Just back from the craft show... (Somewhat long)
Ron Williams
a reason to turn 50 or more pieces in a year. I asked my mentor and
friend, "If you would do only one show a year, which whould you do?" He
responded, "Phelps Mill. Its a juried show in the lake country of
Minnesota (near us) with 175 artisans, and many people come to buy."
With my wife's support, I entered and was accepted. The event was last
weekend, and if you have the patience, I have some comments to share.
I brought 15 bowls, mostly ash, elm and maple, and mostly closed forms
with turned rims (one or two natural edge bowls), plus one spectacular
birch burl bowl - natural edge, 20" diameter, phenomenal color. I also
brought about 12 vases or pots, and 25 lidded boxes. Prices on the
bowls ranged from $45 to $70, vessels from $45 to 60, boxes from $20 to
40. I marked the birch bowl at $200 just to set the tone (plus I'm in
no hurry to sell it - its the best I've done to date.)
We set up for a two day sale, rented a 10x10 pop-up canopy, used one 8'
table with some risers, and white tablecloths to let the wood show. We
had several comments on how nice the booth looked, so aside from
fine-tuning the layout, I'm satisfied that my work was presented well. I
also set up a small table with a gallery of pictures, and an offer to
turn "heritage bowls" - bowls as gifts turned from trees that have
meaning to the user. I displayed a vase I turned from a tree taken from
my great-grandfather's homestead.
In two days of sales, I sold 7 boxes and a vase. I'd be discouraged,
except that I talked with a number of vendors and found that they all
had the same experience. Maybe its a local phenomenon - Minnesotans are
mostly Norwegians, Swedes, and Germans from Russia who don't jump into
things right away - but most said that they sold very little ther first
year of two. People came by and admired, but didn't buy. By their
third or fourth year, they had people coming to the fair specifically to
find them, and sales improved.
I also had some exciting success with networking. The vendor across the
aisle admired the big birch burl bowl, and wondered if it might be
Manzinita burl. He moved to Minnesota from California several years
ago, and brought a bunch with him - would I like to have them in
exchange for what I could turn from one? Another man stopped to tell me
that the oldest oak tree in North Dakota (documented to be several
hundred years old, and covered with burls) is to come down this fall -
its roots were washed out by a river. The locals intend to log the
trunk for lumber, but I'd be welcome to some of the burls and smaller
branches.
Finally, a woman stopped to discuss the heritage bowls, and told me that
a tree her grandfather planted almost 90 years ago is dying, and its
been documented to be the biggest tree in North Dakota. (Yes, they do
have trees in North Dakota!!)
All in all, it was a good experience. I lost money, but I got a lot of
good affirmation on my work, some great potential for wood with a
history, and a lot of people took my card after reading my piece about
heritage bowls. I will be back next year. Now I have to decide if I
want to apply for one more show this year, just to thin my stock enough
so that I need to keep turning, or if all my relatives will be getting
bowls for Christmas this year...
Thaks for the chance to ramble. If you have experiences to share, I'd
be glad to hear them!
RKW
Nick Faymoville
I live in northern Minnesota but have never heard of Phelps Mill. Would you
please enlighten me. Where are you fromand do you belong to a turning club.
I would like to hea from you.
Nick
From Bemidji, Minnesota - First City On The Mississippi.
Alexturner
Welcome to the wacky world of craft marketing. I don't think you can just do
one show a year, as it will take you forever to figure out what you are doing.
There are a lot of variables. I've done the same show for years, done well, and
then one year the show is terrible.
Your prices sound very reasonable. Of course I know nothing of your work or the
show you were in. Maybe your bowls are clunky and have a lot of sanding marks,
but I doubt it. Nobody on rec.woodturning does poor work. Selling 7 boxes is
not bad at all. A lot of my work is boxes and they don't sell well at craft
shows. I am surprised that you didn't sell more bowls, they usually do well.
Demographics are very important at craft shows. If the majority of the vendors
are doing country crafts, you will not do well, as your audience won't show up.
The market for woodturnings is affluent women between 30 and 50. Men don't
buy....if they wanted one of those, they'd make it themselves. Young couples
with children don't buy.....their money goes to shoes and food. Seniors don't
buy.....they already have all the stuff they need and are thinking of having to
get rid of it all. Before anyone jumps all over me, these are broad
generalizations gleaned from doing shows for 10 years. There are always
exceptions.
I would suggest you try several shows. You will have an investment in booth
materials anyway, you might as well get some use out of them. It's a good idea
to visit every show you can. Check out the kind of work exhibited. Check out
the demographics of the crowd. Check out other people booths for ideas on
display. Definately visit the ACC show in St. Paul next April 14 - 16 to see
how the top professionals work.
Good Luck,
John Alexander
J.T. Dunphy
Read page 4 & 5 in Rafffen's Turned-Bowl Design book. Especially 2nd
paragraph under the heading on pricing.
--
J.T.Dunphy-Turned Treasures
Ron Williams <will...@mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu> wrote in message
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