Today's postings

  1. [Baren 33775] Phew! Exchange prints dispatched... ("Mark Mason")
  2. [Baren 33776] Re: Baren Digest (old) V40 #3976 ("Marilynn Smith")
  3. [Baren 33777] Re: Phew! Exchange prints dispatched... ("Robert Viana")
  4. [Baren 33778] Re: Juried Print Shows (ArtfulCarol # aol.com)
  5. [Baren 33779] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification (Blog Manager)
  6. [Baren 33780] Re: Juried Print Shows (ArtSpotiB # aol.com)
  7. [Baren 33781] Re: Juried Print Shows ("Marissa ")
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Message 1
From: "Mark Mason"
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:45:06 +0100
Subject: [Baren 33775] Phew! Exchange prints dispatched...
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Hi all,

I just thought I'd drop a line to let anyone who's interested know that I've just uploaded a few images and a progress report on my print for Exchange 33 which I've posted off today.

It's been a rollercoaster learning curve, and at one stage I wondered why I'd signed up to doing a multi-colour exchange at all. I hope all those in the exchange like it, even with it's imperfections.

If you'd rather wait to see your print than view it on the blog, then, as all sports reporters say,"... if you don't want to see the result, look away now."

http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com/
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Message 2
From: "Marilynn Smith"
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:23:20 -0700
Subject: [Baren 33776] Re: Baren Digest (old) V40 #3976
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"P.S. Those 'husband thingies' sound intriguing... do
they have other uses as well? :-)"
The husband or the thingies???? Actually the L shaped pieces work really
well in my press when I was running lino blocks they get hit first and seem
to keep the block from moving and hold everything together as I use one at
the top and one at the bottom, so there is less possibilibty of shifting
when the roller hits the print. As for the husband, he is my handy dandy
man, a very talented person who seems to build all kinds of things and fix
most anything that breaks.
Marilynn
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Message 3
From: "Robert Viana"
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:14:14 -0200
Subject: [Baren 33777] Re: Phew! Exchange prints dispatched...
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Hi Mark!
Wow, Looks great! I remember you showing us your sketch and this came out fantastic. It looks like you also managed a darn right bang up job on the registraction! Awesome! I am glad I am in this exchange!
Actually, So far I have loved each and every exchange.


Cheers,
Robert Viana
http://www.robertviana.com
http://www.printmakers.info
http://www.handpulledprints.net
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Message 4
From: ArtfulCarol # aol.com
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:55:36 EDT
Subject: [Baren 33778] Re: Juried Print Shows
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2 cents---This is my story and I'm sticking to it!
It is my slant and my experience. Take it with a grain of salt. In summary,
it all depends....:

I've been in this art game for many years, Living in the NYC area I entered
and was included in important juried art shows, watercolor, not woodblock
prints.. Did it matter on my meager bio? No one cared. I was hanging next to
Madame Chiang Kai- shek. To me these were feel good validations and luck..

A little later I decided the 1. entry fees 2. the delivery and driving
down to the city 3. the drive to see the exhibit and 4. the drive to pick up
were not worth 1.,2.,3,4. In my experience there was no benefit, but I say
to anyone beginning to exhibit in juried shows DO IT! for a while.Your
experience may be different in sales and exposure..

I decided not to go on paying $25, $30 . Some exhibits get thousands of
applications, make a lot of money when only a small number will be chosen. The
judges know what they are looking for--I don't
.As I got involved with different non-paying venues, I eliminated listing
the exhibits that weren't so important, always consolidating and keeping my
resume down to 1 page.

Pay if you must, but find your niche, develop it and take advantage of
opportunities.This is a fun full-time "yob"!
Carol Lyons
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Message 5
From: Blog Manager
Date: 20 Jul 2007 03:55:35 -0000
Subject: [Baren 33779] Baren Member blogs: Update Notification
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This is an automatic update message being sent to [Baren] by the forum blog software.

The following new entries were found on the listed printmaker's websites during the past 24 hours. (36 sites checked, five minutes before midnight Eastern time)

*****************

Site Name: The Itinerant Artist

Author: Diane Cutter
Item: These are my favorite photographs taken when ...
http://theitinerantartist.blogspot.com/2007/07/these-are-my-favorite-photographs-taken.html

*****************

Site Name: Curiously Drawn

Author: Mark Mason
Item: Printing the Woodblocks...
http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com/2007/07/printing-woodblocks.html

Author: Mark Mason
Item: Print Progress
http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com/2007/07/print-progress.html

*****************

[Baren] members: if you have a printmaking blog (or a website with a published ATOM feed), and wish it to be included in this daily checklist, please write to the Baren Blog Manager at:
http://barenforum.org/contact_baren.php

For reference, sites/blogs currently being checked are:
http://barenforum.org/blog
http://woodblock.com
http://woodblock.com/roundtable
http://woodblockdreams.blogspot.com
http://studiodiary.blogspot.com
http://larimerart.blogspot.com
http://artflights.blogspot.com
http://printmakersmaterials.blogspot.com
http://mlyon.com/blog
http://room535.blogspot.com
http://mleeprints.blogspot.com
http://snowgum.blogspot.com
http://onthisblock.blogspot.com
http://pressing-issues.blogspot.com
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
http://theitinerantartist.blogspot.com
http://PLawing-Printmaker.blogspot.com
http://readdevine.blogspot.com
http://mokuhankan.com/conversations
http://mokuhankan.com
http://belindadelpesco.blogspot.com
http://vizart.blogspot.com
http://phare-camp.blogspot.com
http://amymstoner.blogspot.com
http://williamleeholtfineart.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/g_wohlken/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://curiousmatthew.blogspot.com
http://laine.lainegreenway.com/index.html
http://azuregrackle.com/blogs/index.php?blog=2
http://blog.olansa.co.uk/
http://bea-gold-retrospective.blogspot.com
http://www.jauntyrakes.blogspot.com
http://sheiko.blogspot.com
http://studio-window.blogspot.com
http://studio-window.blogspot.com
http://alynn-guerra.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/barebonesart/iWeb/site/blog/blog.html
http://curiouslydrawn.blogspot.com
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Message 6
From: ArtSpotiB # aol.com
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:39:26 EDT
Subject: [Baren 33780] Re: Juried Print Shows
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Hi All.

The discussion about the value of entering juried shows is a great one.

To my mind there are as many ways of approaching art and there are artists.

That said, perhaps the deciding factor is what dreams an artist has. By that
I mean, aspirations. In general, if an artist is doing work solely for the
great pleasure of it, then creating without other ambition is just perfect.

For those who desire to have financial remuneration for their art work (in
addition to the pleasure of creating art), perhaps showing is worthwhile.
Different types of shows tend to attract different cliente. Sales depend on matching
your entered shows (and juror/s) with the audience who is likely to purchase
your work.

Then there are those who want recognition in either/or the curatorial or
academic worlds. Those artists will find that entering juried shows as a way to
gain recognition with the often longer time span, sometimes known as "history".
I have found that curators do NOT pay much attention to the chronology when
choosing works for group shows. However that documentation of presenting one's
work is helpful with the higher level of galleries as well as the
curatorial/academic worlds for demonstrating experience in how to present one's self for
public events.... ie. being professional. There are quite a few artists out
there with wonderful work with whom you are competing to have solo exhibitions or
be in "invitationals", so they have to judge between artists who will likely
be easy to work with and those who might not be. I could go on in this area but
won't.

Nonprofit venues are more likely to accept a wider range of works because
their budget is not so dependant on sales. For profit venues usually have
publicity, rent, staff and other monthly, inescapable expenses. I believe that the
charges are high for artists' budgets but in line with the expenditures that for
profit venues endure. Do you purchase all your groceries from a truck parked
on the side of the road? No? Well, art venues have to keep paying expenses
like rent whether they succeed in selling every day just like nearly every other
place.

To go on....If you want to enter shows for any reason, it's best to carefully
look at the prospectus. Consider the venue -- what type is it? Consider the
juror -- what special background does this person have? Do you want this
particular juror to just look at your work anyways? It's not only getting into a
show but also having a certain person see what you are doing. A artist could be
completely astounded at what jurors remember over the long term simply from
seeing a slide or two years ago from a group show. Lastly, if a venue does not
have a juror listed on the prospectus, don't enter the show! Your fee should
be paying for a specified individual (name & info). I don't pay to be judged by
anon., thanks.

Naturally, the great wonder of creating art is the best part of all. Past
that, look inside and see what your dream is.... then follow your heart.

Your friend.

ArtSpot Out
Benny Alba at OMebase

Underground nuclear testing, defoliation of the rain forests, toxic waste
... Let's put it this way: if the world were a big apartment, we wouldn't
get our deposit back. -John Ross
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Message 7
From: "Marissa "
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:11:32 -0400
Subject: [Baren 33781] Re: Juried Print Shows
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This really is a valuable discussion that I am enjoying. I am a print artist
that starting out two years ago entered a few juried shows, aimed rather
high with them and got rejected. It did sting. One of them required slides
and wouldn't accept digital images and that was an added expense and hassle.
Yeah, I got pretty discouraged and that is probably one reason why I haven't
entered a show in over a year. I know now that if I put a bit more thought
into the shows I applied to and applied to more my chances would be a lot
greater now, and not just because my work is much better than it was two
years ago! But everything about it seems like an expensive hassle to me. I
think juried shows are great for some people, so are hanging in coffee shops
and galleries. But for my personality I am seeking other ways to get my work
out there and am quite happy with the results. I don't have to deal with
rejection, fees, framing or expensive shipping. So far the only shows I have
been in have been in Boston and didn't have entry fees. And one of them did
end up costing me money in the end because I had to frame five pieces and
nothing sold and I didn't really make any meaningful contacts.

There are so many ways for us to go about this art thing now and I think
that is so exciting and wonderful. Some people pursue the show and gallery
route and have great success with that while others of us are a bit more
introverted and are seeking out some of the new ways to do things. Instead
of pounding the pavement and submitting to juried show after juried show in
an attempt to build my vitae and get galleries to like me I promote like
heck online and always have business cards on me because you never know when
you might need them. While it is true that my work sells for less than most
of what is in galleries the commissions I pay are very small and I don't
have to deal with certain aspects that I find distasteful or simply a pain.
Plus I get to slowly raise my prices and I am in complete control. I am
thinking about giving myself a pregnancy raise!

There is no one right way. Try submitting to shows, be picky about the ones
you submit to and don't aim ridiculously high like I did and keep at it and
see how it goes. If it doesn't suit you find a way that does. Your work is
gorgeous Annie and you are a huge inspiration to me. I am sure you will have
great success at shows.

my rambling 2 cents before my morning tea, apologies in advance
--
~marissa lee

www.mleefineart.com