Creep Machine Magazine – Contemporary Art & Culture

Tag: art show

  • How to prepare your art for show and sale

    How to prepare your art for show and sale

    One of the most important things next to creating unique & interesting art, is how the art is presented and how you take care of the art when it is shipped to galleries and buyers. Presentation is a factor that is present in everything we partake of, whether it’s buying a new guitar, dining at a restaurant or staying somewhere while on vacation. If your dinner was just thrown down in front of you, and the place was dirty and the people rude, would you feel comfortable about spending your money there? Or if the hotel room clearly hadn’t been cleaned and was run down, or that special guitar you bought was shipped in a cheap box and poorly treated. You would no doubt question your purchase and steer clear of those places in the future.

    Buying and owning art is a luxury, and should be an enjoyable experience throughout. Especially when to many artists, the sale of original works of art means paying some bills, purchasing more supplies and eating a little better. There have been too many occasions where I have gone to art shows and witnessed art that was presented in a way, that it gave the impression the artist had little respect for the work they were showing. So hopefully this guide will be able to help in showing some of the best ways to have your art presented and prepared, as well as shipped.
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  • How to Throw a DIY art show that doesn’t suck

    How to Throw a DIY art show that doesn’t suck

    Here is an article that was submitted by Molly Crabapple, artist, writer, and creator of the very cool Dr.Sketchy’s Anti-Art School. If there is anyone with the knowledge to help make your art shows more of a success than they normally are, it’s Molly.

    Like many artists, you may be tired of waiting for a gallery to sweep you off your feet. You’ve sent your slide packets, you’ve written artist your statements, and you’ve received only discouraging silence in return.

    At this point, like many artists, you decide to grab fate by the balls. Why wait for a gallery to notice you when there’s wall space in the local cafe or club, practically begging to be filled. So, with courage and a portfolio, you approach the proprietor. And, unlike those galleries, he’s overjoyed. Of course you can have a show!

    You go home, head buzzing with visions of selling your artwork, and telling that gallery to go jump in a lake. But why is it that for all their promise, shows in non-traditional venues so often end in failure?

    Bad publicity, bad communication, and lack of confidence. And, using examples from my own life (some happy, some less so), I’m going to give you a roadmap for making sure your DIY exhibition ends in sweet victory, rather than my cheap-gin tears of defeat.
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