Art Print Issues by Barney Davey

Art Licensing Links

With the recent conclusion of the Surtex show in New York and The Licensing International Expo taking a bow for the first time in Las Vegas on June 2, the licensing season is in full swing. If you follow my Tweets, which are also posted on Facebook, you might have clicked on the link to this post from art licensing veteran, Carol Eldridge: Insightful report on the Surtex show. Another indication how things are not the same or likely to be the same again http://twurl.nl/0lezal.

The digital version of The Licensing Magazine came out today. And, as is customary at this time of year, it's supplement, The Art of Licensing, arrived as a separate link. It has lots of interesting articles and links to art licensing companies. You will find a wide variety of artists advertising in it as well. Things continue to change in the business and for the magazines and tradeshows that serve them, but there obviously is still life left in these traditional means of gaining awareness that can lead to business for all involved.

Tara Reed is one busy person in the art licensing field. In addition to being an artist and licensing consultant, she also pens the Art Licensing blog, publishes numerous e-books, and leads seminars at shows such as Surtex. She also founded The Art Licensing Forum. And, she just announced another Ask Paul Brent teleseminar. Go to the forum for more details. If you want to pick the brain of one of the most successful art licensing artists, don't miss the call. If you can't make it, you can purchase an audio download.

Licensing your art is a way to create yet another income stream from your original work. It takes time to build a following and gain enough licenses for it to make a major impact on your cash flow, but for those who master the process, it can be quite lucrative.

Charles Fazzino - Pop artist keeps work, style & attitude fresh - looking forward to ArtExpo 2009

Charles Fazzino - Bleeker Street

You've read here often, and in my book, that I believe being distinguishable because your work weaves a recognizable thread through it is beneficial. When you look at the careers of successful artists, especially in the print market, it is not difficult to grasp why being known for having a "style" works for them on multiple levels.

There is an argument that having or being known for a "style" effectively buries one's talent. Artist  Martin Stankewitz has gone so far to eloquently and vociferously argue this very point in his Squidoo lens: art style - how to bury your talent. I get his point and passion, but there is another side to the argument.

When I look at the oeuvre of Charles Fazzino, I see a definitive style. I also see a joyful artistic process that has given him tremendous visibility in the art community and with thousands upon thousands of collectors world wide for three decades. If you have ever seen his work, when you see it again, it is instantly recognizable. Despite the irresistible cheeriness in nearly all of his work, you will also find it presented with a social conscious. Proving you don't have to paint in depression to make a serious point.

Last year, I wrote a post mortem opinion piece titled ArtExpo New York - The Show Must Go On  wherein I did my best to lay out what I saw happening there and why it is important to support the show. In March 2008, most in the art business had already seen storm warnings of serious impending financial problems, but few, myself included, knew the full force of the storm. What's happened in the ensuing 12 months has worsened conditions dramatically and all but capped any hopes of a resurgent show there this year. Many are hoping to ride out the storm and wait for better days, show organizers included.

Charles Fazzino is not one to sit out bad times. He recently added a comment to that post about his preparations for the 2009 ArtExpo New York show coming up in just a few days. He is going well prepared with cautious optimism and I wish him and all the participants whether attendees, exhibitors and show management well. It is certain to be a difficult show compared to the glory years not that long ago. The show has have been hurt by the Las Vegas ArtExpo experience which opened on the Friday when the Dow Jones Industrials took a 500 point dive signalling more downward pressure to come. Still strong hearted optimist stalwarts like Charles Fazzino will be there to make the most of whatever opportunities arise.

So, hats off to one of the most collected and well known artists of the past 30 years. He shows no signs of slowing down or of abandoning his signature style that has only earned him tremendous reward and recognition. Check out the impressive bio and collector list below from his Web site: 

West Coast Art & Frame Show 2009 - A Moral Example of Success

If you are looking to either attend or exhibit at an art tradeshow in the Western U.S., the West Coast Art & Frame Show is your ticket. Sponsored by Picture Framing Magazine, the show and conference will once again be held on January 26-28 in Las Vegas where it has reigned for more than a decade. It is interesting to observe The WCAF Show has continued to prosper in direct contrast to competitive shows such as Decor Expo.

Decor Expo Shows in Decline

The past few years have not been kind to the Decor Expo shows. They have either seen a steady decline in attendance and exhibitors, or just ceased to exist. Certainly, investment company ownership more focused on a bottom line driven management-by-spreadsheet mentality with a buy and flip strategy has proved to not be beneficial for those shows. You can draw a direct correlation to story to the larger economic one playing out now.

There Is a Moral to the Story

There is a moral in viewing how two competitive operations charged with the same tasks of putting on an industry tradeshow and serving the exact same art and framing exhibitors and attendees could have such different outcomes. What it amounts to is how you treat your customers. If you put profit at any cost before doing the right thing by them, you are likely to have some short term success followed by a loss of prestige and market share in the longer term. The nearly laughable desperate deals that were proffered to try and bribe exhibitors to show at the now failed Decor Expo Baltimore show are an example of how earlier decisions can turn into a nightmare.

There Is No Shame in Making a Profit, But at What Cost?

I'm not saying you shouldn't strive to make your products as profitable as possible. I'm all for that; it's why you are in business and not philantrophy. But, if you are in your market for the long haul, you have to be sensitive to your customers' needs. If the only master you serve is your investors, you will end up losing. The incredible financial meltdown that has affected every American is due in part to those making short term decisions that were not in the long term good for the customer.

Had such a quaint, but powerful notion of doing what is right by the customer been applied to decisions to grossly overpay executives, to create products that were in effect financial neutron time bombs and now in hindsight all the other stupid greedy decisions whose repercussions will wash over generations to come with the dread of unnecessary debt, the world would be a better place.

Can You Believe Some Companies Thrived in 2008?

I work days in marketing at a thriving high tech firm, (I choose not to name it to avoid having to worry about making proper disclaimers with every post.) It grew revenue by 40% in 2008. Not too shabby in this economy. It is on target for greater growth in 2009. It has done this by having great products and exceptional service. For example, our customers can call for free tech help 24/7.

Follow These Simple Rules for Success

My company makes its own products. It doesn't rely on suppliers or worry whether they will deliver or stay in business. Mostly though, I think its success has to do with corporate culture. Day One new hires learn these three things. They are expected to memorize them:

1. Do what is right.
2. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
3. Do your best.

Now, had the brains bozos who peddled derivatives or ran Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG and on and on truly followed these three simple precepts, we would not be furiously trying to plug holes in the dike with trillion dollar bailouts.

The WCAF Owners Also Are Its Managers - It Pays Them to Pay Attention to Their Customers 

I believe the members of the Gherman family who own and run the West Coast Art and Frame show saw they needed to grow their show at a pace that allowed its exhibitors to get a decent ROI (Return on Investment). They have shown restraint from letting demand for booth space overwhelm the buyer-to-exhibitor ratio that when out of whack will cause a show to decline.

In the tradeshow business, your exhibitors foot the bill for the show, if they are not happy, you eventually will not be happy either. The Ghermans resisted making moves that would have generated greater income in the early going to help the show thrive in the long run. In retrospect, that was enlightened thinking with corresponding actions then that pay dividends to them today.

Tradeshows run on word-of-mouth. If the news and buzz is favorable, the show will shine and grow. If the news and buzz is bad, shows suffer, decline and in some cases cease to exist. So then treating your customers right results in taking actions that cause a company to have less revenue is not purely altruistic. It can be very smart marketing. Whether you are running a large publishing or one-person artist operation, you will serve your business and yourself best by abiding by the three simple rules above.

The WCAF Is a Good Show To Exhibit or To Attend for Art Marketers

The WCAF has always been more of a framing show than art show, but in the void of effective competition it has grown to be much more important as an art show with many more art companies exhibiting in the past few years. So don't discount the show if you are an art company. Besides, it is a good idea to up your framing knowledge. If you work with galleries, most expect work to be framed as part of the deal. If you sell direct, having the right framing can make your work sell faster and for greater dollars.

If you haven't been before and you are considering exhibiting, try walking the show this year with an eye for exhibiting next year. If you are an artist seeking a publishing deal, or just getting started in the business, it's a good place to get a feel for shows and you'll see some really good art and how it is exhibited as well. Let's not forget that in late January, Las Vegas is much warmer than most of the country. So whatever your motivation, get it on your schedule and come to learn and enjoy!

ArtExpo - Decor Expo New York 2009 Together Again - Is It Enough?

The return of the Decor Expo show to run concurrent with ArtExpo New York show in 2009 is good news. It never made sense for the shows to be split. For nearly 30 years, various iterations of Decor Expo, e.g., Galeria and Frame-o-rama, ran concurrent with ArtExpo.

For most of that history, the Decor sponsored shows were in competition with ArtExpo as it was not until this decade that both came under the same ownership. There were some years when the animosity and tension between the competing shows grew to the point of great contention. Nevertheless, the two shows together created a greater domestic and international urgency to attend than either could ever muster alone, even in the good old days.

Splitting ArtExpo and Decor Expo New York Created Lost Opportunity and Synergy

Sure, show organizers had their reasons for making the change to shut down the Decor Expo New York show, which mostly were wholesale defections by major exhibitors in the show, but whatever caused the decision, it turned out to be a disastrous mistake. Letting things get to the point of exhibitor revolt put a hurt on both shows at the very time the industry could least afford to have either be dinged by such decisions.

In hindsight, one has to ask what adjustments and alternatives could have been made to the New York shows, particularly Decor Expo, that might have headed off the slew of long time important exhibitors deciding to sit out New York. Sending the Decor Expo show packing to a second tier city such as Baltimore further exacerbated the situation. I posted a prediction six months prior to the first Baltimore show that it would be a bust. Unfortunately, I was right.

A Voice in the Wilderness

After the Spring 2008 ArtExpo show, I published a blog post titled, ArtExpo New York, The Show Must Go On. That is because I firmly believe that despite missteps in how the shows have been managed, there is no viable alternative to ArtExpo New York. Let it crash and burn and you have an already ailing industry with a huge gaping marketing hole that would wreak untold havoc on artists, publishers, galleries and all other allied interests to the market.

Now with the once preeminent Decor Expo Atlanta show badly faltering in this precipitous economic climate and amidst a whirlwind of major changes affecting the industry, a successful show in New York -- one that can sustain itself long enough to hold its dates during this most trying of times for businesses of all sorts -- is imperative and crucial to the financial well being of the industry.

The New York Shows Are Not a Mortal Lock, They Could Collapse

Could the New York and Atlanta expos crumble and go away? Yes, without question. They are already vulnerable to that happening. The sad history of tradeshows in the art and picture framing business over the past decade has shown a decline in fortunes for them. We are now at the point where no show is sacred and anything can happen. This is not an industry phenomenon, it is endemic throughout businesses of all stripes, just look at the financial or automotive sectors, for example.

The nature of distribution of the products on display at these shows is radically changing and as a result causing all exhibitors to question how much they are willing to invest in these expensive traditional marketing behemoths. With the hassle and cost of travel and the increase in the costs of shipping, the shows are more heavily scrutinized for potential ROI (Return on Investment) than during any previous time.

We can take a step back and ponder what the industry would be like without Artexpo New York and it doesn't conjure a pretty image. But, it ought to be something on the table for a couple of reasons. One, it is a possibility. And two, should it come about, those who would be most negatively affected should have an alternative plan ready to go, or at least contemplated and well thought through what to do.

I'll add a third point. If anyone reading this is distraught over the potential loss of the New York venues to the industry, then he or she should be doing whatever is possible to avert such a dire situation. That means exhibiting if at all possible, and actively helping to the market the show. It means buyers, dealers and galleries need to come and support the show by being active buyers when they arrive. It means management ought to be looking at the long range when it comes to making decisions. Short term decisions in difficult times nearly always have less than desirable outcomes on the fortunes of the entities managed in such a way.

Decor Expo Back in New York Is a Welcome Relief

Show management is gingerly bringing back Decor Expo for a scaled back two-day trade only event. I give them credit for putting the shows back together as they should be. It is too bad such a move wasn't forcefully contemplated or acted upon to avoid the Baltimore fiasco. Obviously, I have been gone from active participation in the shows and magazines for some time, but I can say that when the first attempts to put ArtExpo and Decor Expo together in the Javits Center was discussed, it was determined by checking records that the Decor Expo show brought in more room nights than ArtExpo. This was at a time when the shows were separately owned

Room nights are the coin of the realm when it comes to getting favorable dates and venues. So, allowing the shows to be split weakened both shows along with taking some of show management's bargaining clout away in the process. In retrospect, it is very hard to understand how this could have happened. What were they thinking?

We Can't Just Root for a Rally, We Need to Participate to Help Ensure One

Time and opportunity were lost in that decision to split the shows. In the intervening years, the global economy has slipped into a recession, if not on the brink of depression and that makes making up lost ground a nearly insurmountable task. Still, for the sake of the industry, we must all pull together to make the best of what is available to us.

Let's hope 2009 brings a respite from the decline of the exhibitor base to ArtExpo and a healthy turnout from the Decor Expo pool. That could set the stage for better things to come in the second decade of this quickly aging new 21st Century. Without vigorous participation in the shows over the next couple of years, it might be the answer to the question posed in the title above was no. I don't want to see that happen and bet you don't either. This is a time to rally and do what you can.

Tradeshow Woes Mirror Industry Changes - Other Opportunities Arise

Not all that many years ago, the Decor Expo Atlanta Show once placed in the Tradeshow 100 rankings. That meant according to statistics compiled by Tradeshow magazine it, at the time, was one of the largest 100 tradeshows in the U.S. Given there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of annual tradeshows, this was a remarkable chest thumping achievement for the show, the industry and the show organizers.

Unfortunately, no sooner than the show claimed its vaunted spot as force in the tradeshow world, it peaked and began a rather quick downward spiral. In the course of a few years the show has fallen to the ranks of mediocre rankings in size and importance. Like tradeshows in many other industries, it continues to shrink as it commands less importance.

Published results show a slide in exhibitor participation

A recent tally of exhibiting companies on the Decor Expo Web site listed about 266 exhibitors. Surely, the show will grow larger in coming weeks, but given the time it takes to ship one can be certain many potential larger exhibitors will be conspicous by their absence and the show's numbers won't change dramatically. If the numbers do grow, it's most likely to be with smaller less important exhibitors that don't have th pulling power for buyers largers exhibitors have. Not unlike a suburban mall; it is the anchor tenants that drive the traffic.

An analysis reveals a rough estimate is 10 - 12% of the companies listed are art related as opposed to framing or service related. In other words, it's become a framing show with a small art component. This is a sad, it not predictable turn of events. Decor Expo Atlanta's troubles and decline mirror the difficulties of being an art publisher over the past half-decade. The number of well-known publishers missing from the posted list is almost hard to believe. Especially when only a few short years ago this show was a must on any substantial art publisher's schedule. Show organizers have gone from having to referee a seriously competitive dog fight for premier positions to resorting to deals unheard of in year's past to try and keep the exhibitor base from eroding.

As times change, once "must do" shows become expendable

One can study the decline in the industry's trade ad pages and shuttering of smaller trade shows and come to the same conclusion. Facts are the bloom is off the rose for the way the businesses marketed themselves in the past. It used to be an acceptable ROI (Return on Investment) within a given range was highly likely as the payoff for exhibiting at certain tradeshows. This is no longer the case. Or more accurately, the risk/reward on the investment is skewed too far to the risk given the level of investment for many companies to participate. It's not they don't want to, more that they fear losing money if they do.  When times are tough, belts get tightened and tradeshows that were once absolutes on the marketing plan become expendable budget items.

You can put any number of things to blame for this outcome. The 9/11 attacks set off a chain of events that began the downward trends shows like Decor Expo are experiencing now. Additionally, the cost of travel to the shows, the inconvenience in travelling to shows, the cost of shipping to shows, the rise of Internet based business, the influx of cheap foreign manufacturing, and the growth of big box stores have all hurt the shows. The development and proliferation of print-on-demand technologies in conjunction with online marketing have also changed distribution channel dynamics. The mortgage and real estate bubble bursting and resultant economic woes in the housing market also add to the problem.

Opportunities still exist

The shows and magazines that support them have not gone out business. Readers and attendees still rely on them to learn about new products, services and companies. The upside of thinned ranks is you have more time and visibilty when you advertise or exhbit. The caveat is you need to have something exciting and not ordinary. Showing up with less than your best, or something too similar to existing images is not wise. You don't have to be off the radar wild, but having a unique look and take will be an enormous help to your efforts.

I have written here before that it is not the economy that is the problem for artists and publishers seeking to grow their businesses. And, I've also posted there are hopeful signs and reason for optimism for art publishers. Consumers still want art on the walls. They are more willing to buy it in different places than before. They are also becoming more adventurous with what they put on their walls, that includes art or photos they make themselves and have printed online at shops like Photo Canvas Direct.

So what does it all mean? You can't reliably rely on tradeshows like Decor Atlanta to grow your business as in the past. The Atlanta show is not moribund, but it is far from providing the lively marketing action it once did. You can still go and may prosper by doing so. As Woody Allen once said, "90% of success is showing up."

Explore and create new ways to get to market

You have to explore all options to get your art to market. The more ways you can grow new distribution channels and master them, the better off you will be. It's not harder, just different and that may make it seem harder. Keep in mind merely showing up with little on the ball amidst 2,000 booths in the vast Georgia World Congress Center when the show was at its largest was never an easy sure-fire road to success either.

Be constantly vigilant for opportunity. It is around you in ways you may not be thinking of now.

• Think about the hospitality market and how you might tap it.
• Get well known in your community, region or nation for being an expert on something. All the better if it is art related. If you become the "Go to" person, doors will open for you.
• Create your own opportunities. Put on your own shows. Get out of your comfort level and do some things you never thought you would.
• Find other artists locally or regionally with similar tastes in marketing and work together with them.
• Study other artists, not necessarily visual artists, and learn what unique things they are doing to create sales and interest in them and their work.
• Feast on as much viable marketing information as possible. It is widely and freely available at blogs like this one.

Don't let whatever you are doing stop being fun. You are in a creative business. You are a creative person. Let that creativity flow into your marketing. There is really never a time to be complacent, but now more than ever, you need to bring your "A" game to your marketing. Do it cheefully with zest. You might be surprised how well people respond to you doing so.

HDExpo Puts Art in the Hospitality Picture

Changes in the tradeshow scene regarding the art business have been frequently reported here. The traditional industry shows such as ArtExpo and Decor Expo are well off their peak years in size, as are the publications that support them. And, the total number of shows serving the industry are at lows not seen in decades. No matter what factors you use to account for the downward trend, they are sadly there and showing no signs of resurgence.

Tradeshow Woes Are a Problem Across Many Industries

It's not just art and picture framing shows that are on their heels. You needn't look hard to find evidence of contraction in all kinds of industries. Given such a multi-industry trend is surely a cause to wonder if there are alternative shows worth either attending or exhibiting for artists and publishers.

There Are Bright Spots To Be Found

One growing show growing increasingly important to many art publishers and self-representing artists is the HDExpo. It is the sister tradeshow to Hospitality Design magazine, which also is growing in size. These entities primarily serve complete design needs for hotels, restaurants and corporate centers.

Gaining traction in this market is a way to create a steady cash flow from a distribution source outside the gallery and online channels that are top of mind for most artists. Not to say the field isn't competitive. It is, but I have always maintained there is ample room in the most crowded fields for artists who bring a fresh perspective to the scene.

Hospitality Design Magazine Publishes Largest Issue Ever

As a former trade magazine rep, I drooled with lust when I saw the most recent at-show copy of Hospitality Design. At 448-pages plus cover, it resembles a mid-size city phone book. I hadn't seen a trade pub that size since the heyday of Decor magazine's show issues for New York or Atlanta many moons ago. The combination of growing importance of the HDExpo show and the size of the magazine puts an exclamation point on their momentum and the market they represent.

Las Vegas Is a Boom Town for Home Furnishings & Hospitality Design Shows

Las Vegas is also home to the World Market Center. It is the host site of the Las Vegas Market, which also is bucking the downward trend as a huge fast growing international home furnishing marketplace. The common wisdom for decades was no venue could successfully compete against the IHFC show and the concurrent shows in High Point, NC for the home furnishings market.  In just a few short years, the Las Vegas Market has proven there can be a viable alternative to the IHFC.

To Be An Effective Marketer in an Industry, You Must Be a Student of It

Effective marketing is a multi-year strategy. The first stage is to become educated about potentially lucrative markets important and new to your business. If you have your own designs on seeing your originals and reproductions used in the hospitality industry, learn all you can about the shows mentioned here and the markets they represent. You likely don't have the budget to tackle them all. But spending time studying them is a great first step towards getting your foot in the door at one of them at the appropriate time.

On the HDExpo Web site, go to Expo/Exhibitor List/Product Category Search. Start with the Artwork: Prints/Reproductions/Photography category and work your way through all the other appropriate categories for ideas on companies to approach, or to see what those exhibiting are doing on their on Web sites. It will be time well spent to study this terrific resource. And, of course, if you can actually go there, all the better. This year's May 14-17 conference and May 15 -17 exhibition dates are upon us. If it's too quick for this year, tickle it as a must for 2009.

Surtex Offers Artists Yet Another Alternative to Galleries and Selling Online

The Surtex show runs May 18 - 20 at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. Surtex bills itself as a licensing show for original art and design and offers a different kind of distribution and income from the hospitality business. Surtex is a terrific venue for artists who want to license their work. It's a show to walk the first year and then to decide if paying for exhibit space makes sense. Many artists are able to make connections there by respectfully and tactfully approaching publishers and licensors when they are not otherwise busy in their booths. The better you prepare for these shows, the better your experience will be.

Learn About Licensing Art

A valuable goodie hit my Inbox today...one you are going to like too!

It is from Global License! magazine announcing its annual special Art of Licensing issue. The issue comes as a nifty free download in digital magazine format. As with years past, you will find it chock full of great insider information and inspiration about art licensing .

If the tidbit from the Senior Associate Editor Regina Molaro's column doesn't pique your interest, then think twice about licensing for your own art. She tells us the total market for wall decor in 2005 was an astounding $49.6 billion. WOW! Imagine just carving a tiny slice of that for your art publishing business.

You will find a fascinating in-depth article about the licensing of Bob Timberlake's work. He is also prominently mentioned in my book, How to Profit from the Art Print Market, as a leading example of how certain visual artists are able to make an enormous impact well beyond 2D art, and do it with style and integrity.

There are other features including, Ask the Experts, the upcoming Surtex show and on trends. The experts weigh in on using art reps and art consultants with valuable insight. Overall, the information provided will be useful for any artist interested in learning about the licensing market. I commend reading the issue and guarantee you will come away better informed about the licensing market for visual artists.

ArtExpo New York - The Show Must Go On

ArtExpo New York is the industry's most important show

As a marketing vehicle, ArtExpo New York (AENY) show is a blackhole that consumes vast marketing dollars, promotional energy and both artist and publisher hopes. Quite simply, it dominates the industry it defines. If you are a print artist seeking to break a career, or propel an established one to the next level, you ignore AENY at a cost. If you crave national or international recognition and sales whether as a print publisher or self-representing artist, there is no better place to plant your flag.

Despite problems and smaller size AENY delivers

The historic 30th annual ArtExpo New York show concluded March 3, 2008 with approximately 25% fewer exhibitors than last year. Despite a conspicuous absence of many major industry players, reports are the show delivered images both visually exciting and commercially viable to the international gathering of art print dealers and gallerists who rely on it as the singular source for finding and viewing the best array of both established artists and newcomers. In other words, some exhibitors came away with surprising results well beyond their modest expectations, proving AENY can deliver from back on its heels.

AENY transcends ALL constituencies that rely on it

AENY may be down on its fortunes vis-à-vis past shows. However, it remains THE SOURCE for an industry struggling to define itself and its relevance in the dawning of the 21st Century's digital age. Other shows may come and go, but the big show in the Big Apple remains the place to see and be seen if an artist or publisher seeks to expand distribution in one hugely important weekend. Observing AENY survive in hard times for the art print industry in particular and the economy in general, and with a revolving door of investment firm ownership with whom the art group has never been the primary economic engine or focus, testifies the show transcends ALL the constituencies that rely on it.

Further contractions will put the show on a slippery slope

There is no more quick fix to bring ArtExpo New York back to its former glory than there is to correct the current housing market debacle. A concerted effort from all sides is necessary. Putting the good of the industry ahead of bottom line thinking from all participants along with time to heal and adjust are required. Seeing the show contract to its sad 2008 size portends a bleak future on a slippery slope if things don't turn around.

AENY's contraction in size is beyond a show management problem

This is an industry problem that needs universal positive input to effect a change for the better. The reality every show management company faces is big old barn convention centers such as the Jacob Javits Center are specifically built to drive traffic, generate economic activity and increase tax revenue for the city. It's a cold, cold world and convention center operators only welcome shows, especially on favorable dates, so long as they deliver. Past performance will not save the day. When it comes to what shows get in and when convention centers tend to take the famous Henry Ford saying to heart, "History is bunk."

Keeping the Javits and optimal dates is not a sure thing - room nights are the coin of the realm

Getting a first class venue such as the Javits at all, much less the best dates is always purely based on  what have you done for me lately and what will you deliver for me now. For convention center operators, room nights are the coin of the realm. Once a show starts to lose critical mass in its exhibitor base, it makes it more and more difficult to deliver on the promise of room nights and enough exhibitor dollars to pay to produce the show. The trend AENY forecasts is one that could easily see it unceremoniously bounced from the Javits. There is no viable alternative in Manhattan or anywhere else that offers the same impact. Anyone who would debate this is either ill-informed or delusional.

Can you imagine our industry without AENY?

Despite its long term preeminence and good results posted by some exhibitors this year, the show appears to be cracking at the seams from the continuing loss of its constituent base of exhibitors and dealers. It is time to ask the entire industry to shake off whatever problems it has with the show and to come together to turn the tide and make the 2009 into something special. The alternative is bleak. If you think it can't happen consider this year alone AENY's owner has canceled the Spring Decor Expo show in Baltimore and the Art DC show due to lack of exhibitor support.

Show success is not based on management and exhbitor activity

If you are an attendee/buyer and think it is not important for you to participate and come open to buy at shows you like, you're dead wrong. Your support demonstrated through the strength of your pocketbook is the defining factor in any show's success. In other words, if you like the idea of the show, you have to invest in it. Your activity is the gauge exhibitors use to decide to come back and to talk it up to other exhibitors on the fence.

Tradeshows such as ArtExpo live and die on word-of-mouth - Critical mass keeps the WOM buzz going

Word-of-mouth (WOM) is a crucial component to the success of a show. Critical mass is another such component. To paraphrase Edna Ferber, "There has to be enough there there." If the trend in the past few years' decline is disappointing, the critical mass contraction we are seeing today is downright disturbing. The show has to have enough drawing power to bring in buyers and marginal exhibitors. It needs to have enough exhibitors to encourage show management to make the expensive bet to continue to sign lease agreements and take on hotel room blocks.

The industry needs to come together to reinvigorate AENY

As it has throughout its history, the collective importance of ArtExpo New York surpasses the individual needs of those who attend, exhibit, manage and own it. Imagining the industry without an ArtExpo New York show to bring together the best and brightest exhibitors, dealers and galleries is hard to comprehend. It's time for all who have a stake in the future of the art print market as markedly defined by AENY over the past 30 years to come together and make something happen for their own good, for the good of the industry.

Leadership from AENY's corporate owner is paramount

For the sake of the industry, the principals at Summit Business Media LLC, owners of AENY, need to let the industry know its plans and take to a leadership role in beginning a years long process of restoring AENY to its former glory. Should such a gesture be genuinely put forth, it should likewise be rightfully embraced by current, former and future exhibitors who stand to benefit from a renewed effort to turn the show's fortune's around. As the old show biz saying goes: "The show must go on."

Take a personal interest - get involved - it's your show and your future

If you believe and buy into the argument here, comment below, and more importantly forward this email to others who you think would be severely impacted by further decline in the fortunes of AENY. You can quickly forward this post using the Share This link just below.

Hopefully together we can generate a groundswell of interest that will lead to actions to help keep this most important of shows from failing when we can least afford for that to happen. Let any and all know what your concerns are and ask them to get involved to communicate with their contacts at SBMedia, important exhibitors and other leaders within the art print community to bring their influence to bear on the show's future fortunes.

ArtExpo 2008 vs. 2004 - An Artist's Perspective

While ArtExpo New York may not be the big dog of yore, there is still fight in the dog. Despite being smaller in size, the recently concluded ArtExpo New York delivered surprisingly strong sales for those exhibitors who came prepared for the best, yet mindful to expect the worst. In doing so, they might have made bestselling self-help author, Robert Ringer, proud.

In what may come as a surprise to some in my next post, I'll explain why it is paramount to support ArtExpo New York. Today, I turn over the blog to multi-talented artist, Tanya Dashevsky. For your enlightenment, she generously provides this insightful, informative and comparative report from an artist attendee perspective:

ArtExpo 2008. Changes from 2004

This year marked my first time at ArtExpo since 2004. To me it seemed just as large and thriving as the one I attended in that year, but this is an impression, not backed up by fact. Yet some changes, indeed did jump at me as I walked the rows of booths.

SOLO booths - artists renting small booth spaces and selling their art directly: For artists using the show to launch a career using a SOLO booth, I would say, that s/he would have to stand out either in sheer quality and talent, or have some kind of gimmick to be able to grab and sustain attention in that setting. There were a huge amount of SOLO booths, and they were located way out in left field. By the time people got to the last few rows, they were completely saturated. Therefore, I would highly suggest getting a booth as close to the center as possible, even if it means paying extra.

I didn't even make it to the last few rows, because by that time, I couldn't see straight anymore. Not to mention, a lot of artists used various gimmicks such as live music or video presentations which often were very distracting for both viewers and the unfortunate artists renting the booths next door. I'm not saying that artists shouldn't use these kinds of promotion tools, but too much of this can create a really chaotic environment in which it is hard to concentrate on viewing art, or for a prospective shopper to make a purchase. But I'm sure that these approaches generate hype and sales, if not necessarily the good graces of his/her next door neighbors.

Globalization hits Artexpo: there were a LOT of merchants -- both artists and dealers -- from Asia (China, Korea,) Eastern Europe (Romania , Russia,) as well as Latin America all renting mid-sized booths, and selling nice work at low prices. Some of this work was clearly "manufactured" -- quantities of paintings pumped out one after the other to sell in bulk. But others were of very high quality. So American artists, watch out, offshoring is here.

Missing faces: A lot of the regular players were there DelJou, Nan Miller etc. Though I did not see some of the publishers I was hoping to.  Bruce McGaw, Haddad's, Image Conscious, Wild Apple graphics were all missing. [Ed. note - Poster publishers such as this last group mentioned defected first to Decor Expo and when it went away, they never came back to ArtExpo.]

Emerging Trends: I saw a new technique emerging which involves painting on some kind of slick surface such as metal or plexiglass, then pouring a thick coating of resin onto the painting. This creates a glassy, moody yet decorative viewing experience. I saw three or four artists experimenting with this technique quite successfully. Even more interesting was that one gallery was creating giclees, attaching them to masonite, and then treating them with the same technique -- pouring on a think coating of resin -- which made the prints look just like glowing paintings. Here's an example of one artist's approach to resin coated painting.

Juicy original oil paintings: A lot of original art seemed to be moving well. High-quality naturalistic oils seemed to draw trade buyers. I saw one gallery sell six paintings to a collector in 10 minutes. The sales guy looked like he might faint from joy. But these paintings were created by a very talented painter, and from the looks of it, the buyer had some serious cash to spend. Here's a look at the work of this lucky artist.

Craftsmen and women: There were some craftspeople / artisans getting attention. One woman was making beautiful work using a quilting technique. Very high craftsmanship, great geometric designs, and subtle colors attracted a gallery to her Solo booth. I'm afraid I don't have her name.

And as usual, there was a ton of really mediocre work, some of it downright garish. But the extremely impressive high-quality and inspiring work more than made up for it.

–Tanya Dashevsky
http://www.dashdesigner.com/architecture/index.html

ArtExpo New York - The Show Must Go On is must reading for all interested in the future of the show

Noah G Pop Puts Pizazz in ArtExpo New York 2008

Pop artist Noah G Pop rocked this year's 30th Annual ArtExpo New York show, which took place February 28 - March 3. It is obvious he seeks to put more glide in your stride, more hip in your dip, more zig in your zag and more cut in your strut. In other words, this dude knows how to throw a party and have fun. That he manages to do it around promoting his art makes him just that much cooler.

When it comes to enjoying success in the art business, marketing and promotion are the twin synergistic generators that drive (AIDA) attention, interest, action and desire. Noah gets this in spades and that he effectively executes around making these waves as a SOLO exhibitor makes all he does more impressive.

Putting POP in Promotion, Party and Prints

In Noah's case, you find a confluence of terrific visual art and fun promotion creating a memorable experience for all involved. You can see for yourself, his party and attendant promotion pack as much punch as his art.  Both deliver on the promise of visual treat and stimulating exciting times.

His art is themed with the Pop influences of decades past, but as with any talented artist, he manages to make it current and specific to his artistic vision. It is no surprise he did well with his Jene NYC piece, shown here. It is hot, colorful, sexy, glamorous and fun. All the things one can hope to experience when attending ArtExpo New York.

The Fun Is Back, Let's Hope It Stays

Noah singlehandedly managed put back into ArtExpo a component that has been missing for some time. And, I'm sure he did it on a budget that would put to shame some of the corporate or show producer managed invitation only parties that run on the sedate side. The history of the experience of ArtExpo was there were always happenings. You didn't dare miss the show or the parties around it. The exciting open-to-all party element has been sadly missing in the past few years. As the show declined in size, it lost some of the zest that had made it special. Thanks to Noah G Pop, the fizz is back and the buzz around his art and his next party, which he already planning for next year are already in full swing.

Here is the content of his post-show email. Read it and you'll see he hasn't stopped having fun. And, while you are reading it, think about how you can put some fun of your own into your own art promotion:

3 More Important Things I Want You to Know Direct from the Noah G POP Playbook:

1)     First, I would like to thank everyone that attended my opening night bash at the Star Lounge and believe me there were a lot of you.  Our counter finally stopped somewhere north of 400 guests including artists, models, actors and a whole plethora of all-around cool people.  The vibe was definitely one of peace, love and FUN, FUN FUN!  I so much appreciate the support of each and every one of you.  Personal highlights for me included my Mom and Dad, my brother David, my sister Farrah, NYC Fashion Designer Grace Edwards, Iconic NYC Socialite, Philanthropist and Human Rights activist Zelda Kaplan, two of my favorite artists, world-renowned Painters Fabian Perez and Ford Smith and of course, it wouldn't be a party without the Naked Cowboy.  Also, special thanks to Rob Base who showed up and performed his hit single, "it takes two to make a thing go right". 

Now, for those of you that missed it; DON'T PANIC!  I will be hosting an evening of art, music and modern dance at the Grand in April (details to follow) and believe it or not, we have already begun planning our opening night bash for ARTEXPO NY 2009 (seriously).  Cue the cocktail music!  Yes!  This one will be bigger and better (think skylight cruise) and YOU ARE INVITED SO SAVE THE DATE!!!

2)    I would like to thank everyone that stopped by my booth to look at my work.  Thanks to your support and interest in my art, we had another killer show selling at least one of each piece with the big winner being Jené NYC who now has 5 new homes.  Thank you, thank you thank you. 

3)     I just saved a bundle on my car insurance!  I kid again.  I wanted to take a moment to speak to all artists but particularly my fellow SOLO artists.  Sharing your gift with the world can be a wonderful and magical experience.  It can be filled with excitement and joy but can also be stressful at times.  As someone that has personally experienced the broad spectrum of emotions that can accompany an event like artexpo, I applaud you for having the guts and the drive to share your art with the world.  For those of you that had a great show, I congratulate you and for those of you that would have liked to have a better show, encourage you to keep pushing, keep learning from your experiences and keep striving to share yourself and your art.

With this in mind, if I can be of any assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments or simply to bounce some ideas off of each other.  After all, we artists have to stick together.  Be on the lookout for Noah G POP Management in 2008.

I thank you for all of the support that I have received over the past year and of course, most importantly, Enjoy my art!

With much love and respect,

Noah G POP

For more information call 646.413.2366or email me at noahg@noahgpop.com.  Friend requests at www.myspace.com/noahgpop.

www.noahgpop.com

Some other observations about this year's ArtExpo

The final tally on its Website for exhibitors has a count of 467 companies. It's possible there are more, but even with last minute additions, it's hard to believe the exhibitor list came anywhere near the 600 touted by show management for the '07 show. The number of blog posts about the show is down from last year too. Here are a few I found you might find interesting:

Manuela Valenti looks like she is making good on her ArtExpo experience. It looks like she used this video in her booth. Regardless, it's terrific use of video to promote her art. Congrats!

Natasha Wescoat provides insight on her ArtExpo Las Vegas experience

Adan Lerma provides a running commentary on his experiences in 2007 & 2008 here

It's great to see Noah putting forth his energy into ArtExpo. For all the show has suffered from changes in the marketplace, revolving ownership and other circumstances out of its control, it remains the single best place to showcase artists in the print medium. There is still no place like the Big Apple for such a show. The Las Vegas show last fall proved nothing can come close. Let's hope the promise of young energetic talent like Noah G Pop and his contemporaries help revive the show's sagging fortunes.