[SpiralEye]

I went to the Wiregrass Museum of Art the other day to interview with the museum curator, Karen McGinnis. Here's the result of the conversation.
I learned that I needed to list everyplace I have shown my work before (every contest, every mural, every private showing at a friends' home, every showing in a little store or art league headquarters, every gallery). Apparently it is much easier to get work into galleries than museums as galleries are trying to sell work, and museums are primarily for education. An artists resume (where they have shown) is a very big factor to her when considering an artists' work. That was probably the single biggest factor she talked about.
As for the art itself, she said the following (in essence). Working from my own compositions (not someone else's photos) is the best. Otherwise, I can only claim half credit for the piece. Realism for realism's sake is somewhat pointless, as you could simply take a photo.
As artists, we all have something to say, so having the technical ability to reproduce a photo can greatly free us to express ourselves. She encouraged me to take a theme and rework it. Do it over and over in different media. The second biggest factor she looks at is a theme. A theme helps tie pieces together, and as a whole helps viewers understand the message.
When painting an icon (like Einstein or Marilyn Monroe) viewers tend to recognize the subject very quickly and move on. She suggested I experiment to find a way to make people slow down and really look at the pictures I paint of Einstein.
She looked at my work and asked me what I thought my strongest piece was and why. She said that the pictures I had in my portfolio were too small, that 5x7 should be large enough. She suggested that I join the local art league for exposure (they as a group have a showing in the museum once a year) and for the contacts to get my work into local galleries, etc.

Well, hope this helps anyone else who's trying to get art in a museum.

[ May 24, 2001: Message edited by: SpiralEye ]

[zero21]

Yet another illustration on why this place rocks,
Sharing a wealth of information.

While this post doesn't apply to me right at the moment, it has been filed in the memory banks for future refernce. All good info.

Thanks SpiralEye,
*zero21 moves SpiralEye from one list, to the column headed "Send these thoughtful people Christmas Cards"*

[quaternius]

Spiral' -

Great insight, thanks for posting.

Have you read the W. Joe Innis book? Great book, (funny too), by a very successful modern impressionist painter. He tells you what works, what doesn't, and how to be a successful painter.

It's a tough program, tho' - not for the faint-hearted. I have no doubt by following his program - basically doing what he did - you'll be very successful.

try this link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0595144551/ref=pd_rhf_p_1/107-7993436-8823712

[ May 24, 2001: Message edited by: quaternius ]

[pixualize]

I'm glad you actually brought up the subject of galleries and display of your work. I have been doing a little research over the last week along a similar line. As digital artists, it is very difficult to provide output of our work and at a resolution that would be acceptable to galleries, art shows and serious collectors because of the very nature of the medium. I have been looking for a low cost/high quality output for my art but in small print runs of maybe 5-10 prints that I could send to some shows. Most larger service bureaus require a minimum run of 1000 or more prints, which is too costly and would require keeping that kind of dead inventory for too long a period. I ran across a thread on the ASFA mailing list that had some great info about that so I thought I'd post it here with the credit of who posted originally.

quote:

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I got this from a post over at Becky's Artist Rant Board http://www.wildlife-fantasy.com/discus/messages/board-topics.html She uses a company called Photocraft. They make enlarged photos of artwork specifically geared for artists. Their number is 1-888-278-3686 FAX: 1-208-762-2254 Request an information packet from them. They currently do not have a web site, so you'll have to call or fax them. They allow you to purchase minimum orders of 10 if you like, instead of 1000 all at once. The paper is much more durable than normal poster prints. They also offer prints on watercolor paper.

============================================

The least expensive is an archival ink-jet print made from a mid-level printer like an Epson 2000. Cost per print is a couple of bucks depending on what kind of paper is used. This is the cheapest way to go and you can do it all yourself at your own computer. Light fading tests indicate a fade-free life-span of approx. 70 years, which is considered "archival" for color work.

Mid-level prints are photographic prints such as the Lambda or Light Jet which use Fuji Crystal-Archive photographic paper. Most photo labs are providing this service. All you need to do is take them a Zip, Jazz or CD with an RGB TIFF file and have a print made. Depending on which lab or service bureau you use an 8x10 costs approx. $35.00. Tests of Fuji-Crystal Archive paper indicate a viewable life of 70+ years. I sell these type of prints at conventions.

For my high-end prints (sold in galleries) I have Giclee (pronounced zee-clay) or Iris prints made. These are quite beautiful. The Iris/Giclee is a sprayed ink process and can be done on any surface from canvas to watercolor paper. Check Decor or Art Business News magazines for listings of Giclee printers. (Old Town Editions in Alexandria, VA makes my prints.) These prints also have a 70+ life span. Giclees are becoming widely accepted by museums, galleries and collectors. They're not cheap, pricing is by the sheet; a 24x24 inch sheet starts at about $175.00. You'll provide the printer with a digital file in CMYK. I recommend working closely with the printer and establishing good communication for best results. Careful proofing is important.
As for making a limited-edition run of prints, there's no need to make them all at once. I usually have a small edition made of 4-6 prints. If those sell out I just take my digital file back to the lab and have more prints made. There's no sense in having two hundered prints sitting around taking up space in your studio, print them as you need them (that's the great thing about digital). Each print sold is signed and numbered and includes a certificate of authenticity.
Hope this helps out.
Dale
--
Dale O'Dell Photography & Digital Illustration
[email protected] http://www.dalephoto.com

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Here are also some links to places that provide quality output of digital files.
http://www.colorimaging.com/ http://www.pacificdatagroup.com/ http://www.giclee.com/

Sorry for the giant post but I thought this may be of some interest since it was along similar lines.

[SpiralEye]

zero21--Always glad to get Christmas cards!

Quaternius--Thanks! But, I'm never going to buy the book, sooooo. . . can you give us a brief rundown (paragraph) of the contents?

pixualize--Thanks! Didn't know there even was a place you could order a run of 10! Useful for the future.