We were doing the Letchworth Fall Art and Craft Show last October, enjoying the crowds and the scenery and the gorgeous weather but not selling very much. Across from us was an amazing photographer, Jim Saba, who uses only his camera to make works of art, no digital anything, no photoshop. Stunning. His wife was set up next to him. She is a painter, but for this folksy kind of show, she had made really charming, whimsical clocks.
So, we are watching the thousands of people who walked right by and between us every hour.."walking right by" being the key phrase here..carrying candy corn on a stick, witches on a stick, bird feeders on a stick, copper bowls, glass balls, straw pumpkins- all on a stick. The second day, in the afternoon, we were observing the phenomenon and I made the comment that if I could figure out how to put a book on a stick I might do better. We snickered, whined, use choice expletives and went back to work.
A little bit later, Russell cracks up and tells me to check out Jim's booth. This was next to his browse bin:
"Photography on a stick", he explained, "maybe it will sell now."
We loved it. It didn't sell.
Now, this is not to dis Letchworth or the artisans who make garden art. It just shows how choosing the right show for your widget is the secret. October in upstate NY is all about Fall color and Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas and snow and snowmen and Christmas gifts and witches and door wreaths for the new season. Traditional craft. And Letchworth delivers that in abundance against one of the most glorious backgrounds in nature. Nothing wrong with that, but totally wrong for us.
We had fun and Jake the wonder dog got to tag along, but we won't be doing that one again. I'll miss it.
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