I've been sending my work to be shown as Sci Fi conventions for awhile now, and have never had problems until Duckon...
ALL the other conventions have gotten my unsold work back to me within a week, and I usually have check in hand AND if I want, copies of my bid sheets within 2-3 weeks.
Duckon was in Mid June... I was told, a few days after the convention by the art show director that she was busy but would be getting everyone's paperwork in order and would have checks out "by the end of the month".
Mid July I emailed and was told "I've been busy, everything will be in order and the checks mailed out by the end of the week." a week or two passed and I emailed again, adding that "I haven't gotten my unsold work back yet" and about a week later I got my package of unsold work. And the paperwork enclosed was USELESS, it wasn't really a check sheet or verification of packing or anything, Everything was listed in the paperwork as "returned to artist" but only 7 pieces came back to me. I emailed in a panic. She gave me her phone number and it turns out that there's some crazy story about the way the paperwork is produced... Um How about a frakking hand written list showing which pieces WERE sold on sunday, and WHICH pieces I should expect to find in the box? I asked for my bid sheets and any paperwork that would show which pieces were sold. They've somehow gone missing... (can you see the steam?) I had to copy MY checklist, and do the math for what the BASE price (my price less the commission for the art show) on my items were (I still have no proof if maybe they
were auctioned off for MORE, and I was told a few days after the convention that "at least one of your plushies went to the auction." )
Two and a half weeks ago ( a full 2 months since the convention) I was told, while I was ON THE PHONE LONG DISTANCE with her, that she was writing a personal check right now, and had an envelope and stamps handy so it would go right out. Thursday this past week I called and was told "Oh it was probably just lost in the mail. I'll send another one right out by priority mail."
At this point just getting the money doesn't solve the issue of having to make long distance calls, send out multiple emails, and basically pester the art show director to get paid AT ALL... It doesn't clear up the problem that I was originally told that at least one of my items went to the auction, and now I can't even get the records of the auction OR my bid sheets... and I'm only going to get the "sunday sale" price (less the show's % of course) for my work.
I just emailed the convention chair, and board for the SECOND time. The first email to the chair and board was about 3 weeks - month ago has never gotten a reply.
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