[Workshop] Marketing and Promoting your Work

If you’re in the general LA/SoCal area, you may be interested in
attending the following event. All are welcome.

The Metal Arts Society of Southern California is presenting a free
workshop on “Marketing and Promoting your Work,” Sunday, March 9,
from 10 - 4.

Presentations by four established artists plus a panel discussion
will address how to set yourself up as a commercial artist and will
outline the most important things you can do to get your work
noticed. Subjects will include the importance of public relations,
how to approach galleries, submitting your work to juried shows, and
planning for paid advertising including Internet alternatives.

During the lunch break, tables will be available for all attendees
to exhibit a few pieces of their work along with samples of the
advertising material that they use. Bring examples of business
cards, press releases, postcards, brochures, posters, portfolios,
newspaper articles, artist statements, etc.

10:00 Welcome & Intro - Trish McAleer
10:15 You as your own CEO - Corliss Rose
11:00 Coffee
11:15 Approaching a Gallery - Bill Gallagher
12:00 Lunch & Attendee Exhibition
1:30 Submitting to Juried Shows - Beth Rosengard
2:15 Planning for Paid Advertising - John Rose
3:00 Panel Discussion

The session will be held in Burns Art Center #134 on the campus of
Loyola Marymount University at Loyola Blvd. and West 80th Street in
Westchester, just north of LAX. Parking is available on the left as
you enter the main gate. For more specific directions, call 310
338-2700.

Beth

how to approach galleries, submitting your work to juried shows 

As a gallery owner I find that few actually approach us with their
work . . .generally we have to seek them out. Could that be because
most galleries take such a large percentage?

As an artist, hand fabricated, one of a kind type jewelry and other
stuff . . .I have to admit that slides I’ve submitted have been as
good as any I’ve seen in magazines and those taken by “recommended”
photographers. I am at the point of admitting to myself that all
shows are political, and the only way to get in is to know the
director.

Have others found this to be true?

www.EyeCandy-gallery.com

Hi Rita (Am I right? :-),

      As a gallery owner I find that few actually approach us with
their work . . .generally we have to seek them out.  Could that be
because most galleries take such a large percentage? 

No. Please don’t take offense but I’ve never heard of Eye Candy
Gallery before. I suspect that has a lot to do with why you’re not
approached directly. If you wish to get submissions from artists,
you’ve got to make yourself and your needs known.

Advertising helps. I guarantee you that the galleries that
advertise in Metalsmith, American Craft, Ornament, Lapidary Journal,
The Crafts Report, etc., get more submissions than they can handle.

As for free PR, have you ever posted here on Orchid inviting
interested artists to apply??

  As an artist, hand fabricated, one of a kind type jewelry and
other stuff . . .I have to admit that slides I've submitted have
been as good as any I've seen in magazines and those taken by
"recommended" photographers.  I am at the point of admitting to
myself that all shows are political, and the only way to get in is
to know the director. 

There are shows where knowing someone does make a difference, but
where the panel jury shows are concerned (ACC, Phila. Craft Show,
Smithsonian, etc.), I do not believe this to be the case. Jurying is
always a crap shoot. I have good years and bad years. That’s just
the way it goes.

Beth

I am at the point of admitting to myself that all shows are
political, and the only way to get in is to know the director. 

I have gotten into many wonderful shows without ever paying
attention to who the director is. The only thing aside from my
slides that I feel has helped me get into shows is that once I did
Baltimore ACC I do think I got into better shows. I attribute that
to the fact that, while I didn’t do well at ACC, I think that a lot of

people who jury other shows saw my work.

 I am at the point of admitting to myself that all shows are
political, and the only way to get in is to know the director. Have
others found this to be true? 

Getting into craft shows is hard, really hard. That about sums it
up.

Are all show political? No. But many shows, especially the top
shows, are very competitive to jury into. ArtFair Sourcebook, which
rates almost any craft or arts show in the top 400, reports that
shows with 150 - 200 spaces can have anywhere between 250 to 900
artists or more applying to the show. Then consider that only 10 to
20% are jewelers. In one show I applied to there were 1,000
applications for 30 jewelry spots!

Larry

While I am sure politics does play a role in show acceptance you
also have to take into account the vision of the juror. It is a lot
like building a house. You look at the material offered for
construction and they either suite the design or they do not. If the
design calls for red brick there is no need to order blue brick. A
little simile there. If the pieces you submit do not fit the overall
look that the juror has in his or her mind you will probably not be
included. I have seen some really great pieces turned away from shows
because they just did not fit in to the overall look of the show or
the depth of the artists submission was not sufficient to make a
statement. Often, I have seen single pieces be rejected for that
reason. I always submit as close to the maximum number of pieces as I
can. Give the juror a choice as well as a showing of depth to the
design direction. Hold your breath and don’t be discouraged or
dissappointed if you do not make a show. Rejection is part of the
game. Best of luck and my 2 cents about shows. Frank Goss

The only thing aside from my slides that I feel has helped me get
into shows is that once I did Baltimore ACC I do think I got into
better shows.  I attribute that to the fact that, while I didn't do
well at ACC, I think that a lot of people who jury other shows saw
my work. 

The other possibility (perhaps more likely) is that by the time you
got into ACC Baltimore, your work or choice of slides (not just
quality) or consistency of style had improved to the extent that it
rose above the competition!

Beth

Beth, just wanted you to know how helpful your words here on
exhibits/juried shows have been. I’ve been researching and creating
my own “weaves” with various kinds of wire over a period of about
twelve years now, have done small exhibits and gallery work in the
beginning with considerable success and am now just getting ready to
"come out" again. I have created many new woven wire techniques and
am in the process of translating them into the jewelry, casting the
findings, etc. I’ve nearly been beaten to death by people wanting me
to teach the techniques and yet,

I am seasoned enough to know that my work may never really be seen
because of the politics involved and because I’m just not connected
enough. So again, I really appreciate this particular thread and
that others feel the “black hole” of jurying. Makes one kind of
determined to find another