As a Central Calif. artist in a rural place without galleries, I rely on little art festivals, craft fairs, boutiques and other events to meet the public and sell my work. It is lovely to hide away at home in my studio, but people will forget about me and my work, no one will want drawing lessons or to commission me for paintings or drawings, no one will think of my note cards or remember that I also paint murals. Then I’ll have to get a job.

I’d rather die.

So, I do these little shows whenever they make sense. Sometimes I have to miss a regular one because of a family wedding or graduation, or because we are closing the cabin that weekend or maybe a new one coincides (collides?) on the same date.

It is hard to decide which will be worth the effort. Is the show established or new? Does it charge an admission fee to the public? Do the organizers know how to publicize? How much is the cost of the booth? Do I have work that will appeal to the sector that is likely to attend? Will anyone attend?

Participants must commit months ahead, fill out applications, pay entry fees, reconfigure electronic files to match the requests for samples of work, rewrite biographies, and fend off requests for freebies. The artist/vendor has to learn if set up is on show day or a day ahead, find out how much space is available (10×10′ is the most common), and learn if there is Wifi available (for taking credit cards).

This artist has to learn if her husband’s pick-em-up truck will be available, or maybe the Botmobile, or maybe I will be strapping display screens to the rack on top of my 2-door Accord.

As the time approaches, I begin tailoring my merchandise to the area. For example, if it is near Mineral King, I go through my cards, prints and paintings to make sure that everything I have of Mineral King is available. If it is in Lemon Cove, I look through my merchandise and find anything related to citrus or to the area around Lemon Cove. If it is Visalia, I scratch my head and try to figure out what might appeal to city folks. I also take into account the seasons: for example, if it is in the fall, I bring a few paintings of pumpkins and autumn leaves; if it is spring, I include artwork with wildflowers. Sometimes I do something special for the show, like new cards or a few paintings specific to the area.

The day before set-up, I begin gathering all my supports: display screens, screen covers, free-standing pedestals, table-top easels, tablecloths, and anything else that the sometimes unknown and never-before-seen spot will require. Then I figure out how many paintings, drawings, cards, prints, coloring books, Cabins of Wilsonia books, and other miscellaneous merchandise will go.

My experience is that I need a giant painting or drawing to catch visitor attention in spite of the fact that those rarely sell at an event like this. People may bring $200 but they want to get as much merchandise as possible for their money, so the least expensive items sell quickest. There are exceptions but this is Tulare County, and what is inexpensive for art in other places is perceived as astronomical around here.

Cards and prints often need to be repackaged and repriced. With or without sales tax? Will I be handling my own $ or will it go to a central cashier? Does it have an old price sticker on it? What is the price of that on my website? Why did the previous gallery put a sticker on that says “6 cards” when it already said “4 cards”? (Have I had these things too long? Why am I doing this again?)

Do I have enough business cards? flyers about drawing lessons? flyers about commissions? price stickers? receipt books? pens? signs about prices of paintings and other merchandise?

Is the iPad charged? Shall I take my camera? Did I get small enough bills? (Several years ago I started pre-pricing everything to include tax, rounded to the nearest dollar so that I no longer need a cash box or coins, a brilliantly simple decision.)

Everything has to be packed into boxes, and loaded into (or onto) the vehicle. Every single time, I forget the best way to fit it in. Every time I am amazed that it is the support equipment that hogs the room and the merchandise is only a small part of the load. Every time I question what I am taking – enough? too much? the right things?

If set-up occurs the day before the show, it uses up a day of driving if the show is far away, even just 35 miles down the hill (gotta get groceries as long as I’m there!) But it makes the day of the show is easier. If set-up happens the day of the show, it means leaving at O-dark-thirty, unloading, setting up, and then summoning up a cheerful attitude while other vendors waste time chit-chatting, the organizers aren’t sure where your paperwork is, someone else is set up in your spot, and there is no convenient parking for unloading or a clear place to park afterward.

And all that is part of preparing for a show. The show and the break-down of the show is another stack of paragraphs. Are you tired yet?

P.S. I used to do a 3 day show at the Visalia Convention Center that cost hundreds of dollars to enter, required Trail Guy to take a day off work and bring his pick-up, along with my Dad and Mom and their pickup, and my friend let me dismantle her front window store display to use her tables. That show has folded, and no one has matched their grandeur (or high dollars earned) since.