A guerrilla technique for saving money on framing costs

There are some steps that artists can take to reduce significantly the cost of framing. I will try to list the most common mistakes, how to avoid them, and more importantly, how to get your artwork framed for a lot less than taking it to a framing shop to get it framed.

Read the whole article here.

Talking To Amanda Coelho

The Chronicles of Piercing Ken was in attendance at the Spring 2023 edition of the Affordable Art Fair in New York and he stopped by the Alida Anderson Art Projects booth and talked to artist Amanda Coelho about her work.  Shot by site founder Ken Pierce with the Canon Powershot! See it here.

The $200,000 Capital Art Prize

I first offered this idea in 2003 - it was completely ignored! I've updated it a little for 2023.

The Universities

There are several important, major universities in and around the DMV area. In most cases each is working, as most universities do, their own, individual visual arts exhibition program, which is normally mix of exhibitions by their students, faculty and invited artists.

Almost without exception there is very little coordination between the different venues, which in some cases boast some of the nicest exhibition spaces in town. This is not unusual, as I imagine that in most cities this is also the same case, as the focus of the university gallery is in fact the university.

And here is where we can make a major change, and use the extraordinary resources afforded to our area by these venues, and their academic standing, to help Washington expand its worldwide visual art standing.

What we need to happen is for one of the local university art school chairs, or college deans, or even university gallery directors, to take the initiative to start coordinating a joint effort to create one annual combined, joint exhibition that synchronizes a focused exhibition that is spread throughout the Greater Washington area.

Imagine a national survey of art, with a good title and perhaps even a good, donated chunk of money as a prize. Say we call it “The Capital Art Prize” (OK, OK we’ll have to work on the title) and because good ideas sometimes attract funding, maybe we can convince a major local company like Lockheed Martin, or AOL or Booze Allen and Hamilton, or (be still my beating heart), The Washington Post, or Amazon, to help fund it on an annual basis.

This synchronized event can be modeled somewhat on what the Whitney does, but better. The Whitney Biennial’s Achilles heel is its over-reliance on hired curators. Unless an artist lives and works in NYC, LA or SF or is already in the local radar of one of the curators for that particular year, chances are slim to none that the artist will come to the attention of those Biennial curators. Hence great art and potentially great artists may be ignored.

In addition to the use of invited curators, also imagine that this event puts forth a national call for artists, independent and museum curators, schools, art organizations and galleries to submit works for consideration. Send us your slides, CD ROMS and photographs (and a self addressed, stamped envelope for their return) your images online.

Anyone can submit and in a fair selection process, since art is truly in the eyes (and agenda) of the beholder, anyone can be selected to exhibit. A truly American concept for a national American art survey that will leave the Whitney and other continental Biennials in the dust.

And because the exhibition venues are spread around the capital area region, in galleries at Georgetown, George Mason, George Washington, American, Catholic, Howard, University of Maryland, Montgomery Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, and the many others I am sure to be forgetting momentarily, we could put up one of the largest, most diverse, and influential American art surveys in the nation.

This will take a lot of work to set up initially, as one key university person needs to take the lead and emerge from the pack of largely unknown, anonymous group of academics currently running our area’s university art programs. On the other hand, this could be an exhibition that can and will put names and faces on the international art world map, much like the Whitney Biennial sometimes elevates its curators a notch above the rest

Some universities will resist, as the easiest thing to do is to do things as they have always been done, and not really create “new” work. But given that a strong leader among our academic community emerges and takes the lead for this idea, then even if we start with a set of four or five venues, in a joint, coordinated effort, others will follow.

This will not be an easy job to do, and as it grows, so will the bureaucracy around it. But starting it up will be the hardest part, and as momentum grows, things will become easier. Whoever, if anyone, takes this idea and runs with it, will face many huge obstacles and many negative people. He or she will need to convince other university/college gallery directors to participate. They in turn, will have to convince their superiors, who will, in turn have to approve (and perhaps help kick-start the funding) the joint project.

This leader will also have to coordinate the approach to get a local giant to fund this effort, but I suspect that once he/she/them has aligned a few colleges and universities, this may become easier (it’s never easy) as the “buzz” and need for the event develops.

This is all a lot of work, and initially, until a bureaucracy is established around the annual event, many, many volunteers will be needed. I hope that some of these can be drawn from the school’s student body, alumni who are artists, and other local artists, much like Art-O-Matic draws from the collective muscle of our area’s significant artist population.

Our area universities and colleges already have significant media resources at their disposal, to help spread the word. They run school newspapers, radio stations, etc. and also provide a constant flow of new blood to our major mainstream media.

The goal (or perhaps “the dream”) would be a national level survey of art, which may look, review and/or jury the work of maybe 50,000 artists around the nation, and select perhaps 100 each year, showcase their work around a dozen academic galleries, and award a $100,000 $200,000 cash award as the Capital Art Prize, plus various other awards (Emerging Artist, Young Artist, etc.). Art of a nature and scale that will attract visitors to the university galleries, attention to our area, piss some people off, excite others, create interest, discussion and buzz around Washington and our art scene.

There’s nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.

On the subject of framing for a lot less

Me: Custom framing is expensive!

You: Everybody knows that!

The average price for custom framing around the DMV is brutal - and sometimes complicated (or made complicated by frustrated designers posing as framers or artists who have seen too many Rococo framing in museums).

Unless you're Frida Kahlo, generally speaking, the job of a frame for a work of visual art is first and foremost to protect the art.

Period.

And in the 21st century, and most of the 20th, the simpler the better; the less noticeable the frame, the more that the art is noticed.

If you have plenty of shekels, then a good framer will do a great job.

For the vast majority of artists, a frame should not cost as much as repairing your transmission.

You: Can you get to the guerrilla technique part already?

Most artwork is done on geometric substrates; even if you cut paper or stretch your own canvas, most of the times it is either a square or a rectangle; ovals went out ages ago; in fact they were never really in.

In the USA, these art substrates come in standard sizes that apply not only to the substrates (paper, canvas, board, wood, etc.), but also to mats, frames, and glass.

Thus, if you work on a standard size substrate to start with, you're almost home, because then you can eliminate the middle man to getting your work on a wall: the custom framer.

An 8x10 substrate will fit into an 11x14 pre-cut mat and into an 11x14 pre-cut frame; and 11x14 substrate will fit into a 16x20, a 16x20 into a 20x24 and so on.

Around the DMV, both Ikea and AC Moore's have ridiculously affordable prices for acceptable, minimalist frames. With AC Moore's if you sign up for sales alerts, you'll be bombarded with coupons (the best one is their 25% off for your purchase - including sales items; otherwise you get their 55% off regular price coupon emailed to you every 30 seconds).  Practically every frame at Ikea is a minimalist frame, but be careful because many of them are European size standards, which are different from US; however, Ikea frames generally come with acid-buffered mats, with is a nice "bennie" to have.

By the way, if you need a lot of frames in the same size - let's say two dozen frames, then I suggest that you find the ready made frame that you like and that will accommodate tour work (this usually works for photographers), turn it over and see who makes the frame and then contact the manufacturer (if it's in the USA) and see if they will sell you the frames directly. There's usually a minimum order to "qualify" for this option, and thus situations may vary according to your needs.

If you want to do artwork in other than standard sizes, then more power to you, and framing just got a little pricier, but there's also a technique.

First find a ready made frame that is bigger than your odd shaped artwork and visualize the artwork inside the frame. If the proportions are agreeable to you -- let's say you have a rectangular work which can be matted with both sides and top the same and bottom "heavy" - that is perfectly acceptable.

Once you have the frame, go to a framer and have them cut you a mat that has the outside dimensions of your frame and have them cut a window that fits your work. Now you are only paying them to cut a custom mat, rather than paying them to do that as well as creating a custom frame and glass from scratch. It should reduce your costs by about 80%.

Then just bring your matted work home, pop it into the frame and as the Brits say: "Bob's your uncle."

Wanna show your art in Baltimore?

OUT OF ORDER
 

OUT OF ORDER INSTALL DAY: 
Saturday, April 8  | 7 am to Midnight

KIDOOO INSTALL & ART WORKSHOP: 
Sunday, April 9  | 12 pm  to 4 pm
OR
Saturday, April 15 | 1 pm to 5 pm 

OOO ARTIST INFORMATION WORKSHOP: 
Friday, April 7 @ 1pm 

OOO & KIDOOO EVENT & SILENT AUCTION: 
Friday, April 21 | 6 pm - 10 pm | TICKETS

AFTER PARTY: 
Friday, April 21 | 10 pm to 1 am | TICKETS

PROSPECTUS

Maryland Art Place (MAP) is excited to announce Out of Order (OOO),  MAP’s  Annual Spring Benefit Exhibition & Silent Auction, on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 6 o'clock in the evening. This year marks the 26th year of OOO. The auction will be both a virtual and physical exhibition and will be held in the MAP building located at 218 West Saratoga Street, just within the Bromo Arts District. OOO is a highly celebrated exhibition-event, and a ‘one-night-only’ opportunity for patrons and collectors to acquire contemporary art at unbelievably low silent auction prices.

MAP is happy to continue KIDOOO, a youth version of Out of Order. KIDOOO was created as an opportunity for young artists to exhibit their work in a major arts venue, extending MAP's services to students in elementary, middle, and high school level art classes for children ages five to seventeen. MAP will host an art-making workshop on the day of installation so participating artists can come to hang out and stay to create! All craft materials will be provided! 

This year’s theme for OOO is Carnivàle, a nod to the 2003 HBO series that fictitiously followed the lives of carnival workers during the Dust Bowl. The origins of the “Carnival” proper are varied, though it is often thought of as a celebration of rebirth in nature. This spring we will do just that! Attendees of the event can expect entertainment by DJ Aran Keating of Ridiculous Entertainment, tarot card readings, face painting, ‘drag queens in theme’, and an after-party in the basement from 10 pm to 1 am.

Come dressed to impress and join the celebration in support of local & regional artists. Tickets are $40 on presale and $45 at the door. Tickets include light tastings and an open bar. All tickets also include free entry to KIDOOO, MAP's accompanying youth-driven OOO exhibition to be held on the 3rd floor of the MAP building the very same evening.  Parents/guardians of KIDOOO may attend at a discounted price of $25 presale and $30 at the door. Arrow Parking will be providing free parking for OOO guests at the Arrow Lot across the street from Maryland Art Place on Saratoga Street. To purchase tickets visit: https://OutOfOrder2023.givesmart.com

Submission Requirements and Install:

Any artist is welcome to hang one original work of art on a first-come, first-served basis. The installation will take place Saturday, April 8, 2023, from 7 am-midnight. We will have donuts and coffee for the early birds and pizza and Karaoke in the basement from 9 pm to 11 pm for the late installers.  No need to sign up in advance, just come by MAP's first-floor gallery space @ 218 West Saratoga Street in the Bromo Arts District! You or a friend must be able to install your own work on April 8th to participate in the exhibition. 

* OOO is a self-install exhibition. MAP has some installation materials (drills, screws, nails), but we recommend bringing additional installation materials due to supply and demand.  All works must be for sale and will be silently auctioned on the evening of April 21. Prime wall space is based on a first-come-first-serve basis, so come early to get a good spot! Proceeds will mutually benefit MAP and the artist, all sales will be split 50/50. *

 

•  All work must come framed and ready to hang.  (size requirement is 40" x 40" or less). Come Early to get a good spot! 

•  Artists must install their own work on Artist Install day, Saturday, April 8 between the hours of 7 am and midnight. A third party may install on your behalf, but they'll need to be able to complete the virtual loan agreement on the day of install. 

•  NO Application fee to exhibit!

•  Only ONE submission per artist

•  Please document your work prior to arrival. This image will be used for virtual bidding purposes and submitted with your loan agreement. All forms will be virtual. You will receive the link to complete the loan agreement when you arrive. There will be volunteers and staff on-site to assist you.

•  The work you include in Out of Order must be for sale. The proceeds from the silent auction are split 50/50 between the artist and MAP. All works will be virtually silent auctioned Friday, April 21, 2023, from 6 -10 pm

•  Participating artists receive free admission to OOO!
   

Questions? Cst Information Workshop on Friday, April 7 at 1 pm. Maryland Art Place is located at 218 West Saratoga Street between Park and Howard streets. On-street and garage parking is available.

Visit MAP's exhibition page for more information or read the full prospectus online. This year all bidding will be entirely virtual. Loan agreements can be filled out on-site when you deliver your work. Please bring your phone to complete the loan form virtually. We will have staff and volunteers on-site to assist you with this process. Email Caitlin, MAP's Exhibition Manager with any OOO inquiries, at Caitlin@mdartplace.org. 

The wake effect

If you read this blog regularly, then you know what I mean when I talk about an art fair's "wake effect."  If you don't, then read all about it here.

And the wake effect just resulted in another sale for the immensely talented prodigy named Dora Patin as "New Journey" is heading to a private collection in Philadelphia after a Philly collector discovered Patin's work at the Affordable Art Fair NYC last week.

My advice: Buy Patin now!

25th Bethesda Row Arts Festival

Wanna sell some artwork?

Artist Application now open for the 25th Bethesda Row Arts Festival, October 14-15, 2023

The application for the 25th Fine Arts Festival is now open! The festival takes place on the streets of Bethesda Row, located in Bethesda, Maryland (Woodmont, Ave., Bethesda Ave., and Elm St.). “Art Fair Sourcebook” has recognized the Bethesda Row Arts Festival (BRAF) as one of the top 30 Fine Art Shows in the United States, attracting more than 25,000 art patrons over the two-day event.

The Festival attracts 25,000 high income attendees come from the Washington, DC Metro Area, and the surrounding suburbs of Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Upper Northwest. The three mile radius around the Festival has an average household income of $196,910, making it one of the nation's most affluent and educated art marketplaces.

The event is promoted through a targeted and integrated marketing plan, which includes a comprehensive social media and internet campaign, magazine and newspaper advertising, postcards and posters, and radio promotion. Our public relation firm works with the local chamber of commerce and urban district to engage the community, and reach out to new audiences.

Apply here.