This set up is pretty much the same as I showed you last week. The following pictures are of a double booth set up for two airbrush artists. In this picture the artists are set up on opposite ends of the booth. However, with the Power Palette system both artists could operate off the middle table. We chose to set them up on opposite sides of the canopies to cut down on congestion in the center of the booth. In these pictures we have added some floor matting. The floor matting gives a warm, neat look to the booth. You may want to consider some type of flooring if you are ever doing a show on pavement. It not only gives the booth a warmer look but it cuts down on leg strain. Another leg saver is a cushioned floor mat. These mats are about the same size as the welcome mats you put in front of your door at home. The extra cushion under your feet will help to alleviate leg strain from standing all day. I have noticed the greeters at Wal-Mart standing on these cushioned floor mats. My guess is you can also purchase these mats at Wal-Mart. Just ask the greeter.

Remember keep your booth uncluttered. Simple black table covering and skirting gives the booth a professional look and offers a hiding place for clutter. The clutter placed under the tables also helps to keep the skirting from blowing in the wind. If necessary, you can always tape the skirting to the table legs to help keep it down.

One more note on the picture frames on each work station table. Our crystal sales more than doubled after we made the picture display of the Swarovski crystals. It is a good up sell.

Check out our new color coordinated banners on the web site. I hope you like them and I hope you will find something that will work for you.

I just have a few notes to add about doing shows. When I first started doing shows, I was a professional potter. Let me tell you, it’s much easier doing shows as an airbrush artist. When I did shows as a potter, I was always one of the first exhibitors to arrive at the show to set up and always one of the last exhibitors to leave the show. I must say with certainty, I am an expert at wrapping and unwrapping pottery.

Anyway, I have two experiences, or lessons, that have always stuck with me that I would like to share with you. The first is from the very first show I ever did. I think it was the hottest day of the year and the sun was beating down on us. My spot for the show was in the newly black topped parking lot of the local bank. I set up my booth and was keeping busy with my sales. I was excited and happy to be actually selling some of my art. But, after a few hours, I had the odd feeling that my booth was somehow getting shorter. To my horror it was. I looked down at the legs of my canopy which were now sinking into the hot, black asphalt of the parking lot. I gasped as I ran over to each leg of the canopy and pulled it out of the freshly laid asphalt. I took my foot and tried, as best as I could, to smooth out the big holes. I was so afraid the bank was going to make me pay for the damage. However, when I left the show my spot didn’t look too bad. If you place a 2” or 3” square piece of cardboard under your canopy legs this horror will be prevented.

The second experience happened at a show where we got hit by a storm. It was pouring rain and then the wind kicked in. By that time the customers had all left the show and the exhibitors were in a mad rush to get out too. I was packing up as fast as I could and my husband was rushing to the car with loads of pottery. In the mad rush, I untied the weights of my canopy and started to pack them up. The wind kicked up again and carried my newly purchased canopy into a near by tree branch and ripped a nice big hole in the top. I was the lucky one. My neighbor’s canopy went flipping upside down where the bottom of the leg hit another exhibitor in the eye. I later learned that the man did lose his eye. The lesson here is, do not untie your weights to the canopy until you are ready to take it down. And after you untie the weights, hold on to the canopy especially in the wind. I have found that even if I am doing a show by myself, my neighbors are always more than happy to help me close up my canopy. Never be shy about asking for help.