I like your "round file" description LW, thanks for the laugh....
The downside of not being attached to a gallery
means that I am unlikely to achieve fame and fortune. The upside is that I don't have to produce a certain quota for a gallery. I may instead paint the same painting ten times if I so choose....till I am satisfied.
she paints - what is your website address? I'd love to see some of your work
OK guys I sold another piece of my art in OKC, OK - does that validate it, I think not. But it sure is good feeling.
Not bragging or anything but just loving the warm feeling that comes when another person says I like that and I want to buy it.
Because of such high gallery fees have any of you ever tried selling your own art. There are many venues in which you can do that. It is a lot of work of course but cutting out the middle man makes all the profit your own, sorry Osso.
No, just the group here at A2k, the people who have nurtured me, and mentored me, and answered lots of questions for me. I am still way to shy for a juried exhibition. But I might try it I have several painting now I could submit.
Slowly but surely I am working my way into the art circlle here in Dallas but the art scene here is wanting.
Soon I hop to be moving and have located a couple of cities in Texas that are art friendly.
When you move it would be a good idea to sign on for a class and find a group to join - it will help you break the ice and make new friends and show your work more.
society/group shows aren't usually juried except at high levels so you needn't worry. The smaller society i belong to has members from very amateur and not very talented through to professionals and it is totally non judgemental and everyones work is included in shows. They have a waiting list for membership as people think highly of it because of this.
The monthly meetings have speakers one month and a 'crit' night the next. On crit nights it is totally optional to take a painting in but a visiting expert does a kindly and helpful criticism of all the work taken. It is very useful as the comments on other peoples work brings up points to consider in your own. The crit is never unkind, always has some positive point to find in the worst work but is truthful and points out what could have made it better, what is really interesting or good etc It gives a fresh eye on your work and can shed light on ideas and issues you knew instinctively were there but hadn't consciously inlcluded.
The art scene here is reasonably lively but we are starved of commercial galleries - it isn't a cultured city at that level.
You'd unlikely find "commercial" galleries in any European suburb or rural area. That's a phenomena of the U.S. and Japan because their art laws are so lax, facilitating the sales of reproductions which are basically manufactured. So don't worry about not being a cultured city (incidentally, what city?) Americans are starved for mediocrity. And the more they pay for it, the more they believe it has value. They are bilked on a daily basis.
Another example is restaurants -- in Orange County to go to a nice sit down restaurant with a reasonably nice atmosphere, one has blown $50.00 without any drinks for a basically mediocre meal.
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Congratulations, Joanne. I've sold a few things, and it was a positive event--aside from the money. I've also given works to friends who expressed appreciation for them. That was equally rewarding. But I've never sold anything to people who did not already know me, so I don't know how to evaluate the event. Was it my art or our relationship that had been validated? One event that would unambiguously validate one's art would be its theft.
You're right -- JL. Artists who have been showing at the outdoor booths during the Laguna Beach Art Festival who haven't had something stolen are likely pissed. Then there's the definition that is used in the sentence, "I was duped by a con artist."
Wonder who that might cover? An artist is anyone who can create imagery that is exciting and/or beautiful to the eye -- maybe not everyone's eye but at least a respectable crowd of those who won't be prejudice like Mom. To sell it and make a living defines a professional artist. Nothing wrong with having an avocation as a painter or sculptor -- that has its own inherant rewards. I always took credence to something one of my art teachers told me -- don't give away your art unless it's someone you are in love with. Even friends should offer an pay something. I have given my artwork to my parents. Of course, they always joke about the fact that I will eventually get it back! I don't know -- my Dad passed away but my Mom is liable to outlive me!
Yikes I have given lots of my art away because I didn't think it had value.
It is strange LW I have some very valuable 20th Century Wood Blocks, etchings, and silk screens that I purchased in the 70s. It seems I cannot even sell them below market value since people seem to prefer the fakes made on the streets of Kyoto, go figure.
I've discussed the pitfalls of even considering art as an investment but now is certainly not the time to get the best price for anything. It's a buyer's market right now.
So true but I have a couple that do well with the Japanese. Now all I have to do is find some, Japanese with money that is.
Actually I think I will unload them trough a dealer in NYC. I hate to pay his cut but need the money.
LW....one of my friends gave away art work to
someone she was in love with....Their relationship
lasted about a month! I insisted that she recover
the work.....She managed to get it back and the art work never looked better!
Perhaps the moral of my story is to make sure that it's true love
before giving away your art!
Viven -- sounds like you'd have to be shipping a lot of work out of your area. What I meant was we have a proliferation of commercial galleries because there is more out there to retail. I was hard-pressed to find many good artists when I went to all local original art in Newport Beach which is a large city but not like San Francisco, Chicago or New York! I was still having to sell at least some of the better reproduced art.
shepaints -- that is a chance one takes!
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Good advice, SP. And if it's the right kind of "true love" they can marry and then co-own the work as community property.
Then figure out who gets it in the divorce proceedings. (Just ribbing).
In other words, just don't give away your art (unless they're willing to trade something -- if they are an attorney, maybe some legal help equivalent to the value of the painting?) Yuch, yuch, that'll never happen!
