Things aren't working for a lot of people. I've been dipping my toes in selling at anime/pop culture conventions (more my demographic than art markets in my area lol) and from the group chats I've been part of, everyone's suffering compared to previous year's sales. A lot of people are feeling the economy's grip on their wallets right now and not spending as much on non-necessities as before. TBH I am a bit worried about what this means for businesses like ours, but a lack of sales doesn't reflect on you as an artist at all.

@sunsetcolored259

7 ай бұрын

Seconding this. I haven't started doing art markets and such yet, but I've been planning on doing it soon, so I joined a couple of Facebook groups to get ideas. I've seen lots of people complaining about how little they've been selling this year, and the ultimate consensus is that it's the economy. It sucks, but I don't think it's a you problem. I'm crossing fingers that things will get better.

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

I absolutely agree. I feel so bad and selfish complaining that I’m not making sales because I know it’s because NO ONE has spending money right now. But it is very worrying in terms of job security!!!!

@sunsetcolored259

7 ай бұрын

@@Lilstarnerd I totally understand!! Complaining about it doesn't make you selfish at all. It is scary, and extremely disheartening for somebody like me who's just getting started. I really hope that things continue to go well for you on the KZread and online sales front!! I love your art and I'd love to buy something from you myself, but ironically I'm too low on money for that myself at the moment.

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

Thank you so much for your kind words and support!!!!❤️❤️

I got so scared and though you were going to quit KZread 💀 thank goodness I saw the full title

I’ve shared my experiences at art markets in your comments before, Al. But the most recent one I did really drove it the last nail in the coffin that it’s time for me to at least take a break from art markets. The last one I did was at an apple orchard as part of an event called “orchard fest.” It was $50 for a spot for one day. When I got there, no one at the orchard knew where I was supposed to set up. I asked 4 different orchard employees and none of them knew where the vendors were supposed to be. I got lucky and found where one other vendor was and set up next to her, but even she had no idea where she was supposed to be and decided to just set up where ever. The lady who was supposed to be the vendor coordinator was late, and didn’t tell anyone she was going to be late, she didn’t even get there until after we’d already set up. There ended up being only 3 vendors including me, and like 2 food trucks. It seemed like most people coming were just coming for a regular day of apple picking/ cider drinking and had no clue that a bigger event was happening at the orchard. Despite a great turnout of people coming to day drink at the cider house, maybe like 12 people between 12pm-4pm walked up to my booth to actually look, and I only sold one sticker for $1 the whole day.

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

That is so so SO incredibly frustrating, and i can only imagine how discouraging. I’m so sorry. It’s ridiculous how unseriously coordinators can take these events, and I really wonder where vendor fees go. I would absolutely have to take an indefinite break after experiencing something like that!

From what I’ve seen it does seem like markets are A LOT of effort and if it’s not super regular then it’s not completely worth it. Since you are comfortable posting online and reaching an audience that way, it makes sense to focus on that rather than trying to get a local audience. Still, it’s always good to try these things ❤❤

art markets can be so hit or miss, and it really depends on the area but its not usually worth it unless its a well known market/fair

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

It’s such a bummer!!!! And so interesting that they’re so widely considered “not worth it” when online they’re talked about as such great money making opportunities!!! Definitely a strange disparity there

So I’ve recently started doing markets trying to get my art out there more and like I’ve not made more than 80 in a day. Every market I’ve done has has low foot traffic, and even the people who do stop and look don’t usually buy something. And honestly it’s so disheartening when they spend 5 or 10 minutes looking only to not buy anything. It feels like a rejection and I keep telling myself oh the next market will be better. Then I do the next one and it’s the same thing, hardly anyone shows and then the organizers give the same few excuses and you leave disappointed. I just did one that only cost 15 bucks for the table and only one other table and 1 made our table fee back. I want to keep trying but it’s so hard to keep motivated. So if anyone else is experiencing this know your not alone.

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

Exactly!!!! I keep telling myself that the next event will go so great and it’ll make it all worth it, by my sales have had a STEADY decrease at every market. It seems silly to hold out hope!

Long time watcher...id argue that your current videos are much more positive than your earliest! (I mean that in a complimentary way!) ❤❤❤

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

That is genuinely SO wonderful to hear, thank you so much!!

I hope you come back to markets to some degree or even breach into Conventions, in the future after lots of rest of course!!!

I honestly think you could do your own small events, with live KZread audience involved somehow idk, even in a backyard. Then the people who do want your art can all be in one place just for you?? I get why the markets aren’t quite working, you don’t really have control over the marketing etc, but your own event you would! Rafi and Klee (on KZread) just did a podcast about hosting your own event and it really reminded me of you!

I want to start markets, my little town does one every Saturday. But its one of those its such a small town (less than 5k people, literally if there's a train stuck the town shuts down kinda small) I don't know if it's worth lugging jewelry and artwork to that. Overall, October was a lot of sickness in my family. But I'm ready for a better November and honestly just the surge of ideas I had in October to carry out rest of the year.

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

I hope your family is feeling better!!! And good luck with figuring out markets!! I wish it were easier to test them out as a vendor!

My October was pretty good! I spent a lot of it working in my sketchbook and reading (I'm currently reading Frankenstein and The Unabridged Diaries of Sylvia Plath) 😊😊

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

LOVE FRANKENSTEIN!!! Hope you enjoy both of them!!

Please take care of your mental health! As someone who has had some pretty awful work-related burnout, its so so important to take time to heal and learn what you need to step away from and what you need to focus on. If you're up for some reading, I highly suggest the book "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle". It was extremely helpful for me in being able to reframe and figure out what my personal healing journey needed to look like. I hope you start feeling more energized and refreshed soon! You got this!

I adore the clown on your wall omg

I love your low tech print technique!

OMG!! I had the same problem last weekend w/ my craft fair. They did poor advertising, two events were going on at the same time besides the one that I was a part of. Anyways... With all that said I've decided that I wasn't going to do it again. Not only because me and other vendors didn't do so well. And getting the word out was badly executed. So yeah, I'm gonna see what I can sign up to for next yr. Craft fairs can be very exhausting. But if it's done right, it could/can be very rewarding:) that's my 2 cents on the matter. Love, love, love your work by the way💛

Besides from the possible fun time, for me art markets have never given back my investment in money, time and effort. To me it is much more efficient to connect and sell online (not even speaking about the sensory overwhelm I can experience at markets) 😋

It's so sad to hear markets haven't been what you expected. It's so frustrating to start a new business branch (I guess one could call it that way) and find out it's not sustainable. The whole thing sounds like a massive administrative fiasco, when you said there were no other activities I went like 🤨 just shopping? In this economy?? (I'm not from the states but were i live markets usually are full of music so that bit sat bad with me) On the other hand I'm so glad you're getting a hand on the printing thingy, i enjoyed that video a whole lot, and it's very nice to see it all coming together Loved the video as always. Keep working hard, you're a big inspiration ૮꒰ིྀ˶꜆´˘`꜀˶꒱ིྀა

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

JUST SHOPPING IN THIS ECONOMY!!! Exactly!!! I couldn’t believe there wasn’t SOME sort of entertainment!

Wah! Thank you so much for featuring my artwork 😭🖤 Spookala was a time 🖤🖤🖤

@Lilstarnerd

7 ай бұрын

Still so obsessed with your stuff!!! I hope spookala was successful!!!

ONLINE IS THE FUTURE

I love the ornament painting idea so much (especially since i bought that kind of wood slices at some point, did 2 woodburning pieces and never touched them again) but shipping sucks so bad!!! DAMNIT maybe i will make some anyway and pester family and friends with them >:)

I've been hearing good things and bad things about markets, I find them to be a great way to get your art out there but its so damn expensive for the booths. You spend so much on making art and make very little back or nothing, they can be such a hit or miss when it comes to things.

Hey! So cool that your video came on my feed since I’m right near you in Palm Harbor! And I was wondering about that fall fest at honeymoon considered signing up but wasn’t ready thinking it would be too big for my stock level at the time. I’m new to markets but I’m really loving going to this small little indie market in a local nursery in Belleair (high income town). It’s small so it’s free to set up until it gains popularity but they’re creating a little community and it’s growing (no pun intended lol) They have really good live music, just added face painting and last week they had tarot readings and a yummy taco food truck. I made a few hundred my first week there 10/14 and last week I did well too. (Halloween weekend was slow for obv reasons) You should come try it out it’s such a vibe and I love being there even if I don’t do too well because I make so many friends, the people are awesome and it’s a refreshing vibe (at least when the weather is good anyway!) p.s. love your art!

Hiii!

first comment!!!!