ATCs

Today I was focused on making artist trading cards. I sent a couple pictures to my sister and she wanted to know what people did with them. I said they trade them like baseball cards only with art. But then what does the end recipient do with them? I finally found a picture of a lady who displayed all that she had collected up on the wall and sent that to her.

Being girls we never traded baseball cards. I imagine there are girls out there that did don’t write to me yelling at me. But we didn’t and so now it stands to reason we wonder what people do with them after they have 60 or 70 or 100 trading cards. I know there are binders you can put them in and use the plastic Pockets like they do for baseball cards. So I’m just wondering do you collect artist trading cards? And if you do how do you store them? Or has it never occurred to you.? Some people sell them, some people trade them. I saw them on Etsy for $20 and more. I’m still working on some of these but here is where I’m at.

Live in 5

I started a new feature on my Facebook art page and I call it “Live in 5”. I only do it on Fridays but I create a video with 5 minutes warning figuring most people aren’t going to be watching it at that time anyway but you can watch it later and it stays posted for 30 days. Each time, I try to create something that would be easy enough for anyone to do with things found around the house. This obviously centers around collage art. Last week, I did one on a postcard size piece of watercolor paper, and this week, I moved it up to a 6×8 page in an art journal that I have. An art Journal being just a book that I create art in when I have time. I wanted to share the end result with you and let you know that if you wanted to see the video, you can go see it on my Facebook page, Ruth Inman art. ( https://www.facebook.com/ruthinmanart?mibextid=ZbWKwL )

The Art of Open Air Art Fairs

In my part of the country the weather is warming up and with that will come Art Fair Season! Soon there will be fairs of some kind every weekend and people will be choosing which to attend and what to see and buy. If you are an artist, you may be getting ready for one or two of these shows yourself. But what if this is your First season of fairs? What if it’s your Very First Outdoor show~!? What do you need? Where do you look? How do you decide?

I was fortunate when I set up for my first art show outside, in that I had previously set up outside at Vendor Shows with my Tupperware booth. So I knew some of the hurdles and how to conquer them. But there were new ones that I didn’t see coming…

The first basic thing you will need is a canopy tent. There are many to choose from which makes it more dificult. So here are a few things to take into consideration.

• It needs to be 10′ x 10′ (to conform to the guidelines of the show spaces assigned)

• It’s best if it’s White. (1) it will reflect the sun best and stay the coolest and (2) Some shows require your tent be white in order to present a uniformed look overall.

• Legs – straight legs are best for a couple reasons: (1) they won’t trip people walking by (2) they will allow the walls to hang straight so you can hang art on the walls (3) the ones with slanted legs dont generally accomodate walls for that reason. (4) straight legs are usually square shaped and more sturdy. (4) they will make best use of the ‘air space’ of your tent, as it goes straight up and doesn’t taper inward.

• Weights – Legs need weights so they dont blow away on concrete surfaces, and even when you are on grass, you cant be sure of stakes going into the ground easily or deep enough, so weights are your best overall solution. However, after trying a few different methods, I can tell you I prefer Water Weights – why? Because you can EMPTY them after the show and not lift them into your vehicle again! Short of that, sand weights are 2nd best. There are many ways to accomplish water weights, 2 of the best are – 5 gallon buckets you tie to each leg, or Plastic milk cartons. Even though 1 gallon only weighs a little more than 8 pounds, remember you have 4 legs and 32 pounds will usually hold your tent down. Of course if you feel you need more.. 5 gallon or even 3 gallon buckets will also work well, providing you can get water at the site of the show. You wouldnt want to carry open buckets of water in your car./

• Sides – way too big of a subject for here. Google it. There are many different sides you can use depending on what you plan to do with them. Will they be just walls? Or will you have art hanging from them? Or other hanging systems? Again… google it and look at a few YouTube videos to get ideas.

• Payment system! you need a way to take Credit/Debit cards. If you don’t have one yet, start NOW so you’re prepared and try a practice ‘sale’ using a credit card and a debit card of someone in your family ($1). I have 3 types I can use mainly because phones have evolved and no longer have the hole needed to plug in the Square I got decades ago! Now the Square has a bluetooth reader – works great, but remember you will NEED wifi of some sort. If the area you are going to doesnt have it, LEARN how to set your phone up as a “Hot Spot” which is using your Cellular service to provide the Internet/WiFi needed. Learn NOW, not at the show.
  • Fees for payment systes – here is a list that will give you an idea.

• Practice… practice… practice. Even practice setting up your booth! If you have a backyard (or front yard!) set up your tent. You might even get some neighbors to come by and see what you’re doing! (could be a sale there) If you have no yard space, at least set up the inner part of your booth in your living room. Use some tape lightly placed on the carpet to mark out 10×10 and see what you have. You’ll be glad you did.

Well that’s it for now. If you have questions, feel free to write to me and I’ll do my best to answer!

Building Art

Granted this has nothing to do with My art… but a friend of mine is on a Vacay over in Europe.. Paris, and more and posted pictures on her blog to which one person (Rob) replied about some painted people crawling all over a building in Duisburg (Germany). Well i had to see this… so… here they are! Not just painted, but Giant Sticky men!!

HOW FUN!! Now in all fairness, this reply came in a post pertaining to a 5-story fiberglass statue of artist Yayoi Kusama, standing in the median strip of the Rue du Pont Neuf on the Right Bank. In a promotion for Louis Vuitton, an expensive fashion designer, she stands outside their main store, painting her signature polka dots… on everything!

So now you see the whole story… and now I will go make art.