Category Archives: Art Help & Info

Art Help & Info

Goals

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One of the awards I won early in my career for my painting "Mike"

Goals- simple title, and seems like such a simple concept, but there’s so much more there that most people don’t realize.  We take them for granted, even I do sometimes despite myself.  I was at a reception the other day for a fellow artist and started talking about how I made my goals and strategized in order to become a full-time artist.  One person in the conversation said that I should look into giving courses on goal attainment because it’s a “big” business.  That latter part may be true, but I will stick with my art.  However, I thought it would be a great post to help out those in the arts, whether they are new or old to it.  So here goes:

– First, make a list of the goals you’d like to achieve.  Brainstorm and write down any and all goals.  This can apply to all areas of your life, but let’s stick with your art career.  Write whatever you want to achieve, desire, dream, etc.

– Cull from that list the things that are more attainable given your career at this given time.  This will be your list of goals for the year.  I like to have two lists, so that one is more “now” and the other is for “later.”  Reason being, it may not be feasible to get your work in the Louvre within a year.

– Put your goal list somewhere visible- maybe on your studio wall?  You might even want to make copies of it and put them elsewhere- on the fridge, in your car, your wallet, etc.  Sounds silly, but it will keep these ideas in your mind and help you stay on target.

– Now come up with your strategy.  On a different piece of paper or your computer, etc., come up with a strategy(ies) to attaining your goals.  What are the steps you need to take in order to accomplish goal 1, goal 2, etc.?  Be specific.

– Be flexible.  You may come upon the end of the year and find that not all of your goals were reached or maybe they weren’t what you expected.  Maybe you took all the steps needed and the goal didn’t pan out.  It happens.  So what can you do about it?  Look at what has worked for you and what hasn’t.  Get rid of the goals that aren’t the best use of your time and energy and focus on what does work.  Make changes or alter your strategies in order to meet goals the second time around.  And continue to meet goals that do work well for you.  For example, if showing in a particular city has resulted in good sales, you should plan to show there again next year, or maybe more often.

– Prioritize your goals.  You may need to accomplish one goal before you can realistically meet another.  Or you may find an urgency in accomplishing a particular goal before others.

– Revisit your goals often.  Aside from marking off goals as you reach them, you should be reviewing your goals list every few months to stay on track.  Bigger decisions such as what worked or didn’t work for your career should be left to the end of the year for a better analysis.

– After analyzing your goals at the end of the year, make your new list for the new year with your accomplishments in mind.  Continue to do the things that work.  Include goals that were not reached and devise a new strategy to meet them.  Remove goals that turned out to not be such a good idea.  And, of course, add new goals that you should tackle.

Seems like such a simple concept and many of you may find this silly or unnecessary, but holding yourself accountable is the only way to accomplish something.  You’d be amazed how 15 years can go by without making any real progression in your career, if you do the same thing day in and day out.

www.AmyGuidry.com

Art Help & Info

Take the Poll

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I was inspired to post a poll question on Facebook after a few recent requests for prints.  As of now, I do not have prints available and have always been iffy on the subject.  The inquiries and sales of my work have all been original paintings, which is my own personal preference since I have an art collection myself.  However, I have to ask:

What do you prefer to own?  A large print (let’s say 11″ x 14″) or a small painting (we’ll use my paintings as an example, the smallest being 5″ x 5″)?  Or would you rather save for a large painting you’ve had your eye on?  I’d love to get as much feedback as possible to get a more accurate account.

Vote on your answer here- Facebook poll.

Art Help & Info

What’s It Worth?

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Recently on a trip to Baton Rouge, I came across a certain magazine, which happened to have their Art Issue out.  So of course I picked it up, although I found something a bit bothersome in it.  They conducted a little poll of sorts in which they asked “What would it take for you to buy a piece of art?”  Now, only 3 people were featured, but apparently not one of them even own art to begin with, though one at least said she’s “in the market.”  The other two, however, had some pretty appalling answers.  One said that money is the issue and considers art a “superfluous expense.”  Ouch.  Way to use that word-a-day calendar, buddy, but really?  Superfluous?  Do you really consider art to be unnecessary?  The next appalling response said that it would require “getting the artist to come down on the price” and that her artist friend sells work “for like $1000.”  I have to ask how much do you earn for 2 weeks or more of work?  (And 2 weeks is nothing, by the way, most artists, including myself, pour a month into a piece and that’s full-time.)  Cut that $1000 in half after the gallery gets their cut, and the artist is not even making minimum wage.  Now imagine if that was your paycheck- suddenly $1000 isn’t so much.

Okay, my point here is not to lambaste these folks, but to dispel some -unfortunatley- common misperceptions.  When considering the worth of a work of art, so many people forget that hours, weeks, months, sometimes years have been sacrificed to create art.  And I do mean sacrificed because so many artists put this amount of time into their work after already putting in a full day at another job, and they have families to care for, not to mention giving up time to themselves, and working during weekends, holidays, and vacation time.  And even if there isn’t a gallery involved, $1000 for example, is a small price to pay for that person’s efforts.  Not to mention, this is a one-of-a-kind, original work of art.  There will never be another.  It’s not manufactured in China, it’s not mass-produced, and you’ll never find another one like it.  People pay FAR more for clothes, purses, cars, televisions, computers, etc. when those items ARE mass-produced.  I don’t get it.

As for being superfluous, well, I certainly hope that is not the majority’s opinion… I find that comment disturbing regardless of the fact that I’m an artist.  We are visual creatures- we can’t help but marvel at the sight of a rainbow, or find enjoyment at looking at photos of people, places, things, we birdwatch, peoplewatch, and even stylewatch.  Imagine if the world around you had been replaced by stark walls and concrete.  No more pictures on your walls.  Your clothes have been replaced with the same drab uniform.  What if color no longer existed?  Or patterns?  No shapes, no lines, just void areas of space.  I can guarantee you would become bored and even depressed.  Just at its most basic level, art affects our moods, uplifts us, speaks to us.  Go a little deeper and add a narrative to that art and it can make us laugh, cry, reminisce, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  We need art just as much as we need music, literature, and theater.  We enjoy them.  We connect with them.  They help us to understand this crazy world a little better and make it a little more pleasant along the way.  I say that is most certainly a necessity.

 

Art Help & Info

Gallery Opportunities

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Viewers at Gallery 549 looking at Amy Guidry's paintings

With two group shows less than a week apart, another in the next month, and a solo show only 7 months away, a lot of pe0ple think I’m really busy.  Or uber-busy.  It seems normal to me, though, especially if I want to maintain a career as an artist.  So this has me thinking that this must not be the norm, which is unfortunate because I like to think that artists are all showing their work somewhere other than their basement.  So I have to ask- are you doing all that you can to promote your work?  Or do you not know where to start?  For those that are beginners, I thought I’d take this opportunity to discuss how to exhibit your art.  And maybe even those of you who are not new to this will pick up some ideas.

First, I like to ignore all the “rules” regarding getting into galleries.  So many people say you should start small and local.  Yes, there is some truth to this, but don’t sell yourself short.  Some of my very first exhibitions were out of my city and out of my state, so there goes that rule.  Secondly, there are a lot of people that say you shouldn’t even approach a gallery, that you should just let them call you.  What??  If I want something, I don’t just sit on my couch and will it to me.  I go out and get it.  Now, don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean you can just march into a gallery and dump your portfolio in their lap.  You should send them your work in a professional manner- read my steps for doing this in a previous post.

Galleries like to know that you are going to be reliable and not flake out if they book a show with you for several months/years in advance, hence the need for a good resume.  So you’ll need to build your exhibition history.  But how do you get an exhibit if you have never exhibited before?  I know- it’s like which came first, the chicken or the egg.  This is where starting small and local comes in since you’re more likely to get into a gallery that knows you personally through local events, plus if they are not solely looking for established artists, you’ll have a better chance.  That said, don’t limit yourself, either.  There’s no harm in trying to get shows elsewhere- especially group exhibitions since galleries know that if you drop out, it won’t be so hard to replace you or make up for it.

In addition to galleries, there are other ways to exhibit your work.  I’d recommend this whether you need to build your exhibition history or even if you’ve done hundreds of shows.  You can never reach enough people.

University galleries and museums– great to have on your resume, but won’t result in sales necessarily because the general public doesn’t think to go there to buy art.  That’s just the perception they have.  However, these venues are very prestigious and build your credibility among collectors and galleries.  You will need a few shows under your belt to score one of these, but just to say, this is something you should be aiming for.

Local museums– more likely to show your work these days due to the economic crisis.  Their funding has been limited since the government loves to cut arts funding first, so they can’t afford to ship work and give stipends to national/international artists.  So get to know your local museum and send them a proposal.

Juried exhibitions– Now there is a lot of debate over these types of shows since some think they lead to nothing, while others think you should never pass an opportunity to exhibit.  If you are completely new to exhibiting your work, I say go with the latter.  When you’re starting out, you won’t discriminate so much- there’s plenty of time to do that later once you’ve been showing a lot.  If you’ve built a bit of an exhibition history, that’s a different story.  Personally, I will do juried exhibits, but that’s only if I feel they are worthwhile.  I decide based on:
Where the show is being held– is it a good venue or is it some cube in the middle of nowhere?
Who is the juror– someone prestigious in the art world or just somebody’s grandma that took a watercolor class once?
Is the venue insured? Nevermind whether your own work is insured, if the venue itself can’t afford insurance, then it’s probably not a good one (sorry).
What city/state/country is the venue located– again, don’t go with someplace not typically known for art.
Is it a vanity gallery? There are a few of those out there holding juried shows- make sure the gallery has a good reputation.

Lastly, look into exhibition opportunities that are off the beaten path.
Pop-up galleries are the latest “it” spaces and do not require representation, so you are more likely to get into one.  Also, if you are just starting out, look into showing at coffee shops, bookstores, libraries, bank lobbies, doctors’ offices, law firms, gift shops, restaurants, etc.  Although food and smoke near your work is a scary concept, so just consider that risk, but look into making your own exhibits through these venues.  Not all will lead to sales, which is why many don’t bother, but it will build your name in the community, build your exhibition history (until you can gain more via galleries, etc.), and it can lead to future sales since people will see your work and talk about it with others well after your show.  Each step builds upon the other.  It all takes time- Rome wasn’t built in a day.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, so if you have ideas for opportunities to share, please feel free to add them in the comments section.

www.AmyGuidry.com

Art Help & Info

Eureka

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Clearly an old pic from when I dyed my hair dark- working on "Food or Pet?"

One of the more popular questions I’ve been answering in interviews as of late (in one form or another) is “why do you create art?”  Which I’ve always felt it would be easier to ask me why I breathe… so I would end up giving a response that would in so many words say it is innate.  Which is true, of course, but not the in-depth answer they’re looking for.  So I’ve been considering this question and have come up with an answer (or at least a good metaphor).  When I am looking to create, I think the process is much like that of an archaeologist, or an inventor, or a scientist looking to make the next medical breakthrough.  Since I’ve seen enough National Geographic and Jurassic Park to have a better understanding of archaeology, I’m going to use that as my basis.  So I’m basically going on a dig- in search of ideas which are hidden well within my mind.  When I come up with an idea or a concept, I rush to quickly get it down on paper- it’s like making a new discovery.  Though sometimes I don’t always find what I set out to look for- it may be something else, but just as exciting.  Once I hit something, I keep digging to reveal more (in my case, rapidly sketching everything before I forget).  Once I’ve exhausted that area, I continue my search elsewhere to find any missing pieces or something entirely new, going in any and all directions.  One idea leading to another, or maybe a slight variation of an idea, upon another variation and another, so on and so forth- the possibilities are endless.

Once I’ve made this discovery, I want to share it with the world.  But it has to be presented properly (presentation is everything- they weren’t kidding)).  An archaeologist wouldn’t just reveal a dirty pile of bones- they have to be cleaned, refined, and put back together.  So my work has to be “cleaned” and refined as well, put together to make a whole.  It takes time, effort, technique, attention to detail, and maybe even trial and error.  It has to be pristine and professionally presented for the proper unveiling.

Going back to my original answer, it is innate, and as basic as it is, that may be the best explanation.  However, maybe this comparison and the explanation of the creative process (at least for me) serves as a good answer in itself.  The excitement of a new discovery- who wouldn’t find that addicting?

See the results of my “discoveries” at www.AmyGuidry.com

Art Help & Info

Art and Social Media

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Artist Amy Guidry autographs a fan's exhibition catalog

As an artist, I’m always learning more about the business side of the art world. I scour the internet constantly, read books and magazines- Art Calendar!, listen to podcasts, etc. Anything I can get my hands on basically. So I’ve compiled a “best of” pertaining to social media. Some of you are using these services already (as am I) but are you using them to their fullest potential? And some of you are not using these at all, which needs to change pronto. So here are the tips I’ve gained:

Facebook:
– Create a Fan Page for your art. This is where you will do all your marketing since Facebook does not allow such on your personal profile.

– Engage your fans with your posts and make sure they are visible (not locked under some privacy setting). When fans “like” your posts, everyone on their profile sees this, thus spreading the word.

– Ask fans questions to get them interacting and interested in your page.

– Join Facebook Groups for artists and post links to your work and introduce yourself. However, do not do this to another artist’s fan page since that is dedicated to their work and would be considered rude.

– Add to discussions, don’t just “like” a post.

– When a gallery invites you to an event on Facebook, never just ignore or decline it, always write a personal note on the event wall—leaving your name there for all to see.

Twitter:
– Retweet and @reply other artists to spark conversations and build your network.

– Follow people (even if you don’t know them- that’s the great thing about Twitter) to get on their radar. Follow artists, galleries, curators, etc.

– When tweeting about a popular subject, put a number sign (#) in front of it. These are known as hashtags and make it easy for others to find your tweet through Twitter searches so they may want to follow you. Example: #art, #gallery

– Do not to use more than 2-3 hashtags or you might be considered a spammer to your followers.

– One of Twitter’s most popular personalities, @GuyKawasaki states, “I find it’s worth repeating important tweets up to 4 times in about 18 hours. Typically, that would be evening, late evening, next morning and then the afternoon. Hopefully, that will catch the different audiences. But that’s enough; I don’t want to turn anyone off.”

– Make a “List” on Twitter to group people of interest- such as galleries or dealers, curators, and collectors. This will help you keep track of different groups and stay in touch.

LinkedIn:
– Join groups that are related to your style of artwork as well as more general art groups. Ask questions and contribute to other discussions.

– Connect with galleries, artists, curators, and collectors that you know (you can get booted out for spamming people you don’t know). Also connect with other professionals- your dentist, doctor, real estate agent, etc.

People who are popular in the social media world inform, entertain, and educate – sometimes all at once. If you’re a successful self-employed artist, it’s about the inspiration and the example you provide for other artists. So it’s really about them. Post videos, tutorials, news, artwork, interesting articles, music, movies that you think people will appreciate. Posts should be of substance, not how you’re waiting in line at the grocery store or that it’s Monday or Friday (we know the days of the week). Think of it this way: if you were in their position, what would you find interesting?

www.AmyGuidry.com

Art Help & Info, Press

Interviews, websites, makeovers, Oh my!

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Artist Amy Guidry discusses her work with viewers at Gallery 549

Sorry for the delayed post! I’ve had a lot going on as of late, some of which I would like to announce right now. I recently did an interview for Pop Culture Radio with Chris Wakefield. The interview is now online and has a bit of something for everyone whether you are an artist, a collector, or just an admirer of art. You can listen to the entire interview at this link: http://popcultureradio.net/radio-interview/amy-guidry/.

Also, for some even bigger news and I do mean big- if you’ve been following along you know of this several months long undertaking- my website makeover is finished and the results are now online! The overall design is a bit different (new and improved!) and there are some new added features. For one, the images are now large. And I mean large! Many of them have a zoom-in feature as well. While you are there, be sure to sign up for my e-newsletter. You can also now sign up for my quarterly postcard which features one of my latest paintings on the front and a quick list of exhibits on the back. Many people just like to collect the postcards for the paintings since they also get my newsletter. Sign up for one or for both, they’re all free. Check it out at www.AmyGuidry.com.

Art Help & Info

Resumes!

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As a busy artist, I am always updating my resume to add exhibitions or press items. One thing I can’t stress enough is the importance to stay on top of updating your resume. You never know when a gallery or a collector may ask for it and you don’t want to hand over an outdated resume or keep them waiting while you work on one. And it’s easy to forget to include something. So here are a few guidelines that I follow for my own resume (or CV) that may come in handy for those of you in need of an update or those just starting out. These are the categories in order of appearance:

Birthdate and Birthplace: I just put my year of birth, but you can use your full birthdate. This is important to collectors and galleries since they are interested in how your age and where you are from may influence your work.

Exhibitions: Depending on where you are at in your career, this may be one category or two. In the latter, you will have a Solo Exhibition category and a Group Exhibition category. Some like to put 2-person shows in with Solo. In that case, it should be clearly marked as Solo and Two-Person Exhibitions and list each exhibit as such.

For those of you just starting out, don’t fret. Everyone has to start somewhere. If you have ever shown your work in a coffee shop, restaurant, library, bank, etc. now is the time to list it. If you were the only artist, list it as a solo exhibit. What if you haven’t shown at all yet? I would start small- ask owners of businesses (if you know them personally, even better) if you can hang your work there for a month. If you know of a vacant space that you can use, put up an exhibit of your own and invite people for an opening reception. Even if it’s for one evening, it’s still an exhibit. These opportunities are easier to come across since no one is expecting you to make money for them, so they are more willing to let you use their walls. However, once you start getting exhibits at galleries, you should remove these previous shows from your resume. It’s okay when you’re just starting out, but once you start moving up the ladder, you will need to omit exhibits that are of “less importance” in the gallery owner’s eyes. This rule goes for everyone.

List exhibitions by most recent first. List the year, name of the exhibit, and the location. If there is an exhibit catalogue, put “(catalogue)” at the end of the listing. If there was a well-known curator or juror, list them as well.

Experience: I use the term “experience” here, but really this will depend on you. This spot should be reserved for any jobs, lectures, workshops, etc. that you may have (or had) pertaining to your art career. ONLY list something if it is relevant to your career. Even if you are an Executive Director, 20 years going, at a major department store chain, do not put it down. Unless this is evident by looking at your art, it is not important to your art career in any way other than a paycheck. If you are an art teacher, list your teaching experience, or if you’ve ever been a guest artist lecturer, list lectures, etc.

Education: This is an important category, but as I have learned from various sources, it shouldn’t be at the top of your resume. Your exhibition history is more important. So obviously this area won’t need much updating unless you are presently in school or going back. You should name your university, location, degree received, and the year. If your degree is not art related, or does not  influence your art, you may want to leave off what your degree is in. More than likely, no one will ask anyway. From experience, only other artists and art professors ever ask where I studied.

If you have not attended college, don’t worry about that either. Many artists are self-taught. You may list such on your resume or if you’ve ever taken another artist’s workshop, you can put this under Education as well. As you move up the ranks, you may want to eventually remove the workshops unless they were conducted by well-known artists (i.e. nationally or internationally recognized). As your career progresses and you gain exposure, no gallery is going to care about a workshop you took 10 years ago. Not to say it wasn’t important to you, but galleries want to know what is most significant to your career.

Awards: Again, this is a category that depends on you. This may not be a blue ribbon award category so much as it is a list of grants received or residencies you were selected for. If you have received an award ribbon, certificate, etc. be sure to list the name of the competition and what placement you received. If you received a purchase award, be sure to name the award- for example, most are a person’s name such as the Betty Sue Purchase Award. If you don’t have any awards yet, just leave this category out.

Bibliography: Well, back in college, I learned the proper way to list press articles, etc. from “The Little, Brown Handbook.” I assume it still exists, but no two artists ever list their bibliographies the same. Some group everything by year, some alphabetical by article name, some alphabetical by author name, etc. I list by author name, but to each his own here. Regardless, this category should include any magazine articles, newspapers, radio interviews, tv interviews, and even blogs. Back in the day, blogs weren’t even in existence in “The Little, Brown Handbook.” Our books were stone tablets… just kidding.

Collections: Again, if you don’t have anything for this, just omit it. However, if your work is in any public collections, list it here. If your work is in any private collections (which is more likely the case), you can list the names and locations of the collectors if they are well-known (i.e. celebrities or famous patrons of the arts). Sorry to say, but no gallery is interested in knowing that your next door neighbor owns your work even if it’s 50 pieces. However, if the person is seen on national television or they are a famous artist, well-known curator, or a major art collector that loans their collection to museums from time to time, then you’ll get a gallery’s attention.

Representation: Another category you can omit if needed. If you happen to have gallery representation, list it here.

So that’s it- you may find in your career that there are other categories you could include, which is fine, just be sure your exhibitions stay at the forefront. Oh, and be sure your contact information is on every page of your resume. And no staples.

www.AmyGuidry.com

Art Help & Info

April Artwalk

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This weekend (April 9th) is the Second Saturday Artwalk in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. Galleries and business will be open after hours for this free event, officially starting at 6pm and ending at 8pm-ish. BTW, I will have work at Gallery 549 for the annual Spring Group Exhibition, so if you are in the area, be sure to check it out.

Acadiana Center for the Arts– 101 W. Vermilion St. / 337-233-7060
Main Gallery: Francis X. Pavy: Currents and Flows – now through May 7
Side Gallery: Brett Chigoy: When the Preditor has Defined our Dreams as Prey– now through May 7

Cajun Spice– 535 Jefferson St / 337-232-3061 – Cliff Broussard

Galerie Eclaireuse– 535 ½ Jefferson St. / 337-234-5492 – Melissa Bonin

Gallery 549– 549 Jefferson St. / 337-593-0796 – Spring Group Exhibition

Galerie Lafayette at The Lafayette Public Library- 538 Jefferson St. / 337-261-5775 – William H. Parr

Gallery R (at The Russo Group)- 116 E. Congress St. / 337-769-1530 – Katherine LeMoine

Sans Souci Gallery– 219 E. Vermilion St. / 337-266-7999 – Louisiana Crafts Guild- Fait a la Main