Every year a new reality television show comes on the air to add to the group of those already part of our consciousness.  For the shows related to entertainment like "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" the audience get a voice and vote in who stays or goes home.  Have we become experts?  Are we actually budding talent agents or have they unknowingly educated us and now we've become more discerning in our taste?

The Art Students League of Denver (ASLD.. www.asld.org ) hosts an art show.  The show is open to faculty, students and members of the ASLD.  The second weekend in June the tents come out and the artists show their work.  I've often found it a great place to spot an emerging artist and I've bought their work with the conscious idea that we would grow together; they as an artist and me a collector.

As President of Front Range Contemporary Quilters I've instituted Inspiration Days.  These are opportunities for the membership to get together developing community and as a group view the art of another medium.  I truly believe that the more art you see the better your art gets.  We walked around and found ourselves going through the show faster than expected.  What were we looking for?  We knew they don't teach fiber class at the League so there wouldn't be any booths with fiber art...but we were still looking for something.

We finally decided to caucus and we came to the conclusion that amongst the artists who were showing we were looking for the next great break-out artist.  The next artist whose point of view was unique and fresh.  Instead what we got were a lot of traditional oil painters showing their work in gold frames.  Not only were they showing the work in gold frames, they were all (or so it seemed) the same gold frames.  They couldn't even find a way to be unique in their presentation.

I will give credit to one artist who covered the interior walls of his tent with a red fabric that gave the feeling of a small gallery.  He actually thought about how to display the work and make himself stand out.  I'd say most of the work was ordinary and very little in subject matter or technique that was new, fresh or interesting.

Ask yourself if showing in this type of venue is a good choice.  If you're going to be one of many than stay home and have a garage sale.  If you can't find a way to make yourself unique than I hope art is a hobby because you won't make it professionally.  Be conscious of what you create, how you create and how your show your work...it's a package deal.  Go see art and get new influences.

Please don't make us vote you off the island!
Greg

coaching artists to success