Copper Cuff - A Craft Fair Winner
Metal Artistry's Shop on ArtFire

Having a successful Art Fair Experience.


First of all - relax.  From my experience, the calmer I am, the more I remember what I need to, the more at ease I am at the show, and the more I can focus will only help me be successful.   Once you get your own brain into line, the rest will follow more seemlessly. If you aren't 'together' your craft/art faire space will show it. 

How do you do this?  Be prepared, plan ahead, make lists and get a routine.

Start your list with main catagories:

Logistics of getting there: map, contacts at the show, does your car have gas, is your phone charged.
What to bring:  your inventory, your table, your business cards, your banner, your tent, props for your table (mirror, stands, decorations), lunch/drink, a chair, paper and pen for customers' emails or comments, electric cords, lighting, emergency repair kits, duct tape (a must have for me), table top cover, change, cc machine, phone card reader, packaging for your product (bags, tape, scissors and of course your business cards to include in your bag).

At the Show: Remember, a smile on your face, an unrushed attitude, an education of your customers will help your sales.  If you are flustered, you will present an un-organized persona.  No one wants to do business with that person.

After the Show: Pat yourself on the back.  You did your best whether or not you had fantastic sales, you deserve a smile.  Sometimes, it's not the sales but the contacts you made at the art fair that are more important.  Pack up delibertly.  Know where you put what so that when you do go home or to the next show, you know where things are.  Take the time to critique yourself.  Did you follow thru with your plan?  What would you change? Would you do this venue again next year?  Take the time to send a thank you note to the organizers.  Tell them the what you liked about the day, what you didn't and how you might change things to improve for next years event.  Be positive.  Don't forget to follow thru with customer requests and shipments.  Just because you aren't at the show, doesn't mean the show is over.

Plan for the next one.  Think thru your product and how it would fit into the next show you are considering.  Do you want to take credit cards? Then find a service that will allow you to do this.  Be proactive in finding new shows.  There are many resources on the internet and by interacting in your own art community you should find more.  Remember what sold at your last show.  What items were picked up? What didn't get a glance? No sense bringing a product to a show that no one wants.  Was one color better than the next? Did price seem to be the issue? Adjust your inventory accordingly.

Incorporating Color in Your Work

Color In Metalwork

One element I love to see incorporated in metalsmithed jewelry is color.  Why? Well, it just kicks up the design up a notch or two.  One of my fellow members of the ArtFire Metalsmiths guild is a shop called Tekaandzoe. 

It never fails,  as I am browsing around ArtFire checking out all the great work, I usually come across a piece that makes me go WOW!  I guess you have figured out that piece is usually from this shop.  These earrings make me smile every time I see them.  Who wouldn't want to wear these happy little things on your ear?  Tekaandzoe's work has a modern organic feel.  The colors and color combinations they use are wonderful.  I love the enamelwork - not only does it give metal color, but texture also.  They use color as a design element in conjunction with shape, size and composition.  Work well worth checking out.

Most everything in my shop has deliberate design decisions that are driven by not only how something looks but how it feels. I use an additional tool in my design tool kit, texture.

A few ways to add texture are by using a texturizing hammer, letter stamps, design stamps, etching, using a rolling mill, twisting wire or metal, adding elements on top of other elements either by way of cold connections or soldering, adding stones, semiprecious stones, or found objects.

When I first decide on a general idea for a design it is typically one dimensional. This is the base for the rest of what is to come. For the texturized heart with pearl in my shop, I sketched out the heart shape then decided on how to hang it with the bail. I knew this was not going to be it...I have to put a little lipstick on this puppy.

I had just finished a weekend retreat class that had a rolling mill component to it. We designed our own brass etched pattern and used it with the rolling mill. I thought that since the design of this heart was so simple, I wanted to add some design by way of the rolling mill. I pulled out other etched patterns I had since made and used a cut out pattern of the heart to decide which one would look best. Some had an overall pattern that was too large, some to industrial looking, and then I found the one. I cut a square of sterling sheet out that would more than be enough to cut out the heart. I then used the pattern and rolled it thru my new rolling mill. Perfect... I then glued the pattern to the silver and cut out the heart. After forging the bail I soldered it on. Oh dear, still a little plain Jane. Luckily for me, I don't clean up my bench. Right in front of me I found a pearl left over from some other beautiful piece of jewelry and placed it on the heart. Oh....too small. The scale was off but the color was right. Off to the stash to find a more appropriate sized pearl. Yippee! All my trips to the bead stores paid off...I had the perfect pearl. I soldered on the bezel and set the pearl (adding a little glue first inside the bezel). Now, almost done...I just had to oxidize this to show off the beautiful pattern. Cool Tools now has a liver of sulfur product that is a gel...so much better than anything else I have used. Warmed up the water...put in the gel, added the piece and what I had was magic. I love this piece.  Metal_Artistry.ArtFire.com