Shows and Your Plans To Do Them

If you are an artist, art shows and exhibits are likely on your radar screen. Shows are in many cases, an essential part of the exposure, sales and awards garnered by you and your art.

Many artists are giddy with their first show invitation. After all, shows appear to put you in the limelight and who doesn’t want a little recognition while toiling away at their craft?

Be it a one-person show and a group exhibition, here are a few words of hopeful wisdom. First, quality over quantity. Seems like a no-brainer right? I can sure share that I have seen many artists make that mistake and a good example is a recording artist making an LP or album. Out of a dozen songs or so, how many become hits? Most become filler in support of a couple really good songs and maybe a hit or two if they are lucky. I see artists quite frequently makes 20 to 30 works of art for a show without even having a track record of sales. That a lot of work, possibly a big investment in materials and framing. It can set an artist up for failure. If you have a proven high sales volume track record, but all means go for it. But I think the better route is high quality / low volume (a dozen or so) until you know or have a better feel for the demand for your work.

Providing your best first impression is not about a lot of something, it’s much more about quality art, quality framing, and quality presentation.

Maybe part two is in order for this topic. See you next week.

Live an artful life,

Tom