November 6th is the last monthly meeting for this year and we end it with “painting a figure in watercolor” demonstration from LAG member Howard Kaye. Members need not bring any supplies. No meeting in December, but we will still have a gallery first Friday event. Refreshments will be provided by Lisa Cassel.
Monthly Archives: October 2018
LAG Gallery Report
November and December are dates to mark on your calendar. On Thursday, November 1st from 10 to 12 am the Fall Show entries are due at Against the Wall Gallery. On Friday, November 2nd from 5 to 8 will be our first Friday event at Against the Wall Gallery. I hope there will a good turnout of LAG members to support this show. On Thursday, November 29th from 10 to 12, the Fall Show art is to picked up and gallery members are to bring new art for change of art at the gallery. On Friday, December 7th from 5 to 8, will be our first Friday event. LAG gallery members can bring small art items to the November and December first Friday and have them for sale. These art items will be displayed on tables and will only be displayed during the first Friday events. Thanks to those that are bringing art for the Fall Show, to those doing the work of putting the show together, and to everyone getting out to support the show. Will Rennick
+++President’s Potpouri+++
I am back from my cruise to New England and north to Halifax. It was eventful in that we had to dodge Hurricane Michael on our trip from Halifax to New York with swells of over four feet. The ship was very large so we didn’t feel it too much other than the one evening when everyone walking down the hallways looked like drunken sailors. I got lots of reference photos for future paintings, but didn’t get to tour any art galleries as we were on bus excursions that didn’t allow extra time to wander. I did get talked into doing a quick watercolor study while on the boat. It was during a down time: people were sitting around having coffee, walking to shops or the casino and they had eight easels set up in the main atrium and anyone could come up and paint. I had some photos on my phone so attempted a quick 15 minute rendition. You have to remember that the quality of the available materials was pretty simple— cheap brushes and paper that absorbed water like construction paper. I did complete the painting, and after sitting down and finishing my coffee with my traveling companions, people kept walking by and admiring it. One lady said she would even buy it. Of course, I didn’t sell it, but it made me feel pretty good. Carmen Stineman
Spring Show Information
Spring Show Rules
1. Follow the same rules as for an ANAC show. (size limit will be waived for this show)
2. All work must be delivered to The LUX on Thursday February 28 from 11 – 4 . If you can’t make it during that time have a friend or family member deliver it for you. If other arrangements need to be made, please call or text Carmen Stineman at 402 641 6233.
3. The art work must be dry.
4. Pick up art work on March 29.
5. Two dimensional artwork must be properly framed and ready for hanging. (use screw eyes and wire only)
6. Only original artwork may be submitted. Submitted artwork may not have been completed in an art class or workshop.
7. Gallery wrapped canvas is acceptable without a frame. Note: The edges must be lapped, and the canvas must be painted around the sides: no staples can show on the side.
8. Three dimensional artists may need to provide a pedestal if appropriate.
9. The same artwork may be entered only once: in either the spring or fall show. However the same piece can be entered once more in the ANAC competition.
10.The artist’s name, title of the piece, the medium, the artist’s phone number and the price needs to be attached to the back of the artwork. This information can be displayed on a card or separate piece of paper affixed to the canvas or backing.
11. The show chairperson has the right to refuse improperly prepared artwork.
12. The judge’s decisions are final.
Fundamentals of Commission Work
| I downloaded the attached commentary on commissions from the Fine Art Views Newsletter. I got permission to reprint it and send to the LAG members. Let me know what you think. Ted Pardy
Before you agree to create a custom artwork for a client you should consider the following items: 1. Not every artist is well-suited to doing commissioned work. If you enjoy interacting with people and are patient and diplomatic, you’ll probably be fine. If, however, you prize your artistic freedom and creativity above all else, and have a hard time filtering yourself when interacting with people, you risk having an unpleasant experience in the commission process. You should probably stick to creating what you love, and let your client know you will keep them up to date on new work until they find what they are seeking. 2. You should have an understanding in place with your client prior to beginning the project, or even perhaps, before taking a deposit. While we don’t have a formal written agreement for most commissions, we let the client know exactly how the process will work and send them the details via email. 3. Let the client know how much input they will have on the final artwork. I suggest giving the client only a little latitude here. For example, you might let them determine the general subject, size, and primary colors of the artwork, but leave decisions about the details completely at your discretion. “I want to make sure I create a masterpiece for you, and the more freedom you give me, the better I will be able to do this.” 4. Give the client an estimated time of completion, and a schedule of the various steps along the way: when you will begin, when they will receive images of the art for their approval, How long the piece will take to dry (or cast if you are a sculptor), framing or basing time and crating and delivery time. 5. Let the client know what their responsibilities are for shipping costs and installation, if any. 6. Decide whether you are going to charge extra to do custom artwork for a client. Often commissioned work will require extra planning, time, and effort on your part. It is not uncommon for artists to ask a 15-30% premium for commissioned work. On the other hand, a commission is a nearly guaranteed sale, and some artists feel this outweighs the added challenges of a commission. Most of the artists in my gallery do not charge extra for commissions. 7. Consider a written agreement. We don’t have a formal written agreement. We have handled so many commissions without one, and never had any issues. We’re probably just lucky. As mentioned above, we almost always put all of the details in an email to the client and ask them to acknowledge receipt of the email and an understanding of the terms. A written agreement will help minimize the possibility of any kind of misunderstanding in the process. 8. Ask for a deposit. This is a big one. Unless you are willing to simply do the work on spec and hope for the best, it is wise to ask for a deposit prior to beginning the project. A deposit will help formalize the agreement and will commit the client to the artwork. We ask for a 50% deposit. Some clients may hesitate to make this kind of commitment, and if they hesitate, you will have an opportunity to iron out additional details. Of course, a client may be reluctant to give a “non-refundable” deposit, but we have found a pretty elegant solution to this. We let them know that we want them to be 100% satisfied with the final artwork. If they are not, they can apply their deposit to the purchase of other work by the artist at any time in the future. In this way the artist is guaranteed the sale, even if the commissioned art doesn’t end up working out for the client (this has only happened once or twice that I can remember in 11 years of handling commissions). 9. Don’t agree to commission work that is outside the realm of your normal subject-matter or style, or that you wouldn’t be able to sell to another buyer. This concept follows directly from the principle above of guaranteeing satisfaction. If the client ends up not taking the work, you don’t want to be stuck with a piece that is unsellable. I once met an artist who had a client that was completely in love with his work. The client bought several pieces, and then asked the artist to create a large abstract piece for her living room. The artist primarily did impressionistic landscape work and wisely declined to take the commission even though the client really wanted to give the commission to him. The artist told me that he may have successfully created the abstract piece, but he wasn’t willing to risk failure, and, as important, didn’t want to dilute his brand with the client or any other clients. (For more on the importance of consistency, read this post). 10. Send photos prior to shipping or delivering the artwork. Once the work is completed, a photo to the client prior to shipping will give them an opportunity to confirm they are pleased with the piece. Let them know this is part of the process ahead of time (see #2 above). It’s better to find out about any concerns or issues before you have packed the artwork up or delivered it – you’ll save on return shipping cost and avoid an awkward situation. Sometimes artists will send progress photos along the way, but I discourage this as you don’t want the client to start requesting that you move trees around or change colors mid-stream. 11. Take final payment before shipping the artwork. We use approval of the photo as a final commitment to the purchase and ask for the balance due at that point. Again, you can only do this if you have let the client know this will be the case from the beginning (see #2 again). 12. Ask for a photo and testimonial from the client. Once the artwork has been installed, ask the client to send a photo of the piece (or take one yourself if you do the installation). You can share this photo on your website and blog. A brief testimonial from the client will help you get future sales and commissions. While commissions can certainly be a challenge, they can also be rewarding as your client gets to become part of the creative process and have a work of art that perfectly suits her needs. With a little forethought and planning, you can handle a commission professionally, keep your sanity, and provide excellent customer service.
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