Bev Brandt wrote:I was wondering if this thread would get off the ground!
I'm one of the people in the crowd, not an artist...yet. My husband and I just attended a show this weekend in fact and we try not to be one of *those* customers. And my husband - being a quiet, introspective sort - seems to overhear more than I do. And he gets irritated *for* the artist.
Like the woodworker we saw...he did some beautiful, intricate work and had on display a functional piece in a pale wood. Snooty, up-scale customer says: "I love this, but it doesn't go in my bedroom. Can you make it in cherry?" *I* figured the artist might see it as a commission opportunity. He was taking down her name and giving her his card, etc. My husband thought he was probably rolling his eyes behind her back. I don't know. I don't know woodworking.
My husband also heard a woman ask a semi-local blown glass artist about "any other colors" he might have. I'm sure that's common. He just smiled and said he didn't happen to have any purple work with him that day. I'm a fan of this artist because he does great work, is local and is simply a really nice guy. So smiling about not having any purple is probably natural to him. My husband thought he should have said something like; "Purple!? You're not buying this because it'll go with your *dishes*!" But then, my husband's not manning a booth...thank goodness!
There was an artist who made (presumably fused) glass boxes and his booth was MOBBED. I wanted to check them out, but I just can't stand elbowing around like that. I wonder what kind of comments he got, glass...boxes... I do hope he did well. It was great work.
(An aside - I walk the perimeter. How do artists sell to customers who hate crowds? Or do customers like me come back when it's less crowded? Which is what I'd have liked, but I had no time...)
I did purchase a black and white print from a local architectural photographer. I purchased it while he was talking with a woman in his booth who wanted him to take a look at her work. He was very amicable as was she. She did step aside when he started to make this sale and I think she was "semi-pro." But I wonder of photographers get this a lot: "Here...I have my vacation Polaroids with me. What do you think?"
Good for your husband! I love people like him! LOL.
Once in a while a "serious" customer will hear one of these kind of comments from someone while they're in my booth and after the person leaves will say something to me about it. I just love it when they do. It lets me know that I'm not the only one who is taken aback by the comment/question.
I don't know about photographers getting that alot, but when I first started doing shows with my original stained glass work, I swear everyone who ever made a piece of stained glass from a pattern would come into my booth and show me a picture of one of their pieces and then want to take photos of my original designs so they could copy them, instead of buying the piece. Whew! Glad those days are gone. LOL.
Geri