Artist Towns? (Santa Fe, Tesuque, Lamy: camping, cabinet, costs)

[Sockeye]

There's an Ace Hardware or two there, and Albertson's, Raley's,Walmart, and many Mom and Pop run mercantile stores.

[Lovehound]

I'm favoring Santa Fe. And I expect Taos is colder than SF. SF is already about my limit for cold.

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by iriegirl

ziaAirmac, what are you going to be selling at the festival?

This is the kind of stuff I do:

[Devin Bent]

ziaAirmac,

Those are fantastic. I love tin work. When I was eight years old we drove west through New Mexico and my parents bought tin work. But we went back to Washington DC and did not apply a coat of shellac. Needless to say it rusted in a humidity that approaches being underwater. We could have rescued it, I'm sure, but my Dad was not much of a do-it-your-selfer.

Do you have a shop where you sell to the public?

[Lovehound]

Hey Airmac, you're my kind of people!!! I love all handicrafts although I wouldn't necessarily buy every kind, but it's fun to see that stuff, and even better it's fun to do it as a hobby and maybe make some money on the side. I do stained glass although I've been inactive for quite some time. I hope to resume it soon, like as soon as I relocate I expect I'll want to do some of the windows in my new home. Just the last week or so I've become interested in custom soap making (all vegetable soaps) and I can tell already that I'm going to be having soap coming out of my ears if I don't figure out a way to sell it. Like first batch maybe 20 bars, typical batch 40 bars. I doubt if I use 40 bars in a year!

I'm going to need some kind of craft shows or something to sell my stuff. I'll be interested in hearing from other craft enthusiasts about how you sell your stuff, particularly if it's in Santa Fe.

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

...
Please tell us a bit about selling crafts in Santa Fe,...

First, there are three main bodies of art in Santa Fe: Spanish Colonial, American Indian and fine art. To get into one of the major shows or larger galleries, you're generally going to have to come from one of these bodies. That said, there is a huge grass-roots art community with all kinds of classes available and many shows on a smaller scale. Some of the shows are put on by local businesses who just make their lot available. Also, the Flea Market north of town (I remember when it was Trader Jack's (in name and ownership) and run on Cerillos Rd where the Jackalope pottery is now. They used to run everything out of this red shack and Jack's wife was the friendliest Texas lass you've ever met. The frito pies were to die for.....I'm hungry.) has gone from a place to have a 'garage sale on a blanket' to more of a bazaar format. You're competing with some cr@p importers, but there's no jurying, so what you lay out is what you can potentially sell. The trick to moving your stuff successfully is to network with other artists at your level, get into the Reporter and see where the local 'small' shows are, and start to be a part of them. We just had 'Earth Day' in Nob Hill. I bought a gorgeous carving of birds on a piece of river wood from a guy that was set up at one of the tables.

A lot of people waste time and money busting their heads against the big shows, believing that being in big, juried shows will net big dollars. It's a falsehood. The big shows come with big booth fees and big time commitments. I know the retirees don't have a direct cost to their time, but it's still valuable. Imagine giving a weekend of your time, all the set up and break down work and a $500 booth fee just to have a slow selling weekend. It's a much more bearable pain, when the fee was like $20 and the show was just an afternoon.

Listen to how the other artists interact with people at shows, and be gregarious and ready to talk about the 'craft' of your work. People love to have a story, no matter how mundane, to go with a piece. It's one of the things that separates the artwork from a ChinaMart gift they could pick up at home. They would be so excited to tell their friend, as the friend opened up a handmade package of soap, "And the guy said he used to be an Electrical Engineer in Los Angeles, but up and left one day to end up in Santa Fe selling hand made soap! Can you believe it?" (to oooohs and aaahhhhs.) "The best part is he only charged me $30.00 for this piece of soap!".

Ok, I made that last part up, but you get the point.

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

... But we went back to Washington DC and did not apply a coat of shellac. Needless to say it rusted ...
Do you have a shop where you sell to the public?

The funny thing it was probably 3-5 times as valuable rusted! I actually have vendors who ask me to sell them pre-rusted pieces (I don't do that since my work represents a family tradition that re-created the look of silverwork.).

I didn't realize you were connected to D.C. Devin. I spent a few years in Fairfax County and worked in Bethesda & Alexandria for some of it. My dad still lives out where RT. 50 meets the Shennandoah.

I don't do a shop. I'm too busy raising lil one's, but I do sell to local vendors occasionally, like the Museum Gift shops, Earth Spirits in the Sunport, and Rio Lindo Furniture in Albuquerque. I also sell direct and at shows throughout the year.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by ziaAirmac

My dad still lives out where RT. 50 meets the Shennandoah.

Talk about what used to be. I lived for many years in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. But it is entirely ruined by development, air pollution, water pollution, billboards, trophy homes, subdivisions, and a politics that welcomed all degradation -- it is economic development. The mountains disappeared from view. The sky turned gray. The breeze stunk. The Shenandoah reeked. We had to leave.

Then I get on here and see people so enthusiastic about growth and saying that there is water enough for all comers. Is it only a question of time for New Mexico??

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by ziaAirmac

First, there are three main bodies of art in Santa Fe: Spanish Colonial, American Indian and fine art.

Thanks for your addressing my question, but I don't fit into any of those.

Now I am interested in doing what falls into "fine art" but only as a hobby. I won't be selling any of that stuff. It's more for me initially and for my friends if I get better. This is drawing and ink and pastel and maybe water color. A hobby only.

The craft that I can do now is stained glass. The funny thing is that art runs in my family, and due to my electronic background I've been soldering since I was about 8-10 years old, so stained glass is a piece of cake for me. I'm sure I can do first rate work right now except for lack of experience in large pieces, but I could begin doing small and medium stuff today and ready to sell soon. But this is in no way related to Spanish or Indian, and stained glass is a handicraft, not fine art.

The hand made soap again isn't Spanish, isn't Indian, isn't fine art. It's just a handicraft. I don't see this stuff fitting in as being specific to Santa Fe. It's just specific to people who like a nice mild product that looks, smells and feels good, something without a lot of synthetic crap and dead animals in it. BTW probably sell for $4-$5 per bar if you're curious. This is like olive oil soap etc.

That Trader Jack's flea market, what's it all about? I mean does Jack have the building and you rent a table or booth for him? Or consignment? I have no frame of reference here.

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

..Talk about what used to be. I lived for many years in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. ...The Shenandoah reeked. We had to leave. Then I get on here and see people so enthusiastic about growth ...

You just want to shake them by the shoulders and say: "You don't know what you have, and what you're asking for!"