Part 2 – On The Day Of The Event…. Dress For Success That might mean a breezy floral outfit if you are showing in Jacksonville, or a pair of ripped diesel jeans and a too-small t-shirt if you are exhibiting in Williamsburg. … You need to meet everyone at your open studio so enlist one of your friends to move you on to the next guest if your attention is being monopolized.

Open Studios are a popular way to show your latest work to collectors, arts professionals, and the public. They can also be a successful and consistent way to sell your work. Read on to find out how to stage one successfully. In Part 1 we’ll talk about preparing for the event. In Parts 2 and 3 we’ll go over important details for the day of the event and follow-up activities for when you have cleaned away all those empty champagne magnums!

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) has just announced the recipients for its annual fellowship grants of $7,000 apiece to 134 artists recognized for excellence in their given disciplines. The grants total $917,000 and are intended for unrestricted use, meaning that they can be utilized for everything from art materials to rent – which is welcome news for recipients.

Useful tips from Steve Doherty’s blog at American Artist. I recommend clicking through to read the full article – its a good read!
- Minimum negative space.
- Include Shiny objects.
- Detail (People Love It)
- Happy subjects.
- …

A new charity, United States Artists, will give $50,000 grants to 50 artists. – New York Times: New Charity to Start Plan for $50,000 Artists’ Grants A new charity, United States Artists, will announce today an ambitious plan to provide support to working artists, starting with a grant program that will be one of the most generous in existence. Fifty artists working in a wide variety of disciplines and at various career stages will receive $50,000 each, no strings attached…. “Each year, nominations are made by an anonymous group of arts leaders, critics, scholars, and artists chosen by USA…. Nominators are asked to submit names of artists they believe show an extraordinary commitment to their craft. Artists at any stage of career development may be nominated. To be considered for fellowships, artists must be 21 years of age or older and U.S. citizens or legal residents in any U.S. state. Artists must have the following: Expert artistic skills Received artistic education or training (formal or informal) Attempted to derive income from those skills Been actively engaged in creating artwork and presenting it to the public.”

How many of you artists sell your work from your websites? I have found my portfolio website www.josseford.com an excellent tool for selling prints as well as originals. Usually patrons have already been exposed to my work through an art show or studio show. Sometimes years later then will end up using my website a bit like an on-line catalogue to buy more originals or limited edition art prints. Do you even have an artist’s website? When was the last time you updated your artist website? Does it reflect your best work?

Edward_ Winkleman has an excellent post on how to get your foot into the NY Art World…. No one is a better ally in your fight to get the recognition you deserve here than other artists. They’re undoubtedly the most qualified critics of your work, they understand completely what you’re going through, and if you share what you hear about opportunities with them, you should be able to expect the same in return…. These are curated generally, so your work may still be rejected, but they do indeed lead to group exhibitions and other opportunities. There are two primary registries you should apply for: the one at Artists Space and the one at White Columns. Please note that both of these spaces focus on emerging artists engaged in the “contemporary” dialog, so if you’re more of a traditionalist, you might not be accepted…all I’m saying here, is consider their mission before you submit…. And the Bronx Museum of the Arts’ “Artists in the Market Place” is a remarkable program that I’ve seen change everything for some of its alumni…. So organize an exhibition, write reviews, work for an art handler, work for a museum, hell…work for a gallery, teach, join an artists’ crit group, start an artist crit group, go to salons, go to lectures, go to openings.