tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83034011360298271342012-01-31T14:32:54.052-08:00The Place for The Creative Professional to get advice, find ideas and reach their ultimate goals.The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.comBlogger311100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-39499387350004725422012-01-12T21:48:00.000-08:002012-01-24T00:44:52.869-08:00

That's been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains. Steve Jobs in Business Week, 1998 The main reason visitors will come to your website is to see your art. Therefore making your art the central focus is the

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-40979983152634631222012-01-09T00:02:00.000-08:002012-01-12T20:00:26.860-08:00

The number one key to success on the interent is intuitive design. This takes thought and careful planning but the pay off is huge.  It's key to higher search engine ratings and will be very important to your visitors. Most of all the main content of your website is to showcase your art. It should be a retrospective of everything you've ever made, a catalog raisonné of you - the artist. There

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Before we talk about the actual design of your website I want to talk about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It's important to understand how this works and keep it in mind as you're laying out your website. This will also allow you to instruct your website designer about what to do. If you're doing it yourself this will help you promote your website. ALERT: Once your website is live you may

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-44158308293071321652011-11-19T15:27:00.000-08:002011-11-19T15:27:15.720-08:00

When I speak about websites to artists the topic of copyright always comes up.  So before I write more about websites I want to give you a brief overview of copyright law.  It's not just for protection but for profit.  In future posts I will go more into detail but I want you to feel absolutely, positively safe putting your work online.  Make the choice, do you want to gain exposure for your work

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-15860446437275480022011-11-05T22:20:00.000-07:002011-12-16T01:09:20.642-08:00

The Internet is an extremely important marketing tool for artists. It's a way for you to make connections, make money and develop a real following. Now that you've gotten all of your other materials prepared it's time to get your website up and running and your "presence" on the internet. You will need to approach it in an organized fashion and think about who "you the artist" are and how you

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-68548503618200692272011-10-31T23:39:00.000-07:002011-10-31T23:39:22.000-07:00

I recently came up with these for an exhibition and thought they might be useful to you. The artists were asked to write about their pieces.  Several of them asked for help so I wrote this.  You will invariably be asked to write again and again about your inspiration for a specific piece, an artist statement, a statement for a particular exhibition, etc.  Use these prompts to inspire you.... All

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-30951150891853407832011-10-29T10:51:00.000-07:002011-10-29T10:52:37.034-07:00

"I hope it is a benchmark for what the artist's experience in the field of art might be. I don't think it should matter to a gallery if the artist is self taught or has a Master in Art, but the length of time, making and creating should speak volumes. Art seems to be the field where length and breadth of experience is a very important aspect." Cathy Hegman Your Resume is the most important

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-68801759625253752352011-09-10T20:13:00.000-07:002011-09-29T15:32:32.437-07:00

The questions I hear again and again are who looks at an my resume? What is it's value and why should I even create one?An artists resume has tremendous value for artists in so many ways. The primary purpose is to gauge the value of your work. It's what collectors and auction houses might refer to as "Provence." The more you do and where you do it can bring tremendous value to your work;

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-20749777002763636612011-08-29T16:34:00.000-07:002011-08-30T12:57:58.325-07:00

It  occurred to me that after my last post that I’d forgotten three very important punctuation marks.  The bullet point, the slash and the accent (back and forward). These will help you make your writing - and your resume especially a lot clearer. The Bullet Point (•) - is a typographical glyph used to define items in a list. It is probably called the bullet point because of it’s resemblance to

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-45542426398851119802011-08-27T15:19:00.000-07:002011-09-01T13:28:57.655-07:00

This post will lean more towards your resume - which I wil begin to discuss in the next post - discussing punctuation that is essential in formatting and consistency. A must when listing your successes and achievements the right way. These forms of punctuation, of course, refer to narrative text as well (artist statement, bio, etc). The Apostrophe: This can be confusing but I hope that this

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-30099647337442095782011-08-11T12:49:00.001-07:002011-12-10T18:09:10.929-08:00

"The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart." Maya Angelou

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-27895177180387451062011-08-09T16:31:00.000-07:002011-08-15T21:08:56.825-07:00

Did you know that your readers need to take a breath? To stop here and there just to absorb what you're saying. When you read your work out loud you'll notice the need to breathe. How much of a stop do you want to give them? Punctuation can help. It can also make your thoughts and ideas really clear and effective. What follows are definitions of the different types of punctuation, along with

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-11674439909724277002011-08-04T20:32:00.000-07:002011-08-04T20:32:31.170-07:00

Words are fascinating.  Playing with the meaning is the most fun - because every word has several meanings. Look up a word in the dictionary and you will see what I'm talking about.  Even the way a word is pronounced or the inflection in the voice that's reading it can effect the meaning.  That's one reason I like to read my work out loud or have someone else read it to me.  I can see what it

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-86598393761006692632011-07-30T16:06:00.001-07:002011-08-02T22:07:50.297-07:00

"There is nothing more agonizing than bearing an untold story within you."

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-87328462237609603662011-07-28T17:10:00.000-07:002011-08-07T05:04:45.027-07:00

Envision yourself walking into a gallery and you are absolutely, positively fascinated by what you see. The titles, media and size are not enough. They are only a clue to the concept. The art is really well executed and thought out. You are either not sure of what it really is or you want to be sure that you get it. You want to know more. So you walk up to the desk where the gallery director

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-11900584942694534382011-07-21T17:07:00.000-07:002011-07-22T01:01:40.844-07:00

Artists are so visual that they often overlook the power of words but, believe me, that words - they way they are said and/or written - are important. Does that scare you? Don't let it. It is powerful but you can harness that power and use it to express yourself in a unique and effective way. To connect, create a bridge between you and the viewer of your art.If you are doubting what I'm saying

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-22510789885613132762011-07-12T11:50:00.000-07:002011-07-12T11:50:11.811-07:00

One of the most important questions, that can help your viewer get into your mind and your heart, is how does the act of making art make you feel.  Is it a wonderment. an excitement, calming, peaceful.  What's going on in your being?  What does it do for your soul? Someone with a passion for art, who doesn't have the ability to make it, cannot conceive of why you do it and how you feel. If you

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-70634997861592110572011-06-30T11:51:00.000-07:002011-06-30T11:52:29.547-07:00

After you have written everything, done all of the exercises the next step is to take the best nuggets from everything you've written and compile it into one statement. How do you do that? How do you decide what's good and what isn't. Hopefully what you've written is wonderful, poetic and free flowing. If it isn't this is your chance to make it read well. One of the best writing tips I can give

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-5939374865863861702011-06-23T18:45:00.000-07:002011-06-23T20:29:20.384-07:00

I am pleased to share with you what is the first of what I hope will be many interviews with arts professionals.    I am honored and extremely grateful to Lynn Lobell from Queens Council on the Arts, for agreeing to do this interview.  I have known Lynn for a long time and find her to be a dedicated and generous member of the the non-profit arts community and artists world in the borough of

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-41242513942381640102011-06-10T10:37:00.001-07:002011-06-10T10:37:45.681-07:00

Editing is fun! Dare I say that? I who struggled with the very concept that the words I put on the page were not immediately perfect? Maybe I was scared that if I missed a period the whole piece would fall apart and maybe the whole world would come crashing down around me. I love to write so I decided that it was time to learn to love editing. I struggled but once I started The Artists Objective

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-12644091360282506882011-05-13T13:10:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:10:40.734-07:00

One idea that I really love is to have what Barbara Sher - author of Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want - calls an "Idea Party."  For the artists statement what this amounts to is asking a group of trusted friends to come over and talk about your art.  What you will do is put out some wine and some snacks, your art and having them talk about the art.  It's interesting to see what other

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-5239193742547808852011-04-17T14:57:00.000-07:002011-04-17T14:57:39.256-07:00

Before I get into another strategy for writing your artists statement I want to ask you to watch two videos I've posted on the left.  One is of Jackson Pollock talking about his work and the other is Louise Nevelson.  The reason I posted them was not to intimidate you but because I want you to know that everyone can talk about their art in terms that are as accessible as if you're holding a

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-1207852494466943942011-04-09T21:35:00.000-07:002011-04-10T09:29:54.636-07:00

The first exercise I will give you is one of my favorites. It involves getting into that place where you are one with the pen and are just letting everything that comes into your mind out. Partly inspired by "The Morning Pages" in Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" and partly by seasoned writers who simply call it free writing. Tapping into your unconscious and letting it all hang out.

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-47203503237592560252011-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:002011-04-06T23:28:25.013-07:00

Henry Moore was an amazing sculptor who was the most well known sculptor in England in the 20th Century. His work is semi-abstract inspired by landscape, bones, human features, shells, pebbles and more. Here is a link to more about him on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_MooreI want to share with you excerpts from three interviews he did because I think they are perfect examples of

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When I tell artists about writing and how important to their careers it is I usually get a look of dread. How do you put something so visual into words? Artists are not usually articulate about their work, a lot of times it comes from the unconscious. The language is visual so how do you articulate in speech and writing what you are doing?Many artists also tell me that their grammar is not

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-2963039137003071992011-04-03T20:29:00.000-07:002011-04-03T20:39:12.100-07:00

This article is mostly about digital cameras but will include information about things you can make into habits when you're shooting digital images. • More mega-pixels in a camera means you can make larger prints with good detail. 5-8 mega-pixels should be good but you may want more if you're doing professional photography as an art medium. The words mega-pixel simply means 1000 pixels. So the

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-15045778313437235072011-03-27T21:51:00.000-07:002011-03-27T22:05:47.235-07:00

As I said before, your images speak for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week even when you're not there to speak for it. An image that is poorly cropped or not lit evenly can say so much. The juror may assume that you're unprofessional or difficult to work with. So here's what to do to make your images absolutely, positively perfect. This also comes from experience curating over 60 exhibitions.

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-53092524163995480552011-03-27T21:28:00.000-07:002011-03-27T21:51:02.969-07:00

Labeling your images correctly is extremely important. If the image (or any computer file for that matter) is "broken" it means that the party receiving it won't be able to open it and you may lose an important opportunity. Labeling your images properly can also mean that you are much more organized and will be able to locate images faster. My recommendations are also based on looking at hundreds

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-5589347040021700882011-03-27T20:33:00.000-07:002011-03-27T21:28:17.784-07:00

I really believe that there is no better, more flexible, photo software than Photoshop. The full blown version can be very expensive. By itself, it’s as expensive as $700 to $1000 but there is a limited edition called Photoshop Elements which runs about $79.00 and has everything that artists need for photo-editing. Another way to buy Photoshop inexpensively is to purchase Adobe Creative Suite,

The Artists Objectivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03485281366212830389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8303401136029827134.post-54798114222970792662011-03-27T20:19:00.000-07:002011-03-27T20:30:45.248-07:00

With so many options out there it is hard to know what kind of camera to use when photographing your art work. SLR versus DSLR versus point and shoot. What to purchase? Again I cannot stress enough that it is absolutely imperative to have great photos of your art. Consider the purchase of a good camera to be an investment in your career. The first thing you should know is that SLR and DSLR are

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The digital image is something that artists really need to wrap their minds around. In order to be successful and open the door to an amazing array of possibilities artists need to have top quality photos of their work. In addition the artists owns the copyright to their work and the rights of reproduction after they sell their work. Without a good image of their work there is no way that they

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