Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Culture change

 I just got off the phone with our daughter who was currently calling from a small village 6 hours southeast of Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. It's a good thing her mother and I are early risers because phone service is so sporadic that she can only call from certain areas and unfortunately, one of them is NOT from Jorda Banda where she is living. 

She must walk 45 minutes down the road to the largest of the 5 colonies where she and her room mate, Jenny Mae are working with the orphans, just to get a cellular signal. I asked if it had anything to do with being on the backside of the mountain but she was unclear as to where the tower even was. Only that if she stood on a certain rock (appropriately called "phone rock") she was able to call out. We Americans sure do take ubiquitous phone service for grant it don't we?

She seems very happy and content but says it is hard getting use to some of the customs of this African culture. For instance, "getting the stick" seems like a fairly common occurrence. Being late to school or talking without asking for permission seems like a minor infraction to Westerners but to Africans, that is often a punishable offense requiring a public whipping. 

She asked about her brothers, nieces and nephews and of course our animals and I reported that everyone was fine. When I asked about pets there, the tone of her voice told me what I already knew and she said that even though they have dogs for pets, their looks and condition reminded her of abused animals back home. When she showed some of the village children photos of her dog Duke laying on her bed they were amazed that in America, dogs even have their own beds.

She travels next week to the east coast of the continent to spend sometime on the beaches of Mombasa, R & R she rightly deserves. Then it's back to Kasigau to resume her part in making the lives of her newly found friends a little bit better, one day at a time. I'm so proud of her.

Extended application deadlines, good or bad?

Maybe it was just the mood I was in yesterday but when I opened up an email from the Edmonds Arts Festival informing me that they've extended their application deadline, I had to laugh and I just needed to blow off some steam. Not at the good folks at Edmonds in particular but at our industry as a whole. They were just the immediate recipient of my anger.

For the past few years I've been noticing a disturbing trend amongst many art fair promoters. It seems that many of them are having a hard time filling their shows, or so it appears. I stopped counting after I hit a dozen different shows that I received notice from offering me the opportunity to apply to their show AFTER the application deadline had pasted. Why is that?

Many of my artist colleagues would be happy to receive such a email. For whatever reason they missed the deadline, on the road from a show, uncertain whether their current crop of work was worth submitting or just plain laziness could have been why they spaced on the application, but when I receive such notice, I look for the smoking gun.  OK, I grew up in the 60's with the ethos of not trusting anyone over 30, I've always looked for the real reason behind the gift horse and sure, I might be a little mistrusting when something looks too good but, why are so many show extending their deadlines? I really would like to know the truth.

All I've ever asked from my fellow artists and festival promoters was consistency and fairness. Make a rule that's plain to understand and I'll follow it. Have a policy and definition about what art belongs in what category and I'm there. Set a deadline and if I make it in time, cool. I not, my bad. What's so hard about that?

Now, I'm not that naive to not understand the logistics of putting a show. It's hard work and many times these hard workers are not compensated enough for their tasks. We artists like to vent and sometimes our venting is directed towards these show directors. Sometimes justified often times not. 

"I've done your show for the past 10 years, how dare you not invite me this year." "I asked for a booth space that was south facing, under the shade trees and close to the restroom, why didn't I get that?" "I don't care If your expenses went up, raising the booth fee $50.00 is unfair, after all, you make it up on ZAPP anyway." 

I get it. Some things we artist just don't understand. More information on your part promoters would go a long way quelling our misunderstandings. Case in point. Your deadline for show apps has pasted and you didn't even get as many apps as you have booth spaces for. That's a problem. Why did it occur? Too many past artists didn't cover their expenses doing your show? Even though your venue is set in one of the most beautiful locals imaginable, it might be a long drive for most artists given the high cost of transportation now days, plus those $200.00 a night motel rooms just aren't in an artist budget. Great place for a vacation just too expensive for us to conduct business there. Or the bigge, after 5 straight years of your ever so polite rejection letter I just ain't feeding the $35.00 into the ZAPP process for your show any more.

So how can you address this problem from your end? You can't bring the cost of gas down, nor make lodging any cheaper but you can be more honest when it comes to communicating with us artists. How about the next time you extend your application deadline you tell us which category you need applications for? Just saying that you are giving us more time doesn't cut it. Chances are if I'm a photographer or a jeweler I'm already competing with dozens or more other artists already, why add to this category? Why not mention in your email that you didn't receive enough print maker apps or textile artists? This way, if I happen to fit this need great. I get more time if I just spaced it out. If not, I didn't just add to your revenue base for nothing. Just be more informative with us.

You're always demanding that we follow your rules OK, that's fair, just be more honest with us. That isn't too much to ask, is it?

2012 Art Festival dates set, so far

Art Festivals 2012

  • Fountain Hills Great Fair, Fountain Hills AZ Feb 24, 25 & 26
  • Scottsdale Arts Festival, Scottsdale AZ March 9, 10 & 11
  • Bayou Arts Festival, Houston, TZ March 23, 24 & 25
  • Tempe Festival of the Arts, Tempe, AZ March 30, 31 & April 1
  • Woodlands Arts Festival, Woodlands, TX April 13, 14 & 15
  • Moscow Renaissance Fair- Moscow, ID  May 5 & 6
  • University Street Fair- Seattle, WA. May 19 & 20

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