ENTERING SHOWS          

Entering shows is a great way to have your work publicly displayed and your name noticed. Putting art in front of the public establishes the artist as a professional, and provides feedback from those who see it. According to Richard Jurus, Associate Professor at Sinclair Community College, your exhibition record is also one of the most important factors in getting hired in most university settings. Where and how often you show your work is an valuable part of your resume. Julie Harris prefers to have at least eight shows a year to maintain her record. Cash prizes are offered frequently in juried shows as well.

The first step in entering shows is finding out when and where they are being held. Jurus suggests several sources, such as searching Art Week on the Internet as well as several publications such as "Art Calendar" and "After Image", the journal of visual studies workshop in Rochester. "Sunshine Artist" is another magazine devoted to monthly reviews and listings of shows for both art and craft. The subscriptions are expensive, but as Jurus says, if the price is prohibitive, stop right there, because the cost of entering shows and putting your work together is even more expensive. Generally, three to five slides are required for each group show, although some places ask for as many as twenty.

Early in his career, Jurus entered as many as thirty to sixty shows a year, and would suggest that any new aspiring artist do the same. But you must also realize you will be rejected frequently, and develop an attitude of perseverance. Rick suggests having a large supply of slides of your work and sending them everywhere. Eventually, with some success, you can be more selective in choosing shows of special interest to you, as being in the same shows year after year provides no further advantage.

Obviously, to make a lot of slides, you must have a large body of work. Being prolific in mass production is the name of the game, according to Rick. Producing, sending, copying, and organization are the keys to success. He suggests a theme oriented approach with your work. It should be tightly knit, with a cohesiveness that connects the viewer (and juror) from image to image.

Having good slides is most important, since it is from the slide itself that your work will be judged. They can be professionally taken for a large fee, but with some photographic experience and equipment you can take them yourself very successfully. In the May 1997 issue of "Clay Times" there is a good article on a technique you can do at home to make pro quality slides of ceramic work. The labels should be laser printed for legibility, with a dot in the corner to show how the slide is to be loaded into the carousel. They should be mounted in plastic rather than paper so they will not jam the machine. A professional presentation shows your work in the best possible manner, and may get you into the shows you most desire.

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