One more day of Art in the Vineyard, this art show I am participating in. I am amazed that I have not done this show before. I have been invited many times but it is always in July, my busy season, and I just didn't have the time. Now it is different. I am retired and have all the time in the world but I don't have the strength that I used to have. I am not after the big jobs, nothing too heavy. I could have sold a lot of benches at this exhibition, there were none there. My benches are serpentine, curvy and heavy. I seldom make them any more because of the effort at moving them. I can make butterflies and saw some great ones there, made from spoons and forks and drill bits and stuff of imagination but I leave that to others. If I make three of one thing that is a lot to me and I am on to something else.
I brought three truckloads of stuff to this garden show and will probably bring about a half truck back to my shop, not bad by any measure. My main attraction were the easels. Easels. Art. "Art for the garden", get it? I brought a total of five and one real one, the very nice bench model that, at Sherry's direction, lays flat for horizontal painting. They all sold and two went to California, one to a local winery and I am not sure who bought the other two. The "painting stations" were popular too with their steel palettes and cup holders and places to put brushes.
When I introduced my arbors years ago everyone told me that arbors didn't sell well. Too much competition from imports and they were pretty inexpensive. So I studied arbors. The first home show I introduced them and had one as my entrance to my booth. A $550. dollar price tag, pretty pricey for an arbor. I sold it twelve times before I quit taking orders! Each year I would make the arbor bigger and better until the last year I did the home shows and had a model, pretty extravagant with a price of $3,500.
I sold it twice!
You can find easels on the internet, e-bay has over a thousand of them. I studied them all and most are pretty cheap. Why would I want to compete in that market? I think there must be people out there who would like a really nice easel. It is just a challenge and I have the time. I am not there yet but one sold for $200 at the show and the Gallery itself wants my $500 dollar model, the one I thought too good to bring to a garden show. I wonder what a thousand dollar easel would look like? I wonder if I could make one?
I brought three truckloads of stuff to this garden show and will probably bring about a half truck back to my shop, not bad by any measure. My main attraction were the easels. Easels. Art. "Art for the garden", get it? I brought a total of five and one real one, the very nice bench model that, at Sherry's direction, lays flat for horizontal painting. They all sold and two went to California, one to a local winery and I am not sure who bought the other two. The "painting stations" were popular too with their steel palettes and cup holders and places to put brushes.
When I introduced my arbors years ago everyone told me that arbors didn't sell well. Too much competition from imports and they were pretty inexpensive. So I studied arbors. The first home show I introduced them and had one as my entrance to my booth. A $550. dollar price tag, pretty pricey for an arbor. I sold it twelve times before I quit taking orders! Each year I would make the arbor bigger and better until the last year I did the home shows and had a model, pretty extravagant with a price of $3,500.
I sold it twice!
You can find easels on the internet, e-bay has over a thousand of them. I studied them all and most are pretty cheap. Why would I want to compete in that market? I think there must be people out there who would like a really nice easel. It is just a challenge and I have the time. I am not there yet but one sold for $200 at the show and the Gallery itself wants my $500 dollar model, the one I thought too good to bring to a garden show. I wonder what a thousand dollar easel would look like? I wonder if I could make one?
4 comments:
Jerry. I'm so happy for you . So far you've done so well, not only in selling but I can tell it has given you that motivation you so needed.. Yes, JC you CAN do anything ! hugs. Barbra
Thank you Barbra Joan, as always you are right about everything! I have been invited to a smaller show up the McKenzie River. Beautiful area. I might do that in August!
I am so proud of you, Jer!! What an amazing you weekend you had! I'd like to point out to you that you said BJ is right about everything. Remember that!! LOL
Awesome! So much for retirement! Better get started for the next show while the weather is good. So happy for you that all was a big success - I'm sure you are exhausted - I know I'm always that way after a 3-day show. Those steel easels are such a great idea..... hmmmmmmm :)
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