Different events call for different tent layouts and products. For my weekend pop-up markets at the bottom of King Street in Old Town, I’ve learned the customer will be either tourists who buy my Old Town Shops or Pink Jefferson fine art prints, or locals who are drawn to my custom matchbook prints. Which is completely different from what I sell at the Made in ALX store and at holiday markets where more gifty items are popular (my puzzles, notecards, and college posters).
Art on the Avenue is my one event where my large, original paintings don’t feel out of place. I plan what will go where ahead of time because the fewer decisions I need to make at 7am on the day of the event the better!
I created a template in InDesign that I update each year. This allows me to see what I did the previous year and assess what worked and what didn’t.
In 2023, I threw everything I make into the tent. I devoted one wall to my college matchbook posters and my expensive original oil paintings were mixed in with prints, notecards, and greeting cards. I made a chokepoint at the entrance with a 2’ grid on one side and a 3’ table on the other. After pouring over hundreds of successful artist booth photos, I’m attempting more of a gallery feel this year to keep the focus on my original art.
Last week, I pull out the tent and set everything up and made adjustments (decided not to bring my greeting cards).
Even today, the day before Art on the Avenue, I’m still thinking through my display and reworking it (Mike is making me smaller feet for my grid panels because the ones I use trip people and take up 1’ of space in an already small tent; and I’ve decided not to bring my boxed notecards other than the hydrangeas set).
Almost everything is done on my to-do list. I’ve been steadily adding to my pile (this pile does not include tent/grids/tables which are in the garage!). Still have one fine art print that will arrive today that I’ll need to package but otherwise I just need to load the minivan, make sure everything is charged, and get a good night sleep. See you tomorrow!
