Archive for June, 2011
Two Categories of Artists in Visual Art Exhibitions
Visual art exhibition is paramount to the practice art, not only because it provides an avenue for the artist to meet the audience but also, it promotes the artist beyond the confines of his/her immediate practicing environment. However, the concept of art exhibition in contemporary Nigerian art circle can only be understood when one knows the stand point of the exhibiting artist. As an art historian, my continuing interaction with artists over the years has made me to identify two kinds of artists with different approaches, perceptions as well as views toward exhibition. In this article, these groups can be discussed as pure business artists and none-financial motive artists.
The first group can be described as artists who have strong financial motive behind their exhibition are often looking for what type of art concept that is highly priced or well demanded in the existing art market of a particular area. They may be constantly making enquiries from gallery owners or art collectors to know the kind of art to produce so that it may be sold during exhibition. This set of artists sometimes allow their business mind to limit their creativity by restricting themselves to either a one or a few concepts, style or trend of art expression. They may use art styles that are more or less attracted to those who have perception of visual (art) appreciation in order to gain market or patronage from them. By this, such artists may choose realism as a convenient style to express their works, or produce decorative designs using motifs that are of immediate recognition or things like trees, flowers, or other simple concepts that can be employed to achieve a rhythmic effects which may be aesthetically appealing especially to those who their sense of art appreciation is tied to uninformed background.
Exhibition to these artists is highly depending on the financial factor. As such, they tend to weigh the success of the exhibition on the number of works sold and or, in terms of the commissions which they get after the exhibition. Artists within this circle do have a pre-conceived audience for an intended public art show (exhibition); as such, publicity may largely cover those who are in love with the kind of works: styles, concepts, or forms that the exhibiting artist is going to showcase. This is intentionally done to ensure a flourishing state of the exhibition as well as make it look like a strictly money making venture. Read the rest of this entry »
12 Tips to Grab Galleries With Your Artist Website
Serious about winning the attention of a good art gallery or dealer? If so, you need to understand the core common elements that successful art gallery directors and art sales people look for when they visit and review your artist website.
In our experience Galleries, Art Dealers, and Art Buyers have as many views of how work should be showcased online as there are stars in the sky. The wonderful thing is that these skills and preferences have been developed through the process of actually buying and selling art. Don’t ever under-estimate the experience and skill required to do this consistently – at Art Marketing Secrets we take our hats off to good art salespeople – and you can learn a lot from them.
In the last five years we’ve talked to a lot of galleries and dealers and we’ve found there are common elements which most agree on regarding what they like to see when they visit artist websites. Here is a snapshot for you to focus on: Read the rest of this entry »
Find the Art College That Can Train You For a Career As a Visual Artist
You may have been one of those kids who always loved to draw or paint. Maybe you dreamed of being a professional artist. Your parents may have said to you, “You want to be an artist? Great. Get something to fall back on. Get your degree in accounting.”
Sure, once you graduate from high school, the idea of making a living by selling your own artwork may be scary. But there are many well-paying careers that could provide an outlet for your creativity. Let’s look at some of them.
Fine artists create what we think of as “art” – paintings, prints, sculpture, and photography. Successful fine artists typically display their work in museums, corporate collections, commercial art galleries, and private homes. Most are self-employed, and many fine artists have at least one other job to support their art careers, such as teaching at an art school. A few become hugely successful and earn millions. And they are not just the trendy cutting-edge artists; many successful artists like Thomas Kinkade work in traditional formats.
Art directors are employed at advertising agencies, periodicals, newspapers, and other printed or digital media companies. They develop design concepts and review material, and decide how best to present visual information so that it is eye-catching and conveys the right message.
Craft artists make a wide variety of objects that may be either utilitarian or decorative. Craft artists use many different materials including glass, metal, textiles, ceramics, paper, and wood. They may create quilts, pottery, lace, candles, stained glass, tapestries, and clothing. Their work may be sold in their own studios, in galleries, at arts-and-crafts shows, or in retail outlets. Read the rest of this entry »