For my final post I am going to start by telling you about my weekend.  I decided a couple of weeks ago I wanted to go through the garage and figure out what to keep and what to, well, not.  I came across a lot of work from my studies at Arcadia and in a way went down memory lane.  It helped me understand how my work has progressed and how they can all still be mine in style.  Came across some paintings I was not a big fan of, but even those made me laugh.

After going through everything I decided to head to the Piazza at Schmidts and try my luck as a vendor on a Saturday afternoon.  BTW renting a vendor spot is free at the piazza in fishtown through the end of the year.  Huzzah!

So this past Saturday I woke up early, gathered some work and headed to the piazza.  The sun was shining and I did not have a tent, nor sun screen.  So needless to say by the end of the day I was pretty fried.

The overall experience was not exactly what I had expected.  I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, and I did not expect what my day was like.  The other vendors gave great advice.  Much like learning to direct/curate shows every time you do a vending site/show you get different ideas of what to do and it makes it easier.  According to the other vendors, this was a dead Saturday.  I did sell some work, which was great, and even those just passing by gave me first impressions on works and were interested in knowing where I was, what I do, and if I did in fact do all of the work showing on the table.

I think the one phrase that stuck with me happened earlier in the day.  I was asked if I was a student and I mentioned I had graduated a couple of years ago and she replied simply “We are always students.”

“We are Always Students”  that’s a very true statement.  We are always learning, and evolving and if we are lucky enough we can continue to love art, and love creating.  We don’t always know everything.  We won’t always be able to know why we painted, sculpted or drew something a particular way.  It will sometimes just happen that way.   I remember as a student my father would always ask me what I planned to do as an artist.  I never really knew the answer, but I knew it was what I was supposed to be doing.  I always would reply “I would figure it out.”

And we always do.

Thanks for reading.

Meg Coonelly

It’s hard to be an artist.  It’s hard to find continuous motivation and inspiration and sometimes it’s easier to let go of a project and keep things on the back burner than it is to continue and try to evolve.  Sometimes it’s good to be given direction or even an idea.

Whenever I put together shows through TBD Artists I usually like to keep them as “melting pots” pieces of work that reflect who you are as an artist and I then see how all of the work can work together.   Whether by color, line, medium or similar theme.  With a lot of work being it can be challenging and you want to keep the  audience moving through an exhibit.  This past show we had our first theme.  It was a very simple idea of just showing “food” or whatever it meant to you.  I thinking keeping a theme simple gives artists more time to let their ideas develop and fester into something of their own.

It’s always a good feeling when you receive feedback that you’ve inspired to continue working on a piece.  They get motivated to kick something out for a show that they feel would be a great opportunity to be involved in.

Part 3 of 4 from guest blogger, Carole Loeffler.

The life of a creative person is a lot like riding a roller coaster – there are ups (that can be scary yet exhilarating) and there are downs (which can be lower than we ever thought). There are also moments of “I can handle this – it isn’t too bad” – just  along for the ride.

What do you do to get yourself out of a creative block – the “low” of the roller coaster ride?

I used to spend time at a bookstore quenching my thirst for all things art. These days – being a mom of a two year old makes those lazy browsing days few and far between. I go where a lot of other people do…the internet.

I love to look at etsy – I am so inspired by what people make. I am not so sure it links directly to my work or my process but I know it inspires me to get into the studio. To DO.

I also read a lot of blogs. One of my favorites is Philadelphia photographer -  Zoe Strauss’s blog. She reveals her editing process and her thoughts behind so many topics in her life. I admire her intellect and unpretentious nature.

There are a few books that I turn to if I am in a really low LOW – if surfing the internet doesn’t work.

Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking  by David Bayles

The View from the Studio Door: How Artists Find Their Way in an Uncertain World – also by David Bayles

The classic – The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – this is a great book for artists no longer in school but in need of some direction and “assignments” to get back into the studio.

The point of this post is just to say that we are all on the roller coaster together. We all need to find our own way to get back on top.

Carole Loeffler

www.caroleloeffler.com or www.rumbleinthedistance.blogspot.com

Part two of four from guest blogger, Carole Loeffler.

Carole Loeffler www.caroleloeffler.com

Subtitle: Coming Home

Sub-sub title: Learning to Slow Down and still be productive

It has been 5 years since I moved from Southern Illinois to Philadelphia. I have been invited, juried into and participated in exhibitions that I wouldn’t have known about or been eligible for if I was not living in Philadelphia. I had more exhibitions while living in the mid-west – most of which I never saw in person. The landscape is so expansive that I often had to ship my work. Since moving to Philadelphia, I have had fewer exhibitions, intending to utilize the resources in the region. I have also been able to install and experience my most recent exhibitions in person.

I used to feel antsy in the mid-west, like somehow I was going to loose my creativity or ability to exhibit. In Philadelphia, I am surrounded by more art and artists. I no longer feel antsy (even when I am not making). I think it is because art is more a part of my everyday life here. Or maybe because I feel like I am living in a place that feels like home.

I have had a variety of exhibition experiences since relocating to Philadelphia including working with not-for-profit art centers, institutions of higher learning, community organized exhibitions and alternative artist-run galleries. I am an advocate of exhibiting in a variety of venues, from well-known galleries and museums to artist cooperatives. I like to think of each exhibition as a learning experience and a challenge. It is also important for me to get my work outside my studio and see it in a different light – literally and figuratively. It is good to support a variety of venues because you can connect with people in a variety of communities. When choosing new venues that may not have a lot of information available – meet with the people and “feel them out” trust your instincts. I don’t really believe in the old school idea of “being discovered”. BUT, exhibiting at a variety of venues gets your work seen by a variety of people…that may have interest in it, want to exhibit it, want to buy it (if that is important to you).

As an example – I submitted a proposal for the well-established Window on Broad project at University of Arts. My work, Infestation, was installed in October 2006. I was recently asked to participate in a thematic exhibition developed around the idea of the Sitting Room taking place in fall 2010 at the Philadelphia Art Alliance. I was asked to participate in the exhibition because the curator saw my work in the Window on Broad project 4 years ago!

The Window on Broad is a highly visible venue…people walking by see the work – it doesn’t take an art crowd to go inside…this is what appealed to me most about the venue. Well, besides the fact that designing a “window display” itself. I urge artists to put your work in a variety of exhibition venues because it can change the way you see your work and allows different communities and audiences to see it too.

I have recently become to realize that an art career isn’t a sprint. It won’t happen over night and will last longer than 15 minutes. An art career is a marathon. It is about longevity, building connections, having the work evolve, finding supporters, shifting context for the work and learning from the entire process – all of the ups and downs.

I used to have this idea that as soon as I graduated a golden road of opportunity paved with museums and galleries would open up. What I have come to realize is that the road is there but it must be built brick by brick by me and that it WILL happen – just a little more slowly than I anticipated. I will use Louise Bourgeois’s 78- year art making career as a model (she died last month at the age of 99). Or the story the tortoise and the hare. I’d rather be the tortoise anyway.

Find out more about Carole Loeffler at www.caroleloeffler.com.

Many people in general think about their first impression and how, once presented, you can’t take it back. When one goes for a job interview you want to make a good first impression. Well the same goes for your artwork. The first time a prospective customer sees your artwork this also applies. Whether you are exhibiting your artwork or showing it on the internet the first impression is binding. The prospective customer sees your art and it makes an instant impression, whether good or bad. Why put your heart and soul into your work and then present it in a CRAPPY fashion.

If it is being exhibited how does the framing look? Is it appropriate for the style of work? Is it neatly framed? Don’t put a countryside landscape in a baroque frame, even if the color is right. Many artists have said to me, “The customer is buying the artwork, not the frame.” They further state, “Many customers like to reframe their art, why should I spend a lot on the framing?” Well, why do think staging has become so important in the world of real-estate? Because looks are everything, and like staging, you don’t have to spend a lot, but you do have to do it right. Just like the purchase of a home, many customers cannot look beyond what they see. Most customers are not artists and cannot judge the quality of the artwork for itself.

If showing your art on the internet, how well is photographed? Is the image distorted? Is the photograph shot straight on or at an angle causing distortion? Has the image been properly cropped to cut out all the distractions in the background? Is it well lit or too dark to see? Did you use the right lighting to properly show your use of color? Something as simple as halogen lighting, while giving more light, will change the color. Never use halogen lighting!!

Well Tyme Gallery’s mission statement from the beginning has always been to be consumer and artist friendly and as such we offer two (2) inexpensive workshops with solutions. Tyme Gallery has a framing workshop that is offered a few tymes a year and an upcoming workshop on how to properly photograph your artwork, also offered a few tymes a year. Here is information on the upcoming photography workshop and the framing workshop to be offered again in the Fall.

Photographing Your Artwork: Another great, inexpensive, to the point seminar by Tyme Gallery

Stop paying other people something you can do yourself. Let the photographs of your artwork look as good as your work. Learn how to photograph your art for less money than you would pay someone to shoot it. Let John Benigno take you through the simple steps.

John A. Benigno is a fine art photographer. Recent exhibits of his work include showings in the Art of the State Exhibition hosted by the State Museum in Harrisburg, the Lancaster Art Museum, the Art Association of Harrisburg, the University of Delaware, and the Center for the Arts in Southern New Jersey, to name a few.

John’s work is represented in many collections, including the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum, the Woodmere Art Museum, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in Halifax, the Lancaster Museum of Art, The Noyes Museum, the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin, and the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

The class will cover:

inexpensive lighting equipment and how to set it up
if you’re using film, which film to use with your light source
using a tripod
which lenses are best
squaring up your art with your camera
backgrounds
shooting through glass.

Sunday June 27th 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Just $30.00
Must pre-register with payment
Call 610-853-1215

The Art of Framing

Sunday
Basics on backing your work
mat work
how to hinge your work
when and when not to dry mount and more
1:00 to 3:00 pm
$20.00 includes refreshments
must register in advance

Recently I got caught up in a scam with my UPS account. Someone actually stole my UPS account number and used Tyme Gallery’s account to send fraudulent checks and money orders all across the U.S.  I really thought I would have to make a foolish mistake to get caught in a scam. This lead me to write this blog on selling on the internet.

As many of you know Tyme Gallery represents over 200 artists and has their own website.  There is a marketplace on the website.  When one runs a business on the internet you open yourself up to be contacted from people you have never met and will never meet.  One of the classic rules to safeguard yourself on the internet is to never open email or attachments from individuals you do not know.  This is not possible if you wish to run a successful business.  You must open up email from new people all the time to acquire new business.  I have included information from Internet Fraud Watch, Better Business Bureau, Internet Crime Complaint Center, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission and will first list some tips I have gathered myself over the years.

• The old adage if it sounds too good should always, always take a front seat
• Is English the first language or are they just pretending
• Are they making ridiculous requests such as mail the artwork to one address and they live at another address especially two different countries
• Are they asking to make an overpayment and have you send a portion of the payment back to them
• Do they have their own shipper and do not want to use and established shipper such as UPS or FedEx
• Do they refuse to use an established means of payment such as PayPal

All of these things I have found sound send a red flag(s).  If you do not have your own merchant account and the customer does not want to use an established merchant exchange such as PayPal, stay far, far away. I have my own merchant account but still use PayPal for long distant sales with strangers.  People since the beginning of tyme have been finding ways to commit fraud.  Now with the internet they can do it long distant.  Just use some simple rules, be on your guard and remember not everyone is trying to rip you off.  Here are some more tips for safeguard in general:

Sources: Internet Fraud Watch, Better Business Bureau, Internet Crime Complaint Center, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission