Art and Flea market
Today I took my art to a Flea Market. I havent participated in a flea market before so I wasnt sure what to expect. Ive been to a flea market, and I have certainly seen art being sold, mostly prints or crafts at flea markets, so I had hoped my art would sell in some way, especially when I was lowering the prices on anythings because I needed money for rent. This flea market is HUGE, it boasts nearly 2000 attendees, and at least 100 vendors. It was not a lie. I was very impressed with the crowd size. My interactions with attendees was varied. This is an example:
Conversation I had
Person:Are they real?
Me: yes
Person:Wow you found them like that?
Me: what do you mean? I carved them.
Person: Oh i was wonder why they are so much.
Me: um yeah I turn the skulls into art
Person: they’d be cheaper then without that paint?
Me: they are carved.
Person: oh really,. — — She walked away
Other people had many compliments, one person asked if I had used a C&C Router to make the designs and carve the lettering. I did not, that was all done by hand. He said the “letters look perfect”. That was a nice thing to hear.
How my day went. I arrived at 7:00am to set up. As I was setting up a another vender, a woman, walked over to my table and picked up one of my pieces and started banging it into the table top. I asked her why she was doing that. (its a skull it wouldnt break that easy — I wasnt worried just perturbed) She replied “Is it real?” I said Yes, she then reached over and picked up a different piece and repeated the banging behavior, I growled, “Stop that, why are you doing that?” She replied “Is this real too?” I responded “Yes, they are all real, why cant you ask, why do you have to bang them around?” her response, “They dont look real”. She walked back to her booth.
I finished setting up, those pictures I have above are my set up. Ive been to art shows out doors, which are never my favorite thing, due to weather conditions, but today was really nice out, not too hot, not too cold, and no rain. people wandered by, many stopping looking and moving on. each time a person or gorup stopped I greated them and invited questions. some people smiled, some said wow, the best responses came from the kids, big smiles and lots of ooossss and ahhhs and look look look shouts! this little girl about 11 years old, came over adn spent 15 minutes talking to me about how her family goes down to visit her grandparents in Mexico and they gather up old cow skulls and paint them and then hand them around the farm and sell them to tourists. It was a wonderful moment for me.
I was approached by a man who owns a small fish and tackle company here in Chicago, he asked if I did commissions. I said I did. He wants me to put his logo on a skull. Hopefully he will call me this week to start that process.
Many more compliments but ultimately zero sales and one possible commission. I closed up shop at 5:00pm. So 11 hours of work for no pay. not counting the countless hours put into each of the pieces I had on display. In addition I paid for the vendor space and gas to get there, so actually by the numbers I am in the hole after all is said and done. HOWEVER! I do believe it was a productive day and moeny well spent. why? I dont have rent! I dont have any guarantee of money coming in, but what I DO HAVE is knowledge, that a Flea Market no matter how big it is and how many attend, is not a target audience for me. AND! on a personal note, the conversation with the little girl made the whole day worth it. I believe in the future she will be some sort of artist. My opinion, If you consider your art to be “fine art” flea market is not your target audience.
