In-Person Shows: FAQs and FireSmith’s Tips
We are excited to announce that we will be in-person for this summer’s season of art shows!
Will you feature art at your shows that isn't on the website?
Most of the art that will be on display in our booth this season will NOT be on the website. Consequently, our online shop will have fewer pieces than usual during our summer season, we bring most of our inventory with us so you can see it in person. If you don’t see a piece that’s right for you at our stand, we encourage customers to peruse our online shop to see if they can find a better fit for their home.
When is the best time to visit the FireSmith Copper stand?
We are happy to have customers in the booth at any time during the show. We hope that our customers will be understanding if there is a high capacity at a given time and be patient. Sometimes, even with both of us working there is not enough bandwidth to go around.
When people buy a piece of art at your show, do they take it with them or do you ship it to them?
We are happy for the client to walk away with their purchased piece of artwork but we also ship around the world, especially when our clients are traveling themselves. When we ship there is a shipping cost in addition to the price. If you need your new artwork shipped we are happy to accomodate! We want art pieces that we sell to reflect our business ethos: creativity, composition, inspiration, craftsmanship. Consequently, this year we may be taking orders on certain designs if our inventory cannot support the demand. We hope in the future that this will never again have to occur because we get no greater satisfaction than seeing a new customer walk out of our booth with their new original piece of art from Firesmith Copper.
Why do we love in-person shows?
In-person shows provide us with the opportunity to engage our clients face-to-face. We love to share stories, learn about who you are, share a laugh or experience, and most importantly share our passion for the artwork we create. The personal relationships we make at art shows are invaluable to our business. These people are who kept our business alive throughout the pandemic. Without them, we would no longer be able to pursue our passion to create one of a kind works of art. An important side note is how much we value the relationships we have fostered with fellow artists. Those relationships have not only made us more successful as artists but better human beings in general. We cherish the many friendships we've made.
How is FireSmith Copper approaching shows differently post-pandemic compared to shows pre-pandemic?
Like most people who had to adapt to the changing reality that resulted from the pandemic, it forced us to innovate, shift course, and plan more for an uncertain future. At the end of the day, we feel a sense of pride for riding out the storm. Post-pandemic shows have galvanized us to cut costs, plan for the future, and plan for the unexpected. Post-pandemic shows will be all the more fruitful due to the lessons and adaptations we learned from it. A strong web presence as well as a strong show presence will introduce our art greater number of potential clients which is really exciting.
Do you accept all forms of payment at art shows?
We accept virtually all credit cards. We use "SQUARE REGISTER" for transactions and if Square takes it, we take it.
Tips for Art Show Patrons
Take your time, enjoy the show!
Talk to the artist — artists love to talk about their work.
As a customer, explain your intentions for the art you plan to put in your space. Are you looking to entertain guests? Have a quiet place for introspection or work? Do you want beautify your private space? Do you want to create equity in your home with an installation? These questions help us make recommendations that will fit your needs perfectly. We look at pictures, figure out the space, learn more about the client, then begin coming up with ideas to make their dream a reality. We have the ability to superimpose our artwork on your walls so bring pictures of the space you are looking to fill and we can help you find the perfect artwork for your space.
You are under no obligation to buy at the art show. Find what is right for you.
If an artist's booth is busy please be patient. It just means you have good taste as do the others in the booth.
As a customer, understand that what you are purchasing is the result of the work of the artist. Budgets are okay, but prices reflect the time, effort, materials, and skill that it took to create the work.
When you take a business card, take a picture of it as well. It is harder to lose a picture than a card.
Always ask before taking pictures of the artwork, some artists do not allow pictures taken of their work.
Even if you are not planning to purchase artwork, you are always welcome in our gallery. We love talking about our work and we love to share our work with all art lovers!