Being part of the Make28 creativity challenge, has made me focus on making something every day. And that's got me thinking about creativity and all its forms.
So I've been extra sensitive to information about creativity and of course, I start seeing it everywhere, or at least I start paying attention.
I thought I'd share a couple of videos with you. They've been making the rounds, but perhaps you haven't seen them yet.
This is from Atlanta based editorial photographer, Zack Arias:
And this is a TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert:
I'll be posting more soon.
Showing posts with label artists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artists. Show all posts
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Waxy Buildup: Cleaning House
Paintings by Trayc Claybrook and Deanna Wood
August 17 - September 28, 2008
Opening Reception:
Sunday, August 17, 2-4 pm
Center for Visual Arts
400 E. Hickory
Denton, Texas, 76201
Directions to the Center for Visual Arts
Gallery Hours:
Tues - Sun, 1-5 pm
Trayc and I collaborated on this work and we're excited that it's finally being exhibited.
You can read all about the creation of this work on the Waxy Buildup blog.
We hope to see you there!
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Creative Endeavors and Do-It-Yourself Projects
Colleen Cook, my oldest friend (and by "oldest" I mean the one that I've known the longest), was recently the featured blogger at Kidlit Central News. In her post she compares writing to do-it-yourself home renovation.
I think some of her points can be transferred to almost any creative endeavor, especially trying to "make it" as an artist.
These points resonated with me:
"Reading how-to books helps, but it won’t make you a professional."
and
"The only way to become a true craftsman is to slop on comfy clothes and do it every day for years and years."
Most of the other points can be applied to visual artists as well, either in building a career or just creating a single painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.
The last point reminds me of this video that I saw recently, where Ira Glass of This American Life talks about how to be a great storyteller. He's talking specifically about radio and television, but it can relate to visual art as well:
I've had that exact experience - where what I was making didn't meet the expectations that I had for it. Over the years of doing it again and again, I've gotten to the point where I can make things that meet or exceed my expectations. Well, most of the time.
On the flip side, I've also given up. I've also had the experience of wanting to be an expert at something but giving up immediately upon realizing that I truly suck at it. I don't know how many times I've borrowed my mom's sewing machine because I wanted to learn to sew. But when my first project would turn out hideous, I would give the sewing machine back. I never gave myself the opportunity to make bad things for a while until I figured it out.
I realize that it was something that I wasn't committed to. Learning to sew wasn't important enough to me, so I quit.
The late Randy Pausch said many inspirational things in his "Last Lecture," but one that applies here is: "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."
So you have to figure out what you're committed to for the long run and be willing to make ugly things, make mistakes, break down that brick wall, and gradually get to that point where what you create is exactly what you had envisioned.
I think some of her points can be transferred to almost any creative endeavor, especially trying to "make it" as an artist.
These points resonated with me:
"Reading how-to books helps, but it won’t make you a professional."
and
"The only way to become a true craftsman is to slop on comfy clothes and do it every day for years and years."
Most of the other points can be applied to visual artists as well, either in building a career or just creating a single painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.
The last point reminds me of this video that I saw recently, where Ira Glass of This American Life talks about how to be a great storyteller. He's talking specifically about radio and television, but it can relate to visual art as well:
I've had that exact experience - where what I was making didn't meet the expectations that I had for it. Over the years of doing it again and again, I've gotten to the point where I can make things that meet or exceed my expectations. Well, most of the time.
On the flip side, I've also given up. I've also had the experience of wanting to be an expert at something but giving up immediately upon realizing that I truly suck at it. I don't know how many times I've borrowed my mom's sewing machine because I wanted to learn to sew. But when my first project would turn out hideous, I would give the sewing machine back. I never gave myself the opportunity to make bad things for a while until I figured it out.
I realize that it was something that I wasn't committed to. Learning to sew wasn't important enough to me, so I quit.
The late Randy Pausch said many inspirational things in his "Last Lecture," but one that applies here is: "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something."
So you have to figure out what you're committed to for the long run and be willing to make ugly things, make mistakes, break down that brick wall, and gradually get to that point where what you create is exactly what you had envisioned.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Encaustic Conference
Gwen Plunkett and Kate MillerI'm having fun and learning a lot at the Second National Encaustic Conference.
Linda Womack is doing a much better job blogging about it.
This is the only picture I've taken so far!
I'll try to take more tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
It's My Turn on the Blog Tour!
There's so much going on in my world lately, but I'm excited to be the last stop on the blog tour for Alyson Stanfield's I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self Promotion. If you don't have the book yet, why not? Read on to find out how you can win a free copy...
Today I'm hosting Alyson B. Stanfield, author of I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. Alyson is here as part of the blog tour to help promote the book and is also giving away a free copy. She's invited me to ask a question related to the book, so here goes . . .
Today I'm hosting Alyson B. Stanfield, author of I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion. Alyson is here as part of the blog tour to help promote the book and is also giving away a free copy. She's invited me to ask a question related to the book, so here goes . . .
What is the best piece of advice that you could give to an emerging artist?
That's easy. For most artists, it would be: Get your art out there! Be so in love with your art that you can't wait to get out of bed and share it with people.
Don't wait for opportunity to knock on your door. Make sure more and more people are seeing your work and that you're not hoarding it for the perfect occasion.
Yes, you should enter juried shows, but don't stick to the safe ones. Go beyond your usual circle and introduce your art to new audiences. Subscribe to Art Calendar or an online service like ArtDeadlines.com or ArtDeadlinesList.com so you can keep up with the call for entries.
I would also caution emerging artists not to write off non-traditional venues. Sure, a local restaurant might not be as prestigious as a gallery in a big city, but what good is your art doing you while you sit on it and wait for that gallery? You never know what might come of hanging your art in a restaurant or doctor's office or bank lobby.
This brings me to something else. Although it's important to get your work out there as much as you can, it's equally important to know what you're getting into. That means doing your homework, meeting face-to-face with individuals, and that you need something in writing for most venues. You don't need to hang your art at every restaurant. You need to hang your art at those venues that will treat it with respect and treat you as the professional you are. If you don't know what you're getting into--if you don't know the right questions to ask--you can't expect others to cover all of the bases.
Bottom line: Get your art out of the studio and into venues where more people can see it.
Interested in winning a free copy of I'd Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion? Visit this site, read the instructions, and enter. Your odds are good as she's giving away a free copy on most of the blog tour stops. You can increase your odds by visiting the other blog tour stops and entering on those sites as well.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Artist's Residencies - An Overview
I promised that I would write a little about artist's residencies and what they're all about.
There are many different kinds of artist's residencies, but basically a residency is a place where an artist can get away from "real life" and concentrate on his or her art for a specified period of time. The artist is usually given a studio space and living space in which to live and work, often sharing space with other artists of different disciplines.
Some common types of residencies:
Fees required -
For this type of residency, you will pay to work and stay at the facility. Often they will bring in a visiting artist (well known artist or writer) that the residents get to interact with. The Vermont Studio Center is an example of this type of residency. Some will offer scholarships that artists can apply for to help with travel or living expenses, but most artists who are there are paying to stay there.
The Atlantic Center for the Arts is another example.
No fees required -
This type of residency will let you stay and work for free, but you're responsible for your travel and meals. This is the type of residency that I'm doing. My friend Junanne clarified by saying that they're "giving me the gift of time" to do my work. I think that's a good way to put it. I'll be away in a beautiful setting with other artists and I won't have to worry about "everyday" types of things that keep me from doing art.
The Edward F. Albee Foundation is another example of this type of no-fee residency.
Stipend provided -
This is a "dream gig." An artist is given a free place to stay and work and is also given a stipend to help defray expenses for travel, etc.
Artpace in San Antonio is an example of this kind of residency.
Work required -
Some residencies will require you to give back in some way, either through teaching community or children's classes, being available to the public to talk about your work, create work for an exhibition at the end of the residency, or to donate a piece of work.
The national park service offers residencies of this type.
But many will not require you to do anything. You're completely on your own to create (or not create) anything you like.
Many universities and colleges will employ artist's in residence for 1 or 2 years. I've known several artists who took these types of positions directly out of graduate school. Some were offered full time positions as a result and some went on to teach full time at different schools.
"Alternative" residencies -
Most residencies will be offered by art centers, art foundations, etc. But every now and then you'll come across a residency opportunity that at first seems strange. One example I heard about recently is at the San Francisco Dump. This would be a dream gig for an artist who likes to use recycled materials.
The Exploratorium, also in San Francisco, offers an artist in residence program that would be great for an artist who is interested in science and working with kids.
Elsewhere Artist Collaborative offers residencies where artists create site-specific work in a former thrift store.
Within all those above categories, you'll find even more differences:
Settings and facilities -
You'll find residencies in cities, rural areas, and even international locations. The facilities will also differ from residency to residency. Some will provide meals, private rooms, etc. while others, especially the ones in the national parks, are more primitive.
Time frame -
You can spend as little as a week or two or up to 1 or 2 years at a residency.
Age and career point -
Some residencies are for artists in their early 20's or 30's, some for more "mature" artists, some for "emerging artists" in their first 10 years of their career.
Gender and ethnicity -
Some residencies focus on women and minorities.
Discipline -
Some residencies are only open to visual artists while others encourage artists of may disciplines to apply, including writers, composers, musicians, dancers, singers, etc. One I saw even encouraged chefs to apply. Sign me up for the month when the chef's there!
Things to consider when applying for a residency:
Cost -
Can you afford to be away? Can you afford the travel expenses, etc? Are you willing to donate time or artwork, if it is required?
Location and time of year -
Where do you want to go? What time of year do you want to be away? Some residencies offer only summer options, but others are year-round. Often winter is a better time to apply, as there are fewer applicants.
Personality and working style -
Do you enjoy interacting with other people? If not, you might try to find a more "solo" residency. If you enjoy working with children or with the public, then you might look for one that requires that you teach and lecture.
The Application Process:
Follow the rules!
All residencies are different, so my best advice is to follow their specific rules. Often if you don't include all of the information that they ask for, your application will be thrown out immediately. They won't call you and ask for you to resubmit - they get hundreds of applications and don't have time for that.
Reapply -
Most residencies have a panel of jurors that changes every year, so if you're rejected, check their guidelines to find out when you can apply again (some will only allow you to apply every 2 years).
Send your best work -
Many residencies are based solely on the work, so make sure that every image you send them is your best.
Application fee -
Some will require an application fee, usually around $25. Personally, I look for the ones that don't require fees. It's expensive enough to be an artist!
Resources:
Here are some resources and clearinghouses for information on artist's residencies:
Alliance of Artists Communities
Resartis
TransArtists
Wikipedia has a good explanation and a list of other resources
Additional funding:
Check with your local or state arts council to find out of they offer any residencies or offer grants for residencies.
If you apply, good luck! And I'll keep you updated on how my residency goes.
There are many different kinds of artist's residencies, but basically a residency is a place where an artist can get away from "real life" and concentrate on his or her art for a specified period of time. The artist is usually given a studio space and living space in which to live and work, often sharing space with other artists of different disciplines.
Some common types of residencies:
Fees required -
For this type of residency, you will pay to work and stay at the facility. Often they will bring in a visiting artist (well known artist or writer) that the residents get to interact with. The Vermont Studio Center is an example of this type of residency. Some will offer scholarships that artists can apply for to help with travel or living expenses, but most artists who are there are paying to stay there.
The Atlantic Center for the Arts is another example.
No fees required -
This type of residency will let you stay and work for free, but you're responsible for your travel and meals. This is the type of residency that I'm doing. My friend Junanne clarified by saying that they're "giving me the gift of time" to do my work. I think that's a good way to put it. I'll be away in a beautiful setting with other artists and I won't have to worry about "everyday" types of things that keep me from doing art.
The Edward F. Albee Foundation is another example of this type of no-fee residency.
Stipend provided -
This is a "dream gig." An artist is given a free place to stay and work and is also given a stipend to help defray expenses for travel, etc.
Artpace in San Antonio is an example of this kind of residency.
Work required -
Some residencies will require you to give back in some way, either through teaching community or children's classes, being available to the public to talk about your work, create work for an exhibition at the end of the residency, or to donate a piece of work.
The national park service offers residencies of this type.
But many will not require you to do anything. You're completely on your own to create (or not create) anything you like.
Many universities and colleges will employ artist's in residence for 1 or 2 years. I've known several artists who took these types of positions directly out of graduate school. Some were offered full time positions as a result and some went on to teach full time at different schools.
"Alternative" residencies -
Most residencies will be offered by art centers, art foundations, etc. But every now and then you'll come across a residency opportunity that at first seems strange. One example I heard about recently is at the San Francisco Dump. This would be a dream gig for an artist who likes to use recycled materials.
The Exploratorium, also in San Francisco, offers an artist in residence program that would be great for an artist who is interested in science and working with kids.
Elsewhere Artist Collaborative offers residencies where artists create site-specific work in a former thrift store.
Within all those above categories, you'll find even more differences:
Settings and facilities -
You'll find residencies in cities, rural areas, and even international locations. The facilities will also differ from residency to residency. Some will provide meals, private rooms, etc. while others, especially the ones in the national parks, are more primitive.
Time frame -
You can spend as little as a week or two or up to 1 or 2 years at a residency.
Age and career point -
Some residencies are for artists in their early 20's or 30's, some for more "mature" artists, some for "emerging artists" in their first 10 years of their career.
Gender and ethnicity -
Some residencies focus on women and minorities.
Discipline -
Some residencies are only open to visual artists while others encourage artists of may disciplines to apply, including writers, composers, musicians, dancers, singers, etc. One I saw even encouraged chefs to apply. Sign me up for the month when the chef's there!
Things to consider when applying for a residency:
Cost -
Can you afford to be away? Can you afford the travel expenses, etc? Are you willing to donate time or artwork, if it is required?
Location and time of year -
Where do you want to go? What time of year do you want to be away? Some residencies offer only summer options, but others are year-round. Often winter is a better time to apply, as there are fewer applicants.
Personality and working style -
Do you enjoy interacting with other people? If not, you might try to find a more "solo" residency. If you enjoy working with children or with the public, then you might look for one that requires that you teach and lecture.
The Application Process:
Follow the rules!
All residencies are different, so my best advice is to follow their specific rules. Often if you don't include all of the information that they ask for, your application will be thrown out immediately. They won't call you and ask for you to resubmit - they get hundreds of applications and don't have time for that.
Reapply -
Most residencies have a panel of jurors that changes every year, so if you're rejected, check their guidelines to find out when you can apply again (some will only allow you to apply every 2 years).
Send your best work -
Many residencies are based solely on the work, so make sure that every image you send them is your best.
Application fee -
Some will require an application fee, usually around $25. Personally, I look for the ones that don't require fees. It's expensive enough to be an artist!
Resources:
Here are some resources and clearinghouses for information on artist's residencies:
Alliance of Artists Communities
Resartis
TransArtists
Wikipedia has a good explanation and a list of other resources
Additional funding:
Check with your local or state arts council to find out of they offer any residencies or offer grants for residencies.
If you apply, good luck! And I'll keep you updated on how my residency goes.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Different Media
I wrote recently about trying to figure out how to handle marketing different bodies of work. But now I'm facing a different problem: working in different media.
I used to paint only in acrylic, and I played around with layering colors and trying to achieve transparency. But when I discovered encaustic, it seemed to solve all my problems. I could embed objects, collage materials, write words, scrape, scratch, layer... So I've worked almost exclusively in that medium for almost four years.
But when I started on this new body of work (the Palimpsest series), I wanted to explore the ideas in different media, as I had done with the Seeking Shelter series. That particular series came out of all of the work that I did in grad school. I spent the whole time working through ideas and media, and Seeking Shelter is the culmination of all of that work, and it just happens to be created in encaustic.
I know Joanne Mattera has written about not wanting to be labeled an "encaustic artist," and I can understand and respect that. About not being defined by your medium. And it's never bothered me if someone called me an encaustic artist. [I don't care what you call me, just call me, right?]
But I'm afraid now that I've pigeon-holed myself. I've created a few new pieces in the Palimpsest series that are not encaustic. I've been experimenting with acrylic, oil, and pastel. I think all of the pieces go together as one body of work and I don't think acrylic pieces would look out of place next to encaustic pieces as long as they seem cohesive in style, subject matter, etc. But when I was talking with a gallery owner about sending work to him, he seemed hesitant about me sending the non-encaustic pieces. He said I have become "known for" encaustic.
I'm going to send them anyway and see what happens.
So I'm curious. How do you handle working in different media? Or introducing work created in a new medium? Have you had the experience of being labeled as a particular kind of artist or expected to only work in a certain medium?
I used to paint only in acrylic, and I played around with layering colors and trying to achieve transparency. But when I discovered encaustic, it seemed to solve all my problems. I could embed objects, collage materials, write words, scrape, scratch, layer... So I've worked almost exclusively in that medium for almost four years.
But when I started on this new body of work (the Palimpsest series), I wanted to explore the ideas in different media, as I had done with the Seeking Shelter series. That particular series came out of all of the work that I did in grad school. I spent the whole time working through ideas and media, and Seeking Shelter is the culmination of all of that work, and it just happens to be created in encaustic.
I know Joanne Mattera has written about not wanting to be labeled an "encaustic artist," and I can understand and respect that. About not being defined by your medium. And it's never bothered me if someone called me an encaustic artist. [I don't care what you call me, just call me, right?]
But I'm afraid now that I've pigeon-holed myself. I've created a few new pieces in the Palimpsest series that are not encaustic. I've been experimenting with acrylic, oil, and pastel. I think all of the pieces go together as one body of work and I don't think acrylic pieces would look out of place next to encaustic pieces as long as they seem cohesive in style, subject matter, etc. But when I was talking with a gallery owner about sending work to him, he seemed hesitant about me sending the non-encaustic pieces. He said I have become "known for" encaustic.
I'm going to send them anyway and see what happens.
So I'm curious. How do you handle working in different media? Or introducing work created in a new medium? Have you had the experience of being labeled as a particular kind of artist or expected to only work in a certain medium?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
I Don't Really Want to Be an Expert on This...
I was recently interviewed for American Artist Magazine for an article about rejection.
The article will appear in the June issue.
You can read it now online:
Putting a Positive Spin on Rejection
The article will appear in the June issue.
You can read it now online:
Putting a Positive Spin on Rejection
Monday, March 31, 2008
Book Party!
Alyson Stanfield speaking to artists at my studioThis past Sunday, I was excited to host Alyson Stanfield, creator of ArtBizCoach.com at my studio for a book party. She's visiting artist's studios to talk about her new book, I'd Rather Be in the Studio.
There were about 13 artists there to meet Alyson, buy her book, and ask her questions about art marketing. Everybody wanted to hear everyone else's questions, so it ended up being a group question and answer type format.
Alyson was very genuine, funny, and generous with her information. I really enjoyed meeting her.
Her book is wonderful - full of helpful information to get you started or to help you focus on what you're already doing. And I was overwhelmed with the amount of online resources that she shares with the buyers of the book. It's such a great supplement to the book. You definitely need to read it!
And, just a reminder - as part of her blog tour, Alyson is stopping by my blog on May 27. Stop back by then for more with Alyson!
Monday, March 17, 2008
TexasWAX Opening Night
l to r: Kate Miller (with back to camera), Joanne Mattera, Cheryl McClure, Carolyn Fox-Hearne (with back to camera), Janet ReynoldsOur opening reception on Friday, February 22, was a great success! The people at CAMP really did it up nicely for us. They were extremely gracious and they put on a great spread. One really great touch was the video camera "hidden" in the main gallery space. It was streaming live video that was projected in another room (and someone said it was streaming on the internet, too, but I'm not sure about that).
We were extremely excited that several high-profile people from the "encaustic world" stopped by, including Joanne Mattera, author of The Art of Encaustic Painting; Richard Frumess of R&F Paints, and Kathryn Bevier of Enkaustikos Wax Art Supplies.
The show is up until March 16, so if you haven't seen it yet, please stop by and check it out!
Collaborating Artists Media Project
2631 Commerce St. Suite B, Dallas, TX 75226
Gallery hours M-F, 9 am - 5 pm
Here are some more photos from the opening:
Carolyn Fox-Hearne
Deanna Wood
Gwen Plunkett, Kate Miller, Franziska Bader
Diane reader Dorn
Trayc Claybrook
Diane reader Dorn and Carolyn Fox-HearneTuesday, January 22, 2008
The Birth of TexasWAX
Back in the fall, I received an email from Gwen Plunkett, an artist from Houston who uses encaustic. She invited me to join her newly formed encaustic group in Houston. She said that they were considering becoming a chapter of IEA but weren't sure.
I was excited about the prospect of a Texas-based encaustic group. I had intended to start one but just hadn't gotten my act together enough to do it. Gwen's email finally got me going. We decided to create one Texas group with separate groups in the larger cities, starting with Dallas and Houston.
Gwen mentioned that she's going to be in Dallas for the annual CAA conference and perhaps we could get together. There are some encaustic-related things going on in conjunction with the event. We decided that we would try to find a place to have a group encaustic show in the vicinity of the conference.
So I emailed all of the artists who had taken my workshops over the years and invited them to help form our encaustic group.
We met this past Saturday at the home and studio of Janet Reynolds. There were nine of us: Deanna Wood, Pedrameh Manoochehri, Darlyne Hartman, Kathy Lovas, Susan Sponsler Carstarphen, Silvia Thornton, Janet Reynolds, Junanne Peck, and Trayc Claybrook.
There are several others who are part of the group but weren't able to make the meeting:
Vidya Kagal, Charlotte Cornett, Cheryl McClure, Robin Walker, and Fran Strebel.
We came up with the name - TexasWAX/Dallas - talked about the focus of the group, affiliations, etc. We're currently looking for exhibition space for a joint Dallas/Houston show during CAA.
I'm very excited about the group - it's a diverse, talented, supportive and encouraging group of artists.
You can keep up with our progress on our blogs:
TexasWAX/Dallas
TexasWAX/Houston
We're looking for artists who use encaustic in San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, etc...
I was excited about the prospect of a Texas-based encaustic group. I had intended to start one but just hadn't gotten my act together enough to do it. Gwen's email finally got me going. We decided to create one Texas group with separate groups in the larger cities, starting with Dallas and Houston.
Gwen mentioned that she's going to be in Dallas for the annual CAA conference and perhaps we could get together. There are some encaustic-related things going on in conjunction with the event. We decided that we would try to find a place to have a group encaustic show in the vicinity of the conference.
So I emailed all of the artists who had taken my workshops over the years and invited them to help form our encaustic group.
We met this past Saturday at the home and studio of Janet Reynolds. There were nine of us: Deanna Wood, Pedrameh Manoochehri, Darlyne Hartman, Kathy Lovas, Susan Sponsler Carstarphen, Silvia Thornton, Janet Reynolds, Junanne Peck, and Trayc Claybrook.
There are several others who are part of the group but weren't able to make the meeting:
Vidya Kagal, Charlotte Cornett, Cheryl McClure, Robin Walker, and Fran Strebel.
We came up with the name - TexasWAX/Dallas - talked about the focus of the group, affiliations, etc. We're currently looking for exhibition space for a joint Dallas/Houston show during CAA.
I'm very excited about the group - it's a diverse, talented, supportive and encouraging group of artists.
You can keep up with our progress on our blogs:
TexasWAX/Dallas
TexasWAX/Houston
We're looking for artists who use encaustic in San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, etc...
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Mourning the ORG
During the year that Ze Frank was doing "The Show," his daily online video program, he created an online social network called the ORG. It was a place for his fans (with various nicknames like Sports Racers, Duckies, The Flock, or members of the League of Awesomeness) to congregate, celebrate their love for Ze, contemplate why he never blinked, show off their creative work, and collaborate with each other.
I had been contemplating writing a post for this blog about online social networks for artists and I was going to mention the ORG. I don't see the point for most of the networks - I join them (myartspace.com, 723.com, artscuttlebutt.com, indiepublic.com, etc), post some images of my artwork, look around at other members for a while, log off, and forget about it until someone posts a comment or friend request.
But the ORG was different. It wasn't an art social network per se, but a lot of the members were very creative in some way - artists, musicians, poets, writers, photographers, filmmakers, designers, illustrators, etc. And others were scientists, engineers, students, and self-described geeks and nerds. The thing that brought everyone together was a desire to connect with other like-minded people and create something new.
ORG members could post photos, videos, writing, and links to their blogs. Members were encouraged to leave short, positive comments. You could also send messages to members via the ORG's message system. Oh, and I don't think I mentioned what I liked most about it - it looked really good. The complete opposite of MySpace, which is so full of ugly (on many levels) that I can't even begin to describe my loathing...
And it all seemed to develop and grow organically. It started very basic but as people commented on the features and functionality, new things were suggested, added and tweaked all the time. It was fun to watch it grow.
One of the collaborative aspects of the ORG were the projects. Any member could create a project and invite other members to join in. Some were based on things Ze mentioned in his show and others just came out of nowhere and got a life of their own. Often someone would post a photo or video, other people would connect with it, play off of it, post something else, and something new and wonderful would be born.
I have to admit that I wasn't as active an ORG member as some. I don't know how to do video (and quite frankly don't want to see myself on video!). I mostly posted some photos, perused the photos that people posted and commented on them. I would "quack" at people (I guess it was the ORG's version of a nudge, wink, or friend request). I would read some of the blogs and occasionally watch a video. There was one young guy from New York that posted some beautiful poetry... Oh, and I really enjoyed the Secret Santa project this Christmas...
OK, so why am I in mourning? Because when I tried to log in to the ORG on New Year's Day, I saw this:
... and it never went away. And I was sad.
It had became a real community. I felt like I had some friends there. I was a fan of many members and looked forward to their contributions - dangeramy, oldgrimy, viscousplatypus (still the best username ever), astropixie, imagine, blissee, awed job, snooge, ohkatherine (incredible photographer)... So many! A bunch of the ORG members are planning a get-together in Chicago this March at QuackerCon 2008...
Luckily I had some ORG member emails and some ORG contacts on Twitter and Flickr, so we were able to stay in contact while we figured out what happened (in fact, I've been enjoying our Twittering these last few days...)
Some of the more industrious (and smart) ORG members are scrambling to create a new place to meet. Right now it's called PostORG. ORG members are coming together and offering their talents to help create something new.
There was discussion on the forum about trying to get the code for the ORG to bring it back up and have someone else maintain it. But I love the idea of us creating something new. And of course by "us" I mean all those smart people who know how to do that sort of thing...
So if you were a member of the ORG and want to reconnect with it, go to PostORG or send an email to explodedorg@gmail.com.
Or if you want to be part of something new and awesome, watch The Show first, and if you like what you see, then hop on board.
And if you do join, look me up. I'm enchiladaplate, of course.
I had been contemplating writing a post for this blog about online social networks for artists and I was going to mention the ORG. I don't see the point for most of the networks - I join them (myartspace.com, 723.com, artscuttlebutt.com, indiepublic.com, etc), post some images of my artwork, look around at other members for a while, log off, and forget about it until someone posts a comment or friend request.
But the ORG was different. It wasn't an art social network per se, but a lot of the members were very creative in some way - artists, musicians, poets, writers, photographers, filmmakers, designers, illustrators, etc. And others were scientists, engineers, students, and self-described geeks and nerds. The thing that brought everyone together was a desire to connect with other like-minded people and create something new.
ORG members could post photos, videos, writing, and links to their blogs. Members were encouraged to leave short, positive comments. You could also send messages to members via the ORG's message system. Oh, and I don't think I mentioned what I liked most about it - it looked really good. The complete opposite of MySpace, which is so full of ugly (on many levels) that I can't even begin to describe my loathing...
And it all seemed to develop and grow organically. It started very basic but as people commented on the features and functionality, new things were suggested, added and tweaked all the time. It was fun to watch it grow.
One of the collaborative aspects of the ORG were the projects. Any member could create a project and invite other members to join in. Some were based on things Ze mentioned in his show and others just came out of nowhere and got a life of their own. Often someone would post a photo or video, other people would connect with it, play off of it, post something else, and something new and wonderful would be born.
I have to admit that I wasn't as active an ORG member as some. I don't know how to do video (and quite frankly don't want to see myself on video!). I mostly posted some photos, perused the photos that people posted and commented on them. I would "quack" at people (I guess it was the ORG's version of a nudge, wink, or friend request). I would read some of the blogs and occasionally watch a video. There was one young guy from New York that posted some beautiful poetry... Oh, and I really enjoyed the Secret Santa project this Christmas...
OK, so why am I in mourning? Because when I tried to log in to the ORG on New Year's Day, I saw this:
... and it never went away. And I was sad.It had became a real community. I felt like I had some friends there. I was a fan of many members and looked forward to their contributions - dangeramy, oldgrimy, viscousplatypus (still the best username ever), astropixie, imagine, blissee, awed job, snooge, ohkatherine (incredible photographer)... So many! A bunch of the ORG members are planning a get-together in Chicago this March at QuackerCon 2008...
Luckily I had some ORG member emails and some ORG contacts on Twitter and Flickr, so we were able to stay in contact while we figured out what happened (in fact, I've been enjoying our Twittering these last few days...)
Some of the more industrious (and smart) ORG members are scrambling to create a new place to meet. Right now it's called PostORG. ORG members are coming together and offering their talents to help create something new.
There was discussion on the forum about trying to get the code for the ORG to bring it back up and have someone else maintain it. But I love the idea of us creating something new. And of course by "us" I mean all those smart people who know how to do that sort of thing...
So if you were a member of the ORG and want to reconnect with it, go to PostORG or send an email to explodedorg@gmail.com.
Or if you want to be part of something new and awesome, watch The Show first, and if you like what you see, then hop on board.
And if you do join, look me up. I'm enchiladaplate, of course.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Book: Creative Careers by Elaina Loveland
I got this book from the library and thought it might be helpful for someone who was thinking about a career in art.
The subtitle is: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers.
There's a very short introduction about the book and then each section has an introduction with an overview of careers for each category (actor, artist, dancer, musician, and writer). Each section has profiles of different careers within that broad range.
I have to admit that I was only interested in the section on artists, so I'll concentrate on that here.
There are several career options for artists - animator, digital filmmaker, video game animator, architect, landscape architect, art gallery director, art therapist, artist, illustrator, photographer, art teacher, art professor, art director, industrial designer, floral designer, graphic designer, interior designer, web designer, fashion designer, fashion editor/stylist, jewelry designer, conservator, museum curator, preparator, and museum educator.
There is a basic overview for each one, including a job description, training and educational qualifications, job outlook, salary, and industry resources.
Each career also includes a Q&A profile with someone doing that job, with questions about internships, the best cities for that job, favorite and least favorite aspects of the job, professional associations, helpful publications and websites, and advice for people who are interested in pursuing that particular career.
The artist profiled is Tiffani Taylor, a self-employed artist who paints murals, paintings and pottery and lives in Savannah, Georgia.
A couple of great quotes from Tiffani:
The author's website:
Creative Careers: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers by Alaina Loveland
The subtitle is: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers.
There's a very short introduction about the book and then each section has an introduction with an overview of careers for each category (actor, artist, dancer, musician, and writer). Each section has profiles of different careers within that broad range.
I have to admit that I was only interested in the section on artists, so I'll concentrate on that here.
There are several career options for artists - animator, digital filmmaker, video game animator, architect, landscape architect, art gallery director, art therapist, artist, illustrator, photographer, art teacher, art professor, art director, industrial designer, floral designer, graphic designer, interior designer, web designer, fashion designer, fashion editor/stylist, jewelry designer, conservator, museum curator, preparator, and museum educator.
There is a basic overview for each one, including a job description, training and educational qualifications, job outlook, salary, and industry resources.
Each career also includes a Q&A profile with someone doing that job, with questions about internships, the best cities for that job, favorite and least favorite aspects of the job, professional associations, helpful publications and websites, and advice for people who are interested in pursuing that particular career.
The artist profiled is Tiffani Taylor, a self-employed artist who paints murals, paintings and pottery and lives in Savannah, Georgia.
A couple of great quotes from Tiffani:
I believe fear is a major factor that stops most art careers--the fear of putting oneself out in the world for others to see. Additionally, artists are faced with the problem solving of being self-employed.and
Don't let fear of the unknown stop you. Take it a day at a time and live the life you have imagined. work each day toward "self-actualizing;" become the best person you know you can be. Don't listen to "dream squashers." Surround yourself with positive people who inspire you and believe in you. Ask for advice from people you admire.There's not much here for creative professionals who are already doing what they love, but this would be a great book for someone interested in changing careers or for a young person just starting out.
The author's website:
Creative Careers: Paths for Aspiring Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers by Alaina Loveland
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Abundance
First of all, before I forget, congratulations to Kaija, Mary, and Ben on the Pay It Forward project! I'll get something fun out to you soon.
I've been thinking a lot lately about scarcity and abundance. And I guess generosity and stinginess also come into play.
Like most things, I think it's all in how you look at it. I have enough. I have a cute house, a nice studio, a great family, wonderful friends, good health, and basically a great, stress-free life. I have more than I need. Until I start comparing myself to someone with a bigger house, nicer car, more income, handsome husband, skinnier body, etc.
In "Creating Affluence," Deepak Chopra says,
It's kind of like that bumper sticker, "Begin Within." Or the Gandhi quote, “we must be the change we wish to see in the world.”
So, maybe it's naive, but I try to apply this to the art world as well. Everyone agrees that it's a very competitive business. But if you approach it with an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity, it all changes. Instead of self-absorbed artists just in it for ourselves, we can all help each other. I think deep down we all want to be helpful in some way.
I've always thought that it's sort of a numbers game - you have to send out 50 proposals to get 2 shows; you have to approach 100 galleries to get representation in 4 of them; you have to have work in several shows before you build up a following, etc. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but I think for most of us it's true. You have to get your work out there and eventually the right people will see it.
There's more to it, of course - you need have good work, be able to talk confidently about it, conduct yourself professionally, etc.
I have to remind myself of this concept of abundance often, though. I think there's a tendency to be self-protective and think, "It's competitive out there. I found this call for entries and I want to keep it for myself. If I let Artist X know about it, he might get in the show instead of me." But if you come at it from abundance, then there's enough for everybody. And if you help your fellow artists and cheer for their successes, they will help you and cheer for you in return.
I ask myself often if what I'm doing is coming out of generosity or stinginess. I have to remind myself what I want to be: Generous.
Gratitude is another concept that's important. Remember to thank those who help you along the way.
So thank you all for reading and for the great comments and encouragement. I'm inspired by all of the talent and generosity of spirit in the artist-blogger community.
----------------
Now playing: The Decemberists - Think About Me
via FoxyTunes
I've been thinking a lot lately about scarcity and abundance. And I guess generosity and stinginess also come into play.
Like most things, I think it's all in how you look at it. I have enough. I have a cute house, a nice studio, a great family, wonderful friends, good health, and basically a great, stress-free life. I have more than I need. Until I start comparing myself to someone with a bigger house, nicer car, more income, handsome husband, skinnier body, etc.
In "Creating Affluence," Deepak Chopra says,
"We experience health when our identity of who we are comes from reference to the self. When we identify with objects, whether these are situations, circumstances, people, or things, then we relinquish our energy to the object of reference. As a result, we feel lack of energy and vitality. When our identity comes from the self, then we keep our energy to ourselves."He's talking specifically here about health, but I think it applies to anything. When you compare yourself to others, you will come up short in some way. That's not to say that you shouldn't strive for more. I believe that we should all grow and change.
It's kind of like that bumper sticker, "Begin Within." Or the Gandhi quote, “we must be the change we wish to see in the world.”
So, maybe it's naive, but I try to apply this to the art world as well. Everyone agrees that it's a very competitive business. But if you approach it with an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity, it all changes. Instead of self-absorbed artists just in it for ourselves, we can all help each other. I think deep down we all want to be helpful in some way.
I've always thought that it's sort of a numbers game - you have to send out 50 proposals to get 2 shows; you have to approach 100 galleries to get representation in 4 of them; you have to have work in several shows before you build up a following, etc. There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but I think for most of us it's true. You have to get your work out there and eventually the right people will see it.
There's more to it, of course - you need have good work, be able to talk confidently about it, conduct yourself professionally, etc.
I have to remind myself of this concept of abundance often, though. I think there's a tendency to be self-protective and think, "It's competitive out there. I found this call for entries and I want to keep it for myself. If I let Artist X know about it, he might get in the show instead of me." But if you come at it from abundance, then there's enough for everybody. And if you help your fellow artists and cheer for their successes, they will help you and cheer for you in return.
I ask myself often if what I'm doing is coming out of generosity or stinginess. I have to remind myself what I want to be: Generous.
Gratitude is another concept that's important. Remember to thank those who help you along the way.
So thank you all for reading and for the great comments and encouragement. I'm inspired by all of the talent and generosity of spirit in the artist-blogger community.
----------------
Now playing: The Decemberists - Think About Me
via FoxyTunes
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Productive!
I had a very productive day today. I worked on putting proposals together for the Waxy Buildup exhibit.
I made a few minor changes after I shot these images, but it's basically how it looks. I included our resumes, a CD, an image list that corresponds to the images on the CD, and a statement. This image shows a postcard, but I ended up not printing them because the prints off my computer scratch too easily. I want to get some professionally printed postcards to include in future proposals.
Each packet also includes a cover letter and a SASE.There's one packet that I had to customize because the venue had really specific proposal guidelines. You have to do that sometimes, so it helps to be flexible.
I'm sending out 8 proposals tomorrow. Wish us luck!
I also entered my work in a couple of juried shows and put together a packet of my work to send to a curator.
I like days like this.
I've got some new stuff going on in my studio but I'll talk about that later. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with it.
----------------
Now playing: Building On Fire' - open on FoxyTunes Planet">Talking Heads - Love -> Building On Fire
via FoxyTunes
Monday, August 20, 2007
New Body of Work
Deanna Wood - Poise, 12" x 12", collage, wax transfer, and encausticI finally completed the series of "Waxy Buildup" paintings that Trayc Claybrook and I collaborated on.
I'm working on a proposal now and we're going to send it out to art centers and galleries. Hopefully we'll get to show it somewhere.
Alyson Stanfield mentioned SlideShare on her blog the other day, so I thought I'd check it out. It's kind of like YouTube but for PowerPoint presentations. Normally, I try to avoid PowerPoint, but I did one for the proposal CD and thought I'd upload it. Check it out:
Despite my aversion to PowerPoint, I actually liked SlideShare. There are some examples of really well-designed presentations. You can also see some really atrocious ones, which is helpful in showing you what not to do. In fact, after looking at some presentations on the site, I redesigned mine to make it be more readable.
----------------
Now playing: Patty Griffin - Getting Ready
via FoxyTunes
Sunday, August 19, 2007
How Galleries Choose Artists to Show
Panel Discussion sponsored by the Greater Denton Arts Council. June 14, 2007
Panelists:
Nancy Whitenack from Conduit Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Marty Walker from Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Burt Finger from Photographs Do Not Bend, Dallas, Texas
The GDAC hosted an exhibition of emerging artists that are represented by galleries in Dallas (Denton is about 35 miles north of Dallas). They also hosted this panel and invited arts groups and art students from the area universities. I took notes and wanted to share them with you.
Nancy Whitenack:
Her gallery features two major spaces and a small "project room" where they show artists that they don't represent.
She sees the gallery/artist relationship as a journey.
She watches the artist change and brings the public around to the changes.
She picks artists instinctually.
She does studio visits and views juried shows.
She responds to work that she immediately resonates with and connects with - she has to love the work.
She tries not to overlap other types of work - not have two or more artists that do the same thing.
She likes work that examines a story in a different way.
Marty Walker:
Suggests that you take time to visit the gallery or website to see what the work looks like before you approach a gallery.
She sees several variables - she must like the work - the resume and exhibition history is important but not the final decision. She's willing to take a chance on an artist.
Burt Finger:
He looks for an artist that will add something to the gallery.
He thinks about his clients, not just what he loves.
Suggests that you do research on a gallery before you approach it.
He prefers artists who have work in major museums and who have a monograph.
Q&A:
What is the role of an alternative space?
Alternative spaces are important - Some recent grads are not necessarily ready for a commercial gallery. They're great for creating a community of artists and are important for experimental work (there were several artists present who are on the board of the 500X, a prominent alternative space in Dallas). But all of the gallery directors said that if they believe in an artist, they would be willing to show experimental work.
How should an artist approach a gallery?
If you're local, go to the openings and meet the gallery director.
Build up a relationship first.
Make a personal connection.
If you have work in a local show, ask them to visit to see your work.
Participate in major local juried shows (in this area it's the Contemporary, the MAC, Art House, Art in the Metroplex, TVAA, etc.)
Show work in non-art spaces to begin with - coffee shops, etc.
What makes you want to visit an artist's studio?
The artist has to be serious.
It helps to have built up a relationship.
What about exclusive contracts?
Marty Walker and Nancy Whitenack said that their contracts are usually just locally exclusive (if you show with them you don't show at another competing gallery in Dallas).
Burt Finger said that he prefers his artists to be exclusive to his gallery.
Other thoughts:
Most galleries will send out packets with info on their artists to museums and collections.
They all said that they didn't have any bias against self-taught artists.
If energy is happening in your studio then everything else will fall into place.
Don't expect to produce part-time effort and expect full time results.
Artist's recommendations are very important. They place a great deal of importance on recommendations from other artists.
----------------
Now playing: Red House Painters - Another Song For A Blue Guitar
via FoxyTunes
Panelists:
Nancy Whitenack from Conduit Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Marty Walker from Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Burt Finger from Photographs Do Not Bend, Dallas, Texas
The GDAC hosted an exhibition of emerging artists that are represented by galleries in Dallas (Denton is about 35 miles north of Dallas). They also hosted this panel and invited arts groups and art students from the area universities. I took notes and wanted to share them with you.
Nancy Whitenack:
Her gallery features two major spaces and a small "project room" where they show artists that they don't represent.
She sees the gallery/artist relationship as a journey.
She watches the artist change and brings the public around to the changes.
She picks artists instinctually.
She does studio visits and views juried shows.
She responds to work that she immediately resonates with and connects with - she has to love the work.
She tries not to overlap other types of work - not have two or more artists that do the same thing.
She likes work that examines a story in a different way.
Marty Walker:
Suggests that you take time to visit the gallery or website to see what the work looks like before you approach a gallery.
She sees several variables - she must like the work - the resume and exhibition history is important but not the final decision. She's willing to take a chance on an artist.
Burt Finger:
He looks for an artist that will add something to the gallery.
He thinks about his clients, not just what he loves.
Suggests that you do research on a gallery before you approach it.
He prefers artists who have work in major museums and who have a monograph.
Q&A:
What is the role of an alternative space?
Alternative spaces are important - Some recent grads are not necessarily ready for a commercial gallery. They're great for creating a community of artists and are important for experimental work (there were several artists present who are on the board of the 500X, a prominent alternative space in Dallas). But all of the gallery directors said that if they believe in an artist, they would be willing to show experimental work.
How should an artist approach a gallery?
If you're local, go to the openings and meet the gallery director.
Build up a relationship first.
Make a personal connection.
If you have work in a local show, ask them to visit to see your work.
Participate in major local juried shows (in this area it's the Contemporary, the MAC, Art House, Art in the Metroplex, TVAA, etc.)
Show work in non-art spaces to begin with - coffee shops, etc.
What makes you want to visit an artist's studio?
The artist has to be serious.
It helps to have built up a relationship.
What about exclusive contracts?
Marty Walker and Nancy Whitenack said that their contracts are usually just locally exclusive (if you show with them you don't show at another competing gallery in Dallas).
Burt Finger said that he prefers his artists to be exclusive to his gallery.
Other thoughts:
Most galleries will send out packets with info on their artists to museums and collections.
They all said that they didn't have any bias against self-taught artists.
If energy is happening in your studio then everything else will fall into place.
Don't expect to produce part-time effort and expect full time results.
Artist's recommendations are very important. They place a great deal of importance on recommendations from other artists.
----------------
Now playing: Red House Painters - Another Song For A Blue Guitar
via FoxyTunes
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
First National Encaustic Conference, Part 3
OK, enough silliness - back to the conference report...
On Saturday, the first full day of the conference, I attended the morning panel discussion. The panel was moderated by Joanne Mattera and included Timothy McDowell (artist), Katherine French (curator), Richard Frumess (artist and founder of R&F Paints), Hope Turner (gallery owner), and Barbara O'Brien (curator and critic).
I found the discussion interesting and lively. I took some notes on the highlights:
On the fragility of encaustics - no one seemed to be concerned - just suggested that you have to be a little more careful. Tim McDowell related a story he'd heard about Anselm Kiefer - Kiefer's gallery person called him to let him know that the new owner of one of his straw paintings was staring at a pile of straw in their living room. Kiefer replied, "It must be beautiful."
Someone else mentioned that throughout history, wax has been used as protection and a preservative.
Encaustic lends itself to expressionism. Color can be entrapped in and bounce out of the layers of wax in the painting.
On encaustic painting as a ghetto or cult - most panelists agreed that the idea or formal image is the most important aspect of a work of art, not the medium chosen by the artist. The medium can be interesting but it is secondary (this idea was repeated several times).
Barbara O'Brien stated that art doesn't speak for itself, an artist has to educate the viewer.
Miles Conrad asked the panel if encaustic is seen as a medium used mostly by women. He has noticed an overwhelming majority of women artists entering his encaustic invitational every year. Someone on the panel suggested that perhaps women are more open to trying new media or are more willing to learn from other people (I have noticed, too - I've been teaching workshops for a year and a half and haven't had one male student...).
But historically, male artists had passed down the knowledge of the encaustic process - Brice Marden learned from David Aronson, who learned from Karl Zerbe...
On shipping encaustic work - Someone said that they use 1st or 2nd day FedEx and only ship on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to arrive on Friday. This eliminates the danger of the artwork sitting in a hot truck or warehouse over a weekend. Never use the US Post Office. Never put anything in contact with the surface. Use a crate within a crate. Someone suggested using Ethafoam. Tim McDowell says he usually ships overnight. He also suggested never to list the contents as "artwork." They won't pay the full insurance value on artwork. In the description line he writes, "hand-painted signs." They'll insure those...
On getting into galleries - Look at galleries in your area. Look at the gallery's stable and get a dialog going with the gallery director/owner. Produce a web page that focuses on your art. Keep it businesslike and easy to migrate through. Go to openings and network. Just because a gallery says no once, it's not final. Send them information later with new work and they'll often look at your work again. Don't give up. Gallery owners put a lot more weight to recommendations from their current artists.
Debra Ramsay
After the panel, Tricia Lazuka, Heather Harris and I walked over to see Hot Stuff, the juried group show of encaustic work. I took photos of most of the work and you can see it here. I'm working on finding the names for each work, so if you know who did any of them, please leave a comment.
To be continued...
Related links:
My Flickr set of the Hot Stuff show
Joanne Mattera's in-depth synopsis
Linda Womack's on-going report
Daniella Woolf's blog
International Encaustic Artists
On Saturday, the first full day of the conference, I attended the morning panel discussion. The panel was moderated by Joanne Mattera and included Timothy McDowell (artist), Katherine French (curator), Richard Frumess (artist and founder of R&F Paints), Hope Turner (gallery owner), and Barbara O'Brien (curator and critic).I found the discussion interesting and lively. I took some notes on the highlights:
On the fragility of encaustics - no one seemed to be concerned - just suggested that you have to be a little more careful. Tim McDowell related a story he'd heard about Anselm Kiefer - Kiefer's gallery person called him to let him know that the new owner of one of his straw paintings was staring at a pile of straw in their living room. Kiefer replied, "It must be beautiful."
Someone else mentioned that throughout history, wax has been used as protection and a preservative.
Encaustic lends itself to expressionism. Color can be entrapped in and bounce out of the layers of wax in the painting.
On encaustic painting as a ghetto or cult - most panelists agreed that the idea or formal image is the most important aspect of a work of art, not the medium chosen by the artist. The medium can be interesting but it is secondary (this idea was repeated several times).
Barbara O'Brien stated that art doesn't speak for itself, an artist has to educate the viewer.
Miles Conrad asked the panel if encaustic is seen as a medium used mostly by women. He has noticed an overwhelming majority of women artists entering his encaustic invitational every year. Someone on the panel suggested that perhaps women are more open to trying new media or are more willing to learn from other people (I have noticed, too - I've been teaching workshops for a year and a half and haven't had one male student...).
But historically, male artists had passed down the knowledge of the encaustic process - Brice Marden learned from David Aronson, who learned from Karl Zerbe...
On shipping encaustic work - Someone said that they use 1st or 2nd day FedEx and only ship on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday to arrive on Friday. This eliminates the danger of the artwork sitting in a hot truck or warehouse over a weekend. Never use the US Post Office. Never put anything in contact with the surface. Use a crate within a crate. Someone suggested using Ethafoam. Tim McDowell says he usually ships overnight. He also suggested never to list the contents as "artwork." They won't pay the full insurance value on artwork. In the description line he writes, "hand-painted signs." They'll insure those...
On getting into galleries - Look at galleries in your area. Look at the gallery's stable and get a dialog going with the gallery director/owner. Produce a web page that focuses on your art. Keep it businesslike and easy to migrate through. Go to openings and network. Just because a gallery says no once, it's not final. Send them information later with new work and they'll often look at your work again. Don't give up. Gallery owners put a lot more weight to recommendations from their current artists.
Debra RamsayAfter the panel, Tricia Lazuka, Heather Harris and I walked over to see Hot Stuff, the juried group show of encaustic work. I took photos of most of the work and you can see it here. I'm working on finding the names for each work, so if you know who did any of them, please leave a comment.
To be continued...
Related links:
My Flickr set of the Hot Stuff show
Joanne Mattera's in-depth synopsis
Linda Womack's on-going report
Daniella Woolf's blog
International Encaustic Artists
Monday, June 18, 2007
First National Encaustic Conference, Part 2
on the Salem FerryJoanne Mattera and Nancy Natale gave me some helpful travel tips and I was able to figure out a way to do it. I had rented a car since I flew into Manchester, NH, but in order to drive to Provincetown, I would have to go through Boston. Now, I had been to a conference in Boston a few years ago and had made the mistake of renting a car, so I knew that driving in Boston is a dicey proposition...
Ernden Fine Art Gallery, Provincetown, MA
Ernden Fine Art Gallery, Provincetown, MA - my work is on the right
Another reason for the trip to Provincetown was to meet up with Mary Richmond, a blogger that I have corresponded with occasionally for a few months. She's a ceramic artist and painter and also a writer and naturalist. We had lunch and she drove me to the beach - it had been too long since I'd had my toes in the sand, and it was great to get a tour from someone who is so knowledgeable about the area.
Mary (l) and me (r)I'm always so jealous when I visit a city with public transportation!
Anyway, I arrived at the conference at the beginning of Joanne Mattera's keynote presentation, so it worked out perfectly.
Joanne talked about the history of encaustic and some of the early pioneers of the encaustic process in the 20th century, expanding on the information in her book.
Here are a few of the notes that I scrawled:
The Fayum portraits -
The painters might have used bicarbonate of soda to mix their wax.
They were painted during a 300 year period.
Metal and gemstones were applied to the wax.
The gold leaf was most likely applied after the person's death to symbolize the passage to the next world.
There was a get together of the International Encaustic Artists after the keynote at one of the area hotels, but I was beat from my "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" type of day, so I decided to skip it.
I ended up going back to my hotel and grabbing a bite to eat in the hotel bar/restaurant. There was a "loud talker" in the group sitting next to me so I couldn't help overhearing their conversation. I thought at first that they were professors or something because they were talking about historic places to visit in England and then some kind of organization that they were in. After a while, though, I realized that they were witches!
Only in Salem...
Oh, I forgot to mention - the next day Dennis sent me an email saying that he had sold one of my paintings!
Release - 12" x 12" - collage, oil, and encaustic - SOLD!To be continued...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
First National Encaustic Conference, Part 1
I'm still trying to digest everything that I learned at the conference. I thought I'd break it down into several posts to make it more manageable.
I arrived in Salem late on Wednesday night. My ex-husband works for Southwest Airlines and he was very generous to give me a free pass, which meant I had to fly standby (exciting in a nerve-racking sort of way). I had been invited to a reception at Joanne Mattera's house on Thursday evening, so I definitely wanted to be there in time for that.
Joanne was so gracious and warm. It was such a delight to meet her and see her beautiful home and studio. I was too shy to take pictures in her house but I got up the nerve to ask her if I could take some shots of her studio.
I got to meet and talk with several artists there -
Sandi Miot from California, who has produced a beautiful show catalog of her work (she used viovio.com and recommended them highly). She does really dimensional work. I asked her a bunch of technical questions about her process, too.
Heather Harris from near Seattle, who made me very jealous because she's moving to Italy soon.
Daniella Woolf from California, who I didn't really get a chance to talk to but her work is really amazing. She pointed out that we have the same initials.
Kim Bernard from Maine, who does lush paintings and beautiful sculpture.
Nancy Natale from Massachusetts, who does beautiful abstract paintings. She also really helped me out with advice on getting to and around in Boston.
Paula Roland from Santa Fe, who teaches encaustic monotype workshops. I've had a couple of students that have taken her workshop and I was excited to meet her. I attended her demo and I'll talk more about that later.
Tricia Lazuka from Ohio, who does encaustic painting and monotypes and also works in ceramics. She and her husband had driven there from Ohio.
I met several other people there but don't remember their last names... I'm hoping they put out a directory of the attendees that will help jog my memory...
Here are shots of Joanne's studio:
I'm blogging about all my tourist-y sight-seeing activities on my personal blog, in case you're interested...
To be continued...
I arrived in Salem late on Wednesday night. My ex-husband works for Southwest Airlines and he was very generous to give me a free pass, which meant I had to fly standby (exciting in a nerve-racking sort of way). I had been invited to a reception at Joanne Mattera's house on Thursday evening, so I definitely wanted to be there in time for that.
Joanne was so gracious and warm. It was such a delight to meet her and see her beautiful home and studio. I was too shy to take pictures in her house but I got up the nerve to ask her if I could take some shots of her studio.
I got to meet and talk with several artists there -
Sandi Miot from California, who has produced a beautiful show catalog of her work (she used viovio.com and recommended them highly). She does really dimensional work. I asked her a bunch of technical questions about her process, too.
Heather Harris from near Seattle, who made me very jealous because she's moving to Italy soon.
Daniella Woolf from California, who I didn't really get a chance to talk to but her work is really amazing. She pointed out that we have the same initials.
Kim Bernard from Maine, who does lush paintings and beautiful sculpture.
Nancy Natale from Massachusetts, who does beautiful abstract paintings. She also really helped me out with advice on getting to and around in Boston.
Paula Roland from Santa Fe, who teaches encaustic monotype workshops. I've had a couple of students that have taken her workshop and I was excited to meet her. I attended her demo and I'll talk more about that later.
Tricia Lazuka from Ohio, who does encaustic painting and monotypes and also works in ceramics. She and her husband had driven there from Ohio.
I met several other people there but don't remember their last names... I'm hoping they put out a directory of the attendees that will help jog my memory...
Here are shots of Joanne's studio:
I'm blogging about all my tourist-y sight-seeing activities on my personal blog, in case you're interested...To be continued...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)