"Empty Nest" by Debra Keirce 5"x7" oil, juried into the 2015 Albuquerque Art Museum show and first to sell for $795 in the show
The more I learn, the less I know. It's a common phrase, and it's very true.
I have over 6 years of experience now, entering some of the world's finest art shows. I have been blessed with many accolades and awards in them over the years. But the more experience I have with them, the less I understand about them.
"Vacation Ingredients" by Debra Keirce, 5"x5" oil, $465 one of the pieces I've had the most social media buzz about, and almost half the price of the painting above, yet still available through Seaside Art Gallery
Here is a list of 10 questions that I stew over lately every time the results for shows are announced. And my questions are the same, whether I've been juried in or not, and whether I've been awarded a prize or not. Maybe there just are no answers to these questions. Maybe I'm the only one who has them. Maybe my engineering background causes me to seek a logical explanation in places there just aren't any.
"Milk and Cookies" by Debra Keirce, 24"x18" acrylic, $3,505 award winning piece praised as thought provoking, juried into several shows and available at Ellis-Nicholson Gallery
1. Are paintings that sell inherently different from paintings that win awards in shows? Should we paint one way for sales and another way for shows?
2. Is it just me, or has everyone had experiences where paintings that win best of show or first place end up not selling - even when the show has great sales?
3. For shows with themes and categories, am I the only sucker who takes them seriously? Or do I just not understand them properly? Are the show organizers just doing lip service to themes and categories? Do they even jury and judge based on them?
4. If show organizers are most interested in sales, are they using criteria related to what they think will sell best when they jury paintings into shows? If so, wouldn't it be better for them if they shared that criteria with artists?? Or do they have so many entries they don't need to?
5. Is it just a numbers game? Are show sales and awards based on how many you enter?
6. There are so many incredibly talented artists in the circles I travel in. With so many folks applying to shows, it is suspicious to me that the same people often are in the winners circle. Do you need to build a name for yourself, and have a sphere of influence before you are fortunate enough to be in the winners circle repeatedly? Or is it truly just based on talent?
7. Does the attention show sales and awards bring to an artist really help them in their careers? Or would they be just as successful if they never entered a show?
8. Is it better to apply to shows in smaller venues or larger ones? Presumably, you have a better chance of winning and selling in smaller ones, but more people will see your work in larger ones. Which is more important?
9. Is it better to only enter a handful of shows and spend more time researching every aspect of those few? Or is it better to enter as many as you can and spread a wide net?
10. Is it best to share every show acceptance and award and sale on social media? Or do people get tired of congratulating artists?
I'm really interested in your opinion. Do you have the same questions? Do you have any of the answers? PLEASE let me know! :)
My painting, "Happy" of the bubble gum jars sold at this show at Huckleberry Fine Art Gallery last year. Does featuring a painting in the promotion for the show help it to sell?
