Thursday, 26 November 2009
Monday, 23 November 2009
Before and After...
Over the last couple of weeks my studio time has been spent reworking paintings from earlier this year. Its a result of becoming reacquainted with acrylic paint and making some more deliberate choices about the direction of my work. I'm much more satisfied with the works now. They feel resolved.
Epilogue
Epilogue reworked
I am behind on my body sketch-a-days though, I have six to go but due to a busier than expected November I have been unable to finish them. This is a shame because I found that experiment really useful in terms of considering the body in relation to art.
Next opportunity I have, I will post the remaining sketches here.
I also spent yesterday cleaning up the studio. After twelve beautiful hours of rain, things got a bit wet. Luckily canvases and paper are kept above the floor and the flood has taken care of the earwig problem.
Epilogue
Epilogue reworked
I am behind on my body sketch-a-days though, I have six to go but due to a busier than expected November I have been unable to finish them. This is a shame because I found that experiment really useful in terms of considering the body in relation to art.
Next opportunity I have, I will post the remaining sketches here.
I also spent yesterday cleaning up the studio. After twelve beautiful hours of rain, things got a bit wet. Luckily canvases and paper are kept above the floor and the flood has taken care of the earwig problem.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Monday, 9 November 2009
Catching up on sketch-a-days
From Friday 30 October to last Thursday, 5th of November. Things got a bit busy so the top three of these sketches were done on the same day. I am running a few days behind and will post from Friday the 6th of November to today (the 9th) shortly...
5th November Cat Face, across my mouth and nose.
4th November Peacock Feathers on right leg
3rd November Bark across my chest
2nd November Fruit Bat across my chest
1st November Fruit Bat on my right leg
31st October Horned figure on my back
30th October Leaping cat on my torso
5th November Cat Face, across my mouth and nose.
4th November Peacock Feathers on right leg
3rd November Bark across my chest
2nd November Fruit Bat across my chest
1st November Fruit Bat on my right leg
31st October Horned figure on my back
30th October Leaping cat on my torso
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
More Sydney Subjects
Noisy Miners I, II and III.
Noisy Miners are small native grey and yellow birds that congregate around the Domain in Sydney. I really like them, even though they're a bit of a pest and like the flying foxes that fill the CBD at night, these birds are a strange juxtaposition of wildlife and urban space.
It is understood that Smell is a powerful trigger of memory, however, I find particular plants and animals also hold strong associations with time and place. Noisy miners remind me of Sydney at a particular time in my life and whenever I go to the Art Gallery of NSW I make sure I cross the road to say hello to these little guys.
Noisy Miners are small native grey and yellow birds that congregate around the Domain in Sydney. I really like them, even though they're a bit of a pest and like the flying foxes that fill the CBD at night, these birds are a strange juxtaposition of wildlife and urban space.
It is understood that Smell is a powerful trigger of memory, however, I find particular plants and animals also hold strong associations with time and place. Noisy miners remind me of Sydney at a particular time in my life and whenever I go to the Art Gallery of NSW I make sure I cross the road to say hello to these little guys.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Fragments
Once again, in ascending order:
"Bolt" water-soluble crayon on my right thigh (monday)
"Face" water-soluble crayon on my left hand (tuesday)
"Grass Snake" water-soluble crayon on my left arm (wednesday)
and "Hare" water-soluble crayon on my stomach (thursday - today)
The sketch-a-day exercises have made me consider more closely different fragments of the body, both in terms of composition and also how well the drawing medium will adhere to the skin.
"Bolt" water-soluble crayon on my right thigh (monday)
"Face" water-soluble crayon on my left hand (tuesday)
"Grass Snake" water-soluble crayon on my left arm (wednesday)
and "Hare" water-soluble crayon on my stomach (thursday - today)
The sketch-a-day exercises have made me consider more closely different fragments of the body, both in terms of composition and also how well the drawing medium will adhere to the skin.
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Mentors and Sharks
There is a big difference between the two, though this is not always obvious especially if, like me, you grew up with a rather naive and optimistic view of the world.
While I have had some experience with mentors (I've never really experienced a proper, formal mentor relationship) I've had plenty of experience with the pointy end of sharks. I am getting better at spotting them, though I do still get bitten from time to time.
The sharks I am talking about are the self-appointed mentors, people who spot something valuable in you usually talent, ambition and the will to work hard. These sharks often ingratiate themselves to you in small ways, offering support, encouragement, even company when you're lonely and then they cling on, simultaneously reaping the rewards of your hard work and destroying your reputation.
I've listed 10 ways to spot a shark, the warning signs that I now recognise, hopefully this will help you as well:
1 The individual knows less about the industry than you, has had less experience than you yet convinces you that they have a solid reputation and can enhance your career. Furthermore any "inside information" they give you are facts or material that can be taken from any number of obvious sources in print or online.
2 They have no Internet presence at all. Nothing. You Google them and nothing comes up, anywhere. ever. If you think about the current blog and social networking-dominated world that we currently inhabit, not having any kind of presence is weird. Are you sure that's their real name?
3 You hear the phrase "you're a gorgeous girl (guy, person, whatever), I love you/your work, I think you're going to just be amazing..." this is lovely to hear from your parents and friends. If you hear this from someone who barely knows you in a professional context, run.
4 They tell you about current relationship problems, how their partner doesn't understand what they're about... etc. etc.
5 They expect you to work for them for free and be grateful for the honour their presence bestows upon you.
6 They don't return calls for weeks and when they do their absence is due, apparently, to some personal injury/illness.
7 In fact, avoid anyone accident prone or anyone perpetually unwell, by this I mean they have stresses induced by financial/housing/debt issues. If they cant keep their own affairs in order, what kind of guidance are they going to give you?
8 They want you to give them work for free, or close to free. They give you some half-baked story about them needing to prepare the work properly to present it to galleries/dealers, therefore they shouldn't be paying for it because its in your interest anyway.
9 No one else wants anything to do with them.
10 If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
These all seem obvious warning signs, however they can be concealed or disguised to begin with and are overlooked because you're hungry or vulnerable and you think they can really offer some opportunities.
While I have had some experience with mentors (I've never really experienced a proper, formal mentor relationship) I've had plenty of experience with the pointy end of sharks. I am getting better at spotting them, though I do still get bitten from time to time.
The sharks I am talking about are the self-appointed mentors, people who spot something valuable in you usually talent, ambition and the will to work hard. These sharks often ingratiate themselves to you in small ways, offering support, encouragement, even company when you're lonely and then they cling on, simultaneously reaping the rewards of your hard work and destroying your reputation.
I've listed 10 ways to spot a shark, the warning signs that I now recognise, hopefully this will help you as well:
1 The individual knows less about the industry than you, has had less experience than you yet convinces you that they have a solid reputation and can enhance your career. Furthermore any "inside information" they give you are facts or material that can be taken from any number of obvious sources in print or online.
2 They have no Internet presence at all. Nothing. You Google them and nothing comes up, anywhere. ever. If you think about the current blog and social networking-dominated world that we currently inhabit, not having any kind of presence is weird. Are you sure that's their real name?
3 You hear the phrase "you're a gorgeous girl (guy, person, whatever), I love you/your work, I think you're going to just be amazing..." this is lovely to hear from your parents and friends. If you hear this from someone who barely knows you in a professional context, run.
4 They tell you about current relationship problems, how their partner doesn't understand what they're about... etc. etc.
5 They expect you to work for them for free and be grateful for the honour their presence bestows upon you.
6 They don't return calls for weeks and when they do their absence is due, apparently, to some personal injury/illness.
7 In fact, avoid anyone accident prone or anyone perpetually unwell, by this I mean they have stresses induced by financial/housing/debt issues. If they cant keep their own affairs in order, what kind of guidance are they going to give you?
8 They want you to give them work for free, or close to free. They give you some half-baked story about them needing to prepare the work properly to present it to galleries/dealers, therefore they shouldn't be paying for it because its in your interest anyway.
9 No one else wants anything to do with them.
10 If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
These all seem obvious warning signs, however they can be concealed or disguised to begin with and are overlooked because you're hungry or vulnerable and you think they can really offer some opportunities.
Monday, 26 October 2009
A quick reminder (cross promotion warning)
Time is running out to get your hands on one of the affordable Hazel Dooney limited edition screen prints. After November 5th, prices are set to increase.
Wednesday to Sunday
The batteries in the camera were flat this week so most of these sketch-a-days were taken with the iphone and the quality isn't great. Also, being too busy to make time, Saturday's sketch was done on Sunday.
In ascending order: "face" Biro pen on right big toe, "ants" Biro pen on left hand, "Dino" Biro pen on right knee, "Snail shell" pen, pencil and water-soluble crayons on left thumbnail and "Sparrow" water-soluble crayons on right foot...
Post edited:
The interview I did on Art Catalyst has been mentioned over at Night Moves Art website.
In ascending order: "face" Biro pen on right big toe, "ants" Biro pen on left hand, "Dino" Biro pen on right knee, "Snail shell" pen, pencil and water-soluble crayons on left thumbnail and "Sparrow" water-soluble crayons on right foot...
Post edited:
The interview I did on Art Catalyst has been mentioned over at Night Moves Art website.
Friday, 23 October 2009
Interlude
Something that I notice every time I'm in Sydney at dusk, when the weather is warm, the sky is full of flying foxes. I love the strange juxtapositions of these wild bats and the fluorescent lights of high-rise offices.
The urban, everyday environment never ceases to provide views of the uncommon and the unexpected.
The urban, everyday environment never ceases to provide views of the uncommon and the unexpected.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
The Moods of the Studio
There are moods in the studio, external influences and internal responses that often go unspoken, rarely revealed in the finished artwork that comes out of the often tumultuous process of its creation.
Yesterday I posted in response to my frustration at the struggle of earning a living from my art and the need to get a trade to take financial responsibility. I thought this topic needed some expansion.
Art enhances my life, it gives me a reason to breath. Its my passion. Beyond my career gripes, I am driven to make art and without it I'd wither and die. I am never short of ideas and it seems that all the inspiration I need is a tight structure and a deadline, most of my frustrations with art involves income.
I do make a little bit of money from sales, mostly through eBay. I have a few repeat buyers who have supported me from the beginning, to whom I am very grateful. I have also picked up the odd commission from eBay, though these tend to be fairly rare. I am trying to connect with a wider audience and get new interest happening in my work. I am having some success and some failure. Its made worse because I am not sure where I am falling short.
The money I make from the work barely covers the costs, of listing on eBay, postage and advertising. In financial terms I know hobbyists who have greater commercial success than what I am currently experiencing. I understand there is a global recession, however if I were truly connecting with people this would be less of a problem.
A lot of what I read about artists, their careers and their commercial success doesn't seem to add up. A lot of artists talk about a combination of timing and luck as a contributing factor in their success. So far I have experienced neither, certainly not in sufficient quantities to get things off the ground.
I do not belong to a dynasty, I have no relatives or friends of the family involved in the artworld. There is no one who has come before me to blaze a trail so I am learning as I go, starting from scratch and at times reinventing the wheel. Business skills, self promotion and marketing do not come naturally to me, I have to work very hard at these. At times it seems to be a case of one step forward two steps back.
I have invested serious time and money into my education in order to build and strengthen my career, I have accrued a $20 000 HELP (formally HECS) debt. This sucker is indexed too and if I don't do anything about it now, its going to be a real problem in years to come. My degrees are not treated seriously in this country and this frustrates me because a Masters is hard work, regardless of the industry you're in.
I seem incapable of getting a day job, which is why I'm working on a trade. This is not from a lack of effort on my part and so far all of the positions I have been interviewed for have either already been filled before the interview or did not exist at all. I have even enlisted in a job network place to improve resume writing and interview techniques. Because I fall outside of their categories, they're really not sure what to do with me. They don't understand why I'm not having babies as I am nearly thirty and in a stable relationship. The fact that I'm not interested in starting a family confuses the hell out of most people.
Its hard to focus on the job at hand and not see other people's successes as a reminder of your own failure. Its hard not to spiral into the "oh god, oh god, I am totally fucked" cycle. I am getting better at working through the various setbacks and moods and production continues unabated even in the most difficult parts of the cycle. My skin is thickening.
I am caught up in the self-representation vs gallery representation conflict. Well, more accurately I am self-representing because I have been unable to find the support of a commercial gallery. While this is a hot topic of discussion, one in which I've had my two cents worth, I can't help but notice most people involved in this discussion have had representation at some stage. It remains an option for them should they choose to follow that path. I feel that there are currently no options for me, I have not as yet had that opportunity.
So, I continue to expand on my skills and search for other opportunities that will take me where I need to go
Yesterday I posted in response to my frustration at the struggle of earning a living from my art and the need to get a trade to take financial responsibility. I thought this topic needed some expansion.
Art enhances my life, it gives me a reason to breath. Its my passion. Beyond my career gripes, I am driven to make art and without it I'd wither and die. I am never short of ideas and it seems that all the inspiration I need is a tight structure and a deadline, most of my frustrations with art involves income.
I do make a little bit of money from sales, mostly through eBay. I have a few repeat buyers who have supported me from the beginning, to whom I am very grateful. I have also picked up the odd commission from eBay, though these tend to be fairly rare. I am trying to connect with a wider audience and get new interest happening in my work. I am having some success and some failure. Its made worse because I am not sure where I am falling short.
The money I make from the work barely covers the costs, of listing on eBay, postage and advertising. In financial terms I know hobbyists who have greater commercial success than what I am currently experiencing. I understand there is a global recession, however if I were truly connecting with people this would be less of a problem.
A lot of what I read about artists, their careers and their commercial success doesn't seem to add up. A lot of artists talk about a combination of timing and luck as a contributing factor in their success. So far I have experienced neither, certainly not in sufficient quantities to get things off the ground.
I do not belong to a dynasty, I have no relatives or friends of the family involved in the artworld. There is no one who has come before me to blaze a trail so I am learning as I go, starting from scratch and at times reinventing the wheel. Business skills, self promotion and marketing do not come naturally to me, I have to work very hard at these. At times it seems to be a case of one step forward two steps back.
I have invested serious time and money into my education in order to build and strengthen my career, I have accrued a $20 000 HELP (formally HECS) debt. This sucker is indexed too and if I don't do anything about it now, its going to be a real problem in years to come. My degrees are not treated seriously in this country and this frustrates me because a Masters is hard work, regardless of the industry you're in.
I seem incapable of getting a day job, which is why I'm working on a trade. This is not from a lack of effort on my part and so far all of the positions I have been interviewed for have either already been filled before the interview or did not exist at all. I have even enlisted in a job network place to improve resume writing and interview techniques. Because I fall outside of their categories, they're really not sure what to do with me. They don't understand why I'm not having babies as I am nearly thirty and in a stable relationship. The fact that I'm not interested in starting a family confuses the hell out of most people.
Its hard to focus on the job at hand and not see other people's successes as a reminder of your own failure. Its hard not to spiral into the "oh god, oh god, I am totally fucked" cycle. I am getting better at working through the various setbacks and moods and production continues unabated even in the most difficult parts of the cycle. My skin is thickening.
I am caught up in the self-representation vs gallery representation conflict. Well, more accurately I am self-representing because I have been unable to find the support of a commercial gallery. While this is a hot topic of discussion, one in which I've had my two cents worth, I can't help but notice most people involved in this discussion have had representation at some stage. It remains an option for them should they choose to follow that path. I feel that there are currently no options for me, I have not as yet had that opportunity.
So, I continue to expand on my skills and search for other opportunities that will take me where I need to go
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Riding the Damned Roller coaster
Getting my work out there, getting noticed, selling my work and taking financial responsibility continues to be a struggle.
For every step forward there seems to be a step or two back and when I think that I'm getting ahead of things, I will hit a dip, a vicious reminder that I am still on that damned roller coaster and that things are not going according to plan.
I made some fundamental mistakes early on in my career, one of the biggest was believing the antiquated world-view that my ancient university lecturers dished up to me, though it was my choice to take that on board. The other mistake was thinking that I could support myself solely with my art from the get-go. Many artists manage to do this, a lot very successfully. Not me, though and its been a hard thing to admit to myself that I need a more marketable career to support myself and take on the financial burden that has currently been resting entirely on my partner.
To add to this the shops are both sitting around doing very little, reminding me that they are not a sure enough solution to the problem.
In order to rectify this situation, I am taking some time away from my work in the studio during the week and spending it skilling-up. I need a trade that people will pay for and one that will enable me to follow the course of action I have laid ahead of me. But Jesus Christ its a struggle to stay focused sometimes.
For every step forward there seems to be a step or two back and when I think that I'm getting ahead of things, I will hit a dip, a vicious reminder that I am still on that damned roller coaster and that things are not going according to plan.
I made some fundamental mistakes early on in my career, one of the biggest was believing the antiquated world-view that my ancient university lecturers dished up to me, though it was my choice to take that on board. The other mistake was thinking that I could support myself solely with my art from the get-go. Many artists manage to do this, a lot very successfully. Not me, though and its been a hard thing to admit to myself that I need a more marketable career to support myself and take on the financial burden that has currently been resting entirely on my partner.
To add to this the shops are both sitting around doing very little, reminding me that they are not a sure enough solution to the problem.
In order to rectify this situation, I am taking some time away from my work in the studio during the week and spending it skilling-up. I need a trade that people will pay for and one that will enable me to follow the course of action I have laid ahead of me. But Jesus Christ its a struggle to stay focused sometimes.
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Monday and Tuesday
"Branches" Biro pen. Sketch a day for Monday the 19th
Today: "Jasmine flowers" Water-soluble crayon on my right leg.
Monday, 19 October 2009
Interview and number 6
Sketch-a-day for Sunday the 18th. "Face" well, as much of a face as I could complete considering I'm not double jointed. It was created using water-soluble crayons.
Also, you can read my interview about the work in Domestic Bliss on Art Catalyst
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Friday, 16 October 2009
A Show For Free
Recently, disheartened by the cost of exhibiting around the city at the various pay-to-play galleries, I started thinking of ways to show my work that were more cost effective and practical.
Inspired, in part, by the self-representing powerhouse that is Hazel Dooney (she has the strength of ten tigers when it comes to producing, exhibiting, managing promoting etc) and sick of paying up to $2000 for a fortnight's worth of pretty average wall space, plus a commission on sales, shouldering the cost of an opening night and being responsible for promotion at the pay-to-plays, I decided to move the entire exhibition online. I did with Domestic Bliss. It cost me a total of $71.73 which includes 100 glossy postcards and stamps for those postcards.
I wish to show work on a regular basis, very regular, perhaps every three months or so to keep up with the volume of new work that I am producing, to give my work a relevant context and to promote my art in new ways.
So, in the democratic share-everything-spirit of web 2.0, here is a step by step guide to setting up an online show, using the many free and easily available resources that now exist thanks to the Internet. These are the steps that I took, if you happen to find a better, more efficient way then well done.
Organising the online exhibition
Step 1: The exhibition "space" - Start a Blog
Find a "space" to exhibit, something you can use for regular shows. I started a blog at kirsopp-exhibition.blogspot.com. I chose blogger because I find it easier to navigate and customise than Wordpress, but that's just me.
I treated it like a real gallery space and kept it as clean as possible. No widgets or links just the images on their own with a little bit of information beneath them and a clear link to a more detailed description of each work. I used a black background as I find the artwork stands out a lot clearer than it does against a white background.
Step2: Hanging the show
"Hang" the show properly by organising the images in a sequence that benefits them most, just as you would when hanging an exhibition in a gallery. Upload all the images in just one post,or as few posts as possible to keep the exhibition clean and free of unnecessary text.
Make sure there's a decent gap between each work so as not to crowd them. Make a description beneath each image that lists the work's title, medium, size, price and if the work is framed or unframed. Avoid putting in too much information under the images as the exhibition needs to remain clean, simple and easy for the audience to view and navigate. When the exhibition is "hung" to your satisfaction set the post options to publish at the time and date that you want the exhibition to "open"
Step3: Create a Separate information page
Create a "Purchase This Work" or "buy now" link beneath each piece. The link should take the viewer to a separate information page for that work to keep the exhibition uncluttered and easy to navigate (I created the information pages on my website which, is powered by wordpress, and kept them unpublished until the show launched).
Title the information page with the title of the corresponding work and have the image of that work on the information page. Here, repeat the information (title, date, medium, un/framed price etc) as well as a more detailed description of the work itself, whether it is signed, as well as payment methods, gst, how the work will be delivered etc... plus an email address should the viewer have any other questions about the work
Step4: Accepting payment
Easiest way to accept payments online is with Paypal buttons. The buyer does not need a paypal account to buy using these buttons. If you don't have a Paypal account go and set one up immediately, well, at least a good two weeks before the show launches as it takes a day or two to get an account verified. Verification is not essential but it is recommended as buyers feel better about paying a verified account holder than an unverified one.
Setting up a Paypal account takes five minutes, all you need is a bank account.
Go to Paypal, click sign up. You will be given the option of a Personal, Premier or Business account. Choose the Premier Account as this model of account enables you to sell as well as buy and is more simple than a business account.
Once your account is active, click on the "Merchant Services"link. Down the bottom of the merchant services page there's a list called "Key Features". Click on the "Buy Now Buttons" link in the "key features" list and Paypal will take you through creating a Buy Now button (with button design options, currency settings, shopping cart options etc) and will provide the code for you to cut and paste onto your website. Very easy.
When you are creating the Buy Now button make sure you title it with the name of the artwork that it will be used for. Create a separate button for each work that is for sale. Put the button on the information page of that artwork. This keeps the main exhibition page clean and puts the focus on the work, making it look less like a shop front and more like a gallery.
Alternatively you can create an eBay listing for the work you want to sell as either an auction a straightforward sale. The eBay page also serves as an information page, two birds with one stone. Selling work through eBay attracts an eBay listing fee as well as a final valuation fee which is a commission eBay charges on sales.
Setting up an eBay account is as easy as setting up a Paypal account. You will need a credit card to sign up with eBay, though.
Link the information (or eBay) pages to the corresponding work. Run through the exhibition and test the links, make sure they take you to the right page. Test the Buy Now buttons and make sure the prices are correct etc. Get someone else on another computer to test it as well.
Promotion
The channels of free promotion I used to promote Domestic Bliss were Twitter and Facebook. I have found these to be amazingly effective tools. I also blogged about it. There are also various gallery sites like Deviantart and Flickr which are free and worth joining.
I began promoting the show about two weeks before it launched. I have always found two weeks to be the ideal time to making an exhibition known, posting about it, sending fliers and invites etc...
At the last minute I decided to print "invites" to the show, which I will send around to continue promoting the exhibition. Normally I would order the invites at least a month before the show as they take about a week and a half from order to delivery.
I designed the invites using GIMP, a free image manipulation program and I used Vista Print to print the invites. Vista Print an online printing company that always has amazing specials on a whole lot of promotional material, where printing is free and you are only charged a small fee for postage and uploading an image.
I chose the standard postcard for my invites (I used this format for the Mammalian exhibition and was really happy with the result). Vista Print offers three post options: fast, standard or slow. I chose the slow option as it generally doesn't make that much difference. The orders usually arrive in a week and a half at most. For 100 colour,glossy postcards printed and delivered I paid $16.73AUD. Vista Print will try and fluff your order by sneaking in stationary options and up selling you on things, that's how they make their money. Be careful and make sure you review your order thoroughly before paying for it.
With a free exhibition all you have to lose is a little time and effort. Domestic Bliss will continue for two months and I'll keep posting here about its progress.
Inspired, in part, by the self-representing powerhouse that is Hazel Dooney (she has the strength of ten tigers when it comes to producing, exhibiting, managing promoting etc) and sick of paying up to $2000 for a fortnight's worth of pretty average wall space, plus a commission on sales, shouldering the cost of an opening night and being responsible for promotion at the pay-to-plays, I decided to move the entire exhibition online. I did with Domestic Bliss. It cost me a total of $71.73 which includes 100 glossy postcards and stamps for those postcards.
I wish to show work on a regular basis, very regular, perhaps every three months or so to keep up with the volume of new work that I am producing, to give my work a relevant context and to promote my art in new ways.
So, in the democratic share-everything-spirit of web 2.0, here is a step by step guide to setting up an online show, using the many free and easily available resources that now exist thanks to the Internet. These are the steps that I took, if you happen to find a better, more efficient way then well done.
Organising the online exhibition
Step 1: The exhibition "space" - Start a Blog
Find a "space" to exhibit, something you can use for regular shows. I started a blog at kirsopp-exhibition.blogspot.com. I chose blogger because I find it easier to navigate and customise than Wordpress, but that's just me.
I treated it like a real gallery space and kept it as clean as possible. No widgets or links just the images on their own with a little bit of information beneath them and a clear link to a more detailed description of each work. I used a black background as I find the artwork stands out a lot clearer than it does against a white background.
Step2: Hanging the show
"Hang" the show properly by organising the images in a sequence that benefits them most, just as you would when hanging an exhibition in a gallery. Upload all the images in just one post,or as few posts as possible to keep the exhibition clean and free of unnecessary text.
Make sure there's a decent gap between each work so as not to crowd them. Make a description beneath each image that lists the work's title, medium, size, price and if the work is framed or unframed. Avoid putting in too much information under the images as the exhibition needs to remain clean, simple and easy for the audience to view and navigate. When the exhibition is "hung" to your satisfaction set the post options to publish at the time and date that you want the exhibition to "open"
Step3: Create a Separate information page
Create a "Purchase This Work" or "buy now" link beneath each piece. The link should take the viewer to a separate information page for that work to keep the exhibition uncluttered and easy to navigate (I created the information pages on my website which, is powered by wordpress, and kept them unpublished until the show launched).
Title the information page with the title of the corresponding work and have the image of that work on the information page. Here, repeat the information (title, date, medium, un/framed price etc) as well as a more detailed description of the work itself, whether it is signed, as well as payment methods, gst, how the work will be delivered etc... plus an email address should the viewer have any other questions about the work
Step4: Accepting payment
Easiest way to accept payments online is with Paypal buttons. The buyer does not need a paypal account to buy using these buttons. If you don't have a Paypal account go and set one up immediately, well, at least a good two weeks before the show launches as it takes a day or two to get an account verified. Verification is not essential but it is recommended as buyers feel better about paying a verified account holder than an unverified one.
Setting up a Paypal account takes five minutes, all you need is a bank account.
Go to Paypal, click sign up. You will be given the option of a Personal, Premier or Business account. Choose the Premier Account as this model of account enables you to sell as well as buy and is more simple than a business account.
Once your account is active, click on the "Merchant Services"link. Down the bottom of the merchant services page there's a list called "Key Features". Click on the "Buy Now Buttons" link in the "key features" list and Paypal will take you through creating a Buy Now button (with button design options, currency settings, shopping cart options etc) and will provide the code for you to cut and paste onto your website. Very easy.
When you are creating the Buy Now button make sure you title it with the name of the artwork that it will be used for. Create a separate button for each work that is for sale. Put the button on the information page of that artwork. This keeps the main exhibition page clean and puts the focus on the work, making it look less like a shop front and more like a gallery.
Alternatively you can create an eBay listing for the work you want to sell as either an auction a straightforward sale. The eBay page also serves as an information page, two birds with one stone. Selling work through eBay attracts an eBay listing fee as well as a final valuation fee which is a commission eBay charges on sales.
Setting up an eBay account is as easy as setting up a Paypal account. You will need a credit card to sign up with eBay, though.
Link the information (or eBay) pages to the corresponding work. Run through the exhibition and test the links, make sure they take you to the right page. Test the Buy Now buttons and make sure the prices are correct etc. Get someone else on another computer to test it as well.
Promotion
The channels of free promotion I used to promote Domestic Bliss were Twitter and Facebook. I have found these to be amazingly effective tools. I also blogged about it. There are also various gallery sites like Deviantart and Flickr which are free and worth joining.
I began promoting the show about two weeks before it launched. I have always found two weeks to be the ideal time to making an exhibition known, posting about it, sending fliers and invites etc...
At the last minute I decided to print "invites" to the show, which I will send around to continue promoting the exhibition. Normally I would order the invites at least a month before the show as they take about a week and a half from order to delivery.
I designed the invites using GIMP, a free image manipulation program and I used Vista Print to print the invites. Vista Print an online printing company that always has amazing specials on a whole lot of promotional material, where printing is free and you are only charged a small fee for postage and uploading an image.
I chose the standard postcard for my invites (I used this format for the Mammalian exhibition and was really happy with the result). Vista Print offers three post options: fast, standard or slow. I chose the slow option as it generally doesn't make that much difference. The orders usually arrive in a week and a half at most. For 100 colour,glossy postcards printed and delivered I paid $16.73AUD. Vista Print will try and fluff your order by sneaking in stationary options and up selling you on things, that's how they make their money. Be careful and make sure you review your order thoroughly before paying for it.
With a free exhibition all you have to lose is a little time and effort. Domestic Bliss will continue for two months and I'll keep posting here about its progress.
ephemeral
Sketch of the day, both yesterday's and today's effort, using water-soluble crayons.
"fish"
"Bark"
Its a strange feeling washing something away that was just finished. It is truly ephemeral art.
"fish"
"Bark"
Its a strange feeling washing something away that was just finished. It is truly ephemeral art.
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Sketch of the day with a difference
Sketch of the day has resumed (the activity of producing a work a day, taking less than an hour etc...)
I have put a twist on it and for the next 30 days I will post a sketch of the day that incorporates my body.
For today's effort I have turned myself into one of my "soldiers" a series that I worked on during university. I loved their wiry and twisted torsos and have been considering pushing that theme a bit further for some time, perhaps finding a way to animate them.
I used edible body paints that I sell in my shop. A strange choice, but it seemed a little more appropriate than acrylic or oil paint, much easier to wash off and they do smell delicious. I don't think they're supposed to be used in that quantity, however.
Friday, 9 October 2009
Opening Tonight
Domestic Bliss opens tonight at 6pm. There are acrylic, mixed media, charcoal and silverpoint works for sale. Some are purchasable directly using paypal as a payment tool, others are for sale through eBay with the option to either bid or buy outright.
It has been an interesting exercise putting it together and it looks good. I had no idea putting a virtual exhibition together would be as exhausting as a physical show, but it is.
Go and check it ou from 6 pm tonight....
It has been an interesting exercise putting it together and it looks good. I had no idea putting a virtual exhibition together would be as exhausting as a physical show, but it is.
Go and check it ou from 6 pm tonight....
Thursday, 8 October 2009
online show and other art-related opportunities
My show Domestic Bliss opens tomorrow. An exhibition of silverpoint, painting and drawing that explores the secret life of suburbia where the line between fantasy and reality can become confused. The works will be available for sale via paypal.
Also the opportunity exists to own an original work by Hazel Dooney, she has produced some exquisite stencils as a part of her limited YES/No series. They are very accessible to those wishing to collect her work but for which the prices of the larger enamels are somewhat out of reach... (the stencils are priced between $US500 and $US750)
They come in five colours however I particularly love the effect of the white on white artist proofs. To order, or to enquire further, please contact Priya at dooneystudio@gol.com Payment can be accepted via PayPal, Western Union or national or international bank transfer.
Some cross-promotion goodness, yes. Personally I find that her work continues to amaze me, not only in terms of what she produces but also her work ethic. She has come a long way in a very short space of time and its refreshing to see that her success is a result of focus, hard work and determination rather than simply belonging to a dynasty or having friends in the right places. Something that seems so rare these days as if the right DNA grants you a backstage pass to success without the whole talent/hard work thingy getting in the way (well, it is war after all).
Also the opportunity exists to own an original work by Hazel Dooney, she has produced some exquisite stencils as a part of her limited YES/No series. They are very accessible to those wishing to collect her work but for which the prices of the larger enamels are somewhat out of reach... (the stencils are priced between $US500 and $US750)
They come in five colours however I particularly love the effect of the white on white artist proofs. To order, or to enquire further, please contact Priya at dooneystudio@gol.com Payment can be accepted via PayPal, Western Union or national or international bank transfer.
Some cross-promotion goodness, yes. Personally I find that her work continues to amaze me, not only in terms of what she produces but also her work ethic. She has come a long way in a very short space of time and its refreshing to see that her success is a result of focus, hard work and determination rather than simply belonging to a dynasty or having friends in the right places. Something that seems so rare these days as if the right DNA grants you a backstage pass to success without the whole talent/hard work thingy getting in the way (well, it is war after all).
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
Domestic Series
Dressing a charcoal on paper sketch that is currently on auction and is available for a few more days
It is tied to Domestic Bliss, my solo show that launches in a couple of days. I have been busy putting the finishing touches to a few of the paintings and I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Art, War and Social Networking
A couple of things this week from Twitter-land that I thought worth discussing here.
First, the statement from Hazel Dooney, that Art is War (which is now the subtitle of her blog).
If there is any doubt out there about that statement, you need only look back on the various posts here where I discuss selling, exhibiting, entering prizes, and all the failure and rejection that seems to come with a lot of it (there are successes too!)
I agree, art is war and admitting this enables me to build clearer strategies for my battles, both with myself in terms of my private creativity and in terms of becoming successful and selling my work.
Art is war, its bloody and relentless and the fight is on to get past the gatekeepers and middlemen, in their various manifestations, who have kept art quarantined from the public for so long.
Which leads on to the second point,from Amanda Fucking Palmer's blog about artists and money in which she discusses the shifting ground of control, that those who collect the money for the art, music, books etc that people enjoy so much is no longer agents, ticket officers or dealers but the artists themselves. This shift is due to the Internet with social networking sites, free galleries like Flickr and Deviantart and blogging enabling artists to release their work on their own terms. The blog post is worth reading, especially if you find the issue of artists asking you directly for money uncomfortable. It is not a debasement of the art they do but simply a change in the way art is received.
First, the statement from Hazel Dooney, that Art is War (which is now the subtitle of her blog).
If there is any doubt out there about that statement, you need only look back on the various posts here where I discuss selling, exhibiting, entering prizes, and all the failure and rejection that seems to come with a lot of it (there are successes too!)
I agree, art is war and admitting this enables me to build clearer strategies for my battles, both with myself in terms of my private creativity and in terms of becoming successful and selling my work.
Art is war, its bloody and relentless and the fight is on to get past the gatekeepers and middlemen, in their various manifestations, who have kept art quarantined from the public for so long.
Which leads on to the second point,from Amanda Fucking Palmer's blog about artists and money in which she discusses the shifting ground of control, that those who collect the money for the art, music, books etc that people enjoy so much is no longer agents, ticket officers or dealers but the artists themselves. This shift is due to the Internet with social networking sites, free galleries like Flickr and Deviantart and blogging enabling artists to release their work on their own terms. The blog post is worth reading, especially if you find the issue of artists asking you directly for money uncomfortable. It is not a debasement of the art they do but simply a change in the way art is received.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Online Exhibition coming soon...
Domestic Bliss will be my first online exhibition, launching October 9 at 6pm. It will be a selection of my latest work from this year. All works will be available for sale with Paypal.
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