Joe Herrick, curator and Cassandra Jennings Hall , artist in front of her painting 'Whales' in the Center Hall gallery at the Hudson Opera House in Hudson NY
Hopefully you are lucky enough to have an exhibition at a space that does everything for you, hang the show, publicity, reception, etc. including giving you honoraria for your show. These places are great because you just have to bring the paintings and you have a check afterward. You don’t feel so bad if you didn’t sell a painting. I had such an opportunity at the Hudson Opera House (HOH) in Hudson NY, July-August 2008. The director there is a wonderful man named Joe Herrick who really has it together! I helped him hang the show which used the rail system. I don’t usually like the rail system, I like the hammer and nail system. But he was great and we had the show up in less than two and half hour and it looked wonderful.
Here are a few things I learned from him, forget fish line when using the rail system, use the picture frame hanging wire. Now you might say, “How does that look?” Steel gray lines against white walls, I had my doubts too but it looked great and it’s easier to handle than fish line. It used to be that I was always trying different ways of making wall labels for my paintings. I finally settled on business cards, the ones you get from Staples when you make your own. But I found that tape sometime left a mark on the wall or could take paint off if left on too long. Joe used the scotch double sided tape; it goes on and off of the wall as easy as 1, 2, and 3. The other thing that’s always a pain in my neck is seeing my paintings on the wall crooked when I come to the reception. Joe used art putty also made by scotch. After we leveled or rather he leveled the paintings he put a blob of white putty in each lower corner of the painting as I held it in place. Results no crooked paintings and no damage to the walls.
On the day of the reception after driving 2 hours with some friends to Hudson I noticed that the traffic lights were out as I approached the main drag which is Warren Street. Wondering what was wrong I turn the corner and found a parking spot right in front of a darken Hudson Opera House. The doors were wide open and people were inside trying to look at the Art. The reception was starting at 6:00pm so I came early to have lunch and to see artists from a nearby artist colony discuss their work which was on the HOH schedule of events before my reception. Needless to say there was no discussion that day and I had to trot up to the 500 block to find a restaurant with lights for lunch. We found Mexico Radio which is also located in lower Manhattan, great food!
At six we returned to the opening reception at the Hudson Opera House, still no lights but people were coming and going. It was thrilling to have people come to a show just to see you and your work. Artists know what I mean, you have a show and the people who come are friends and relatives. But this show, people came in and asked for me ‘the Artist’, it was a big deal for them to meet me and discuss my work. Did I say the Joe did an excellent job on publicity? Well that’s what brought all of the folks in.
I suggest that you have your elevator speech prepared before you get to your reception particularly when the attendees are first seeing your work. I am still perfecting mine and think my presentation is a little clumsy but I’m working on it. I would also review my statement and my bio next time because people ask questions based on what they have read about you. Up until now I’m sure I looked shocked when asked questions that are based on certain knowledge of who I am. I would think, how do they know that? They read the bio and artist statement. The other thing that floored me is when someone would walk right up to me and use my name while introducing themselves. Usually it’s because they went to my website and saw a picture of me.
I have had a lot of shows each year of my career; look at the resume page of my website. I have learned how to make great work and present it well. I have learned how to market it so that people know who I am and what my work is, at least in my community. Now the challenge is to present myself and my work to probable collectors in a way that encourages them to become purchasers. Any hints?
Monday, September 1, 2008
Hudson Opera House, Center Gallery - Exhibition
Joe Herrick, curator and Cassandra Jennings Hall , artist in front of her painting 'Whales' in the Center Hall gallery at the Hudson Opera House in Hudson NY
Hopefully you are lucky enough to have an exhibition at a space that does everything for you, hang the show, publicity, reception, etc. including giving you honoraria for your show. These places are great because you just have to bring the paintings and you have a check afterward. You don’t feel so bad if you didn’t sell a painting. I had such an opportunity at the Hudson Opera House (HOH) in Hudson NY, July-August 2008. The director there is a wonderful man named Joe Herrick who really has it together! I helped him hang the show which used the rail system. I don’t usually like the rail system, I like the hammer and nail system. But he was great and we had the show up in less than two and half hour and it looked wonderful.
Here are a few things I learned from him, forget fish line when using the rail system, use the picture frame hanging wire. Now you might say, “How does that look?” Steel gray lines against white walls, I had my doubts too but it looked great and it’s easier to handle than fish line. It used to be that I was always trying different ways of making wall labels for my paintings. I finally settled on business cards, the ones you get from Staples when you make your own. But I found that tape sometime left a mark on the wall or could take paint off if left on too long. Joe used the scotch double sided tape; it goes on and off of the wall as easy as 1, 2, and 3. The other thing that’s always a pain in my neck is seeing my paintings on the wall crooked when I come to the reception. Joe used art putty also made by scotch. After we leveled or rather he leveled the paintings he put a blob of white putty in each lower corner of the painting as I held it in place. Results no crooked paintings and no damage to the walls.
On the day of the reception after driving 2 hours with some friends to Hudson I noticed that the traffic lights were out as I approached the main drag which is Warren Street. Wondering what was wrong I turn the corner and found a parking spot right in front of a darken Hudson Opera House. The doors were wide open and people were inside trying to look at the Art. The reception was starting at 6:00pm so I came early to have lunch and to see artists from a nearby artist colony discuss their work which was on the HOH schedule of events before my reception. Needless to say there was no discussion that day and I had to trot up to the 500 block to find a restaurant with lights for lunch. We found Mexico Radio which is also located in lower Manhattan, great food!
At six we returned to the opening reception at the Hudson Opera House, still no lights but people were coming and going. It was thrilling to have people come to a show just to see you and your work. Artists know what I mean, you have a show and the people who come are friends and relatives. But this show, people came in and asked for me ‘the Artist’, it was a big deal for them to meet me and discuss my work. Did I say the Joe did an excellent job on publicity? Well that’s what brought all of the folks in.
I suggest that you have your elevator speech prepared before you get to your reception particularly when the attendees are first seeing your work. I am still perfecting mine and think my presentation is a little clumsy but I’m working on it. I would also review my statement and my bio next time because people ask questions based on what they have read about you. Up until now I’m sure I looked shocked when asked questions that are based on certain knowledge of who I am. I would think, how do they know that? They read the bio and artist statement. The other thing that floored me is when someone would walk right up to me and use my name while introducing themselves. Usually it’s because they went to my website and saw a picture of me.
I have had a lot of shows each year of my career; look at the resume page of my website. I have learned how to make great work and present it well. I have learned how to market it so that people know who I am and what my work is, at least in my community. Now the challenge is to present myself and my work to probable collectors in a way that encourages them to become purchasers. Any hints?
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