A A U: AMERICAN ARTISTS UNITE !!!!!!!!!!!
Deborah Cohen
1. We are the reason for shows and exhibitions,etc. Why should we
have to pay promoters/gallery owners/towns to show our work...
THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US !
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. If they want us to show our work there should be no submission
fee to review our slides. What kind of scheme is it to charge us to
review our work and then , especially, not accept the work, but keep the
fee? It is a great money maker for a hole in the wall
gallery or show promoter. Oh sure, they are going to say they have to pay
the judge - big deal -(they can deduct it as an expense on their taxes)
- as an honorarium to their best buddy who took art in high school. One
hand washes the other.
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Why should we pay them for a copy of the catalogue of a show
we are in? That is so ch eap. We paid to enter, send and get back the work
and often given them a commission. Do they have to stick it to the
artists to get a copy of the catalogue they are in?...speaking of which,
when is the last time a gallery wrote to say "thank you for being a part
of our show" ?????
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Before you enter, do you know anything about the gallery?
Where is it located, how long in business, type of clientele, who is
going to see the show for two weeks in August? Is it going to be hung in
their basement or worse - - not hung at all? Don't think I'm joking !!
A "gallery" in western New York is a "gallery" in name only. It does not
exist. Yet it advertises a call to artists in national magazines and
newsletters. I've seen them in Florida official government art
publications. It "displays" the accepted pieces (yes, you pay him to see
your slides, and pay for transportation each way, etc) on the floor of a
prior high school, now empty !!!! He has also displayed them leaning
against his garage. He does it year round...Great way to
make money...get artists to pay for having work reviewed for a phoney show.
Even when the shows are "legit", what art buyer is going to go to "The 35th
annual multi-media landscape/seascape/anyscape show in Podunk Corners for
the 2nd week of August?
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5. Why should , for instance, a weekend show ( or any length) promoter
charge the public admission to come see our work and yet pay the artists
no fee to show the work? They are collecting big bucks at the door/gate.
Why, as professionals, should we donate our time to them? Would a bunch
of lawyers travel to a location, sit around, answer questions for free,
be the "drawing card" (no pun intended) and have the promoter collect a
fee and expect the lawyers to donate their time as professionals just for
the priviledge of meeting and greeting the public and putting cash in
some else's pocket? If you don't feel that you are a professional and
deserve to be paid for your time, you should'nt be wasting your time with
this posting. Go flip pancakes .
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Exorbitent fees, minimal prizes (that you contributed), no
double-checking that they didn't give the prize to favorite "Auntie Tillie"
for her clown portrait? How much prize money of ours was collected for
them to give out? How much did they give out? To whom? For what?
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. We don't have to accept RUDE, INCONSIDERATE proprietors of art
galleries (whom I call TZARINAS or TZARS) who treat you like dirt, often
don't return slides, phone calls or put you or your work down.
Currently, they take 50 to 60% (which means they are also getting a nice
mark-up on your framing). Is your work being show in the main salon..or
is it in storage in the back room? They are tying up your creations and
income. Who is gonna buy if it isn't visible? Does the gallery have
insurance? By what right do they demand exclusivity over any geographic
area if they don't advertise and heavily promote and SELL your work?
ETC.,ETC.,ETC.,
WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+++++++THIS IS NOT SOUR GRAPES ! I am a professional artist. I will not
be exploited. If you want to be , that is up to you. You may be desperate.
Maybe you are inexperienced and hungry, but I urge you to hold out for
fair and dignified treatment.
Please think about this, save my e-mail address, respond if you can and
post this to galleries and especially other artists.
Artfully and Creatively Yours,
debOrah
Mattison
: As artists. we are being outrageously exploited.
: debOrah
I guess someone read what I've been wirting -
good
I opened my studio as gallery space and let artists fund it there own
way. No fee for hangs and they pay to market their own work and
recpetion. I pay to market mine it works fine and I get more sales.
It is far more intewresting for collectors at least in the west to meet
and know you. I do notice in NYC collectors are far more hesitant to meet
the artists. This is a shame as they miss out on a very fullfilling life
by just buying the art and not experiencing the artist.
Mattison
dont bitch just do
William Hays and Patricia Long
>have to pay promoters/gallery owners/towns to show our work...
> THEY SHOULD BE PAYING US !
Don't get me wrong I will not be going to the mat for galleries. They are
often disreputable, as you describe. But I must say, have you ever seen the
rent paid by a gallery in a good location? If they are doing a good job in
promotion and sales, the fee can be worth it. But beware (be aware) that
there aren't too many where the fee is worth it. If you have any question,
stick to reputable nonprofit organizations.
> 2. If they want us to show our work there should be no submission
>fee to review our slides.
With a commercial enterprise, you are right, it is a great scheme to
generate revenue to put on a show which generates revenue through sales.
The question becomes, is it worth it for *you*? For a nonprofit, those fees
can be a valuable method of generating scarce funds (and not that much
either). But as to your questioning the fact that work is *rejected*, grow
up. Of course work is rejected. There are limitations on space if nothing
else.
> WITHOUT US THERE WOULD BE NO SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 3. Why should we pay them for a copy of the catalogue of a show
>we are in? That is so ch eap.
Boy, you're right here too. That _is_ cheeeeaaaap.
As to the rest of your rant/rave (alot of screaming): Artists need to be
careful about galleries and shows. Acceptance in a gallery is not going to
make or break anyone. It is only a small step along the way. Look around.
Galleries go out of business with alarming frequency. Many are not run well
and some that are, don't pay artists on a timely basis, or even at all
sometimes.
If you are going to call yourself a professional artist then set standards
for yourself and for the people you do business with. The more you learn
about the business of being an artist, the more selective you will become as
a professional. Don't take things at face value. Alot of great looking
galleries doing lots of business have screwed more than one artist. Contact
other artists who have had experience and find out if it has been good or
bad for them. In short, be smart, clever, and nobody's fool. This will
keep you from getting screwed by someone who thinks of art as a commodity
only. At least it will lessen the likelyhood. (It is a pity that art
schools don't address the issue of living and making a living at art...but
that's another thread, isn't it?)
>+++++++THIS IS NOT SOUR GRAPES ! I am a professional artist. I will not
>be exploited. If you want to be , that is up to you. You may be desperate.
>Maybe you are inexperienced and hungry, but I urge you to hold out for
>fair and dignified treatment.
There are many who are neither hungry nor inexperienced. They think that
the situations you have described are "the way it is".
Rather than holding out for fair treatment, why not *seek it out* and
*demand* fair and dignified treatment?
William Hays
Co-Executive Director, Stratton Arts Festival
Vermont's Premier Showcase Of The Arts
(802) 297-3265
http://www.sover.net/~artsfest/
Heiko Recktenwald
In article <mattartD...@netcom.com> mat...@netcom.com (Mattison)
writes:
> I opened my studio as gallery space and let artists fund it there own
>way. No fee for hangs and they pay to market their own work and
>recpetion. I pay to market mine it works fine and I get more sales.
Nice idea, great, that it works.
>It is far more intewresting for collectors at least in the west to meet
>and know you. I do notice in NYC collectors are far more hesitant to meet
>the artists. This is a shame as they miss out on a very fullfilling life
>by just buying the art and not experiencing the artist.
Experiencing the artist is one of the biggest incentives to buy art.
Somebody told me: The typical artbuyer has a choice to buy a new shirt from
valentino for his wife, which she can wear once or maybe twice or to buy
some art. If he buys art, he can organise a party with the artist:):):)