Trib Article on Open Crit Program

A few months back I participated in the Hyde Park Art Center's Open Crit program (read about my experience here) and last Sunday an article came out in the Chicago Tribune written by Chicago art critic Lori Waxman about the program. I get mentioned in a couple of places and had a "movie moment" on Monday.

You know what I'm talking about- when you have an experience just like in a movie? I recently saw "Julie and Julia" and there's a scene where Julie, the young woman blogging her way through Julia Child's cookbook, gets an article written about her project. The day it comes out she's on the train and sees people reading the article about her on the train. Anyway, I was on the train heading to work on Monday and glanced up from my book at one point to see the man in front of me reading the article- with my name in it! I'm practically famous!

Tonight there is another Open Crit which I will be attending, but this time as part of the public critiquing the artists. I really enjoy the opportunity to critically discuss artwork, meet artists and to disagree with people. (The program is from 6-8pm at the Hyde Park Art Center and details can be found on their website)

I am continuing to prepare for my show at Fermilab. I bring the work out on Monday- I have to rent a U-haul to transport my large pieces. Orginally I thought I would only show portraits but at the time I had no idea how large the space is. Apparently it's huge so to fill it I'm bringing a lot of work. It will be really great to see so much of it up in one space.

TO DO:
Get email blast to forward
Mount "Can't Believe It"
business cards
mail out submission for Visual Narrative and gallery submission

PLAYLIST:
Massive Attack
The Kennedy's
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Nick Drake

Joanne Mattera Art Blog + Success

Since I've been focusing on the business side of things lately, I've been really appreciating Joanne Mattera's blog in which she dedicates her Monday posts to marketing (Marketing Mondays). Her latest post on this Monday morning lays out some hopes and realities for success for artists. What does it look like? What can we hope it to look like and what is the reality for most of us? While it can be discouraging to recognize that I could work a lifetime and not receive the the success or recognition that I dream of, it's nice to know that most artists are in the same boat. We won't know if/when success will come and what it will look like, so you have to just keep creating for your own pleasure or out of blind faith.

The College Art Association Conference happened here in Chicago this last weekend and my Alma Mater, the Savannah College of Art and Design, had an alumni reception. I thought it might be fun to check out- to see if I knew any of the professors there and maybe meet other SCAD graduates in Chicago. Unfortunately word got out about the open bar and I didn't really meet anyone that actually went to SCAD. I did have a conversation with one person who had been a dean (I think at SCAD, although I'm not sure) in which the conversation felt like he was trying to maintain his superior status by whatever means possible. He would ask me about my work and only to make sure I wasn't making any major mistakes. Do I get model release forms? What type of lighting do I use on my models? Am I using acrylic or oil?

After describing that I work two part time jobs in addition to working as an artist and that most of the shows I've been in I have fallen into by being contacted or invited to, he took it to mean that I'm not really focusing on being an artist. He then decided to to enlighten me as to what it would be like to be an artist "once I got serious". This coming from someone who at 60 (?) is just being published (and when I say published, I mean he's printing out a book he put together with a friend at Kinko's). I took this as my cue to go replenish my drink at the bar.

Getting stuck in an awkward conversation where I was being treated like a child and looked at as a hobby artist was frustrating until I remembered that immediately after this reception I was going to a show opening in which I have work included, and that in less than a month, my solo show will be opening as well.

It's not exactly major success (yet), but that night I felt pretty good about where I'm at right now, knowing that I've really only just begun.

Cultural Excavation at CAD

(Images from the opening of "Cultural Excavation" at the Chicago Art Department", February 12 2010.)

Time in: 2:00pm

(Working away at my desk which is actually the dining room table. I guess that's what happens when your studio is one third of the dining room.)

I'm sending off two submissions to galleries today and sent a couple by email yesterday. I'm not sure which is the better method- it seems there are a million ways to get in touch with galleries, but you never know how they want you to.

Don't forget: tomorrow night is the opening reception for "Cultural Excavation" at the Chicago Art Department. Friday February 12, 6-10pm at 1837 S. Halsted in Pilsen here in Chicago.

TO DO:
make business cards
ArtSlant profile
paragraph on lecture for Fermilab flyers
Update website with availability details
Pick Matt and Will pics
Research postcards
Drop of submissions at post office

PLAYLIST:
Tom Waits
Beth Orton
Thee Shallows
Mix CD

Desk Time

Time in 2:30 pm

I'm continuing to work on submitting to galleries, curators and exhibition spaces. It's amazing how much time it takes to get a few email submissions sent and a packet ready to print. I've already been doing what seems like hundreds of hours of research over the past several months looking for places that my work might be of interest and would be worthwhile so you'd think that would have cut down on some of the time, but it certainly doesn't feel like it.

It probably also doesn't help that I keep thinking of books to add to my Visual Bookshelf on Facebook- why is it so hard to pull away?!

TO DO:
Pick M&W shots
get canvas
submissions: Send out at least one
Get cover letter ready to print
SASE sent to Sugarman Foundation

PLAYLIST:
Jeff Buckley
The Raconteurs
Joe Henry- Tiny Voices

Time in 9:30am

Last Wednesday I photographed my friends Will and Matt who I will be painting a double portrait of. I've got their project to begin working on and I need to spend some time on more submissions and finishing up getting my materials together for my show at Fermilab.

TO DO:
Get postcard image
email mailing list and postcard image to Fermilab and update image list
Art Forum email
Select images for W&M portrait
Get canvas
send SASE to George Sugarman Foundation
Review submissions list and begin preparing gallery submission

PLAYLIST:
Ella Fitzgerald compilation
Air- Talkie Walkie
Madeline Peyroux

Wednesday 3 February 2010

To do:
Send high res image and bio to Perceptions Journal
Send high res image and mailing list to Fermilab (call Georgia)
Photo Shoot with Will and Matt
Look at calendar for next submissions
make business cards
research postcards

Get to work on M&W's piece and Scott's
contact people to begin shooting for next series

Playlist:
The Books- Lemon of Pink
Shivaree
Velvet Underground

Slow going

It's winter, it's cold, it's dark all the time and living in a place like Chicago makes it feel like winter is just a wasted season. My energy is low, motivation is gone, and it takes so long to bundle up to go anywhere only so I can sweat in my jacket and piles of clothes I'm wearing because it's too much work to take them off and hold them.

It feels like nothing is happening although I try to remind myself that things ARE moving forward. I am continuing to submit to opportunities as I find them, although I decided not to complete my application for the Illinois Art Council grant. I was a little wary of the cash match portion which is required if you apply and with my unsteady finances I thought maybe I better not commit to it.

I submitted some of my large pieces from my past series to an art consulting group. I am hoping to move some of these giant pieces before I move again, but don't know quite where to start. I thought this might be an avenue but this was the response I received:

Hello Virginia,

I presented your work today. Although everyone liked it, everyone was in agreement that it would not work in our industry. I am sure you do quite well in the retail market.

Good luck in your career...

On a positive note, I will have 2 pieces included in the May issue of Perceptions literary magazine which is produced by students of Mt. Hood Community College.