Sunday, June 15, 2008

and I thought art star was bad


Note to the organizers of Renegade: While the idea of having a craft show in a pool sounds really cool, it becomes a bit less practical when it is pouring buckets (and the pool is doing what pools are supposed to do, which is hold water) and you are forced to hold onto your metal tent in the middle of a lightning storm to keep it from blowing away.

Needless to say, all of my displays and jewelry got wet. (Something which is not good for paper or steel.) So, I packed up, called it a show, and headed home. Sorry for anyone who came today looking for me, I just didn't have the energy to return.

Four shows so far this season - rain at every single one. Perhaps this is the universe's way of telling me that outdoor retail shows may not be the ideal strategy for my business. I'm so glad Pile of Craft is indoors.

7 comments:

alisa said...

oh no! that really sucks. i'm sorry. there was a similar experience in chicago this morning... i hope your display is salvagable.

Robin Marie said...

Oh lordy, that sucks. I had a very similar, very frightening experience at a festival in Ithaca, NY. The storm came out of nowhere and the sky turned olive green and red and the wind was whipping anything that wasn't bolted down all across the grounds. My jewelry was trampled, and we had to shove everything in my car and limp the 4 hours home in the middle of the night.

I feel your pain!

megan said...

alissa - the displays were destroyed, but that's no big deal, because I make them from simple paper, and they have to be remade every few shows anyway. i'm more concerned about the jewelry that got wet, but i haven't been able to face seeing how much rust some of it has.

robin marie - that must have been awful. why do we do these crazy outdoor shows?

Dawn Anderson said...

I'm sooo sorry to hear this. I'm right there with you (RCM was at Art Star as well). Plus, we did ICE-Atlanta...no rain, but 100+ degree weather all day. The craft show Gods are apparently not on our sides this year. Yes, hurray that Pile of Craft is inside. Keep your head up. See you there!

silvercocoon said...

i did ONE outdoor show 3 years ago {showing my pastel work - not my current line of jewelry} in bayfield wisconsin on the edge of lake superior. the sky suddenly was divided by a straight line of clouds - half black, half blue. in about 3-4 minutes, i rapidly stripped everything from my tent and threw in the car - before the wall of rain and straight-line winds hit. the whole show was a tangled mess of broken tents and artwork - and half of it was in the lake superior. {the roof of a huge church had been ripped off along with other damages around the town.} -- it was my first and last outdoor show. no question.

....i feel for you.

Margaux Lange said...

aww lady, I'm sorry it was so miserable for you! Wish we could've hung out more while you were in town but I completely understand your frustrations - I would've beat feet outta there as well!

Renegade made so much more sense when they used to have it in the park instead of the pool. It rained last year too and flooded everyone out, you would think the organizers would get a clue…?

Anonymous said...

I feel for you. At the last show I did (only my 2nd outdoor show) the winds kicked up all of a sudden and although I made it out with all my inventory, the tent was ruined. There were 4 of us holding it down, and the frame still bent. I think from now on if a show has an indoor option, I'll take it. Better luck at your next one!