I have applied for my summer shows in Colorado. Posted once before
asking for feedback. I’m posting again in case some missed it.
One of my associates said he did a show in Boulder without much
luck. He mentioned that “they don’t like Texans.” We vacationed up
there every summer when I was growing up and I never got that
impression.
Any feedback about Colorado shows would be appreciated.
J. S. Ellington
432-699-4040
Here’s the shows I do in Colorado:
Estes Park; Labor Day; excellent; outdoor; big crowd; awesome
surroundings; put on by the volunteer fire dept. If you don’t get
your application in the day you receive it, you stand a good chance
of not getting in. 3 days.
TVAL in Loveland; August; outdoor; held in a beautiful grassy park;
held at the same time the sculpture show is going on which draws a
huge crowd. 2 days.
Greeley’s Art in the Park; I think July; easy access as you can
drive right up to your space & unload; big crowd. 2 days
RMBS; Rocky Mtn Bead Society; wholesale/retail; Denver Merchandise
Mart; April 23rd weekend; they provide tables & risers. 3 days.
Colorado College; high end show on campus; first weekend in Dec. 2
days.
Future shows: Ski areas, ie: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge,
Crested Butte etc.
Hope this helps & let me know if I can be of further assistance.
There’s also a catalog of shows for Colorado only.
Regards, Audie Beller of Audie’s Images-
We did Evergreen in 2001 or 2 cleared $500 above all costs.
would have stayed home. and during the show we camped so had 0
expense Fri and Sat nites. also you are one day closer than we are.
I would not think only one is worth the trip we had applied for more
but only one accepted.
You need to consult Art Fair Source Book or some such publication
for ratings if you can talk to artists in your media who have worked
the show, it would be adviseable.
Michele
Thanks for the reply Audie.
I have the packet for Colorado and have applied for six or seven
shows for the summer. My question was about the feeling up there
toward Texans. Yet another set of friends warned me last night that
Coloradoans don’t like Texans. If there is a prejudice, that
certainly will cripple my efforts at shows.
Does anyone know about such a prejudice? What’s behind it? Can I
compensate in some way?
J. S. Ellington
432-699-4040
Since most everyone in Colorado is from California or Texas (not
really), I don’t find people here in Colorado, to be prejudice about
where you come from. However that being said, it is still is a
fairly red neck mentality in rural areas. They refer to Denver as a
cowtown for a reason. We sometimes say we sell jewelery that you can
wear hiking. You have my phone number, call before you come out and
perhaps we can meet if you are close to Denver.
Richard Hart
Prejudice At Shows
I had to comment on this topic, considering that as a native
Oregonian (before moving to the SW) I was once very much a practicing
separatist regarding the Californians moving into the state. I
suspect the prejudice of Coloradoans (is that the right term?) for
Texans is similar to that of Oregonians for Californians.
First, it’s not that the prejudice is really directed at any
specific individual, but rather at the trend that is a result of the
influx of people from the other state - things like higher housing
costs, fewer well-paying jobs, higher cost of living that results
from folks moving in from a richer state.
Consequently, because the prejudice is generic, not individual, you
should not expect any real consequence at a show. OK, so maybe 1 or
2 people give you some heartburn, but you would get that in Texas,
for different reasons, right?
No matter what show you go to, you’re going to find people of all
races hailing from all over the world. Believe me, they wouldn’t go
do a show in Colorado if prejudice would keep people from opening
their wallets.
Yes, prejudice of any kind is not a good thing, and it’s especially
bad when practiced against one’s own countrymen (guilty as charged -
but I did marry a Californian, so am I forgiven?) However, just put
your mind to rest on this topic, you’re not going to see lost sales
in Colorado, just because you are from Texas. And, no, you can’t do
anything about that accent* before the show:) *That’s a joke.
Enough said.
Susan
Sun Country Gems
www.suncountrygems.com
As a Texan that has moved to Colorado I can say that the prejudice
is more a habit from the 1970’s when all the rich old Texans with
oil money came to the ski slopes and tried to rule the place. When
someone does kid me about being from Texas, I come back with
something like "if it were not for Texans spending their money up
here you would only have one ski slope to ski on. They also hated
John Denver because it is “his” fault that people moved to
Colorado. Also most people are now against Californians so I think
you are safe. If you are a normal human being and just a nice person
most likely nobody will even care or notice where you are from. I
did several shows up here before I moved and did very well. A
friend of mine from Austin does very very well in Colorado. Stay
away from the little local town shows they are just like any little
town show in any little town America. (disclaimer: I know there are
some great shows in little towns that have built up through the
years, I am not talking about them) Stick with the tourist area shows
or shows in the larger cities.
Bill Wismar
www.wismargallery.com
JS, I’m a Texan currently working in the Boulder area. I’ve ran into
some of the ‘We don’t like Texan’s’ attitude while I’ve been there
over the past few months. It’s nothing overert (except occasionaly
while driving on the road – I still live in Texas and have Texas
plates on my car there). I’ve also met a lot of nice people there
too.
I don’t understand the prejudice. I know Texan’s don’t care if
someone’s from Colorado. I’ve asked a couple of people in Boulder
about the attitude and the answers I get are all different and silly
to say the least. Who knows. I wouldn’t worry about problems at the
shows. I don’t think anyone will care where you’re from. If you
expect to do well, sales wise, then go. Besides, you can’t compensate
for prejudice. Prejudiced people aren’t rational and can’t be
reasoned with or appeased. The problem is their’s.
If you want to ask me anymore questions off-list about being a Texan
in Colorado, you can email me at @BJ1.
Don’t want to start a Texas / Colorado war here on the list 
BJ
Hi, Being a Coloradan (originally from New York) I can attes=
t to
the fact there is a certain rivalry between Colorado natives and
Texas natives; however I see it being in more of a friendly nature
than a true dislike of each other. When I first moved here, there
were actually some competitions set up for pie throwing, tug of war,
etc. which pitted Texas teams against Colorado teams. In the past 19
years this seems to have mostly disappeared (at least in the Colorado
Springs area). Now the main competition seems to be between our
respective football teams (The Cowboys and the Broncos); with Texas
(and New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois) immigrants nearly
outnumbering the Colorado native population. To give a clue to the
changes that have happened: when I moved here Colorado Springs had a
population of about 135,000 and has grown to over 500,00 in the city
with nearly 1 million people in what used to be a mostly rural
county. Time brought change in numbers and attitude; and there aren’t
the “fun” compeition games fought with Texas that there used to be.
Now it seems to have shifted to a dislike of Californians for moving
here in mass for the high tech industry the area is promoting. At
least in the Springs area, the population at large talks about
Colorado being “Californicated”.
Come enjoy Colorado, and I hope any shows you do here will be
profitable ( I don’t do shows any more so I’m not qualified to give
advice in that area)
Paul D. Reilly
Colorado Springs, CO
I don’t understand the prejudice. I know Texan’s don’t care if
someone’s from Colorado. Is that still going on? As an Easterner
studying at the U.of Colorado in Boulder half a century ago, I was
amused at the standing ‘feud’ between the Texas students and the
locals. Seems the kids from Colorado were tired of hearing the
Texans always bragging about how much bigger and better everything
in Texas was. “Then why do you come up here every summer?” they
would say…and answer their own question with “Because you also
have the hottest summers, the biggest mosquitoes, etc…”
Apparently it’s a local tradition, like urban myths. Don’t sweat it.
JS… Well I am one the board thank you As a Colorado native I have
had a lot of friends from Texas and I really don’t think you will
have any trouble selling in Co. if you stay in the larger towns or
the resort towns you should be fine. Some of the smaller towns have
not bounced back as of yet i.e. they have no money to spend but
Boulder should be just fine it is a melting pot for all. After all
there is not a lot of natives left here they are in AZ. (HE HE) And
as for the Red Necks yes we have them and I live in one of those
small minded little towns. And they can be very frustrating but I
think that=92s everywhere. O.K. Can’t resist (he he) the only thing I
can remember being said a bout Texans was… Come on down spend you
money and don’t forget to shut the door on you way out. And I have
not heard that in years so come on down and have a great time Lory
I’m from Colorado and have lived in Texas for a long time. I am from
the western slope or western front range, whichever, and the people
around Durango and area, with the exception of Tulluride and the
other ski/ outsider areas had always been a little more friendly
than the Eastern Slope area of Denver, Colorado Springs, etc. It has
to do with the where the majority population is from. The people in
western area are still for the most part still doing business
friendly like.
Coloradoans don't like Texans.
As a Colorado native for over 46 years now I think I can speak to
the rumor that Coloradoans don’t like Texans… I think Texans are
unfairly singled out as they tend to drive to Colorado for vacation
and they are more readily identified by their license plates (and
maybe their accent 
).
Native Coloradoans like myself or people who have lived in Colorado
for some time have seen changes come from a growing population and
poularity of our state for vacations that are not necessarlily
welcome changes. In the larger metropolitan areas, Denver and what
is referred to as the front range or the eastern slope property
values have grown to where it pretty much requires two incomes to
raise a family.
The ski industry has raised the price of skiing and lodging in the
mountains so high that most Coloradoans cannot afford to enjoy some
of the things that make Colorado a great place. In fact people who
work in the ski towns cannot afford to live there and face long
commutes over mountain highways and passes to get to work. The
forest service is starting limit access to some of the more popular
national parks because the forest is starting to suffer from the
traffic congestion and too many people trying to enjoy the outdoors.
Don’t get us wrong. Colorado loves tourists. The tourist industry
is the largest industry in Colorado. I think my pet peave is when
someone from a more metropoliton area of the country complains that
we don’t have any decent shopping, night life, or culture here in
Colorado. I smile politly and agree with them and ask them what time
they want me to come over and help them pack so they can return to
the area where they would be more comfortable.
Just my $.02 worth…
Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Colorado Springs, Colorado
http://home.covad.net/~rcopeland/