An Open Letter to the Jury:
Part II:The Artists' Statement:
Again, our conversations have evolved quite a bit on this issue. As juries have become more and more anonymous through the use of application software like Zapp Management and Art Thingy, the conversation between artist and jury is, at most, limited and often entirely missing. Often, it isn't until you've been accepted and payment has been made before a bio and statement are even requested. Often, the only two words we read when checking our application status is: "not accepted."
For the first time in twelve years, I was contacted by a jury two weeks ago. I was surprised and frankly, caught off guard by their questions, but I was also flattered and pleased they took the time to discuss my art. Regardless of their ultimate decision, I was given an extremely rare opportunity to explain my philosophy; to tell them why I choose to marry beautiful art and good business sense...why I prefer to buy gorgeous and completely unique glass from amazingly gifted glass artists who create their pieces for artists like myself. This gives me time to create a body of work and to make good business sense. While components may look similar to a casual eye, the possibilities of color and design are virtually infinite. Combine that eye for design with technical skill and adeptness and the work around a single focal bead evolves into a wearable work of artistic beauty. I like to call myself an artisan. It emphasizes creativity and originality for designs with a practical application; endowing the practical with beauty.
Please let us make a statement with our submissions, it may be the one thing that separates a hobbyist from a professional. I am convinced the worth of someone’s art or craft is whether the artist takes his or her work seriously. Trying to distinguish between fine art and fine craft may require different vocabularies, but they meld, cross over and are intertwined. When it comes right down to defining or even doing art, every artist has an emotional, subjective prospective. But better art is about creative thinking, depth, spirit, skill, discipline and patience. Longevity depends on being able to make good business decisions. Photos alone cannot indicate dedication or how we've met any of these standards.
Unless we know them personally, we never get an opportunity to meet the judges; to elaborate on our desire to be included and why. I'm sure that after carefully listening; mulling things over with my artist neighbors at the many art fairs in which I've been lucky enough to participate, and from being an avid reader of artists' blogs, that I am speaking for hundreds, if not thousands of us. If we are given an opportunity to shine, we will.
Thanks for allowing me to be thought provoking,
Gayle Weiss
Gayle Weiss Designs
Comments
The thing I'm seeing is that many artists and the shows themselves are using the materials and techniques section as a defacto artist statement. Sitting in on jurying sessions, you hear it all the time, where the technique part gets used as a statement of intent.
Photographers seem to have the worst understanding of it as you continually hear a listing of cameras used and choice of printers. Many shows will specify for photographers; "Photographers should disclose both their creative and printing processes". If they just gave 300 chaaracters max, i think I could nail just about anything in my media.
Just a strict reading of materials and processes can get pretty basic; "I use acrylics applied with a knife on canvas", " I take photos with a camera and make inkjet prints with a printer myself", "I make funky sculptures of animals using rusty barbed wire", or a classic one for Leonardo daVinci; "I do oil painting using home made oils applied with little brushes onto boards or canvas". Something tells me the last one lost a whole bunch in the ZAPP translation ;-)
In reviewing my last several ZAPP applications, I am seeing that the 100 character box is supposed to be for a 'description of materials and techniques'
Here's what I used for Baltimore Artscape
Highly textured acrylic paints on hardboard some modified with 10/0 glass beads in pointillist mode
Here's what I used for Bethesda Row (they allow a bit more text)
Acrylic paints are applied to hardboard to render highly textured paintings. These paints are sometimes modified with tiny colored or iridescent glass beads to render a pointillist effect.
The Manayunk Arts Festival allows even a bit more room to expand
I create representational and abstract paintings, using acrylics, and gloss/pearlescent fabric paints, creating 2-D and low-bas-relief paintings. These are executed on gessoed hardboard and framed in minimalist frames. Texturing in the low-bas relief pieces provides depth and evokes a strong desire in the the viewer to touch the paintings. Use of texture in conjunction with lining techniques provides a good sense of depth of field in traditionally executed pieces.
But then I just did a Howard Alan show app. and we were back to 100 characters again.
Acrylic(gloss high-texture and regular)some with 10/0 colored glass beads, presented in three styles..
I did the three styles thing in response to thinking about being honest to the entry process and hopefully tying the disparity in styles in the jury images to the materials and techniques
So now I am confused: are we speaking to the 'materials and techniques' section of the app, or are we talking about the true artist statement? No one I think expects 100 words to cover your artistic raison d'etre. Most folks can't cover their morning coffee selection in a 140 character Tweet. I have never been asked for a 100 character artist statement - may be a 100 word statement, but not 100 character..
Thanks, Robert. I see now where I missed the thread.
Unless I'm having trouble reading for comprehension, the header on this thread says Part II, The artist statement. I was under the impression the thread was addressing a specific call for reforming how the artist statement is handled. My view is that the 100 character box is hopelessly inadequate, but others on here hold that the entire statement is irrelevant. The overall call for general reform is on another thread. This one was addressing specifics if I read it correctly. Anyone is welcome to tell me I'm wrong if they read it differently.
I understand that this one small part of the application process is very important, but didn't this thread open as a way for us to discuss reformation of the jury process overall or have I missed something?
Thanks, Connie...I am really glad I found your site! And, I see there's a Chicago Group....email me and let's network!
Excellent description, Oscar.
Congrats, Gayle. The visits to this site are really good, people are reading, people are learning, so your contribution here helps not only you but many others also.
If readers question the efficacy of posting information on this site google a few words, like art fair information, artists at art fairs, art fairs, etc., and see what turns up. Thanks to everyone who contributes here and shares the information so that working together we can make this marketplace better for the passionate people creating art for "the streets."
What an amazing discussion...obviously, I wasn't the only one with questions....I believe we all have passion about our work. I believe you are right, Beth....the jury wants to see the passion in our photos, but if all is lost when they score a booth shot, what good is that?? I agree with whoever said the booth shot should be pass/fail and not detract from an otherwise high score.
Ok, so I'm outta here....this has been a wonderful running commentary and discussion.
Thanks, everyone for joining in.....
By the way, I sent this open letter with a recent jury submission. I don't know if it helped, but I was just accepted into the show. Maybe, just maybe, they are starting to listen.
Gayle
The jury probably wants to see your passion, and not read about it
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