100 tips for artist

今日は友人のリリさんとCue Foundationのセミナーに出席した。
これはMeeting Artists Needsというアーティスト支援の一環で、今回はなかなかはっきりとは分かりづらい、アーティストは展覧会をするため、ギャラリーといい関係を築く為に何をすべきか、また、ギャラリーに何を期待できるかという事がテーマだった。

二人の講師はDannielle Tegeder (www.DannielleTegeder.com)とFranklin Evans（http://www.motihasson.com/artist/franklin-evans/images.html) で、とてもわかりやすく、とても為になる話をしてくれた。

まず面白かったのがDannielleのTop 100 Tips for Artistsというリスト。
1. Be nice, very nice.
2. Don't burn bridges.
3. Date with or marry an artist or someone who is interested in art and in art world
4. Use your unstructured time productively, making a schedule as in any job.
5. Remember: fortune favors the bold.
6. Start a mailing list
7.Do your research with galleries; once a month at least see shows.
8. Choose five galleries where you believe your work would fit.
(自分の作品のスタイル、キャリアレベルと他のギャラリーアーティストと合うかどうか。もし見つけたならばイベントには毎回出席する。）
9. Be able to describe your work in ten words or less (わかりやすく、明らかである事を忘れずに。）
10. Curate a show
11. Write, write , write a review or on your work
12. Start a critique group
13. Go to openings and support your colleague.
14. Be interested in curators, dealer lives, shows, work, before they are interested in you.
15. Travel and look for new experiences: they will nourish your art.
16. Listen
17. Go to do studio visits with other artists
18. Get on mailing lists for visiting artists' lecture at MOMA, Guggenheim, the New Museum and Whitney.
19. Read art periodicals Art in America, Frieze, Tema Celeste and Art Forum.
20. Read Non-Fiction, Fiction and the classics.
21. Do a collaboration with a scientist, anthropologist, mathematician, architect, or another artists.
22. Apply and research grants, and residencies. For example: Yaddo, Millay Foundation or the Sharpe Foundation.
23. Go to nyfa.org
24. Read online publications such as artnet.com, artforum.com, and other art blogs.
25. Get a studio, or make one in your house.
26. Make a ritual before you work (coffee, chanting, anything)
27. If you can't work, make a drawing a minute for an hour
28. Get PROFESSIONAL images(slides or JPEG images)
29. Get a website
30. Get out to the art fairs and see the foreign galleries.
31. Get a studio with other artists, and make a pact you will go together.
32. Make your own small catalogue or invite (e-publishing is great)
33. Hire a critic to write something on your work.
34. Do an open studio
35. Be always critical of your work
36. Make your work top priority, make it today.
37. Learn how to edit your work
38. Don't let finances or lack of money deter you
39. Make your work before an opportunity arrives
40. Make yourself unconformable in the studio, challenge yourself
41. Get used to being rejected a lot
42. Get a really good accountant.
43. Goto the studio even when you are tired, bored, or depressed and just sit there if you have to
44. Never feel guilty about spending money on art supplies or things to help you make an art
45. Buy a lot of music for the studio, it will make you want to stay there.
46. Find out whether you work better in the morning or night.
47. Do weird things.
48. Apply for shows.
49. Get a business card.
50. Take a public speaking class.
51. Take a writing class.
52. Learn how to run a small business.
53. Learn howto write everything off for your taxes.
54. When you have a studio visit put everything away that you do not want a critic, curator, dealer to discuss or take.
55. If you get picked up by a gallery, ask the other artists if they are getting paid and how they feel about the gallery.
56. Find a job that you only have to do a few days a week
57. ASk people what they recommend o read, or what show to see.
58. Do not walk into a gallery you are interested in with your images, your portfolio.
59. Research galleries online and join their mailing list.
60. When you visit galleries sign the book take the post card.
61. Find images that inspire you.
62. Look online and ebay for slight used art supplies and opportunities on craigslist.com.
63. Work for an artist. BE an artist's assistant.
64. If you can, buy a piece of art.
65. Volunteer in a museum or good gallery
66. Know who your contemporaries are.
67. Do an MFA.
68. Live in another country foe a while
69. Sacrifice everything for your art
70. Be Organized.
71. Be open to new ideas an techniques, do not only live in art world.
72. Get good studio lighting.
73. Don't stand on concrete studio floors too long.
74. Do yoga, after too many hours hunched up in the studio.
75. Buy the best art materials your money will allow you to.
76. Try another media then what you are used to, photography, sculpture, etc.
77. Take digital photos of your work and as it is in progress: look and think about them later.
78. Be able to name five historical artist you are influenced by.
79. Be able to name five contemporary artists making work now or in the past ten years that you like or are influenced by.
80. Sign and out of your studio and see how much time you are really putting in ath the end of the week.
81. Learn how not to waste time chatting on the phone, or on email in the studio.
82. Make a folder in yours tudio for taxes, consignment forms, contracts, and application.
83. Get a big calender and write all of your art deadlines on it.
84. Have a friend or artist you respect look over your application.
85. Project your images and slides before they go out.
86. Have a college party.
87. Just start.
88. Think before you show, not every opportunity is a good one.
89. Be humble.
90. BE ready and have work before you are approached by a dealer, or curator.
91. If you have a legal problems in the arts or with the gallery call Lawyers for the arts. (there are organization of lawyers in art)
92. On pricing, look around at other artists at your level and know what the average is.
93. Be wary of applying to shows that charge, and never pay for an exhibition.
94. Look for interesting words for your titles and stick them in a title jar in your studio, when you have to title something you will be a lot less stuck.
95. Sign your work on the back.
96. Try to get a consignment form the galleries that have your work.
97. Remember not one thing a show, review makes or breaks your career, this is a long term game.
98. Keep all your pieces in good, dry storage or in a flat file.
99. Keep pushing and changing your work, even if a certain type of piece is selling well.
100.Never gossip, especially about people who support your work.

ノート：
Residency Program はギャラリーへの道につながる。
Residency Programでは他のアーティストと助け合う。（Studio Visitの際には他のアーティストの作品も興味があるか招待してみる。）

自分のスタイル、レベルに合いそうなギャラリーのオープニングやイベントに出席して、人に会う事。関連するアーティスト、ショー、キューレーターの事も勉強しておく。

自分の参加したショー、コンテスト、グラントの審査員、キューレーターと連絡をとり、自分の次のショーに招待する。

Grantやcontest,open callで受からなくても審査員がみている事があってグループショー等に声がかかる事がある。contestやgrantに応募する際はキューレーター、審査員をチェックする。

基本的に作品を売った時のコミッションは５０／５０
Galleryはshipping, advertisement, catalog, framingなどを提供してくれる事も。
アーティストをrepresentするギャラリーはそのアーティストがそのエリアの他のギャラリーでグループショーなどに参加する場合はセールスの10-20％をとる。（representするギャラリーがアーティストのプロモーションなどに投資しているため。）
ギャラリーからの"contract"には気をつける。（問題が起きても他のギャラリーに移籍したリできなくなる。）代わりにConsignment Formを。
Consignment Form-作品を守るため。しかし常に法的に守ってくれるという訳ではない。特に国際的な場合は難しい。Consignment Formは期日、期間を明確に記述する事。Shipping, Insurance for Transit and at Galleryの責任の所在を明確に。Sells Commission, Sales Discount(特にアートフェアでDiscountの何割はアーティスト負担なのか）そして支払い期日を明確に。
もし、ギャラリーが何か問題を抱えてると聞いたら、すぐに作品を引き取りに行く事。（倒産されて、戻ってこなくなる可能性あり）

一番はじめのショーは新進のギャラリー（しかししっかりとしている）がいいかも。
ギャラリーのバックグラウンドを知る。（オーナー、キューレーターはビジネスマンなのか、キューレーター、ヒストリアン、元アーティスト等）

Galleryがrepresentしてくれる場合 Expectation from gallery
２−３年に一度はソロショー。
アートフェアでのrepresent
セールスの期待値
ギャラリー外でのExposure（雑誌、広告への露出）
Expansion of market
Possibilities for Press
Knowledge of other opportunities for the artist(submission opportunities, upcoming biannual)
Bringing curator/ collector to the studio

アーティストの責任
Self-Promotion
(independent curator, critics, Institutions, build relationship with dealers)
Working in studio Challenging your practice.
Artist can NOT sell pieces from studio