Melrose Trading Post for original paintings, not just prints?
I hauled six small garden paintings to the Melrose Trading Post last month and sold two before noon, which felt like a miracle for original work at a market that skews vintage and jewelry. But I also got a lot of "do you have prints?" and had to smile through it about forty times.
I keep hearing the Beverly Hills Art Show is better for originals, especially florals and landscapes, but the booth fees are a real jump. And then there's Unique Markets, which seems more design and gift oriented. I did the Downtown Art Walk once and loved the foot traffic, but setting up in someone else's gallery space felt awkward when my work didn't match their program at all.
For those of you selling original paintings (not prints, not reproductions), which LA markets or pop ups have actually been worth the booth fee and the early morning load in? I want to paint more than I want stand behind a table, but the table is paying for the paint right now.
Hey! Two originals sold before noon at a market that skews vintage and jewelry is a genuinely strong signal. That means your work stopped people who weren't even shopping for paintings.
A few things worth stacking here:
- The "do you have prints?" question is a buying signal disguised as a no. Those 40 people liked the work but couldn't justify the original price on the spot. Having a handful of prints (even just your top 3 sellers as giclées in the $40 to $80 range) turns that question into a second revenue stream and gets your work on 40 more walls. You don't have to become a print shop, just carry a small stack of your best movers.
- Beverly Hills Art Show is a real step up for originals, especially florals and landscapes in the $300 to $2,000 range. Booth fees run around $400 to $600 depending on the category, but the foot traffic is pre-qualified for fine art in a way Melrose isn't. One extra original sale covers the fee difference. If the jump feels steep, apply for the fall show and keep doing Melrose in the meantime so you're not betting everything on one event.
- Unique Markets leans gifts and design products, so originals are a harder sell there unless you're pricing small work under $150. It's a better prints and cards venue than an originals venue.
- Downtown Art Walk is worth doing again specifically because the crowd self-selects for art. The barrier is low (many galleries let you set up outside or partner on wall space), and it's a great list-building night. Bring a clipboard or tablet signup for email, because the people who browse originals at Art Walk but don't buy that night are your best future buyers.
The fastest win: get 3 to 5 of your garden paintings printed as giclées before your next Melrose date. You already proved the originals move there. Adding a print option means those 40 "do you have prints?" conversations turn into sales instead of smiles.
Want me to map out a print pricing strategy for your garden series?
Other resources you might find helpful:
- Selling originals at Melrose Trading Post, worth it or not? — Real feedback on Melrose Trading Post's poor fit for original paintings plus concrete alternative venues where originals actually sell in LA.
- Is the Beverly Hills Art Show even worth hauling canvases to anymore? — Firsthand account from painter comparing Melrose Trading Post sales success to other venues, with peer validation and concrete sales data.
- Is the booth fee at Beverly Hills or Brentwood actually worth it for original work? — Real ROI data from LA art fairs selling originals, helping asker evaluate whether booth fees pay off versus Melrose's proven model.
Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.