Torso: Almost Done, done in by the kiln imps.
Ah, new moon. Keys lost somewhere in the house. How can I lose a key ring with so many keys on it? I’m sure it will turn up. Meanwhile I have the house and car key from the last time I lost my keys (that time out of the house).
Almost Done came out of the kiln this morning with pieces blown out – that hasn’t happened to me in an age (did I mention that a piece at Joie de Vivre in Cambridge broke into shards when the owner dropped her? pixies. And yes, the owner is covering the cost, bless her.) She also has glaze runs up her chest – that because I fired her on her shoulders which are straighter and therefore more stable than her bottom part. You can see I have the pieces and they fit back pretty good except for that hunk of kiln wash that came away with the biggest piece (it landed face down and the kiln wash did exactly what it’s supposed to do, protected the shelf from having unremoveable glaze which would render it useless. This was I just have to rewash). I don’t know if she can be fixed. Very big Sigh. I guess she just wasn’t ready to be here. I’ll have to think on her.
Yesterday started my goal of contacting 10 galleries a day (queries) about placing artwork. That also includes shows as well as year round placement. And one already got back to me: they’re interested in my paintings! What a nice surprise! They requested I recontact them in January to chat after the holiday season is done. I got back in touch with UMBC Women’s Center where I did a show last year (work your known contacts first) and discovered an invitation to submit from a query letter that I had forgotten about – which pointed up to the need to get organized. So I am writing my 10 galleries a day in a notebook. And when they respond I am highlighting them in yellow. And I am starting a notebook with all the gallery info I’m amassing to move through methodically, and will have Jan – Dec tabs in the back for follow-up. That’s about as organized as I’ve been with this effort, but in the past it was pretty sporadic and now I am focused.
Here’s a post by the Blog Squad ladies on domain prices going up – I think that will only be a bummer if you have lots of domain names, but I’m passing it along anyways.
And here’s a great post by Artrepreneur on wholesale shows with some back links to earlier postings. If you’re interested in wholesale shows, this is a true goldmine!
I’m off to have real tea with Eileen the Dream and virtual tea with Lizzie in Devon England (we’re all on-line pals). Anyone else reading is welcome to join the party…I’m taking along some vanilla pumpkin tea I was gifted by Nicole at Bronze Door Spa (yum).
thought for the day: All that you must do, you’ve already done. Mike Dooley, Notes from the Universe
4 Comments
to answer Michelle's question in case any one else is interested:
I hate phone calls. So I make lists of galleries (gathered from the web, brochures of places I visit, magazines, etc) and query via email:
1. are you taking new artists?
2. How do you like to be approached?
Some will answer directly: send along some photos or we're having this and you're welcome to come along; some will give you really long things: disc/special way to label the phots/if by email exact sizes, etc. Some will say call (ugh). You just follow their directions (some won't answer. Don't worry about that, just put them down again for a few months later or start snail mailing whatever you send out to your customers and then contact them again and they'll then know your name but not know how)(=]). sometimes they have their approach info on their website, in which case you just follow that.
After 5 years of piddling around with this I can tell you that it will not work unless you are persistant, willing to do the numbers (it's a number thing: 100 contacts, 10 good solid replies – and that's in a good 1/2 year), organized, willing to follow-up and mind the details.
For those of us at the beginning of the gallery approach, would you be willing to share what's in your first contact with a new one?
I'm so sorry about your torso's breaking. You have such a good attitude about it though – next time something like that happens to me, I'm going to try to remind myself of your words, about the piece not being ready to be born.
Your tea sounds wonderful – hope you had a great time ~ xox
Tammy-
Thank you so much for sharing that AMAZING tea with me today … and your wonderful words. You are, without a doubt, a truly inspired and inspirational woman! Ten galleries a day … you're my hero! Sorry Sunny was such a loud mouth … it must be the cooler weather – he is STILL being very trippy. Grrrrr.