Breakdown

Here is the unglamorous side of doing craft shows, breakdown. Everyone is trying to pack up and get out of the building at the same time and, for the most part, everyone is courteous. But, traffic jams can develop and waits to get to the loading dock can be long, hours at some shows.

Smithsonian Craft Show

The Smithsonian Craft Show is held in the National Building Museum. I was told by a visitor to the show that Abraham Lincoln's Inaugural Ball was held here and that there were horse stables at one time on the 4th floor. When I asked how the horses got up there, I was told they climbed stone steps, especially designed with short risers and deep treads. They are still there and used by all to reach the different levels of the building. The 4th floor is closed, however. It's still a mystery to me why horses were stabled this way.

Booth Shot

Art glass, ceramics, painting, decorative fiber, fine furniture, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, photography, large-scale sculpture, wearable art and wood by 125 juried artists from 25 states. This Paradise City show was held in Philadelphia's historic 33rd Street Armory, now host to many shows and events like this one.

Breakdown

This show is so big that it can take hours to get your vehicle to the loading dock to load up your booth. We were lucky. From start to finish, it took us about three and a half hours to breakdown. When we left, around 8:30 p.m., we passed a huge line of vehicles (over a hundred, at least) waiting to get into the building. It was going to be a late night for many.

Flower Arranging

One of my favorite show tasks is picking and arranging the flowers used in the booth.

Show Time

The American Craft Show in Baltimore is the largest juried, indoor craft show in the nation. Over 800 of the country's leading craft artists show their work here.

Show Setup/American Visionary Museum

Yesterday was a travel day with my boss to Baltimore, Maryland for the American Craft Council Show. Today was setup. Here's a not very glamorous behind the scenes view of the dock area and the contents of our truck which needed unloading.

A must-see if you are ever in Baltimore, is the American Visionary Art Museum. We planned our day well and spent a good part of it there. We especially liked the exhibit of mechanical toys and automata. Paul Spooner was a favorite. Here's a page that shows one of his creations in action. To learn about other mechanical sculpture artists and see more figures in action, visit the Cabaret mechanical Theatre site.