At today’s meeting Loretta, Tim, Jim, Diane, Lisa, Mary,
Dotty, Tom K, John, Jeanie, Ward, Kathy, Eunice, Elo, Kristina, Annie, Anna,
and me Celeste.
Today’s suggested table topic: Showing your work, describe
the highs and lows-- be candid and specific.
Comments below are provided in random an anonymous order:
I am going to be taking up watercolor soon-- I don’t
have anything to say on this topic. I do appreciate the opportunity to come
here and get everyone’s feedback.
I could talk for an hour on the subject! (Laughter)!
I do have a personal rule. I will not sit there and be forced to try to sell my
own paintings. I know my limitations, I am really not good at that.. I feel like I’m naked sitting
there! I’m just not a very good sales person. There have been times when I
almost talked people OUT of buying my paintings! (Laughter)! I’ll do anything else required of me, but I simply won’t sit
there in a chair next to my paintings.
My career experience has been in a different field.
Many years ago I was a was given a solo show opportunity. I did well, but I went to
check out another gallery and the person reviewing my work said “keep up the
good work” (effectively letting me know that they weren’t interested). It has been many years since that time and I am recently returning to painting. One thing
I do now is sell things off my easel. I use some psychology in these
transactions. It often times works out well!
I was counseled by an experienced artist that I should never show in a church –according to them it would send a message that I was a “hobbyist” (and I wouldn’t want to be seen in that light). But someone convinced me to show my work at a large church downtown. At the Artist's reception (held after the Sunday service) there was a great deal of interest expressed and ALL of my paintings sold! (Applause)! The moral of the story is that you shouldn’t necessarily listen to other people --you have to make up your own mind about where to show your work. I have had paintings returned from “good” galleries with dings in my expensive frames –that has been an expensive lesson!
I was a member of a group of environmental activist artists
in another state. We launched a big show that involved a great deal of
work with tables and tents. This was
right when the economy tanked…so there were next to no sales! It definitely
falls into the category of a bomb. I’ve had other very good experiences, however, and I’m always looking for opportunities.
I haven't been showing anywhere except for Instagram
and Facebook! I get a fair amount of commissions and sometimes people just
offer to buy what I’ve posted! I am happy enough to continue doing it this way
right now.
I did show some of my work in a church one time but
nothing sold and I over heard people saying that they thought the prices were
too high. I don't know exactly what they were looking for, but my modest prices
were too high! (Laughter)! I haven't shown
in a gallery yet but I am aware that I will want to get my work somehow out
into the world ---that’s the thing that makes the most sense and I’m working
toward it.
I have been inspired to do small paintings. I will go
bigger in the future. Someone a while back referred to these meetings as sort
of like attending church itself! I understand what they mean by that because
sharing all this work and seeing everyone else’s work has a reverence attached
to it. I am inspired and I find this group to be so motivating.
Where I lived before…I was in a co-op gallery
then. I haven’t been in anything since. I
believe I need a body of work in order to show a gallery what I am capable of
doing. I’m working on it! I do sell off
of Facebook. I’ll put something up and someone makes an offer to buy it!
I was chosen to be a part of a big printmaker show!
It blew me away because I really had no expectations and yet I wound up
alongside some seasoned veterans. I checked with the Lawrence Gallery at one
time and they told me that they did not carry very much figurative work. At one
point I joined a co-op and I sold things
there but, I wasn’t particularly happy with the system and I moved on. I am
submitting to an international show through the CaFé’ system.
https://www.callforentry.org
https://www.callforentry.org
I showed several times in another state in a yearly
plein air show. The first year I sold nothing, but then the next year I sold five (and ever after that I sold in the
area of 5 each year). The first experience was sure nerve-racking. And I
noticed that because it was a plein air event, everyone was showing up having
painted the same scenes. It is just challenging to stay original in those
settings.
I have thrown everything at showing my work. I really
work hard to find good venues. I used to do art fairs, but I haven't got the
help that I used to have. I have shown in different places like furniture
stores in coffee shops. One big nightmare was that there was a coffee shop that
closed and didn’t let me know! I had many of my paintings in that coffee shop.
I had to pay for a background check to find out how to contact the owner to get
my paintings back! In the end I did get my paintings back but I was very
nervous about losing all that work. Because I’ve shown a lot of work recently
on Facebook I’ve been given a new opportunity in a good gallery for a solo
show! (Applause)!
I have participated in two shows and frankly it was
two too many (laughter)!
I showed work where I lived before I came here. I've been in some group things here. It isn't a pressing matter for me to show, but I will participate if something comes up that seems right.
I showed work where I lived before I came here. I've been in some group things here. It isn't a pressing matter for me to show, but I will participate if something comes up that seems right.
I wore sunglasses at my opening so I could watch the
people looking at my art (Laughter)! I sold work during the opening night, but
then the snow and ice hit and that was the end of that (no further
sales)….However, I did land a mural (a commission) job out of the whole
experience! (Applause)!
Many years ago I used to go to the Anna Banana coffee
shop (in St. Johns). I would sit there and look at the work on the walls and
I would think to myself "wow I wish *I* had work on the walls"! "I wonder how they
get work on the walls"! and then I set about learning how to paint and eventually
*I *got a show at Anna Banana! (Laughter)! I also want to point out that if you’re ever in the Beaverton Art Mix you’ll be invited into their coffee shop to show… I sold five pieces there! The moral of the story is you won’t sell anything if your paintings are sitting inside your house! (Laughter)! I do want to get into a gallery and I am making it my business to do that! I’m working on it! If any one you have any ideas for me…tell me where you think I’d be a good fit.
*I *got a show at Anna Banana! (Laughter)! I also want to point out that if you’re ever in the Beaverton Art Mix you’ll be invited into their coffee shop to show… I sold five pieces there! The moral of the story is you won’t sell anything if your paintings are sitting inside your house! (Laughter)! I do want to get into a gallery and I am making it my business to do that! I’m working on it! If any one you have any ideas for me…tell me where you think I’d be a good fit.
The thing that
I have noticed is that there is no rhyme or reason to the Lake Oswego Festival of
Arts sales. One year you sell nothing --the next year you sell everything-- then you
sell nothing again --then you sell everything again (Laughter)! I show my work wherever
I can. I am in a solo show right now in a shop.
Announcements:
OSA classes and workshops
Max Ginsburg workshop April 24-28
Erickson workshop OSA
Aimee Erickson "Oil Painting: Painting the Portrait
From Life"
Wednseday - Saturday, February 22 - 24, 2017
$395 Enrollment
is limited to 15 students, so sign up early!
Full payment required at the time
of registration.
This three-day oil painting workshop presents the
opportunity to paint directly from the model, and emphasizes the importance of
having a clear idea for a painting. What is it you see that makes you want to
paint something? Awareness of your inspiration guides the decisions you make as
you paint. Day one will address the head. On the second and third day we’ll
have a long pose with shorter morning demos, allowing students to do a
sustained study or multiple starts. Instruction of design, vision, and a
lighthearted approach. SKILL LEVEL Appropriate for all levels; true beginners are
advised to familiarize themselves with tools and materials, including french
easels, before class starts.
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/workshops
http://www.oregonsocietyofartists.com/classes-and-workshops/workshops
Life painting on
Fridays uninstructed
Lego art OMSI
http://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/02/incredible_lego_art_takes_over.html#incart_river_index
Congratulations, Eric Bowman (featured in Art of the West Magazine)
http://ericbowmanartist.blogspot.com/2017/02/magazine-feature.html
Congratulations, Eric Bowman (featured in Art of the West Magazine)
http://ericbowmanartist.blogspot.com/2017/02/magazine-feature.html
Next meeting January 23 suggest a table top warming and
cooling your colors. Tell us what you have learned about this
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