Nothing against the Uptown Art Fair, but "manageable" isn't the word that comes to mind. The sprawling event involves a major time commitment just to get navigate through the booth rows. .
The annual art sale at the Minneapolis Colllge of Art and Design is stroller-free by comparison. I've yet to ever see a stroller at the MCAD show although someone is bound to prove me wrong soon. It's a much smaller show than Uptown but with 7,000 pieces of art from students and alumni, the selection has still been described as "epic."
Most of the original pieces sell for less than $100 and nothing can be priced higher than $1,500.
I like the sale because the art can be provocative or traditional, whimsical or serene.
The sale runs from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 ($30 admission) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (free admission). I've learned over the years that many pieces but not all, get marked down by about 20% on Saturday. That's why I was shocked on Thursday when I was admiring a large canvas with the artist standing nearby. As I complimented him, he told me that his prices are flexible. He's the only MCAD artist that's ever told me that, but keep it in mind if you meet the artist.
BTW, the artists generally get at least 80% of the selling price. I wouldn't normally negotiate with a student whose probably got a wad of student loan debt, but it is possible. Or just wait until Saturday when it may already be marked down.
If you attended the art show on Thursday or Friday, it's worth returning on Saturday because many of the artists have backstock that replaced the sold items.
