On a Neighborhood Art Fair

I participated in my first art fair as a photographer (in previous incarnations I've sold jewelry at art fairs). I combined forces with my photo-sister & traveling sidekick, Suzanne Stout. Billing ourselves as the Shutter Sisters we spent days and days prepping for our first outing.

Here's the prep list:

1. Submit application and pictures for art fair;
2. Once accepted to art fair send in check for event;
3. Start advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email;
4. Select pictures to offer for sale;
5. Set up and order photograph prints (various sizes); 
6. Setup and order canvas prints;
7. Design and order printed cards;
8. Design and order business cards;
9. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email;
10. Order the Square for processing credit cards;
11. Order cut mats and sleeves for all different sizes of photographs;
12. Frame and mat some photographs;
13. Order tent canopy;
14. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email; 
15. Sign photographs;
16. Print (or write) labels for all photographs and cards;
17. Assemble, mat, label, and sleeve all unframed photographs;
18. Assemble cards with envelopes, add labels; insert in sleeves;
19. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email; 
20. Pack up cards, matted photographs into boxes for transport;
21. Practice a trial set-up of the tent canopy;
22. Obtain weights (and tie-down ropes) for tent canopy legs;
23. Load software and do a trial run of the Square system;
24. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email; 
25. Assemble containers and display pieces for the "booth;"
26. Come up with a way to hang pictures in the booth (husband built a frame);
27. Get supplies for the day: business cards, receipt book, pens, paper, guestbook; s-hooks for hanging; rope, wire for hanging, dust cloths for pictures, labels for price tags, scissors; tape, packing materials for prints, shopping bags for customers, hand sanitizer, bandaids, aspirin, sunscreen, bug spray;
28. Design sign for booth, order print and mount from printer;
29. Get cash for change;
30. Charge cell phones to run the Square credit card system;
31. Pack cooler with lots of bottled water as well as snack food: nuts, fruit, dark chocolate, cheese;
32. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email;
33. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email; and
34. Continue advertising event date, time, etc. via Facebook, Twitter, email.

A lot. I might have left a few steps out, but in general this is all the prework that went into getting ready for the first art fair. None of this includes the time spent taking the photographs, processing the artwork, planning and thinking about the event; and actually setting it up, staffing the booth, and breaking it down.

And yes, we plan on doing it again. Saturday, August 9th at the Nicholas A. Colasanto Park, adjoining the Del Ray Artisans gallery at 2704 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia (corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Mount Vernon Avenue). This is a rain or shine event and is free and open to the public.

If you would like to see my work on a daily basis, as well as other projects I undertake, please follow me on Facebook at tART - Photography and Art by Terry Rowe,  https://www.facebook.com/tarrowe. If you'd like to purchase a print of any of my images please contact me or visit my website, http://terry-rowe.artistwebsites.com/.  You can visit Suzanne Stout's page at https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyBySuzanne.