Staging Art Shows (On-line art lesson #12)

www.LillianKennedy.com
Lillian@Rockfire.com

Vignette of staged art

Vignette of staged art

 

You are ready to show your work! Note: that is a statement, not a question.

Be it on your refrigerator or in a museum, get your work out and up somewhere.  And stand by it while you show it to people.  Make it look good whether through better framing or an improved magnet that won’t detract from the art while it’s on the frig; that is the assignment for this week.

Showing is an important stage in the creative process, and it gets easier over time, so the sooner that you start showing, the better.  If you wait, it becomes too much of a big deal instead of part of the healthy flow.

Study the video on staging an art show. (Subscribers will need to click on the post title to get to the home site.) It will give you ideas on the process of creating a self -hosted show, and you will get to see some of the wonderful paintings done by the artists who study here in my Boulder studio.  Congratulations to all of them!

As usual, your comments and emails are appreciated!  Please share this site – the more people who participate, the more fun for everyone.  Forums are somewhere on the horizon.

 

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9 Responses to Staging Art Shows (On-line art lesson #12)

  1. Lillian,
    As usual, you have outdone yourself! Thanks again for gifting us with this great show…And now we have a marvelous record of it to refer back to when the day comes that we host our own solo show–thank you for the gift of this video to us! I am so blessed that you were brought into my life. You have provided not only stellar teaching, but also the camaradarie of other wonderful artists as we study together. My life has truly been enriched and enhanced.

  2. Nyla Witmore says:

    I went to the show. Took a friend. She bought a painting. As I watched the video I realized just how WELL DONE . I NOTICED THE ART, NOT THE DRAPES FIRST. Meaning–The black back-drapes and the horizontal surfaces were so attractive that they truly acted as “supporting cast.” They enhanced the visual flow. Tisha has an eye for this. We could all learn a lot!!

    Nyla Witmore

  3. Elaine Krupnick says:

    Loved the art and seeing your wonderful show. I was quite impressed with the artwork. I felt it was also exhibiting the work of a terrific teacher. After watching the video, I appreciated all of the work you and your friends accomplished in setting up the show. Looking forward to coming to more in the future.
    Elaine

  4. Jean in NH says:

    Fabulous show and interesting how it all came together. Generally videos on other sites are too slow for me but this one could have been a tad slower. There were so many paintings my eyes could not begin to catch them all. Such good work could use a longer look.

  5. Lillian Kennedy says:

    Jean, I had intended to do two posts – one on the staging and the other on the paintings. This one really was about putting the show together, but I let most of the paintings go out without getting them individually photographed, so this post has to be the viewing too. I appreciate your feedback. I do try to keep the videos short and multifaceted so that they will hold attention. Sesame St. style – fast paced.
    I had one comment (not on the blog), that this one is in the style of a children’s book with the words to go with the visuals. I love that concept and will work with it more in the future.
    Anyhow, It is 3 min. +16 sec. to go with the music!

  6. Nyla Witmore says:

    Even though I saw the “hung” show, in person, back in March…upon viewing this today, it felt like I was seeing a “NEW” show. Are you sure you didn’t put new paintings up? So here is what one can learn from the previous two sentences.

    Going to a museum or gallery show once doesn’t mean you’ve SEEN it…really seen it. Go more than once. In addition, make sure you rotate the paintings you currently have hanging in your home. You’ll see the art afresh and so will your future guests, even if your guests have been to your home many times. Change the paintings that hang near your home’s entry. Prop a few paintings next to furniture, on the floor. (It won’t look like you’re “moving” if you include a basket filled with a few choice art books, or a flowering plant sitting in an artsy saucer. It will look planned.)
    P.S. I got that last idea from seeing Lillian’s video again. Why wait for a planned official “art show”, do it seasonally…if only for your own enjoyment and/or amusement.
    P.P.S.S. Hey, Lil, why not have that as an assignment for this “weekly art lesson”?
    We could send in pics of a “before and after” re-arrangement. Might want to wait a bit, however, until we recover from THIS assignment.

  7. Janette Rozene says:

    It is also good to see your artwork pieces in relation to each other. I have enjoyed exhibiting my art at street fairs. People want to buy your art for cheap prices, but you get to hear their comments about your work and you get to see your work differently. Over the years, I have sold my paintings to friends and strangers at open studios or street fairs. For the price they would pay for a pair of shoes, they now own an original painting and my work is lived with — much better than storing your art in your studio! It has a life of its own. If you exhibit in your studio, offer wine and cheese and develop an art mailing list. People who buy will return and buy again! My teacher used to say that you should always charge something, even to friends and they will treasure your work and carry it everywhere with them. Once a friend had bought a painting from me for $50. She lived in the east village in New York city. There was an arson fire started by her landlord who wanted the building cleared so he could renovate and raise rent prices. She told me that she looked around for what she owned of value, grabbed my painting and stood out in the cold night air in her pajamas, an image I will always remember!

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