"The day began well before the sun rose ..." The U-Haul van had been packed the previous day with the tent, parts, art and sundry, so now we just had to remember the charge card cube, iPhones, chargers, fanny-pack filled with cash for making change, the receipt book, stickers for pricing the hanging art, the price list for the bagged art, pens, the guest book, our tool kit, spring clamps, our chairs, scissors, battery-operated fans, and water.
The first ferry to Shelter Island leaves North Haven at 5:40 a.m. and we were on the 5:55. Watching the night sky give way to light, while floating across the waters of the Peconic River was relaxing. There was work ahead of us, but we knew what had to be done. The really hard work was behind us. As we approached the last turn before reaching the school grounds where the fair would be staged, the sun broke the horizon and shone brightly - a good omen for the day to come. Now we simply hoped our energy and smiles wouldn't abandon us before the day was done.
It took less than an hour to erect the tent. The weather was cool (high 50s), especially early, and especially for my little sister from the south, who donned a sweat shirt as soon as she could. That meant those fans could be left in the van. As there was no rain in the forecast, we decide to forgo putting the canvas walls on at all, hanging only the mesh walls that would support the art but also let the breezes ventilate the booth.
It was hanging the art that morning that took so much time. We hung 26 finished pieces that morning some with wires and others with metal sawtooth hangers, each of which had to be bent to allow the S-hooks to get under them, but the greatest challenge to hanging the art was getting the S-hooks to stand away from the wall. Every time we'd try to hang a piece, the S-hook would flatten itself uncooperatively against the mesh. It recoiled like a shy wall flower, which meant we had to have one of us hanging while another stood on the opposite side holding the hooks firmly perpendicular to the wall so it would catch the wire or hanger on a smooth downward stroke. Even with a "map" of where each piece was to be hung, this entire process took a couple of hours - something that MUST be improved upon in the future. Lesson learned? Wires are far easier for S-hooks to "catch" than those pesky, skinny sawtooth hangers.
Tents "popped-up" around us, quickly by comparison, starting around 8:30 a.m. and they came down just as quickly at the end of the day. These "pop-up" vendors and their tents generally sold small products like jewelry or candles, items that could quickly and easily be protected from the elements. Most of the artists had the more substantial tents like ours for hanging and displaying their paintings and prints. We watched the others at every chance in order to learn from their obvious experience. As the 10:00 a.m. opening hour approached, we had still to price the hanging art but everything was done and in place when the opening bell rang.
The Shelter Island Art Show and Craft Festival has been sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce for 51 years and we can see why. There are a wonderful and diverse collection of artists and artisans who participate - there are photographers, painters, potters, weavers, dress-makers, jewelers and woodcutters as well as those who make artisanal cheese, flavored vinegars and olive oils, scented candles, and even hand crafted children's toys. The day is a celebration of, by and for the residents of Shelter Island, and there is music and food as well. The Fire Department, just two blocks away, sponsors a fantastic barbecue throughout most of the day, the aromas from which are quite inviting.
The day passed far more quickly than any of us had thought it would. The crowds ebbed and flowed, and we learned that interested customers beget other interested customers. There was a general appreciation for the quality of our images but people became truly interested when they heard the stories behind the images - how and where they were taken, what they were printed on, and why we made the choices we did in each creation.
"Harbor Moon" © 2012 Peter H. Tooker
Our first sale of the day was a print of Peter's "Harbor Moon" taken of the Sag Harbor Bridge on a moonlit night one January. The Sag Harbor-based couple loved the canvas of the image but were on a motor cycle and didn't think they could manage something that size, so they settled on the matted print.
Around midday, a young girl and her mother spent quite some time leafing through the bins, admiring one wave image over another and perusing the walls to see if their favorites were shown. Eventually they left empty handed but saying that they would return, which often is a way for people to "bow out gracefully", but they did return a couple of hours later, this time with Dad in tow. After much deliberation, Jen (the young girl) chose the 10x20" print of the "Narcissistic Serpent" in a white frame from the back wall. She looked even more excited than I did and shyly told me that she was going to hang it above her bed at home. I am thrilled.
"Endless Wave" © 2014 Claudia Ward
The largest sale of the day came in the afternoon from a very enthusiastic photographer who could not decide which image she wanted. She listened to the stories of each one she expressed interest in and consulted her husband about every possible choice. He left the decision to her as they apparently have little room on their walls so rearranging would be required no matter what. At the end of almost 45 minutes, she turned to the rear wall of the gallery and announced that she wanted the 16x48" gallery wrapped, framed print of "Endless Wave". Peter and Sally whisked the image off the wall, around to the back of the booth and carefully wrapped it in bubble wrap, to protect it on the journey home.
Another lovely woman and her daughter came in to our little shop around lunch time, and the woman fell in love with the 18x36" print of "Blue Curl" that is framed for a gallery with museum glass - the most expensive piece on the walls. They perused the baskets but her eyes always drifted back to that image. Alas, they left without buying a thing, saying they'd return, which we wanted to believe but as closing time approached, we resigned ourselves to the fact that her enthusiasm for the waves was displaced by something else. As we were just beginning to break down, who returned but the pretty brunette, her two children and her husband. At the end of the day, they purchased three large matted prints and a calendar, but her eyes still drifted to "Blue Curl". Laura told me that she is in PR and believes that there is something quite unique in my images of waves, and she offer to email with "a list of magazines and sections you should approach to cover your work". I hope she really does. In a followup email she added "I am happy to help you brainstorm ideas". Stay tuned.
So we've officially declared our first art fair a success. We left the house near first light around 5:45 a.m. and we returned nearing sundown a little before 7:00 p.m. We sold 9 photographs, two of which were framed ones from the walls, and we sold a number of 2015 desk calendars. We made over $1,000, and we learned a lot about making our gallery the best it can be and welcoming people in to our world.
