click here and here and here
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Links
My friend Trayc Claybrook has a website and a brand new blog, All Day Painter.
Show her some love.
She alerted me to this blog: Accidental Creative.
From their "about" section:
THE ACCIDENTAL CREATIVE CO. is committed to bringing creative freedom to the masses! It is the age of creativity, and “cover bands” don’t change the world. You MUST find your unique voice if you are going to thrive.
And for some holiday fun, here's an origami Christmas card generator.
Show her some love.
She alerted me to this blog: Accidental Creative.
From their "about" section:
THE ACCIDENTAL CREATIVE CO. is committed to bringing creative freedom to the masses! It is the age of creativity, and “cover bands” don’t change the world. You MUST find your unique voice if you are going to thrive.
And for some holiday fun, here's an origami Christmas card generator.
Art Fairs
I've been reading lots of posts recapping the recent Art Basel art fair in Miami.
Joanne Mattera, Edward Winkleman, Robin Walker, and James Wolanin were all there and have interesting and varied takes on the experience.
From their descriptions, it sounds like a very fun but tiring few days - a series of huge trade shows that feature art, art, and more art. Apparently fairs are the big money making events for many galleries.
I'm curious to know if attending an art fair would be beneficial to an artist who doesn't have work in one of the featured galleries? I imagine that it could be a valuable networking experience for an emerging artist. You would get to meet people from many galleries and see the work first hand. You would also get to network with other artists.
I'm just wondering if I should try to go to Miami next year...
Joanne Mattera, Edward Winkleman, Robin Walker, and James Wolanin were all there and have interesting and varied takes on the experience.
From their descriptions, it sounds like a very fun but tiring few days - a series of huge trade shows that feature art, art, and more art. Apparently fairs are the big money making events for many galleries.
I'm curious to know if attending an art fair would be beneficial to an artist who doesn't have work in one of the featured galleries? I imagine that it could be a valuable networking experience for an emerging artist. You would get to meet people from many galleries and see the work first hand. You would also get to network with other artists.
I'm just wondering if I should try to go to Miami next year...
Another vanity gallery
I got an email the other day from a gallery in Montreal offering me a show. At first I was excited, but then confused because I couldn't remember sending any proposals to any galleries in Canada. After reading further into the email, I realized that they were just trolling the web, looking for artists to invite to have shows in their space - charging them lots of money for the privilege, of course.
Here are some highlights from the email:
ATT: Deanna Wood
We have viewed your work and would like to offer you an opportunity for an exhibition of your work in Montreal, for the year 2007/2008. Please find below the "Terms and conditions".
Visit the gallery website for additional information: www.gallerygora.com
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Eligibility and Application Procedure
Gallery Gora invites you to exhibit in a solo or in a group exhibition.
Selections are made solely on the basis of artists' portfolios.
Please send to the gallery:
- Completed and signed application (see page 4)
- International bank/postal money order or bank transfer (see
"deposit" paragraph 3)
You will then receive a confirmation, an exhibition date and other related information.
2. Duration of Exhibition
The exhibition runs for a minimum of 3 weeks (at least 19 opening days, not including setup and take down time).
3. Exhibition Fee
A - Solo Exhibition
- Each artist can have up to 20 pieces of work depending on size
- The fee for a solo exhibition is US $2,400.00 to cover gallery expenses
- The gallery takes a 10% commission during the 3 week exhibition
- A deposit (25% of the total fee) is paid together with the application.
- The balance of the fee is payable 5 weeks prior to the exhibition date. The deposit is refundable in full if Gallery Gora cancels the exhibition.
B - Group exhibition
- The fee to take part in a group exhibition is US $250.00 for first work and US $150.00 for each additional work.
- The number of artists in a group show depends on the total number of works. The width of each work should not exceed 4ft or it will be counted as two works.
Exhibition fees cover furthermore:
Advertising and public relations
- Mention of the show in all weekly newspaper arts calendars in Montreal (when possible)
- A press release including an invitation to the exhibition e-mailed to a list of contacts (over 10,000) 1 week prior to the opening. Our contacts include the press, curators, critics, dealers, consultants and corporations, as well as a larger body of public members and buyers. If artists supply us with additional e-mail lists, we will forward the invitation to these addresses as well.
- Full colour invitation cards. If we are provided with a postal mailing list of addresses within Canada, these cards will be sent out free of charge.
Other advertising options are available at extra cost (see application form)
Reception
- On the evening of the exhibition's opening, the gallery will welcome guests with wine and other beverages.
- Gallery staff will be at hand to receive visitors throughout the exhibition and to organize corporate/cultural events and receptions whenever possible, whether the artists choose or not to be present at the show.
4. Commissions
- Gallery Gora takes a 10% commission on sales during the 3 week exhibition.
- All money due will be sent to you within 10 days of the sale.
5. Shipping
Artists are responsible for all shipping fees and procedures to and from the gallery door.
Yikes! $2400! That seems crazy. But apparently artists are willing to pay. They have a ton of artists listed on their website.
I don't know. Maybe it's just me. Would you pay $2400, pay to ship your work, let them take a 10% commission on any sales, and then pay to ship the unsold work back to you?
Here are some highlights from the email:
ATT: Deanna Wood
We have viewed your work and would like to offer you an opportunity for an exhibition of your work in Montreal, for the year 2007/2008. Please find below the "Terms and conditions".
Visit the gallery website for additional information: www.gallerygora.com
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Eligibility and Application Procedure
Gallery Gora invites you to exhibit in a solo or in a group exhibition.
Selections are made solely on the basis of artists' portfolios.
Please send to the gallery:
- Completed and signed application (see page 4)
- International bank/postal money order or bank transfer (see
"deposit" paragraph 3)
You will then receive a confirmation, an exhibition date and other related information.
2. Duration of Exhibition
The exhibition runs for a minimum of 3 weeks (at least 19 opening days, not including setup and take down time).
3. Exhibition Fee
A - Solo Exhibition
- Each artist can have up to 20 pieces of work depending on size
- The fee for a solo exhibition is US $2,400.00 to cover gallery expenses
- The gallery takes a 10% commission during the 3 week exhibition
- A deposit (25% of the total fee) is paid together with the application.
- The balance of the fee is payable 5 weeks prior to the exhibition date. The deposit is refundable in full if Gallery Gora cancels the exhibition.
B - Group exhibition
- The fee to take part in a group exhibition is US $250.00 for first work and US $150.00 for each additional work.
- The number of artists in a group show depends on the total number of works. The width of each work should not exceed 4ft or it will be counted as two works.
Exhibition fees cover furthermore:
Advertising and public relations
- Mention of the show in all weekly newspaper arts calendars in Montreal (when possible)
- A press release including an invitation to the exhibition e-mailed to a list of contacts (over 10,000) 1 week prior to the opening. Our contacts include the press, curators, critics, dealers, consultants and corporations, as well as a larger body of public members and buyers. If artists supply us with additional e-mail lists, we will forward the invitation to these addresses as well.
- Full colour invitation cards. If we are provided with a postal mailing list of addresses within Canada, these cards will be sent out free of charge.
Other advertising options are available at extra cost (see application form)
Reception
- On the evening of the exhibition's opening, the gallery will welcome guests with wine and other beverages.
- Gallery staff will be at hand to receive visitors throughout the exhibition and to organize corporate/cultural events and receptions whenever possible, whether the artists choose or not to be present at the show.
4. Commissions
- Gallery Gora takes a 10% commission on sales during the 3 week exhibition.
- All money due will be sent to you within 10 days of the sale.
5. Shipping
Artists are responsible for all shipping fees and procedures to and from the gallery door.
Yikes! $2400! That seems crazy. But apparently artists are willing to pay. They have a ton of artists listed on their website.
I don't know. Maybe it's just me. Would you pay $2400, pay to ship your work, let them take a 10% commission on any sales, and then pay to ship the unsold work back to you?
showtime: art can be your xmas tree
click on picture to enlarge
click here for happy famous artists
and here and here for rachel agnew
and here for boy & eric stapaerts
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Interested in the wholesale marketplace?
I received an email recently from Daniel Waldman from Buyer's Market of American Craft:
I wanted to let you know about our Visiting Artist (VA) program, which your readers may find interesting. The VA program offers artists the opportunity to explore the wholesale marketplace before taking the plunge as a wholesale exhibitor. We have a MySpace page here:
http://www.myspace.com/visitingartist
Our full program schedule can be found here:
http://www.buyersmarketonline.biz/viarpr.html
Check it out.
I wanted to let you know about our Visiting Artist (VA) program, which your readers may find interesting. The VA program offers artists the opportunity to explore the wholesale marketplace before taking the plunge as a wholesale exhibitor. We have a MySpace page here:
http://www.myspace.com/visitingartist
Our full program schedule can be found here:
http://www.buyersmarketonline.biz/viarpr.html
Check it out.
herman makkink's kinetic sculpture - the rocking machine - has been resurrected!
it´s for sale here and click here for the herman makkink
and watch the notorious scene with the sculpture here
and here for happy famous artists´favorite movie
and here for stanley kubrick
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December exhibits
Devour - collage, oil, and encaustic - 12" x 12"Seeking Shelter - solo show at the Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada
December 1, 2006 - January 30, 2007
Take Shelter 4 - collage, oil, and encaustic - 6" x 6"Small Packages - invitational group show at the Cumberland Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee
December 2 - December 23, 2006
I also have work at Town Center Fine Art in Watkinsville, Georgia.
If you make it to any of those places, please let me know!
Packing and shipping artwork
Packing artwork has been on my mind lately. I’ve spent the last couple of weekends packing up most of my work (10 boxes!) to ship off to a solo show at the Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada. And I'm helping to make the boat payment for my local UPS Store owner...I’m not an expert on packing and shipping artwork, but I have worked as a gallery assistant and I’ve unpacked artwork for a couple of national juried shows. So I do consider myself an expert on how NOT to pack and ship artwork. I have seen some amazingly stupidly packed boxes!
So I thought I would share some observations, tips, and techniques for packing and shipping that I’ve picked up over the years.
Reusable packing materials
First of all, if you’re shipping work that you know will be returned to you (a juried show, for example), then be sure to use easily reusable packing materials. Think about what it must be like at a juried show – there’s work coming in from all over the country, the people unpacking and repacking your work could be volunteers with little or no experience handling artwork – you want to make it as clear as possible for them to unpack your work and repack it after the show.
Avoid using packing peanuts. They’re not good protection because they can settle during shipping. They’re also a complete pain in the ass and gallery assistants hate them with a passion (at least my coworker and I did).
Clear instructions
It’s helpful to mark the spot on the box where you want it opened. As a gallery assistant, I LOVED the anal-retentive artists who sent unpacking and packing instructions (if you’re unpacking 50 boxes, you don’t want to have to think too hard about any of them). Just make it as easy as you possibly can. You don’t want the person who will be handling your artwork to be hating on you because you made her spend 20 minutes picking up peanuts or you wrapped something really tightly in so much bubble wrap that it won’t go back in the box later or realize that she opened the wrong end of the box and will have to spend extra time fixing it when she re-packs. Oh. Sorry. Flashbacks…
So when I pack something that is fairly complicated, I will include instructions. Pictures are also helpful, especially if the instructions are complicated.
Here’s an example of some instructions I wrote up for a fairly complicated package. I had 3 artist’s books in one box, and they had to be put back “just so” in order for them to fit. pdf file (120 KB)
Padding
Basically, you want to have as much protection between your artwork and the cold, cruel world as possible.
I pack my paintings in foam core boxes that I make myself. I then stack a few of those boxes inside a cardboard box. I line a larger box with foam and include the smaller box inside. So I basically have the paintings triple-boxed.
a recent batch of foam core (and a few cardboard) inner boxesAirfloat boxes
http://www.airfloatsys.com/
I’ve never used them myself, but I have unpacked quite a few. I think they’re fairly expensive, but they might be worth it for you.
The boxes are reinforced, easy to open, and re-usable. The boxes include 3 sheets of foam – one sheet protects your artwork on the bottom, one on the top, and you create a hole in the center piece of foam so that your piece fits snugly into it.
Crates
If you have tools and carpentry skills, you can make your own wooden crates. You can also have them made for you. Crates are expensive to ship because they’re usually heavy, but they can be good protection for your artwork, especially sculpture.
If you use a crate, be sure to mark very clearly which screws should be removed to open the crate.
To sum up, here is a basic list of packing tips that I created for local juried show participants:
Protect the artwork from dust and moisture:
- Wrap the artwork with protective, acid-free paper such as glassine or tissue paper
- Cover the artwork with white cotton fabric (recommended for textiles, ceramics, and wood)
- Wrap the artwork loosely in plastic
Protect the artwork from damage:
- If possible, use two containers; a smaller box cushioned on all sides inside a larger box can protect your artwork from bumps and sharp objects
- Insulate the artwork with padding such as bubble wrap, upholstery foam, or Styrofoam. NOT recommended: loose material such as any type of Styrofoam peanuts.
Identify your artwork:
To sum up, here is a basic list of packing tips that I created for local juried show participants:
Protect the artwork from dust and moisture:
- Wrap the artwork with protective, acid-free paper such as glassine or tissue paper
- Cover the artwork with white cotton fabric (recommended for textiles, ceramics, and wood)
- Wrap the artwork loosely in plastic
Protect the artwork from damage:
- If possible, use two containers; a smaller box cushioned on all sides inside a larger box can protect your artwork from bumps and sharp objects
- Insulate the artwork with padding such as bubble wrap, upholstery foam, or Styrofoam. NOT recommended: loose material such as any type of Styrofoam peanuts.
Identify your artwork:
- Include the artist’s name and the title on the back or bottom of the artwork
- Write your name on all exterior sides of all shipping containers using permanent marker
- Cover any paper labels with clear tape
- Identify your container as “FRAGILE” (ask your shipping company for labels)
- Identify where you would like the container to be opened by writing “OPEN THIS SIDE,” or “OPEN HERE”
- Include detailed unpacking and packing instructions
Resources:
http://www.airfloatsys.com/ - inexpensive, re-usable packaging solutions for shipping fine art
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/ - archival materials
http://www.uline.com/ - boxes and plastic bags
- Write your name on all exterior sides of all shipping containers using permanent marker
- Cover any paper labels with clear tape
- Identify your container as “FRAGILE” (ask your shipping company for labels)
- Identify where you would like the container to be opened by writing “OPEN THIS SIDE,” or “OPEN HERE”
- Include detailed unpacking and packing instructions
Resources:
http://www.airfloatsys.com/ - inexpensive, re-usable packaging solutions for shipping fine art
http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/ - archival materials
http://www.uline.com/ - boxes and plastic bags
Update:
For textile artists, check out Lisa Call's post where she explains how she ships large quilts.
showtime: nick ervinck in amsterdam
click here for brakke grond and here for lineart
and here for be-part and here for de inventie
and here for nick ervinck himself
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showtime: graham hudson
zingerpresents has great pleasure in announcing
its inaugural exhibition in its new gallery space in Amsterdam
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Thankful.
I'm feeling reflective this Thanksgiving - I know I complain about a lot of things, but I know that I'm very lucky and I'm thankful for:
Sam - he makes me laugh every day and makes me realize what's important.
Family - I know they would do anything for me.
Friends - who have supported me and encouraged me and listened to me and laughed at my stupid jokes.
Health - something we all take for granted.
Art - it's allowed me to meet so many talented and creative and nice people.
I'm counting my blessings. I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!
