Entering Juried Exhibits

artshow.com is my favorite resource to check for upcoming juried art exhibits.

Where do you look?

Some key things I check before entering a juried exhibit:

1. Who is the judge?
What type of work does the judge like, as evidenced by their own work (if an artist) work they collect (if a collector), or work they exhibit (if a gallery owner). What type of work has the judge selected for acceptance and awards in previous juried exhibits? Do a Google search to find out more.

2. What type of prizes will be awarded?
Will it benefit me to enter? In what ways...if I win and if I don't?

3. Will my work fit in with the style preferred by the show organizers?

4. What are the additional costs of entering?
Aside from the entry fee, are there shipping costs or booth fees? Do I think that my income will outweigh the expenses?

5. What are my chances for increasing exposure to my art?
What type of press coverage does the event receive? How respected is it in the art community? Is this a local exhibit, regional exhibit, or will it attract national attention?

I entered art exhibits for many years without paying attention to most of these details, just assuming that my work would speak for itself. It's not going to make much impact if you are speaking to the wrong audience. Once I started researching and only entering exhibits that matched my goals and interests, my acceptance and award percentage went up significantly. I encourage you to do the same.

Marketing Your Work Online

Every day it seems there are new online websites, blogs, and social networking sites to help you market your work. While I haven't jumped on the Facebook bandwagon yet...still not sure if I will, and I'm not video blogging (or vlogging)...no video camera, there are a few blogs I consistently follow.

EmptyEasel.com provides articles from an artist's perspective on topics such as search engine optimization tips, art tutorials, marketing tips, reviews of various products, and more. Ways for you to interact are: submit an article you have written for a chance to be published on the site, and suggest that your work be reviewed as the featured artist of the week. My work was featured as the September 5, 2007, featured artist of the week.

Gurney Journey is a must read daily weblog from James Gurney. It contains a wealth of information for all artists, and this is the one site I check every day.

Alyson B. Stanfield has a blog and produces a weekly e-newsletter with tips to help artist's market their work and stay organized, so they can spend more time in the studio. She also has a book called I'd Rather Be in the Studio!.

There are many other sites and blogs out there. Find the ones you like and leave comments to let the authors know when they have provided helpful information and if you have information that may be helpful to others. What are your favorite sites? What sites have helped you most?

If you are on twitter, follow artists_wife for insight on what it's like to be married to an artist, plus news about my work that doesn't always make it to my blog. Twitter is an easy way to share news and insight into your work without taking up a lot of your time.

Sketch for Autumn Rain (Available for Purchase)

Sketch for Autumn Rain
4 7/8" x 4 7/8" (drawing size)
9 13/16" x 9 13/16" (mat size)
Graphite on Paper
© 2007

This would look great paired with Cattle in Winter. If interested in purchasing, please email me at info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.

Art Leagues and Critiques

I just returned from a dinner/social/critique session with the Lake Norman Art League. I joined this Art League (and later a couple others) shortly after moving to Charlotte from Maryland. This was a great way to meet people with similar interests and get plugged into the local arts community. If you do not participate in a local art group, I encourage you to search for ones in your area and attend a couple meetings and exhibits to see if you would fit in. Benefits include connecting with fellow artists, participating in exhibits, networking, finding out about local events and having an outlet to help market your own, plus many more.

We had a critique session tonight. Each person could bring one work, give a brief introduction of themselves and the piece, and receive helpful feedback from fellow artists. Many commented they had never stepped back far enough from their piece and were seeing things in a new perspective. Others had not reflected on the impact matting and framing can have on a piece. It is important in every artist's growth to seek out feedback from other artists.

If you don't have an art league or critique sessions in your area, I encourage you to help get them started. Get involved in your local arts community in whatever way you can. Make your voice and interests heard. I did not participate much after college when I lived in Virginia and Maryland and the contrast between then and now is abundantly clear.

New Painting FinishedView from Quiet Waters Park (SOLD)

View from Quiet Waters Park
8" x 10"
Oil on Canvas
© 2008
SOLD

I finished this painting a few months ago, but have not posted it to my website yet. The view is looking out on the South River from Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, Maryland.

Spring Classes and Workshops

I am teaching several oil painting classes and plein air painting workshops in the Charlotte, NC, area this spring, as well as a wood cut workshop. I am also available for private lessons for individuals or small groups. View a list of current and upcoming classes and workshops I am teaching. For more information, please email me at info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.

I am also planning 3- and 5-day plein air painting workshops at Emerald Isle and the Crystal Coast of North Carolina. Projected dates are in late-September and October. More details to be announced soon. There is also the possibility of a 3-day workshop this spring. If interested, please let me know, and I will email you the details when available. Thanks!

Google Image Search

Just a note: If you found my blog by doing a Google Image Search, I recently removed all old posts featuring the miniature paintings I completed in 2007. Almost all of these have been sold, and I am taking a new direction with my blog. A selection of these paintings will be on my website, paulkeysar.com, in the portfolio of past work, when the site gets relaunched in a couple of weeks. I'm also looking at publishing a book featuring my small works sometime in the future. Until then, the image links should still work if they are hosted on my website server.

Thanks,
Paul

Redesigning my Website

I am currently working on redesigning my website paulkeysar.com and hope to have it up in the next couple of weeks. Until then, I am not updating it with new content. The new website will have a new look and new features. I will no longer have a news page on my website. All news will be posted to my blog.

Linen versus Canvas

I received a comment from Ellen who asks, "I see that you paint on linen. I have only used canvas. What is this linen all about, and can I buy it in an art supply store?"

You can buy linen in the same forms as you would buy canvas—primed or unprimed, pre-stretched, by the yard, or in rolls. I usually buy mine from Dick Blick, and most major art suppliers carry a wide selection. I always buy primed linen or canvas to save time.

Aside from what you are willing to spend, probably two of the most important factors to consider when purchasing linen or canvas is the weight and the texture. There are light to heavy weights and extra-fine to large grain textures. I am most concerned with the texture, and I prefer extra fine because I like the smoothness and the way it takes the paint. I am still searching for a suitable linen or canvas with a texture I enjoy and a price I am willing to pay.

Canvas is usually made of cotton. Linen comes from the flax plant. Cotton is more readily available and can be cheaper to manufacture into canvas, whereas the flax plant grows best in Belgium and France and takes more resources to produce. The fiber strength is stronger in linen, and linen is better for archival purposes.

All said, I think linen looks better than canvas, and there are affordable linens out there. You just have to do some research, look at some samples if possible, and figure out what will work best for you.

What type of linen or canvas to you prefer? Please leave a comment...

Cattle in Winter (Available for Purchase)

Cattle in Winter
5" x 5" (drawing size)
9 7/8" x 9 7/8" (mat size)
Graphite on Paper
© 2007

I will be posting one drawing for sale per week. I'm starting with a few drawings I have had hidden away in my sketchbook. If interested in purchasing, please email me at info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.

A New Year, A New Blog Format

Welcome to 2009! Hard to believe February is almost gone. I did not do a good job at keeping up with my blog last year or email newsletters. It's easy to let things get away from you if you get out of the habit of doing them. I have been evaluating things and coming up with a plan to be better organized this year.

I have also been evaluating my goals for my art, and will be starting a couple new series of paintings this year. Along with a new direction in my art, I decided I needed an updated website and blog. My wife is working on a website redesign of www.paulkeysar.com, and has just finished updating this blog, now titled "Working Through Art".

I decided to call it "Working Through Art" for two reasons. 1. My occupation is an artist. 2. I don't have this artist life figured out yet, and I will share some of my experiences with you through my blog. I hope writing about my experiences helps me work through some things and gives you some insight into what it is like to be an artist. I also hope to encourage other artists who might be going through some of the same issues.

I value your comments and welcome your questions. Please feel free to leave a comment, send me an email, or give me a call (studio - 704.596.1286). I'll do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.

Finding a Balance

Here's a struggle that I am constantly facing. I would like to have a body of work to approach galleries with, to participate in solo or group exhibitions, and to market to collectors. Galleries usually want a minimum of 15-20 paintings when reviewing new artists. You need a good number of paintings to be in an exhibition. And what I have learned in the past year, is that it is important to create series of work. I have several ideas for a few series of paintings that I am working on now. In opposition to that, is the need for immediate income.

Art is a very expensive profession. I have three tubes of paint that I am out of, and they cost about $120 total. Not many people realize the supply cost that goes into creating a painting. I go through almost a set of brushes per large-size painting. I prefer linen to canvas. Then, there are the obligatory monthly bills—the cost of living. The immediate need for income surpasses the need to build up a body of work. I feel like I am caught in a spin cycle, trying to fight my way back on top of the water.

To fulfill my immediate monetary needs, I take commissions, I sell my work to interested buyers, and I teach. I like doing all three. Commissions are important because you know that the work you are creating is already spoken for, with a partial deposit. Direct sales are the goal of every artist. There is nothing more satifying for an artist than to create a piece of work and have someone fall in love with it and claim it as their own. I also enjoy encouraging beginning artists in the foundations of painting, helping them grow in their understanding and skill.

However, I have recognized that to make it to the next level, I need to do more. I need a great body of work that sets me apart in the crowd. So, I am trying to figure out how to do it all. I think it is important to set goals and revisit them daily. What shows do I want to enter this year? What kind of advertising do I want to do? In what galleries would I love to be accepted? I guess I am recognizing the need for a business plan. Artist's don't like to think about business much because it leeches away the creativity. I am blessed to have a wife who helps me with the business side. I don't know how people like James Gurney do as much as they do, but it is encouraging.

I must find that balance between immediate need and future goal. I must document my goals on paper and revisit them daily to keep myself on track. I'll let you know my progress...

Work Featured in PAFA Alumni Exhibit

Two of my paintings, Green and Cattle at the Watering Hole, were selected by Juror David R. Brigham, Ph.D., the Edna S. Tuttleman Museum Director of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), for exhibit in the PAFA Juried Alumni Exhibition 2008.

The exhibit runs through July 27, 2008, in Gallery 128, 128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, on the first floor of the Samuel M. V. Hamilton Building. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is Free.

This special exhibition features 74 graduates of the Academy, and all artwork is for sale. Twenty-percent of all artwork sold will benefit the Alumni Annual Fund of the Academy.

Recent Happenings

I just returned from a very eventful trip up to Maryland. The landscape painting workshop at Belle Haven Park in Alexandria, Virginia (June 21-22) went really well. I will be planning another workshop in the DC area for early August.

The next workshop I will be teaching will be July 12-13, 2008, in southwest Charlotte, North Carolina, at the McDowell Nature Preserve. This workshop is a plein air landscape painting workshop overlooking Lake Wylie. It is from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. each day and is limited to eight (8) participants. Please call 704-596-1286 or email me if you would like to take this workshop or would like to be notified of future workshops or classes in the MD/VA/DC or Charlotte areas.

I recently completed two commissions for a client in DC.

Moving to the Shade
10" x 14"
Oil on Linen
© 2008

Black Angus Grazing in the Countryside
10" x 14"
Oil on Linen
© 2008

English Pointer painting featured inGarden & Gun Magazine

My painting, English Pointer, is featured in the article "Good Dog" in the January/February 2008 issue of Garden & Gun Magazine.

Garden and Gun Magazine is a 21st Century Southern lifestyle magazine, which launched in early 2007. It is carried in major retailers. If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, I encourage you to give it a read. The name drew me to pick up the first issue last spring, and I quite enjoy it. www.gardenandgun.com

Happy New Year!

I cannot believe how quickly the last third of 2007 went. Months felt like weeks and weeks, days. I wanted to thank everyone who has supported, encouraged, or shown an interest in my work and my life over the past year.

2007 was a year of many changes for me. I moved from Maryland to Concord, NC, in January, a temporary residence while house hunting. In March, I joined the Lake Norman Art League and started my first "miniature" paintings. In April, I decided to start this blog, and because of a lack of work space, took up the practice of completing several miniature paintings a week (works which are all posted on this blog). In May, I purchased and moved into my first home in Charlotte, NC. June and July were months of transition as I became adjusted to my new work space and for the first time, a somewhat settled life.

During the summer, my wife and I were asked to serve on the Board of Officers for the Lake Norman Art League. As summer drew to a close, I began to focus more on my larger work, phasing out work on miniature paintings. In September, I joined the Mooresville Artist Guild to become more involved in the local art community. I participated in several shows during the fall and received recognition for several different works. Moreover, I started to turn my attention back to figurative study and work, as I intend to incorporate the figure into my landscapes more. Two books that have proved to be a valuable resource are Classical Drawing Atelier - A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice by Juliette Artistides, Watson-Guptill, 2006; and The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing: A Contemporary Perspective on the Classical Tradition by Anthony Ryder, Watson-Guptill, 1999.

Looking Ahead to 2008: I have thought about getting back to teaching for some time now, and in early January, I will be starting a Long Pose Figure Drawing Class held at the Mooresville Artist Guild. My painting, English Pointer, will appear in the January/February 2008 issue of Garden and Gun Magazine, as part of the feature titled "Good Dog." Look for that to hit newsstands sometime in mid-January 2008. I have many plans and goals for 2008. I hope you will check in from time to time to read more about what's happening in my life as an artist and to view newly completed paintings and other works. If you would like to start receiving my e-Newsletter with information on new works for sale and other news, please send an email to info@paulkeysar.com. I send out newsletters approximately once per month.

I wish you all a happy, healthy, and successful 2008! May it be your best year yet.

-Paul

Updates

I will post some more of my latest work soon. Things have been pretty hectic. Since my last post, I finished the painting Moonrise Over the Marsh (shown at left). I also completed a couple of commissions and am working on a couple more.

If you would like more information about commissioning a painting, please email me at info@paulkeysar.com, or call (704) 596-1286.

Latest Works

Cast Shadows
8" x 10"
Oil on Canvas
© 2007
SOLD

Green
20" x 16"
Oil on Canvas
© 2007

Well, it is hard to believe September has gone by so quickly. I know many are wondering about the paintings I have been working on for the past several months. I finished two larger paintings this past week. I entered several pieces into fall exhibits for two local artist leagues today. I always have something on the easel each day. Shown here are my latest works.

I appreciate your interest in my work. If you would like to receive news regarding my latest works and other news, please sign up for my email newsletter list by following the link to the form at the top right, or send an email to info@paulkeysar.com.

Featured Artist on emptyeasel.com

Last week, I submitted information about my work to the website emptyeasel.com in hopes of being reviewed. Each week, a new artist is featured on the EE Reviews section of the website. I am happy to announce that my work was selected for review, and I am the featured artist for September 5, 2007. Please take a moment to read the article, which is written entirely from the perspective of the site owner. His interpretation of my work is spot on with what I hoped to convey in the three paintings depicted, and that of my work in general. In addition, I encourage you to browse the rest of his website, which proves to be a valuable resource for artists and art lovers. (Read the full article by clicking this link...)