I was here in town yesterday, on the waterfront at Ithaca Artist Market at the farmer's market. Our farmer's market is HUGE, like the Empire State Building, and just as iconic (for Ithaca). People come from around the world to eat curried cauliflower and buy striped eggplant on the lakefront...but one day a year it is all art. 80-90 of us! It is a large permanent structure, and is awesome because all the booths are ready and waiting for you to simply add stuff (you don't need to pack tables!) under a roof (you don't need to pack a tent!) and you park next to your spot (NO SCHLEPPING!).
Customers get the lake, food, music, art, so 2-8 on a July Friday becomes a BIG party.
I go 12 months without seeing some people, and it is a HUGE homecoming for the town, seeing all your friends! The wife came along and was a good luck charm, and I was easily able to exceed my goals for the day.
How to describe this. Many people take my picture. The pics above were taken by Stev0 and Nance. But strangers? Someone taking a picture of my whole booth and others is one thing, but I like to be asked. Nobody ever asks.
A young woman who looked Chinese quickly walked up and grabbed my hippo teapot, positioned it just so, and started to take its picture before I jumped in front of it and warned her to get permission. She and the people with her ran off. It was probably innocent but.....the wife reminds me of scouts from Chinese industry going to stores and fairs and scooping ideas, no SH!T.......
......and ANYWAY......
here is the lakefront and docks--boats pull right up to the market....
My booth, down on the right with the wee blue table...
My best pal Christi Sobel was down the way....don't YOU want those hand painted shoes...or the cute kid who could wear them?
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10 comments:
It looks wonderful, Gary! And I never even thought about the picture thing.
I totally agree about your position on pictures. Thanks. May you have a great day. I'm off to our tent under the trees in the park.
Your display looks awesome; so glad it was a success.
I never thought about the picture thing either, but it seems that asking first is the way to go!
Wonderful! Except for the photo lady.
This market looks like a great place to spend time (even for those of us averse to crowds). You raise an important point about photo permission and protecting your work. My wife talks about some of the attempts at poaching she hears about and has seen in her craft with weaving, spinning, and other fiber work.
We often have people in our gallery snapping photos without asking, the same at shows. The League of NH Craftsmen remind everyone in our fair packets that we have the right to say "no photos please". I will say that there are fewer at that show snapping photos, I think it attracts a more educated market.
Glad to hear you exceeded expectations in sales!
Given some things I've read lately about companies stealing artists work --not just a general idea, but creating mass-produced identical things-- I'd be worried too. Plus, it's just rude to treat someone else's art as your photo-opportunity without permission.
What a cool thing! I didn't take any photos at the La Jolla Art Show a couple of weeks ago--they had lots of signs posted and I can see the logic of it.
What a cool annual tradition.
What a great looking market space. Wish we had something like that as putting the tent up and down every time is a pain. Turn up/set up sounds fantastic. Your display looks fantastic too!
Gary, I understand your position on permission. I have another artist that has merchandise in my store who actually was a victim of the "take pictures and mass produce in China" scheme. Luckily her design had copyright and she is now collecting royalties and fees from this infringement. However, how does one copyright sculpture, art, pottery? You can become a victim of this on Etsy, as well.
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