t’s
one thing being an established and famous artist, where all you have to
do is paint the pictures and hand them over to an agent, then show up
for the preview evening. It’s another to be at the beginning of your
career as an artist.
Most
of us have to plan our own shows, as I have done over the last few
years, and there is a lot of work involved if you want to get the most
out of your art exhibition. I was fortunate in that I worked as a
gallery assistant for artist Nerys Johnson when I was at Durham
University, and assisted her with preparing for her shows. Even though
she was an established artist, there was still a lot to be done.
Porta la tua attività online. Raggiungi gratis nuovi clienti.
After
you have planned an exhibition of your work, you will see that the
commission galleries request is well worth the effort they put in!
In the Beginning: Your First Art Exhibition
First of all, you must secure your ‘gallery space’. I had my first solo art exhibition at Pizza Express in Darlington, UK. As a corporation, they have a huge commitment to the arts, in particular local artists. Their restaurants are often designed as galleries themselves, and they know that their customers really appreciate the ever-changing work on their walls.
First of all, you must secure your ‘gallery space’. I had my first solo art exhibition at Pizza Express in Darlington, UK. As a corporation, they have a huge commitment to the arts, in particular local artists. Their restaurants are often designed as galleries themselves, and they know that their customers really appreciate the ever-changing work on their walls.
Restaurants
might be a good place to start, it works for both the restaurant in
terms of attracting customers, and the artist. It is also a good place
to get over your ‘art exhibition anxiety’ in a far less intimidating
atmosphere than a public gallery. They charge no commission, but you
have to do the work yourself…from the hanging to the promotion and
subsequent sales. So, it is from this perspective that I write.
Planning an Art Exhibition
I spent a couple of years developing a body of work before I was ready to exhibit on my own, so the assumption is that you have a decent collection of work to show. Then I developed an art exhibition plan which listed all the things which needed to be done prior to the opening.
I spent a couple of years developing a body of work before I was ready to exhibit on my own, so the assumption is that you have a decent collection of work to show. Then I developed an art exhibition plan which listed all the things which needed to be done prior to the opening.
The
first thing to do is to establish the dates, allowing time to have some
promotion materials printed. It is useful also to give your art
exhibition a name. I do it by picking out one painting, and working my
promotion materials around that. My first art exhibition was Firebirdand I chose a Bird of Paradise painting I was fond of. My 2004 one was Catch the Vision to
go with a series of my visioning courses held during the run of the
show. I find a postcard-sized art card is particularly useful, as they
can be mailed to your contact list, and the remainder left for people to
take when they visit.
Creating an Art Exhibition Mailing List
This is very important. If you have not started one, do so now. I use Microsoft Access for this and, whenever I meet anyone, their name goes on the list. If you do not have access to a computer, a secretarial service will maintain one for you and provide you with a set of labels when you are ready. Remember to send your cards out to everyone you can think of…every time one goes out it adds to your name recognition, and therefore to increased prices. Don’t forget regional galleries and the media in your area. They will notice an art card more than one of the hundreds of press releases they receive on a daily basis!
This is very important. If you have not started one, do so now. I use Microsoft Access for this and, whenever I meet anyone, their name goes on the list. If you do not have access to a computer, a secretarial service will maintain one for you and provide you with a set of labels when you are ready. Remember to send your cards out to everyone you can think of…every time one goes out it adds to your name recognition, and therefore to increased prices. Don’t forget regional galleries and the media in your area. They will notice an art card more than one of the hundreds of press releases they receive on a daily basis!
Writing Press Releases for an Art Exhibition
Having said that about art cards, I don’t mean that press releases are not important. They are. Try to find an interesting angle and invite specific writers to your opening. My first article was in conjunction with a national story my local paper was working on. You will need to write an Artist’s Statement and/or a ‘About the Artist’ piece to hang in a prominent position. I think it is a good idea to include these along with your press releases.
Having said that about art cards, I don’t mean that press releases are not important. They are. Try to find an interesting angle and invite specific writers to your opening. My first article was in conjunction with a national story my local paper was working on. You will need to write an Artist’s Statement and/or a ‘About the Artist’ piece to hang in a prominent position. I think it is a good idea to include these along with your press releases.
The Paintings in the Art Exhibition
I think it is important to make a gallery plan to give you an idea of how you are going to hang your work, and the number of pieces you will require. It doesn’t have to be set in stone, as you can always make changes when you are hanging, but having a plan takes the worry about not having enough work available.
I think it is important to make a gallery plan to give you an idea of how you are going to hang your work, and the number of pieces you will require. It doesn’t have to be set in stone, as you can always make changes when you are hanging, but having a plan takes the worry about not having enough work available.
Be
sure to have someone lined up to help you with the hanging. Even though
I have an eye for where things should go, I am really useless when it
comes to the technicalities of hanging pictures in a straight line. I
have a couple of friends who can do it to perfection…for the price of
lunch!
And
don’t leave the framing until the last minute. At one of my shows, my
regular framer went on holiday two weeks before my opening, and I still
had work to frame. Fortunately I found another good framer who I have
consistently used since then. Even so, it is best to get this done as
early as you can. One of the easiest ways to get your foot in the door at a gallery is to participate in a group art exhibition.
Instead
of a gallery taking the chance on the collected works of one artist,
they offer space to a group of artists creating work based on a common
theme. The public is exposed to a wide variety of work, and the artists
are able to exhibit at a gallery without completing an entire series of
pieces.
Of
course, there’s no reason why you have to just wait—and hope—that a
group opportunity will come along. Here are 6 steps for organizing your
own group art exhibition, from the ground up!
1. Develop a theme
A
group exhibition usually hinges on a unique and dynamic theme. This
theme links all the different works together, as each artist interprets
the theme however they see fit.
You
need to choose a theme that’s flexible enough to allow each artist the
freedom to express his or herself, but also structured enough to create a
cohesive collection of works.
Have
a look at other group shows in your area and the kinds of themes they
use. Which themes work, and which don’t? Then pick a theme that
encompasses some of the successful ideas which you see working already.
2. Recruit artists and choose pieces
Find
artists in your local community whose work you admire, and invite them
to submit 1-3 pieces for the group show. Pitching prominent artists who
have an established audience will help your show draw a crowd.
You
can also put out a call for submissions on mailing lists and websites
followed by artists in your community. Set a date for a couple of months
away to give artists time to complete their pieces or put together a
concept.
If
you receive more submissions and responses than you have space at the
gallery, you will have to choose the artists to display. You need to
maintain a high quality of work, so ensure you choose pieces that are
completed to a high standard. Choose a variety of mediums and styles,
and focus on the artists who have the most unique interpretations of
your theme.
With
luck, you’ll acquire a solid collection of both established and
up-and-coming artists who each submit between 1-5 pieces for the group
exhibition.
3. Pitch the gallery
When
you approach a gallery, you should have a written explanation of the
concept behind your exhibition, plus at least 12 images to accompany the
written report.
In that written report, you need to tell the gallery:
• The appearance, theme and aesthetic of the exhibition.
•
The minimum size of the wall/floor area you need for the exhibition
(and if there are any unusual requirements, such as projections or large
constructions.)
•
When the exhibition will be available. The more flexible your dates
are, the better, as the gallery has a limited number of slots—each with
individual requirements—to fill.
•
How the exhibit will be mounted. What are the materials being used, and
are there any health and safety factors to be considered?
•
Whether or not you’re able to offer any educational elements alongside
your exhibition, such as workshops, classes or lectures. This element of
community outreach will raise your application to the top of the pile.
4. Write a press release
You’ll
need to advertise the group exhibition and get as many mentions in
local press as possible. The easiest way to do this is by sending out a
press release. See my article on how to write a press release for your first solo show for tips on creating a press-ready release.
5. Install the artwork
One
of the most exciting parts of organizing an exhibition is watching it
all come together. As the pieces arrive at the gallery, it will be your
job to oversee their installation.
The
arrangement of a group show is vital to its success—you want to lead
the viewer in a natural order around the pieces. Look to create unusual
juxtapositions in the arrangement. Aim to surprise, stimulate and
delight your viewer.
Always
ask artists for their ideas on installation and placement—you don’t
always have to listen to them, but they often have great ideas you
haven’t thought of. Allow artists time to check their works are
installed correctly.
6. Hold an opening
An
opening event is a great way to stir up interest in your group show.
Get all the artists involved to bring their peers, invite along some
press and important people in the art world, have some music, some
drinks and nibbles, and have a great time celebrating the work of local
artists.About a week ago I had the opportunity to read Chris
Guillebeau’s new ebook for artists, The Unconventional Guide to Art & Money, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it contained a lot of solid advice for artists who want to start making an income by selling their art online.
I’m actually one of the artists who was interviewed early on for the Guide, so I did havesome idea
of what Chris was aiming for. . . but without being involved in writing
the ebook, I didn’t have a clue as to how my interview answers would be
used or what the final outcome would be.
As it turns out, Chris (and Zoë Westhof,
his writing partner) did a great job of doing research and
consolidating information into an ebook that’s actually helpful—unlike
the many I’ve come across and decided NOT to review in the past.
So why is this ebook different from the rest?
First of all, let me say that I have the utmost respect for Chris Guillebeau. His website, the Art of Non-conformity is one of my weekly reads, and I really enjoy his posts on travel and living a life of non-conformity.
He and Zoë Westhof also began this project the right way,
by interviewing artists who are using the internet to make a full-time
or part-time income from their art rather than going the traditional
gallery route.
Since
Chris and Zoë are both writers, not visual artists, it makes perfect
sense that they would go to these sources for their information, and I
applaud them for taking the time to interview and collect the
information themselves rather than just scraping and republishing
content that’s already out there.
I
also liked how well-rounded the Guide is because of all those different
perspectives. It’s difficult to get that kind of broad expertise from a
single author.
What kind of information does this guide offer?
There are four parts to The Unconventional Guide to Art & Money. I’ll go through each section so you can get an idea of what’s included.
Section 1
The
first section is about eight pages long. It starts out with some stats
about artists in the US, and an assessment of the problem: that too few
artists are successful at making a living from their art.
It
also discusses how conventional methods (primarily galleries) are
restrictive and no longer necessary to sell art, and tries to dispel
some of the “myths” that supposedly accompany selling art.
Section 2
In the second section of The Unconventional Guide to Art & Money,
several examples are given of artists who are successful at selling
their art online. It offers some insight into how they use the internet
to promote themselves, and then provides a flexible outline of what your
own plan of action should be.
This
section also explains how to attract the right kind of visitors to your
blog or website (which I fully agreed with) and discusses other
important considerations that you might not think about at first—like
how to be authentic and approachable online.
Tips
on setting price points, a very brief mention of SEO, and the
importance of being visible offline as well as online round out this
section.
Section 3
The
third section begins with a 3-page comparison chart showing the pros
and cons of different online selling options (i.e., how does this online gallery compare to that one).
These
comparison charts could certainly stand to be more extensive—there are
hundreds, if not thousands of places and ways to sell art online—but
they did seem to cover the biggest and most important websites.
The
next seven or eight pages discuss the pros and cons of those sites
in-depth, which really helps to give a fuller picture of your options.
The
guide then briefly talks about pricing again, including pricing your
art prints, before segueing into a “how-to” section on starting your own
blog.
Over
the next three pages, Chris and Zoë cover why you’d want to start a
blog, different kinds of blogging platforms, instructions on how to set
up your first blog, and even what to write about.
To
be honest, I don’t think three pages is enough space to cover all of
that, but it was a good attempt and it will at least get you pointed in
the right direction.
The
third section ended on a high note with an excellent introduction to
social media (something Chris is very good at, in my opinion) and
several short but effective explanations of how to get started with some
of the most important social media sites.
Section 4
The
final section of the ebook briefly covers several other elements
important to selling art online, like why and how to use email
newsletters, three ways to process payments, and how to successfully
expand your “artistic empire.”
This
last section also includes a very honest warning about how HARD it is
to be successful at making a living online, even when using these
techniques.
I
found it refreshing, since it’s true—buying this ebook doesn’t mean
everything’s going to be handed to you. You still need to work at it and
make it happen for yourself.
Is there anything missing?
After turning the last page, I did think there was one thing missing that would have made The Unconventional Guide to Art & Money a
little better. . . I half expected to see a complete checklist at the
end, something that would allow me to work through the advice in an
orderly fashion, but there wasn’t one.
So
if you’re like me, I’d suggest taking notes as you read the ebook, then
creating your own list to check things off as you finish them.
OK—now what’s the bottom line?
The
price for the basic version of the Guide is $39. It’s 55 pages long
(full pages, by the way, not the kind with big margins and one or two
paragraphs) and you’ll also receive the MP3 audio interviews from three
of the artists Chris and Zoë talked to.
The
upgraded version costs $58 and includes three extra interviews. I don’t
know what’s in those interviews, but my gut says the basic package is
all you really need.
Who should buy the guide:
Artists
who want a crash course on using the internet to sell their art. The
advice is good, it’s all in one place, and if you follow it you’ll
definitely see results.
Who shouldn’t buy the guide:
Artists
who have already done a solid amount of research into blogging and
social media, or who plan on doing that research themselves.
More of this feature: Pricing Paintings in an Art Exhibition
No comments:
Post a Comment