Howdy!

 It has been a long time since my last blog post, I apologize. I just got home from the Sugarloaf Crafts show in Chantilly VA. It was my second year doing the December Show there. And in November I did the Sugarloaf Gaithersburg show for the second November in a row. I have found these two shows to have the most loyal customers of any of my repeat shows. In Gaithersburg I had 25% of my sales from returning customers. It may have even been more but that is what Square reports to me if the same credit card is used (Chantilly was 15% returning). 

  I was not able to get the same booth spaces as before (I was close) but still the Sugarloaf customers walk the whole show and my fans found me. One gentleman says that every year he walks the entire Gaithersburg show and usually finds 2-3 artists to return to to purchase art from. He said "this year you were the only one who inspired me enough to return for". I was humbled. In Chantilly this year I had a couple come to me a bought my biggest piece without much talking or interaction. They purchased the 24 X 36 aluminum of 'End Of The Road' ! While I was finishing up the transaction they said that they "saw this last year in Chantilly and(we) have been thinking about it all year. We just HAD to get it this year". If I had not returned this year I could not have given this couple what they wanted. In another interaction at this show a young boy looked through my $30 matted prints for a long time. He found something he liked and walked his mom up to me. Got out his Boy Scout wallet and got out his own $30 and paid for it. I remember this young boy from last year. Same wallet and another $30 cash purchase. He then said that he did get 'End Of The Road' (8 x 10) last year. This year he got another car/truck photo ('Parked'). I then had a nice conversation with this boy and his mom. It was one of the highlights of my day. 

 If I had not returned to these two shows, I would not have been about to connect with these fine people and I would not have been able to fulfill their needs. I truly enjoy this personal interaction with people, guest, and potential customers. I know they could order art online from the comfort of their home but I believe the Sugarloaf guests truly desire the personal interactions just as much as the quality of the art they see and buy. 

  So even though my sales this weekend did not equal 2015 (they were close) I will keep returning to both the Gaithersburg Shows and this Chantilly show in 2017. I am determined make more Raving Fans at Sugarloaf! I will continue to bring new photos of different locations and of things Left Behind. 

THANK YOU ALL!