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Packing Your Van for a Sidewalk Art Show & Ode
to an Old Show Box |
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The weapon of choice for sidewalk artist's transportation is the conversion van. Most artists can not afford a new van and buying a used van often can be very tricky. Affordable used vans are usually worn out. Most individuals and businesses trade them in when they are shot, therefore it is very hard to find one that is reliable. However, conversion vans are many times purchased new by senior citizens for traveling and are used only occasionally. When they can no longer travel or they no longer wish to drive a large van, these vehicles come on the market often with low miles. Although these vans are heavier than regular vans and use more gas, if you limit your show distance to 150 miles from home, they are still affordable and it is better in the long run to develop markets closer to home that you may take advantage of throughout the year. Also, conversion vans have a raised roof which allows for additional space as well as standing up room. |
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Looking in the back compartment, I built a deck that holds my show racks and tent poles underneath. Notice the broom, a good item to have when your street site is full of leaves. The items on top of the deck are a box which holds my chairs and the wood I use for my little office that I build out of three shelves in the back of my booth. |
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Looking from the side, you can see my weights with a piece of wood on top to make a platform, my lights are in the black box under the cardboard box which holds my print racks. I leave all these items in my van all the time so that I do not have to lift them out and find additional storage in my home after each show.
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This is a view of the back of the van packed for a show this weekend in Georgia. The black bags on the right top are my tent canopy and sides which I put on top of my print boxes since the tent is the first thing out and the last thing in. The tent racks and the tent poles go underneath and can be loaded out first and loaded in last without having to move anything else.
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This is the side of the van with my tool box and dolly inside. I leave lots of room in this area for our clothes and stuff that goes in the motel room since we always get into town the afternoon before set up day and check in the motel, unpack and then head out to check out the show site. |
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Above is a map of how I packed the van, which makes it easier to repack after the show. Go ahead and laugh, my friends always do when they see me pull out this map. But try packing your van in the pouring rain and after it is all full and you have three large boxes left over with no room to fit them in, this map will keep you from difficulty. After 35 years of
doing sidewalk art shows, I still get anxious before the set up since
it is like a gladiator coming out of the doors of the arena, you never
know when your going to get smacked in your head with some unknown difficulty.
It is wise to go to the site the day before in order to get a sense of
place and see where your booth is in order to plan the attack and find
a good parking place. |
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Ode To An Old Show Box
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© Copyright 2004 Mike Segal All Rights Reserved to the Artist : HOME:
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