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ENTRANT ADVICE
FINALIST ADVICE
ENTRANT ADVICE
How to Write an Artist Statement
The limit for your e-merge artist statement is 1000 characters or approximately 150 words. This will appear in the e-merge exhibit and also be used in the e-merge catalog. Here are a number of websites that offer guidance on crafting your statement:
http://www.nitaleland.com/articles/statement.htm
http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org/mustreads/artist.asp
http://www.artbusiness.com/statement.html
http://www.eciad.bc.ca/wc/artstate.htm
http://www.contemporaryquiltart.com/writingTheArtistsStatement.htm
Following are some examples, but statements vary widely so don't worry if what you'd like to say doesn't follow this content:
- "I have been working in a particular series, with occasional forays into other areas, for over 20 years. I used to think that I would run out of ideas regarding this work, but now I realize I will run out of time first. The work is contemplative, at least for me while I am creating it. The random interplay of various metals and patinas allows me an unstructured element in an otherwise fairly rigid format. The foils are applied, piece by piece, in the manner of a jigsaw puzzle and the work goes through numerous firings to produce various effects." (100 words)
- "I am directly inspired by the immediate and volatile landscape that is my adopted home, New Zealand. This work is part of a series that explores themes of transition, rhythm, movement, subtle textures, and shifting forces. I've allowed the glass to form itself, where bubbles are trapped and random rhythms created, giving a sense of fluidity and motion. The work also serves as a metaphor. It reminds us, in turn, that subtle shifts beneath the surface, changes of environment, people that we meet, and memories that we carry with us continually affect our perceptions and responses to the world. Nothing is static." (102 words)
- "My work lies in the balance of day-to-day life and the lengthy process of trying to replace chaos with grace; showing that one is always near the other, that they live side by side; being able to encase my feelings, my vision, my hopes—secretly—and then send them out into the world." (53 words)
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How to Write a Biographical Profile
The limit for your e-merge biographical profile is 500 characters or approximately 75 words. Think of it as the public expression of some of the material included in your CV. It is what will be used on the signage at the e-merge exhibit and also as copy for the e-merge catalog. Your profile can include any of the following:
- Education, especially relevant art training
- Significant artists you have worked with
- Awards for artwork
- Exhibitions
- Publications in which artwork has appeared
- Particular influences
- Interests, as an artist
The profile should be written in narrative form in a conversational tone rather than as bullet points, resume-style. Following are some examples but, again, remember that profiles tend to vary with individual artists.
- "X has been working in fused glass since 1983. Heavily involved in the modern studio glass movement, both locally and internationally, he has been a juror, curator, critic, and writer who travels extensively teaching kilnworking techniques. Artist X has been instrumental in the growth of the British Columbia Glass Arts Association. His work is in collections in Canada, the US, Germany, Japan, and Australia." (64 words)
- "X is a native of Oxford, England. She immigrated to New Zealand in 1992 where she continues to build her home-based studio in Wanganui and pursue her aim of a full-time career as a practicing glass artist. X has enjoyed initial success in various group exhibitions including: finalist, Ranamok Contemporary Glass Award, Sydney, Australia, 2003 and 2004; Southern Exposure: A Survey Exhibition of Contemporary New Zealand Glass, Ebeltoft Glass Museum, Denmark, 2004: 12 New Artists, New Directions, Ora Art and Design, Wellington, New Zealand, 2004." (85 words)
- "At age 17, X took a job that would teach her precision cutting, an understanding of color and shape, and the effects of heat: hairdressing. After nine years in that field, she enrolled in the Glasgow School of Art's glass department to learn how to make leaded glass panels. She found herself lurking around the kiln instead, so she acquired one of her own and started learning from books and the pile of misshapen, devitrified, thermal-socked glass on the floor. In 2003, she discovered North Lands Creative Glass in the Scottish Highlands and has taken classes there for the last two summers." (103 words)
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FINALIST ADVICE
How to Prepare Your Photo Portrait
This is the photo we will use in our e-merge catalog. It should not be an artistic expression, but simply a head shot to show the artist who made the artwork. It should not be so interesting that it competes with the artwork itself.
Here are a few technical guidelines:
- The image needs to be at least 2x3 inches at 300 dpi. Rule of thumb: The face should fill 1x1.5 inch area.
- If your original is in color, submit it as is. We prefer to convert to black and white here at Bullseye rather than having you do so. See camera settings below.
- Do not add sharpening to the images. See camera settings below.
- Saving an image: When saving your jpeg, always save with the maximum image quality available.
- Do not do any "retouching" in Photoshop. If it's a bad image, shoot a new image.
- Strive for good contrast and more midtones. A good rule of thumb is lighter
background=darker shirt, darker background=lighter shirt. If you're blond,
wear darker clothing and have a darker background, etc.
- Try to have a full-range image: tone in the highlight and detail in the shadow area. If your contrast is suffering, leave it alone; we'll set the correct contrast range for print.
Camera settings: Capture the largest jpg possible. Set the sharpening to "less" or "normal," but don't set it to "none" or "high."
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How to Package your Artwork for Shipping
It's always disappointing to have artwork damaged in shipping. To prevent this from happening to you, the art handling experts at Bullseye Gallery have prepared some advice about how to ship glass artwork safely. For your reading pleasure (and your art's safety), we present: The Art of Packaging Glass Art
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