Category Archives: Art Help & Info

Serendipity and Collecting Art

From my own art collection: Totem by Donald LeBlanc; acrylic on wood

I recently became the proud owner of one of local artist Donald LeBlanc’s totems.  It’s from a collection of wooden totems he produced- I believe this one is #4 (?) from 2010.  Needless to say, I love the piece.  While in the gallery, I did not immediately know where I was going to put it, but I knew I’d find a spot.  Keep in mind my home is currently in transition and many rooms have yet to be painted.  I quickly discovered that I had many possibilities for this sculpture.  With five colors in it, I found that either one or several colors were a perfect or close enough match to existing colors elsewhere in the decor.  The fact that it is wooden also works with an existing collection of wooden folk art objects that I own.  Even the size allows for many possibilities because it’s roughly 7 inches tall (just guessing off the top of my head). Not to mention that once all the walls are painted to more neutral and muted colors, it will allow for even more options.  After moving the piece to various locations, I finally settled on the bedroom.  It just so happens that my accent wall is similar enough to the base of the piece that it works.

I titled this post ‘serendipity,’ but really, when it comes down to it, there is no accidental good fortune involved.  We are visual creatures.  We respond in different ways to various colors or patterns and will gravitate to particular ones.  Take a look in your closet or in your home and you will find that there are certain textures, colors, and/or patterns that tend to repeat themselves.  Which is why when you are drawn to a particular work of art, what attracts you to it is probably the same thing that attracts you to other aspects of your life.  So the real question is not whether a work of art matches your sofa, but whether or not it matches your life and desires.  Does it evoke the feelings you wish to have when you walk in that room?  Does it bring you joy?  Maybe it reminds you of a pleasant memory.  That sofa you have may be comfortable, but it doesn’t carry the emotional weight of a work of art.  And eventually your sofa will need to be replaced- that work of art will be in your home and that of future generations forever.  Don’t worry about whether it matches.  It will.  If a work of art speaks to you, you can’t possibly ignore it.  It was meant to be.

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Why Losing Fans is a Good Thing

Facebook Fan Page for Amy Guidry Artist

After reading the title of this post, you’d probably think I’m being sarcastic or just plain crazy.  Actually, no.  The thing is, anytime you are losing “fans” (email newsletter subscribers, Facebook Fans, etc.), you’re probably not actually losing fans, you’re losing people that weren’t really interested in the first place.  There are many reasons why someone may subscribe to your newsletter or be your fan on Facebook or follow you on Twitter.  You would hope that it’s because they just love your art, but that’s not always the case.  Some are other artists just doing research on you, some are acquaintances that felt obligated to join because you asked, and some may have been interested but quickly discovered that your work is not what they expected- the list goes on.

So why is this a good thing?  Because it translates to more time and effort put into those who do care about your art, and less wasted on those that weren’t interested.  For every email, every phone call, every Tweet, every newsletter, every postcard, etc. etc., there is less time, money, and energy invested into those that are not interested in your art, thus allowing you to focus on those that do care.  Sure, you want to know that your art resonates with tons of people- everyone, for that matter- but it’s not going to do that if they’re hitting the delete button every time you send them something.  And it’s not that you’re doing anything wrong or that your art is “bad.”  Some people are just not going to be interested, but this frees you up to fully invest in those that are.  If you were to send out a newsletter and end up with a few “unsubscribes” as a result and one heartfelt email from a fan, that fan’s response far outweighs the unsubscribes.  (More than likely those unsubscribes are people you’ve never heard from anyway.)  Having a meaningful connection with your fans is much more rewarding and better for your career seeing as these are the folks that will talk about your art, come to your shows, and share your news or posts with others.

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The Big Time

“Heads II” by Amy Guidry; acrylic on canvas; 12″ x 12″; (c) Amy Guidry 2013

There seems to be a common misconception among artists and even among the general public, for that matter, that I wanted to take a moment to dispel.  Some are of the opinion that if they can just accomplish [insert goal here] that they will make it as an artist (although this applies to non-artists as well).  The thing is, there will never be “one” gallery or “one” show or “one” award that will “make” you.  I believe this misconception stems from what appears to be the overnight success of others.  Anytime we hear about an artist or musician or athlete in the news for the first time (to our knowledge), we think they are an overnight success because we’ve never heard of them before and now they are famous.  It wasn’t that they accomplished one particular goal and found instant fame.  Sure, there is probably one particular accomplishment being highlighted in said news feature, but that’s simply because they need a hook for their story.  The fact is, this person has been working their butt off “behind the scenes.”  Just because we’ve never heard of them before doesn’t mean that this now-superstar wasn’t working two jobs or repeatedly getting rejected or struggling to make a name for themselves or all of the above at some point in time.  I’ve heard of many artists that worked odd jobs and couldn’t get into galleries that are now successful.

In order to become a success at anything, whether you are an artist or not, is to diligently apply yourself to each opportunity.  Sure, Larry Gagosian could walk into your studio, buy your work and make you a star overnight, but VERY rarely does that ever happen.  And even in those instances, if you were to look backward you will see a series of small steps that led up to that moment.  You have to build your career, brick by brick, layer by layer.  There’s no quick-fix, magic pill, or get-rich-quick scheme that will do the work for you.

Although instant success would be nice, the good news is it’s much more realistic (and reassuring) to know that you are in control of your success.  Rest assured that the steps you are taking now are improving your career rather than waiting around and just hoping for a lucky break.  Take a look at what you’ve accomplished over the past year, or even over the past few years, and you will probably find that you’ve done much more than you ever thought possible.  Now imagine what you could accomplish over the upcoming year, or five years from now, or ten.  “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown.

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Artwalk

Amy Guidry and Dutch Kepler at his 2011 show at Gallery 549

Looking forward to this weekend’s Artwalk. The 2nd Saturday Artwalk in downtown Lafayette will be held this Saturday, November 10th from 6-9pm. Lots of new exhibits up this month and it’s all free to attend! So here is the schedule:

Acadiana Center for the Arts– 101 W. Vermilion St. / 337-233-7060
Main Gallery: November 10, 2012 – January 12, 2013- Passion: the art of collecting, From the collection of the Georgia Museum of Art on loan from Giuliano M. Ceseri
Side Gallery: November 10, 2012 – January 5, 2013- Cynthia Scott
James S. Mallia Galleria: November 10, 2012 – January 5, 2013- Deck the Halls: skateboard canvases by The Drink and Draw Social Club
Coca-Cola Studio: October 13, 2012 – December 1, 2012- Bradley Sabin
Vault Series: November 10, 2012 – December 15, 2012- Deborah Simeral & Carolyn Marino

Arts Co-op– 535 1/2 Jefferson St. / 337-344-8657
Tony Bernard, Camilla Drobish, Kai Drobish, Krystel Ivy, and Susan Leger

The Ballet Academie-200 Polk Street / 337-280-0964
Herb Roe

Cajun Spice– 535 Jefferson St / 337-232-3061
Bryant Benoit

Cité des Arts– 109 Vine St. / 337-291-1122
Tom Secrest

Creations by Fire– 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 140 / 225-235-2957
Heather Delahoussaye

Gallery 549– 549 Jefferson St. / 337-593-0796
Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture by Donald LeBlanc. Also featured ROSWELL ROOTS: Paintings by Dutch Kepler

Galerie Lafayette– 538 Jefferson St. / 337-261-5787
Bob Adams

Gallery R (at The Russo Group)- 116 E. Congress St. / 337-769-1530
30 year collection of Downtown Alive! posters

Lounge Art Gallery– 402 S. Buchanan St. / 337-236-5570
Fifty Under Five Hundred group exhibition

Sans Souci Gallery– 219 E. Vermilion St. / 337-266-7999
Michael Hayman

Whoojoo Stained Glass– 532 Jefferson St. / 337-269-9310
David Alpha, Whitney Gounsoulin, Tom Ladousa,and Craig McCullen

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Juried Shows

I see a lot of questions regarding juried art exhibitions- to enter or not to enter, and what to enter, and which ones to enter…  I thought I’d give my two cents on the issue.  Personally, I like them and think they can be a great opportunity, as long as you do your homework.

Be choosey.  If it’s a show in the middle of nowhere and juried by someone you’ve never heard of, pass it up.  Focus your efforts on the shows that matter most to you.

That said, if you are just starting out and need to build up some exhibition experience, it may be worthwhile as long as you are spending little to nothing on entry fees or shipping.

Where is the exhibit being held?  Look for a good venue, perhaps a space you’ve been interested in showing or maybe it’s a particular city of interest.

Who is the juror?  Is it someone you’ve been wanting to meet or you admire their work?

What are the fees?  Some juried shows have outrageous fees or some have high fees and require a high commission on top of that.  Look for those that strike a balance between fees and commission rates, if there is one.

Is the work insured?  If the venue does not automatically insure the work, you probably shouldn’t enter.  Good venues have insurance.  It’s just good business.

Shipping?  This will kill it for some people, but if you want to show your work, you’re going to have to pay shipping.  Find the safest, most economical way to ship your work.  This will take some research and will be different for everyone depending on how you pack it and what you pack, your location, and the shipping carrier, but once you determine this, you can use that info for all other aspects of your art business.

Stay away from vanity galleries.  I can’t stress this one enough.  Some vanity galleries hold “competitions” and will look for a way to sucker you in to paying them thousands of dollars for your own solo exhibition.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  Focus on galleries and venues with solid reputations- yes, this means it will be harder to get in and the competition will be fierce, but they are legit.

Presentation is everything.  Make sure you follow all directions, dot your i’s and cross your t’s.  Submit your best work, make sure that if there is more than one entry, all works are consistent in style, technique, and content.  Remember, the juror is seeing this out of context- they don’t know the background behind the art.  What you are submitting needs to make sense to someone just getting a small peek inside your world.

Follow up.  If you get into a show or better yet, win an award, be sure to send out press releases to the local media.  There certainly isn’t enough art in the news, so take the opportunity to get your work featured.

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Prints: An Overview

As some of you may know, I do not offer prints of my work.  I’ve only ever had a handful of people ask me if I make prints of my paintings, so I’ve never felt it was a popular item.  I even took a poll and people were 100% interested in Original Work only.  Many would rather have a small painting than a reproduction.  With that said, I thought it would be useful to give an overview of prints for those of you on the fence about offering prints or if you are looking to purchase a print.

First, the term “print” has become a bit muddied.  I use the term print here because that has become the common understanding, however, print actually comes from the process of printmaking.  Printmaking involves creating an image by etching, drawing, or carving  on various media such as wood, copper, linoleum, stone, fabric, etc. and inking the design before pressing it by hand or through a printing press to transfer the image.  The original work used to create the fine art print is created by the artist and destroyed by the artist afterwards.  Hence, the edition of prints is limited.

Digital prints, reproductions, or giclees are printouts of an existing artwork, usually printed by someone other than the artist, and are never truly limited as anyone can print the image again since it is digital.  (There is no plate to destroy.)  Regardless of the quality of the reproduction, these type of prints do not go up in value as they are not an actual fine art print.  In addition, many of these prints are not even produced with the original work of art present, therefore the colors in the printout will vary from the original.

That being said, I am an artist and having actually studied printmaking as part of my college curriculum, I do have a bias for original art.  However, if you are a fan of Van Gogh, for example, the only way you can feasibly own an image of his work would be through a reproduction.  Be sure to look for high quality, archival materials- meaning they will hold up over time and not fade- when purchasing your prints.  Prints can fade easily not only due to UV exposure, but also humidity, temperature, and even the air.

So next time you are considering a fine art print or a reproduction, here is a glossary of terms to look for:

Aquatint: A process imitating watercolor or wash drawings by etching a microscopic crackle on the copperplate intended for printing.

Artist’s Proof: An early set of prints pulled for the artist’s own use, marked as A.P.  Sometimes (10-30%) higher in value than the regular edition prints.

Drypoint: Engraving technique, especially on copper, in which a needle is used for producing furrows having a burr that is often retained in order to produce a print characterized by soft, velvety black lines.

E.A.: (epreuve d’ artiste) French for Artist’s proof.

Edition: A number of art prints of the same image, all the same size and as close to identical as possible.

Etching: Image created on a metal plate, glass, etc., by the corrosive action of an acid instead of by a burin.

Giclee: Printed artwork or photograph produced by using a high quality digital inkjet printer.

Intaglio: Incised carving, as opposed to carving in relief.

Linoleum Cut (or Linocut): A relief technique using linoleum rather than wood.

Lithography: Image created on a flat, specially prepared stone, with some greasy or oily substance, in which printing ink sticks to the greasy areas.

Mezzotint: A method of engraving on copper or steel by burnishing or scraping away a uniformly roughened surface.

PA: (Prova d’Autore) Italian for Artist’s proof.

Silkscreen (or Serigraph): a printmaking technique in which a mesh cloth is stretched over a wooden frame and the image is painted on the screen or affixed by stencil, and printed by having a squeegee force color through the pores of the material in areas not blocked out by a glue sizing.

Woodcut: Carving into a block of wood in which prints are made from the inked relief areas.

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Perceptions

As an artist, therefore business owner, I can tell you it takes a lot of work to do what I do.  Which is why it is always surprising to me when people are confused by the amount of time I spend marketing my work.  Someone once said that it must be “relaxing” and so nice to “just paint all day.”  HA!  That is clearly not the case.  Artists know this but many still struggle with the idea of taking time away from the easel to market their work.

The thing is no one cares about our work as much as we do.  It may seem that if you have gained the coveted gallery representation that you are able to just paint all day, but that is not the case.  Why else do you see so many artists with representation with various galleries, myself included?  I can tell you, and even the gallery owners will tell you, that you can’t put all your eggs in one basket.  Galleries are dealing with multiple artists and also multiple tastes and preferences.  You are not their only artist and they can’t possibly devote all their time and energy solely into your work.

It is up to you to grow your business, get your work seen, show in different galleries in different cities or even different countries, and meet people.  If you want people to know your art even exists, you will have to learn to market it and make the time to do so.  If you’re still reading this, clearly you’re serious about your work but I’m sure some of you are groaning at the thought.  But hear me out.  I have artists from all over email me and ask me how I did this, that, and the other.  Some of them assume that I “knew someone” or I was “lucky” but (though I haven’t done any actual math on this) I would say that 99% of what I’ve accomplished is a direct, or sometimes indirect result, of my actions.  If you want it done, you need to do it yourself.  Call that gallery, email that magazine, write that press release.  Whatever you are looking to gain, you will have to take the steps to make that happen.  It won’t just fall into your lap.  Very rarely does that ever happen.

Make time to work in the studio, but plan to spend a good portion of your day or week marketing as well.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Update your website

Attend gallery openings

Send out a press release

Create a Fan Page for your art on Facebook

Hand out business cards

Send an email newsletter

Give a talk about your art

Read a marketing book!

These are just a few examples.  Think big.  Whatever you want to accomplish with your art- do it.  Make a list and take action.

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Pay to Play

I’ve mentioned vanity galleries on here before but given some recent discussions, I felt it necessary to post about this controversial topic again.  I can tell you that I have never heard of anyone ever selling out a show or gaining ANY type of success from a vanity gallery.  Never.  If that were the case, we’d hear other artists singing their praises.  I know that it sounds great- a solo show in a major city (usually New York).  But that’s all you are getting.  A show.  There will never be a single show that will send your career into the stratosphere.  You’re thinking, right, of course not.  Well, if you’re willing to pay around $3000 plus all other costs associated with a show, then that show sure as hell better send your career into the stratosphere.  But again, that doesn’t happen.  So why even entertain the thought of showing in a vanity gallery?

OK- so here is the breakdown:

Vanity galleries are any gallery that require the artist to pay in order to show with them.  Not to be confused with a co-op gallery, which is owned and operated by the artists involved.

Vanity galleries charge an outrageous fee, this ranges anywhere from $1500- $3000 or just shy of selling a kidney.

Most vanity galleries also require that the artist install and de-install the show themselves.  Aside from this being a lot of work for the artist, after all, what are you paying the gallery for, but you’ll probably need a plane ticket as well if you don’t already live nearby.

Let’s not forget you are also responsible for shipping costs.  Plus you’ll be paying return shipping when the work does not sell.

You’ll most likely be responsible for invitation costs, so aside from printing costs, postage adds up quickly.

Vanity galleries do not push for sales.  Sure, the work is for sale, but nobody is going to work hard to sell it for you, they’ve already got your $3000, remember?

Many vanity galleries require that you do your own gallery-sitting anyway, so you’d be the only salesperson in that case.

You’ll also be responsible for drinks and food during the reception.

Lastly, and this is probably the worst of them all, your reputation is sullied in the eyes of “real” galleries.  Galleries know who the vanity galleries are and do not look kindly upon them.  If you think you’ll get a show with an established gallery with a vanity gallery on your resume, you are dead wrong.  Sorry to be so blunt, but I’m telling it like it is.  Galleries want to show artists that are successful based on their merits, not on how much they’re willing to pay their way to “success.”

And so, the big question here is “what are you paying for exactly???”  Just what does $3000 pay for?  Why does the gallery need that money?  I would love to hear their response.

If you’ve shown with a vanity gallery, the best thing you can do is to remove any mention of them from your resume, website, blog, social media sites, etc.  Make as if they don’t exist and move on.  Galleries that are new to your work don’t have to know.  Consider it a learning experience and just keep moving forward.  If you are still considering showing with a vanity gallery, the only other thing I can recommend is to Google them.  Look up their name with the word scam or just look up their name alone.  More than likely you will find horror stories and you can hear directly from artists that did participate.  Just keep in mind that no career was made overnight.  Even “superstars” that appear out of nowhere have been behind the scenes, working diligently for years and years, except no one was aware of that part.

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In the Eye of the Beholder

As you may recall, I posted earlier that I would be the juror for the Eye of the Beholder XXVI competition at the Lafayette Art Association.  I made my selections for the awards (note: you’ll have to wait until the reception to know the results- my lips are sealed) and upon writing my juror’s statement, I thought it might be helpful to those that enter or even attend such events to know what it is like from the other side.  First, I am an artist- I am usually the one submitting my work for judgement, be it a juried exhibition, an exhibition proposal to a gallery, or a portfolio review.  I’ve always had some semblance of what it must be like for a juror to sort through hundreds of entries, having to make tough calls, and break hearts.  Given the fact that I am an artist and know firsthand what it is like to be on the receiving end, I know how significant my choices are to the artists involved.  In some ways I think it may be harder for artists to serve as jurors simply because we know what it is like to subject ourselves to these critiques.  Some of the artists were complete beginners up against established artists.  Nevertheless, I remained as objective as possible and looked at each piece as an individual.  It was not easy given there were many strong works.  There were even significant works that did not receive an award.

After I made my selections, I felt good about the variety of work, in which my eclectic taste came in handy for once.  I would have loved to give everyone an award for their efforts and to acknowledge the merits of their work but at the same time, I wouldn’t want to diminish the awards for those pieces I felt were particularly strong.  It is a tough call, and I can say from experience that there are many factors involved in judging a show, some of which are completely out of the artist’s hands and are nothing against the work itself.  Sometimes the only difference between an award-winner and a non-award winning piece is an emotional response.  That doesn’t mean the work isn’t any good- it’s my response, therefore it will be different from person to person.

In the end, I hope that the artists know that they have all contributed to make a great exhibit.  I also hope that they continue to challenge themselves as well as aim for more exhibits and competitions.  And the take-away here is just because a piece isn’t selected doesn’t mean it should be taken out of rotation.  If it’s a work that you are fond of, keep submitting it for other opportunities.

If you would like to see the results and show your support for the artists, please attend the awards reception on August 19th from 4:30-6pm at the Lafayette Art Association on 1008 E. St. Mary Blvd.

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Doodle Virus Call for Art

I wanted to share info on a recent email I received.  The Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA) is planning an exhibit called Doodle Virus and have announced an open call for work.  Artists are invited to submit “doodle art, altered postcards, manipulated photos, poems, old receipts or even dimensional work” as long as the footprint is 4″x6″ (in either direction).  All work will be mounted anonymously and priced at $20 each.  Proceeds will benefit the AcA’s exhibition department to help offset the cost of shipping and transporting works for future shows.

Postcards/work due: June 30th

Opening reception (coincides with Second Saturday Artwalk: July 14th, 6-8pm at the AcA in Lafayette, LA

During the exhibit, the public will be asked to contribute doodles which will be added to the show for the August Artwalk on August 11th, 6-8pm

For more information contact the AcA at: http://acadianacenterforthearts.org/

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