The old adage that "getting there is half the fun" may not exactly pertain to the art-show circuit. After all, this is a business, and making money while keeping costs low is the name of the game. However, those artists who have learned to have a little fun while traveling by taking in some of the local sights are often able to lessen the drudge and monotony of their show-circuit careers and make the most of life on the road.
"I always plan to take side trips to and from the art fairs," says SA's Brian Sullivan. "It could be as simple as visiting the local antique stores and art museums. ... Other times, I deviate quite a way off the interstate in search of new adventures."
Brad Foster, SA's Texas reporter, and his wife, Cindy, also like to take in some of the local sights but admit that it's often difficult. "On attempting to see anything beyond the shows, Cindy and I have often joked with our friends about how we've driven all over the country but what we mainly see is the highways in and out of the cities, our hotel and the inside of our tent," says Foster. "The few times we've had some spare hours, we have enjoyed just driving around at random to get a feel of the town.
"We have also joked, however, about making a list of the places we would like to visit, and then doing research about what shows might be in the area," Foster says. "So if we get lucky, we could use the income from the show to pay for the extra day or two to stay and do the visiting we want. We haven't tried it yet, but it certainly seems like a good idea. For now, [because we are] spending so much time away from home doing shows, just being able to stay at home is a vacation in itself."
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