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So Want To Do Art Shows-Heres How-Start Driving


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post-8914-0-09729000-1444371333_thumb.jpgpost-8914-0-37214300-1444371357_thumb.jpgpost-8914-0-44447000-1444371444_thumb.jpgDrive 1000 miles to show-this one was 13 hours to barstow-hotel and then leave very early for 3 hour drive Friday 9 am set up in park under the trees.So thats 16 hours driving one way

You want to keep costs down so I share a room with another potter who lives in Santa Barbara area-we share hotels when doing same shows to lower costs.At this show we both do the whole show solo with now help. I do a few of these shows like this-as long as they are easy setups and under 10 k in sales I can handle it all. The key is easy set and take down.

So you have the day to get set up in your 10x15 space for $450. I no longer use a canopy at this venue as its under heavy threes and wind can blow 40 mph here in  the desert .I have seen canopies go flying here as well as tumbleweeding folks booths. They do not allow stakes so its buckets sand I.

Since its in a small town park next to the police station I just walk away at night from whole set up booth-no tarps no strings just leave-I have done it for a decade now with no issues.

On the way to show you get some real road miles like this one called Nippon cutoff. I like to turn the key off and get out and listen to the silence of the desert.This was taken about 7 am last Friday with my pottery van.

 

The booth is almost set up sales table  needs a few touch ups but show will start by 8 am the next day so I have time to clean it up-this photo was day before show.

I use a cash register and a small table with a wood cover over the register. My paper roll as you can see is vertical and spins-its all aluminum. The bag box is under table along with battery and inverter to make 110 volts for the register.Its all tight and out of the way-the table has a drawer for loose ends

I get there by 7am and sales start by 8-830. Ends at 5 and out to dinner by 6. next day same deal-casual show in the park. Been doing this one a very long time and my booth is always in this same spot or I will not drive the 2000 miles for some new spot.You must have your priorities . The show proceeds go to the local hostpital auxiliary - so the cause is ok.

 

Sunday show ends at 5 and I drive 3 hours to Barstow share a room with Jim and leave at 6 am for a 13 hours drive home.

This show had 312 customers who averaged 28$ a sale-not my best sale there but ok.

It takes about two days to feel normal from a trip like this--I was throwing xmas pots early tues am-back in the saddle they say

So you want to do show- stockpile a bunch of work and get into a good show and hit the rood.

Enjoy the drive 

after show like this you feel like a king with a large bag of dough until you get home and your wife says take out the cat box and clean it.

reality hits hard when your kingdom crashes

Mark

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I missed you. Overton is right by BC, Nv.  When will you be there next year? I need to mark it on the calender.

 

Jed

Always the 1st weekend in October

this set up is my only 10x 15 booth space-most are 10x 20 and 10x10s

That road is very much a desert back road-they seal the cracks to kep it from freezing water getting in.

Mark

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Interesting to see your set up. I have one question. Why is the road covered in squiggles?

They patch asphalt roads in North America with bitumen, especially if whoever's in charge doesn't have the budget to rip it up and re-do it.

 

 

 

Sure enough.  And odds are, they don't have the budget to rip it up and redo it....  The infrastructure here in the US, is severely lacking.  If they skimp a bit on roads, and just patch, it's fine.  I'm more worried about the bridges/ overpasses that are structurally deficient.  A simple patch/ resurface doesn't help that!

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To be honest High Bridge, I've never seen the roads look like that, where I live either.  But temperatures here don't get as hot, as they do where Mark is at, with that intense sun.  

 

The biggest problem we have here, is the freezing and thawing that occur from Fall to Winter and then Winter to Spring.  On top of that, there is the stuff they use to treat the roads in the winter to prevent ice.  That eats away at them over time.

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This road is a small unused desert road about 900 miles from my place on the coast .The road is about 30 miles long in the outback. Most roads are not looking like this.

One of the wests largest solar array is very close to here.I love this road as I stop and turn off van and there is zero background noise -super quit-no humans no planes no cars-I always stop to listen to the sound of silence.Thats the best part.

Mark

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Lots of roads in Northern Michigan look like that (although this is more tar per inch than most). Our roads here are very difficult to maintain due to the fact that in a single month you can have 100 deg. temp changes.

 

Thanks for the article btw. I love hearing of others experiences in the business end. I have not yet had the guts to do it yet.

 

What is UW Diver?

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Not sure why the road damage is so interesting but since everyone is key on it-heres some more shots-notice in background the huge solar electric plant one of the largest in North America

it can be seen in both road photos.

The beater van is a fellow pottery Mary Swan who is in her 70's doing shows still-she was at NECA this past year as well so a fews may have met her. She has had the same van since the 70's -been thru 5 trannies and 3 engines and refuses any newer van.You can hit this van with a hammer anywhere and you would not notice it. The reasons are very eccentric as we have pleaded with her for years about newer safety features in autos .

If you think pottery is a fun hobby try doing shows until your in your mid 70's- its work on this scale. Mary is amazing for sticking with it-and for you midrange's she's only done that for the past 32 years.

Mark

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