the show for me on Friday and taking it down, because I am hauling a vanload of girl scouts to the national camporee in Hershey, PA.)
Anyway, I am racking my brain for useful projects I can do sitting at a little white desk in a gallery doorway.
So far I have:
1.) Sewing merit patches on scout vests and blankets
2.) Working on my taxes (I had to file an extension)
3.) Sitting with my laptop and deleting the several hundred old emails in my inbox
OK... so what do I do on day two?
Any ideas would be much appreciated!
Also: I would like to put the title of my show and my name on the gallery wall, I am told Kinkos will make them, but am also told they are hard to remove form a wall afterwards. Hubby suggests putting them on a piece of plexiglass and mounting that to the wall.
Anybody have ideas? I wonder whether I could buy those vinyl stick on letters and do it myself...
Yours
Kelly in Ohio... where I unloaded my lovely salt firing Monday, and loaded and fired the gas kiln Tuesday -- both with the assistance of my offspring "staff" -- will load and fire two kilns of my guild class ware tonight, and a load of my bisque at home -- then unload the gas at school tomorrow and finish moving out of my EMU studio... Meanwhile postcards, kids' classes and appointments, sticky letters and a shelf, and my mom arranged morning at the spa, tomorrow, as a graduation gift ;0) Manicure, pedicure, haircut and massage. Moms rock.
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logan johnson on wed 28 may 08
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Kelly Savino wrote: Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time productively when there's nothing going on?
Hey there Kelly,
I like to carve on pots when I'm sitting around. If possible I'll put a trash can between my knees & let the little bits fall into that but if I don't have a trash can then I double bag the piece using plastic grocery bags & only uncover the area I'm working on. then I let the little bits fall into the bags & empty them out later. I've done this at street fairs, in the car, on the bus, in restaurants & doctors offices & never left ANY kind of mess.
Hope this helps,
Logan
Logan Johnson
Yakima Valley Pottery & Supply
719 W Nob Hill Blvd. Ste C
Yakima, WA 98902
509.469.6966
www.audeostudios.com
"Carpe Argillam!!"
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Kelly Savino <primalmommy@MAIL2OHIO.COM> wrote: Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time productively when there's nothing going on?
Hey there Kelly,
I like to carve on pots when I'm sitting around. If possible I'll put a trash can between my knees & let the little bits fall into that but if I don't have a trash can then I double bag the piece using plastic grocery bags & only uncover the area I'm working on. then I let the little bits fall into the bags & empty them out later. I've done this at street fairs, in the car, on the bus, in restaurants & doctors offices & never left ANY kind of mess.
Hope this helps,
Logan
size=3>Logan Johnson Yakima Valley Pottery & Supply 719 W Nob Hill Blvd. Ste C Yakima, WA 98902 509.469.6966
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Geraldine Wallace on wed 28 may 08
I suggest you draw...gerry wallace
Mayssan Farra on wed 28 may 08
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Kelly Said:=0A=0A=0ADo those of you who do street fairs have ideas about ho=
w to fill time productively when there's nothing going on?=0A=0AI'll be "si=
tting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee, all day, and I'm n=
ot good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session and it's kind of a ghost t=
own around there, so it's likely to be dead.=0A=0AHello Kelly:=0AI belong t=
o Gallery Eleven, a Co-op of artists and I am the only potter, we=A0each wa=
tch the gallery 2 days a month.=0AThe=A0gallery is quite, how did you put i=
t?, dead:) . anyway the things=A0I do:=0A=09* =A0Sudoku=0A=09* catch up on =
my reading=0A=09* design marketing meaterial for the gallery and for me.=0A=
=09* cross word puzzles=0A=09* work on book marks for a project for=A0our a=
rt organization=0A=09* work on designing my next pottery project=0A=09* mak=
e little clayanimals to put with my claybeings.=0A=09* sudoku=0ANow you not=
ice, not all of it is=A0productive but that is the nature of the beast. plu=
s they say puzzles are goog excercise for the brain especially after 60.=0A=
I certainly do not envy you sitting for so many consecutive days, I hope ot=
hers would be more helpful.=0ACongratulations on finishing your degree and =
looking forward to seeing pictures of your exhibit.=0AMayssan=0Aenjoying th=
e great weather we are having today in Charleston, WV=0Aoh and Taylor! how =
did you get that lime green and orange color on your post, I could not get =
it.=0A=A0=0AMayssan Shora Farra=0Ahttp://www.clayvillepottery.com=0Ahttp://=
clayette.blogspot.com=0A=0A=0A
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Kelly Said:
Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time productively when there's nothing going on?
I'll be "sitting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee, all day, and I'm not good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session and it's kind of a ghost town around there, so it's likely to be dead.
Hello Kelly:
I belong to Gallery Eleven, a Co-op of artists and I am the only potter, we each watch the gallery 2 days a month.
The gallery is quite, how did you put it?, dead:) . anyway the things I do:
- Sudoku
- catch up on my reading
- design marketing meaterial for the gallery and for me.
- cross word puzzles
- work on book marks for a project for our art organization
- work on designing my next pottery project
- make little clayanimals to put with my claybeings.
- sudoku
Now you notice, not all of it is productive but that is the nature of the beast. plus they say puzzles are goog excercise for the brain especially after 60.
I certainly do not envy you sitting for so many consecutive days, I hope others would be more helpful.
Congratulations on finishing your degree and looking forward to seeing pictures of your exhibit.
Mayssan
enjoying the great weather we are having today in Charleston, WV
oh and Taylor! how did you get that lime green and orange color on your post, I could not get it.
Mayssan Shora Farra
http://www.clayvillepottery.com
http://clayette.blogspot.com
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Elizabeth Priddy on wed 28 may 08
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The kinko's letters will peel the paint off.
Your own vinyl ones will do the same.
The plexiglass will look good, but used frosted plex as it will disguise whatever you mount it with. It also looks better and disguises fingerprints because people for some strange unknown reason touch signs they are reading.
Scotch tape makes those pull and release wall mount tabs that do work and do not destroy paint. Although you shouldn't worry about this too much. If you look in your show contract, it will tell you who is responsible for gallery touch up after hanging. They usually provide the paint as they want the exact match and tey have it on hand. But you usually have to return it to the state it was provided.
I hung and sat a gallery for 5 years. Catch up on your reading. You can look at it as a forced week lying on the beach reading. A reasonable reward for two years of dedicated work, no?
If the person at the desk is doing anything, it tends to annoy the customers, as they might want to ask questions and they will feel like they are bothering you if you are hands on into anything. A sketchbook that is put down as they arrive is ok. We had serious problems with this at our gallery. The artists considered the customers a bother to 'their' studio time when they sat the gallery. This is wrong-headed. You are there to wait and serve, even if it is your show.
And music in the room is a lifesaver. It also makes it easier for the guests to talk quietly without them feeling weird because you are listening.
Good luck with it and congratulations. You deserve all the best.
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Natural Instincts Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
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The kinko's letters will peel the paint off. Your own vinyl ones will do the same. The plexiglass will look good, but used frosted plex as it will disguise whatever you mount it with. It also looks better and disguises fingerprints because people for some strange unknown reason touch signs they are reading. Scotch tape makes those pull and release wall mount tabs that do work and do not destroy paint. Although you shouldn't worry about this too much. If you look in your show contract, it will tell you who is responsible for gallery touch up after hanging. They usually provide the paint as they want the exact match and tey have it on hand. But you usually have to return it to the state it was provided. I hung and sat a gallery for 5 years. Catch up on your reading. You can look at it as a forced week lying
on the beach reading. A reasonable reward for two years of dedicated work, no? If the person at the desk is doing anything, it tends to annoy the customers, as they might want to ask questions and they will feel like they are bothering you if you are hands on into anything. A sketchbook that is put down as they arrive is ok. We had serious problems with this at our gallery. The artists considered the customers a bother to 'their' studio time when they sat the gallery. This is wrong-headed. You are there to wait and serve, even if it is your show. And music in the room is a lifesaver. It also makes it easier for the guests to talk quietly without them feeling weird because you are listening. Good luck with it and congratulations. You deserve all the best.
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
Natural Instincts
Conference Information:
http://downtothepottershouse.com/NaturalInstincts.html
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7973282@N03/
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KATHI LESUEUR on wed 28 may 08
On May 28, 2008, at 11:48 AM, Kelly Savino wrote:
> Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill
> time productively when there's nothing going on?
>
> I'll be "sitting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee,
> all day, and I'm not good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session
> and it's kind of a ghost town around there, so it's likely to be dead.
>
> (Jeff is sitting the show for me on Friday and taking it down,
> because I am hauling a vanload of girl scouts to the national
> camporee in Hershey, PA.)
>
> Anyway, I am racking my brain for useful projects I can do sitting
> at a little white desk in a gallery doorway.
>
> So far I have:
>
> 1.) Sewing merit patches on scout vests and blankets
>
> 2.) Working on my taxes (I had to file an extension)
>
> 3.) Sitting with my laptop and deleting the several hundred old
> emails in my inbox
>
> OK... so what do I do on day two?
>
> Any ideas would be much appreciated!
This post was just what I needed to write something that has been
kicking around in my brain for a while. It may not apply to your
particular situation but it does apply to selling at fairs.
During the credit card discussion someone wrote, "I don't have time
to train my customers to buy with cash." I've never tried to train
my customers to buy with cash. But, I do have an approach to selling
at fairs. That is to make it a happy experience for everyone who
wanders into my booth whether they buy something or not. I want them
to enjoy the experience. If they do, they'll come back. I NEVER read
in my booth. I never eat in my booth. I never sleep in my booth. I
avoid long conversations in my booth with other artists. I'm there to
serve the people who come. I greet everyone. There is always
something to say. If the weather is lousy I thank them for coming out
to see us on this lousy day. If the weather is great I thank them for
coming out to see us rather than work in their yard. If they are
looking at something in particular I tell them something about the
item that might not be obvious, "That tray is just the right size to
serve anything you make in a loaf pan. Great for bread or meatloaf."
I never say, "If you have any questions just ask" and then go back
to my book or something. They probably won't. If you are reading,
eating, sleeping, engaged in a deep conversation with another artist
they won't want to bother you.
There is a jeweler on the circuit that other jewelers seem to hate.
He's very successful and they don't like that he takes more than his
"share" of the sales. But, while they are sitting reading, he's
polishing his cases or jewelry so that if someone stops for even a
second he can engage them. So, he sells while his fellow jewelers
aren't even aware when someone stops for a moment to look.
Two years ago a friend who had never sold pots (a retired professor)
helped me with fairs while my partner was undergoing chemo. She was a
natural. I'd forgotten grey duct tape to tape down a carpet. All we
had was white. So there was a white line at the front of the booth.
She would tell people who were looking in that we had turned off the
electricity so they could now cross the white line. They'd look,
laugh, and walk in the booth. She had a great sense of when to talk
and when to let them just wander. She was shameless in her praise.
"Isn't this great work. I can say that because I'm not the artists.
I'm just here helping Kathi while here partner is going through
chemo." That would start a conversation because everyone has,
themselves, or a family member gone through the same thing. My
partner was on church prayer lists all over the country and got cards
and calls from perfect strangers. We had become people, friends, not
just potters. If they decided to buy something they were feeling so
good, in such a happy mood, that when we explained that we didn't
take credit cards but they could send a check, it didn't matter.
They liked us, wanted to buy from us, and were willing to do what
ever was needed to pay. If they didn't find something they wanted at
least they went away feeling good and, maybe, bought from someone else.
People wonder how I've been so successful with having people send
checks. I make them my friend. They feel a connection. I tell other
artists it's as much about the story as the work. Some get it others
don't. I have people who've bought from me for twenty years. I have
customers I stay with at certain shows because they've become friends
and insist. I have three women customers who travel from Maryland to
Ann Arbor every year to see the fair and come to our artists open
house on set up day. I no longer do the Maryland show. But, if they
want something I just send it. We e-mail all of the time and now they
have their friends buying from us.
If the person in your booth is only important if they buy, you'll
never build up repeat business. If you don't engage them and make
them feel welcome you'll never build up repeat business. If you sew,
read, work on papers or anything else that tells them that you aren't
interested in them you won't build up repeat business.
When you are at a show you are at your job. Treat it as such and it
will become a success. Treat it as an annoyance and you won't be a
success.
Kathi
>
>
gayle bair on wed 28 may 08
Kathi,
Anyone who ignores what you wrote is asking for a frustrating career
doing shows.
I responded similarly but erased it when I saw your insightful and
truthful posting.
Listen to Kathi she is spot on!
Gayle Bair
Tucson AZ
Bainbridge Island WA
gayle@claybair.com
www.claybair.com
> On May 28, 2008, at 11:48 AM, Kelly Savino wrote:
>
>> Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill
>> time productively when there's nothing going on?
>> snip<
On May 28, 2008, at 2:49 PM, KATHI LESUEUR wrote:
> When you are at a show you are at your job. Treat it as such and it
> will become a success. Treat it as an annoyance and you won't be a
> success.
>
> Kathi
>>
>>
Lee Love on wed 28 may 08
On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 4:49 PM, KATHI LESUEUR
wrote:
> When you are at a show you are at your job. Treat it as such and it will
> become a success. Treat it as an annoyance and you won't be a success.
Well said Kathi. I was thinking similarly.
In Japanese, the word for honored guest and customer are the
same: Okyakusama. Making folks feel like honored guests is your
job. Selling is peripheral to that, but folks that feel special buy
more of your things. They are buying the "you" in the thing. That is
what makes "handmade" special.
--
Lee Love in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
http://claycraft.blogspot.com/
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is
rounded with a sleep." --PROSPERO Tempest Shakespeare
patsgreenpots on thu 29 may 08
Fill out residency forms
fill out show forms
call patrick
update resume
update CV
breathe
worry about the lighting
Update portfolio
yoga
go to lunch
nap, nap , nap some more
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Kelly Savino wrote:
>
> Do those of you who do street fairs have ideas about how to fill time
> productively when there's nothing going on?
>
> I'll be "sitting" my gallery show monday through thursday next wee, all
> day, and I'm not good at monotasking (lol) It's spring session and it's
> kind of a ghost town around there, so it's likely to be dead.
>
> (Jeff is sitting the show for me on Friday and taking it down, because I
> am hauling a vanload of girl scouts to the national camporee in Hershey,
> PA.)
>
> Anyway, I am racking my brain for useful projects I can do sitting at a
> little white desk in a gallery doorway.
>
> So far I have:
>
> 1.) Sewing merit patches on scout vests and blankets
>
> 2.) Working on my taxes (I had to file an extension)
>
> 3.) Sitting with my laptop and deleting the several hundred old emails
> in my inbox
>
> OK... so what do I do on day two?
>
> Any ideas would be much appreciated!
>
> Also: I would like to put the title of my show and my name on the
> gallery wall, I am told Kinkos will make them, but am also told they are
> hard to remove form a wall afterwards. Hubby suggests putting them on a
> piece of plexiglass and mounting that to the wall.
>
> Anybody have ideas? I wonder whether I could buy those vinyl stick on
> letters and do it myself...
>
> Yours
> Kelly in Ohio... where I unloaded my lovely salt firing Monday, and
> loaded and fired the gas kiln Tuesday -- both with the assistance of my
> offspring "staff" -- will load and fire two kilns of my guild class ware
> tonight, and a load of my bisque at home -- then unload the gas at
> school tomorrow and finish moving out of my EMU studio... Meanwhile
> postcards, kids' classes and appointments, sticky letters and a shelf,
> and my mom arranged morning at the spa, tomorrow, as a graduation gift
> ;0) Manicure, pedicure, haircut and massage. Moms rock.
>
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