Article by artist, Jo Talbot Bowen
I am an artist (printmaker and painter), somewhere, I would say, between ’emerging’ and ‘established’, living and working in Devon, UK.
Since 2006 when I graduated (BA Fine Art, 1st) I have been forging a pathway for myself in the world of Fine Art. I would like to share some of my recent experiences concerning the issue of submission to open exhibitions.
Some of the open exhibition questions artists rightly ask themselves are:
- Which to take and which to say that vital ‘no’ to.
- Is the price and the time I will have to put into it worth it?
- What are my chances of being selected?
- Which of my art should I submit?
- If I am selected, will I sell or make further opportunities for myself?
I suggest that all of these are relatively unknown quantities and their answers lie somewhere on the risk/benefit continuum. Since any entry into the commercial art world is somewhat risky, I think the really sensible question behind them all is the one which asks how the benefit of entry can be tipped in the artist’s direction.
Decision making is one of the skills that they don’t necessarily teach you at Art College. Furthermore, if you only have a few opportunities, are short on money and your perseverance (another quality artists need by the bucket load) is fading then you may not be able to take as many risks as you need to. Fortunately there are now lots of pearls of wisdom on sites such as Kathryn’s Your Art Image to help you move the benefits side to be more favourable.
I got selected for the Cork Street Open in 2009 with the painting Calling All Shipping 2. I had submitted 2 works in the series and decided that for the London market in August a sailing theme with a contemporary twist was the best chance I had.
Submitting 2 in the series gave weight to the works and I decided against a third. Submission rules allowed 4 that year, but I was reducing my costs, aware that I had other show costs that month.
I also decided that I liked the charity, Children of Peace and that other people in London that might come to the show also supported such a cause. Then there was the issue that I wanted exposure in London and I had not had any work on display in Cork Street before. So, all in all, I entered.
For me it feels that you are playing a game, all be it one with serious consequence and rationale. To be a player is to give yourself a chance and you can control much more than you think by developing a sensible strategy. But if you can’t take the rejection of course it would be counterproductive to put your work forward.
The work selected was a smallish piece, which I chose mostly for transport reasons, but also because I have found that I sell much more work on the smaller side. To my delight, it sold at the private view. I did not know who had bought it however, in my naivety I assumed it was one of my private view invitees. He assured me it was not, but then told me he liked it so much that he wanted the other in the series. So there it was 2 sales!
Subsequent to the show I received a number of good art contacts via e-mail. A couple of international art fairs contacted me (I’m not sure it was the show but the timing seems to suggest that) and also the buyer of my work who collects seascapes made direct contact. In addition a number of pop up galleries in London try to sign me up.
The anecdote about selling 2 paintings when I had only shown 1 has also served me well at dinner parties and the like. Of course the exhibition website link remains live for a year and offers hits to my sites and further credentials on website engine searches.
Lastly, I want to say something about the non-commercial side of the show and one that can be forgotten when sales is focused on exclusively. I went to the private view with my family (another big cost for someone out of London) and really got a personal uplift from walking though Mayfair to the street where so much of that art world is nested.
To see my work there was quite marvellous for me. To art-loving Londoners it may be just another show, but to a painter from Devon it was a distinct high point in my earlyish art career.
So it is the entry, the selection, the possible sale, the sale, the show experience, the networking and the further opportunity that made it and still makes it a sensible decision for me.
Open shows entered with clear decision making and strategic approaches are a way forward for many artists today. Take as much control first, then go for a few – that is the answer.
You can learn more about Jo Talbot Bowen and her art at:
http://www.jotalbotbowen.com and http://www.vineartdesign.co.uk
Open Exhibition 