Beware of this mutant trying to rip off artists!
From: William Cook - cookwilliams472@gmail.com
Good day,
I am interested in your works and can I make a direct purchase from you?.
I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately.
Would you please get back to me some photos, sizes and price, or link to the artwork you have available for sale.
Waiting to read from you soon.
Kind regards,
Cook William
Beware of this insect trying to rip off artists:
From: Jonathan Bassett - bassettjay25@gmail.com
Good day,
How are you today? I hope this email email finds you well! This is Jonathan Bassett a learning facilitator. I’m privileged to be writing you this, I got your contact details online. I need the service of an illustrator/animator or cartoonist.
I’m intrigued by your skill and creativity I’ve seen on your website. I’m willing to work with you as I know you’d be a great fit for our forthcoming coming workshop, I’ll give you the ideas of what needs to be illustrated/drawn so you can get back to me with a quote to get it done, hopefully we can take it from there. Pls get back to me for more details
Bests Regards,
Jon
I often alert readers to art scammers, those nasty trolls that prey on the good will of artists eager to make a sale.
As soon as I out them, I often get an email or two from people who were about the ship the work to the scammer – “He paid me with an international money order” or “He paid me with several credit cards” – so how does the scam work.
First and foremost, be suspicious of any email that comes out of the blue offering to buy your artwork (without any specificity to “what artwork”) and offering to pay for all shipping (usually overseas). Ask for a phone number to talk to the person – the scammer will usually avoid this and stop communicating. If you’ve been taken and received an international check and taken it to your bank, wait for the check to clear – not just with your bank, but also with the foreign bank where the check is drawn – that’s the usual part that bites back with fakes.
With credit cards, call the issuing bank and express your concerns; if the emailer offers to send you several credit cards and have you run them until one clears… well then, red alert!
Visit http://www.artscams.com for more details and info: Be aware!
Beware of this asswipe trying to rip off artists!
From: Anthony Burrows anthonyburrows111@gmail.com
Date: February 26, 2023 at 11:16:17 AM EST
Subject: Inquiry about Artwork for Wedding Anniversary Gift
Good day,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Anthony, and I am reaching out to you with a special request. My wife and I are soon celebrating our wedding anniversary, and I want to make it extra special by giving her a unique artwork as a gift. After researching several artists, I was drawn to your work, and I would love to learn more about the pieces you have available.
Could you kindly provide me with some photos and details of your art, including their sizes and prices? I have a budget of $500 upwards and would like to find a piece that fits within this range.
I appreciate your time and expertise, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to ask.
Best regards,
Anthony
Be aware of this scum trying to rip off artists!
From: James Williams jameswilliamsjw825@gmail.com
Greetings... I am James from Denver, Colorado. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my wife's anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which i found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit your doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $2000 to $4000.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept check as a means of payment.
Regards
Beware of this dirtbag trying to rip off artists:
From: Richard Albers - albersrichard67@gmail.com -
My name is Richard Albers from Washington, DC. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my wife's anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which i found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit your doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $9000.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept check as a means of payment.
Best regards,
Richard.
The answer used to come in the mail - now it usually comes out via email. An accepted notice brings joy, while a rejected note needs little explanation. It is the agony and the satisfaction of the juried art show.
Entering juried art shows is perhaps the most common way for emerging artists to build a resume, to expose one's works to a wider audience and above all, to compete with our peers. It is the raison d'etre for Art Calendar and other magazines and web sites.
As a young emerging artist, I have entered countless of these shows over the early years of my career. As a regularly published writer in the Washington, D.C. area, I often review the shows once they are hung. Later in my career, as a seasoned juror for many of these competitions around the capital region, I have had plenty of first hand exposure to the inner guts of this art phenomenon. As the poet Marti wrote "I have been inside the monster, and I know its innards well."
Provided that they are fair and staged by a reputable art space, there are no tricks that will guarantee acceptance into the juried competition. However, there are steps which artists can take to increase their chances for being accepted. The following checklist will help you increase those chances and assumes that you, the artist, is looking for a competition outside of your city, but can also work in your own backyard. An earlier version of this post was published as an article in Art Calendar magazine several decades ago.
The Gallery - The reputation and location of the gallery or art space holding the juried art show is perhaps the most important item in the list of various things to investigate before one decides to enter a show. The internet is a great resource: does the gallery have a webpage? If so, visit it and get a general flavor for what kind of shows they have been hanging lately. A reputable gallery sometimes gets reviewed in the local press. Since newspapers have online versions, do a search, write or email the newspaper's art critic with a simple question about the gallery. Even if not reviewed, reputable galleries are often listed in the Weekend or Leisure section of most major metropolitan newspapers. Find some artists' websites in the same city and ask them about the gallery. As a last resort, the artist can always call the gallery and ask them questions. Furthermore, the actual exhibition space itself is important. How many pieces does the gallery intend to select? (As a question to the gallery (provided that the competition has been held in previous years) is: "How many pieces were accepted last year? Followed quickly by: "How many pieces were entered?"). Good shows attract larger numbers of entries, so be wary of a low number of submissions, but if 3,000 entries are expected and ten will be hung, well - you get my drift. Finally, find out what does the galleries do to advertise the show. For example, is there an opening for the artists and the show? A good entry form should answer these questions, if not, call the gallery and ask them. Needless to say, avoid vanity galleries at all costs and be suspicious of art galleries which seem to be always staging a juried competition.
The Juror - The entry form should list some of the qualifications of the juror. Researching his or her background is perhaps the single most influential action in increasing one's chances of being accepted. As jurors, we all bring our prejudices to the process, even if we deny it in public. If the juror is an artist, chances art that he or she will tend to favor the type of art that he produces. This sounds very subjective, but generally, even while we speak of the brotherhood of the arts, we essentially tend to be very clannish about what we like as art. An artist/juror who paints solidly abstract works is more likely to identify with abstraction than with photorealism - don't let anyone fool you into believing anything else. Some art galleries seem to have an unhealthy love affair with academic jurors, and these are perhaps the hardest to "judge." If the jurors are art professors, chances are that they will also be artists, so look at their art for hints. If curators, museum directors, art critics or any other form of arts intelligentsia, look at their products for a hint. An art critic who raves about the work of Cy Twombly is probably not going to pick Norman Rockwell for an exhibition. Conversely, a museum curator whose last three exhibitions have dealt with rediscovering Victorian art is not likely to select a Rothko-look-alike for a juried show.
The Awards - A competition without awards is not necessarily bad; however, the opportunity to win some money at an art event (and thus a return in your entry fee investment) is a powerful enticement to enter a show. Be careful of purchase awards, which means that the gallery will deliver cash awards, but they will keep your piece. This is also OK, as long as you are aware of it.
Entry Fees - A $20 - $45 dollar fee for three entries is generally the average normal range for most competitions. Other than funds to ship and insure the return of an accepted entry, any additional handling fees, hanging fees, etc. is (in my opinion) a scam and artists should stay away from competitions which require further cash resources past the entry fees and return cost of accepted pieces.
Size - Here's a dirty secret from juried competitions: At practically every competition which I have juried, the gallery owner or museum director has always said: "I won't tell you what to pick, but please try to select as many artists as possible." This often means that great art that will consume significant wall acreage may not be selected in favor of several smaller pieces. Most competitions limit the size of the entries, yet I am astounded at the number of entries which routinely exceed the specified size and are rejected for that reason (although they keep your entry fee). Submit manageable pieces which can be easily shipped, hung and (if not sold) returned.
Time - Here's another secret: Most competitions start preparing entries for jurying as it arrives. That means that the juror usually views the very first entries first. Although most jurors view (or should view) the entries more than once, it is probably safer to be somewhere in the middle of the viewing process, after the jurors have stretched their mental engines, than at the very beginning. Time the arrival of your entries to land at the gallery about a week before the deadline. If the entries are arranged alphabetically, then ignore this section.
The Images - I know you have all heard this time and time again, but the quality of your images is second only to the quality of the work itself! I was astounded a while back to jury a competition for a local gallery in DC, and discover an entry which had two of three images completely out of focus, and several whose works had been shot though framed glass and the reflections from the flash made the work impossible to see. These artists had not even looked at their entries before submitting them. The best thing to do is to actually project the digital images and see what they look like on the wall - you'd be surprised at what can be seen.
With the exception of competitions where the show is picked from the original work, the gallery or art space hosting the competition usually arranges for the image viewing with the juror(s). In competitions where there is more than one juror, interesting debates about the merit of art takes place, and more often than not, compromises. However, in the final decision, it is the work itself that delivers the final verdict.
Where to find competitions - Artwork Archive (a great resource) has the following recommendations:
Artwork Archive | Call for Entry
Free to peruse, we feature everything from dream residencies and life-changing grants, to fun festivals, art business workshops, and competitions for some extra cash. We make it easy to search, too! Filter by opportunity type, location, event dates, eligibility, and more to find exactly what your art practice needs to flourish.
CaFÉ
While you may know this site for its wide array of calls for shows, exhibitions, and residencies, this site also boasts a collection of grants and awards. Search through the listings at no cost which covers all the need-to-know details for applying, including entry deadline, fees, location eligibility, and more.
The Art Guide
Not sure if you want to apply through a third party, Art Guide is the free artist opportunity site for you. This call for entries website allows you to apply directly to the organization offering the grant. The list is updated daily so there'll always be a great new opportunity to pursue.
ArtOpportunities.org
Formerly Artist Opportunity Monthly, all you need to do is sign up with your email and they send you thoroughly screened opportunities every month, including grants. AOM prides itself on ensuring each opportunity is worthwhile. A more comprehensive monthly list is offered at $5 a year.
ArtDeadline.com
Another site you may have heard of is ArtDeadline.com. According to their website, it is “the largest and most respected source for artists seeking income and exhibition opportunities.” The site may cost you a subscription fee of $20 a year to view the majority of its opportunities, but you can still browse many grants listed for free on their homepage and the @ArtDeadline Twitter account.
Curator Space
CuratorSpace is a project management toolkit for curators, organizers, galleries, and artists. It is designed to take the hassle out of managing exhibitions, competitions, fairs, and a whole lot more. Plus, they are a great site for finding art opportunities worldwide!
Re-title.com
Re-title is a service for professional contemporary artists searching for opportunities, such as competitions, exhibitions, residencies, etc. A site for international contemporary art, this is another great site to find opportunities around the world! There’s even a map you can click on to search opportunities regionally and world clocks at the top of their site so you can submit applications on time!
Resartis.org
Res Artist is a Worldwide Network of Arts Residencies from around the globe. The network comprises more than 700 vetted members in over 85 countries. They aim to support and connect residencies, engage and advocate the importance of residencies in today’s society by providing artists with resources and upcoming residency information.
Art Rabbit
Art Rabbit compiles a selection of international open calls and opportunities for contemporary art-related competitions, prizes, exhibitions, awards, proposals, and grants for artists, writers, and curators. They publish a selection of open calls from a pool of submissions and editorial research. Only open calls believed to offer meaningful benefits to applicants at different stages of their careers are published.
Creative Capital
Creative Capital is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to fund artists in the creation of groundbreaking new work in the visual arts, performing arts, literature, film, technology, and multidisciplinary practices, including socially-engaged work in all forms. Our pioneering model of grantmaking also provides thousands of artists with scaffolding and infrastructure support via professional development programs, networking opportunities, and educational resources.
Art Show
Artshow.com attracts thousands of artists and art enthusiasts each day. They advertise worldwide juried shows, exhibitions, and competitions across any and all mediums. Artshow.com has been recognized in "Must-See Web Sites for Artists" by The Artist's Magazine and has received favorable mention in several other art publications, including American Artist, Southwest Art, Watercolor Magic, and The Pastel Journal, as well as The Wall Street Journal.
With a bit of preparation, and a small amount of research, you as the artist may find that "accepted" box marked more often in the future. Good luck!
Beware of this asswipe mutant trying to rip off artists!
Simeon David - davidcarlow67@gmail.com
Sat 4/23/2022 1:49 PM
Hello there . I'm David Carlow from Denver, CO. A business friend of mine showed me your beautiful handwork. I must say I'm really impressed and I'm interested in purchasing some of your artwork after surfing through the internet. I find yours more attractive. Could you please provide more information? As a matter of fact I would like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment.
Best regards
David C
Beware of this scum trying to rip off artists:
From: Desirae Gardner - gardnerdesirae27@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2022 7:16 PM
Hello There,
My name is Desirae Gardner from Panama city, Florida . I actually observed that my husband has been viewing your website on my laptop and I guess he likes your piece of work. I'm also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase ''Judith with the Head of Holofernes" as a surprise to my husband on our anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept CHECK as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards
Desirae Gardner
Once a week or so I get an email from an artist somewhere on the planet like this about a potential art scammer (see all my listed scammers here):
Hello, I'm a German artist and found your " Art Scam Alert " from July 15 2018 about this Donald Hugh mail. Now at January 21 2022 I got the same mail from him online in German. He ordered two pictures from me. My question is, how he is trying to rip off artist? He wants me to send pictures and doesn't pay?
Thank you for an answer.
This is how:
Beware of this asswipe trying to scam artists:
From: James Reginald jreginald570@gmail.com
Subject: ART INQUIRY
Hello Lennox!
How are you doing? I am James Reginald from Medford, OR. I have been on the lookout for artworks in regards to my wife's and my wedding anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on to some of your works which I find quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you are doing quite an amazing job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
That being said, I would like to purchase one or two of your works as a surprise gift to my wife. It would be of great help if you could send me pictures of your piece of work, with their respective prices and sizes, ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $5000.
I look forward to reading from you in view to knowing more about your piece of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept checks as a means of payment?
Best Regards.
Beware of this mutant attempting to rip off artists:
Beltrami, Kevin -- Kevin.Beltrami@gts-bellevue.de
Mon 9/6/2021 11:24 AM
Top of the Morning to you,
I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes some of your art piece, I must also say you are doing a great job. I would like to know what inspired that work. I am very much interested in the purchase to surprise my wife.
Regards
Captain Kenneth
kennethmx007@gmail.com
Beware of this mutant trying to rip off artists!
From: Barbara Flower barbaraflower1327@gmail.com
Subject: Aqua Marine Needed Urgently
Hello There,
My Name is Barbara Flower from TEXAS. I actually observed my Husband has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess he likes your piece of work. I'm also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, You are doing a Great job. I would like to purchase one of The "Aqua Marine" Series, as a surprise to my Husband on our anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept CHECK as mode of Payment.
Thanks and best regards
Barbara.
Beware of this rip off master trying to steal from artists:
Subject: Artwork Enquiry
From: "Gilbert Henry" henrygilbert360@gmail.com
Good day, my name is Gilbert Henry from California, CA. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regard to me and my wife's anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you are doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary.
It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1500 to $7000.
I look forward to reading from you in view of knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept a check as a means of payment.
Best regards,
Gilbert Henry
Our area, like most major metropolitan areas, is peppered with stores that have the word "gallery" in their business name, but are very much far removed from what one would consider a true art gallery.
You will always find them in high traffic areas; main thoroughfare streets where "real" galleries could never afford the rent.
You also often find them in malls. I am speaking of the places that sell mass produced decorative works, either by Kinkade wannabes, Spanish-surnamed painters and worse still, the following scam:
Some of Picasso's children inherited many of the plates used by Picasso to create his etchings. Since them, some of those plates have been printed ad nauseam by the current owners and are sold around the world as Picasso prints.
And then, to make matters worse, some of the plates are signed "Picasso" by his offspring owner, who is (of course) technically also surnamed Picasso.
The sales pitch, which is not technically illegal, but certainly unethical, goes something like this:"This is a real Picasso etching, printed from the original plate and it is signed."
Note that they never state who signed the print.
Hapless buyer purchases the print for a pretty good chunk of change, takes it home and brags to his friends about his signed Picasso.
This will be a hell of a mess for the Antiques Road Show experts to detangle in a couple of hundred years.
And don't even get me started on the great Dali art fraud.
Even the best of us get scammed!
Subject: Mail order From: "Mary Boom" babaolomo07@gmail.com --
Hello Sir/ma Am Mary boom i will like to place an order from your store, and be making payment with credit card details. can i go ahead and send you the List of items Interested in Ordering . Thanks Mary Boom
Beware of this mutant attempting to rip off artists:
Solomon woodson (solomonwoodson81@gmail.com)
Greetings... I am Solomon from Gadsden Alabama. I have been on the lookout for some artworks lately in regards to I and my wife's anniversary which is just around the corner. I stormed on to some of your works which I found quite impressive and intriguing. I must admit you're doing quite an impressive job. You are undoubtedly good at what you do.
With that being said, I would like to purchase some of your works as a surprise gift to my wife in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. It would be of help if you could send some pictures of your piece of works, with their respective prices and sizes, which are ready for immediate (or close to immediate) sales. My budget for this is within the price range of $1000 to $3500.
I look forward to reading from you in a view to knowing more about your pieces of inventory. As a matter of importance, I would also like to know if you accept a check as a means of payment.
Beacon Actis - beacarctt00@outlook.comGood Day,How is work and family? I picked interest in your artwork and decided to write you. I will like to know if your artwork can be purchased and shipped internationally?. I can email the artwork of interest and payment will be completed in full once you confirm my purchase order with a quotation. Kindly let me know when you are in office and ready to take my artwork order also let me know if you accept either Visa Card/MasterCard or PayPal for paymentBest RegardsBeacon
From: james anderson -- jamesanderson361@hotmail.comHi, I'm James from PA I noticed my wife viewed your website on my laptop and i guess he likes your piece of work. I'm also amazed to have seen your nice works too. I would like to purchase the piece attached as a surprise for my wife on our Anniversary, is the piece available and what is the final price? Thanks and best regards
Isabella Jones wikoma@wikoma.plDear Sir,We are interested in ordering high quality products from your company.Kindly find attached and quote accordingly total quantity and FOB target price.Awaiting your urgent replyKind RegardsIsabella JonesPurchase ManagerFAS INTERNATIONAL SPAVia Lago di Vico, 60 - 36015 Schio|Vicenza|ITALYDirect Phone +39 0445 502197Fax +39 0445 502010
