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How to exhibit your art?
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Message
Posted
Sorry if I posted this in a wrong forum area.
I would like to exhibit my paintings, but I cannot find how to do this. I live in London, and I applied many times to all the exhibitions which happen in Mall Galleries: Royal Oil Painters society, Royal Portrait Paintings society, Royal Watercolor society, Women Artist Society, Royal Marines Painting society etc., but I only paid money for the submissions and was never selected. I now think that these exhibitions are just huge lotteries where a lot of artists pay for a tiny minority to exhibit, because I cannot believe that looking for 10 seconds at an image of an artwork and clicking yes or no indeed costs £20 they charge per artwork per application.
I also don't believe in online exhibitions as there are hundreds of thousands of artworks there and who will see yours...
Where do you exhibit? Or you just show your art to family members, then store it in the garage and begin your new painting?
Posted
Prestige exhibitions such as the Royal Society of Oil Painters (ROI) annual Open Exhibition is obviously very selective.
I believe it’s £40 for each digital submission and if you get through that stage, the work has to be delivered to the gallery, only to face another round of judging.
It’s not easy I agree, and the ROI members work takes up a good portion of the allotted space!
There’s no easy answer that I know of, I have work on Artfinder, Saatchi Online and a few local outlets, and I do sell work from these sources.
Posted
Hello Leo,
If you haven't exhibited before, I think you're perhaps aiming too high at the moment, with the exhibitions that you mentioned? (Way out of my league, for sure!)
Perhaps join an art group, who will often put on exhibitions. Or you could hire somewhere yourself (maybe with one or two other artists) and put on your own show? Or try further afield... Patchings for example (The Artist & Leisure Painter competition)
I'm with an art group that exhibit just once a year, but they were my first venture into exhibiting my work on any scale larger than one piece! I used to live in Sheffield, and they have quite a few events such as the Great Sheffield Art Show, and Art in the Gardens, where both amateurs and professionals can exhibit. Some of these you can also hire a larger space.
There my be similar kinds of exhibitions down your neck of the woods.
I also have pictures hung in my local pub, for about 3-4 years now, and that's been a great boost
Edited
by Helen Martell
Posted
Under the bed , in cupboards ,in the garage , no need for wallpaper and family and friends ,might be my ability or lack of . But as I paint for my own pleasure and sanity I’m not too concerned.
Though I have sold a few this year. I make cards from prints of my paintings and mount them onto good quality blanks. Some I sell on line like my FB page and nagging ,some from home so when people come here and like a pic on the wall I give them a pice. Not ginormous.
I also exhibit locally I live near to Llangollen and have some in the Museum there. Lots of tourists ,
I am about to put some in the north Wales open in Theatre Clwyd… a tenner for four and a good venue.
Pubs and caffs yes, done that… all good suggestions from people. Start small you are very brave with your aspirations
( and rich) wow those place# would scare the pants off me. Best of luck.
Posted
Helen’s suggestion of joining a local art club is one of the best ways to get started with exhibiting - most will hold one or two exhibitions a year, and you’d be showing your work with a group of like-minded people. The prestigious Mall Gallery exhibitions are very hard to get into - and as you say, are mostly an expensive waste of time, not to mention disheartening if you get constant rejections. Where do you get your paintings framed? Quite a few framing shops also have a small gallery within the shop where they offer to display and sell work for local artists. Another option is to get together with a few others and see if you can negotiate the use of a local empty shop to put on an informal exhibition. I’ve taken part in several of these and they’re great fun.
Edited
by Jenny Harris
Posted
Leo, I just looked at your work and it’s really good and very amusing! You shouldn’t have a problem selling, just that little matter of finding the right place.
I’ve also applied to the Mall Galleries a couple of times with a distinct lack of success. My tutor who has been a professional artist for many years also struggled to get his work admitted, and unless you live in London it’s a pain in the bum to get it there, and collect it after if unsold, also quite expensive and a big chunk of commission if you do sell. If you take The Artist magazine there is a monthly list of competitions etc worth looking at.
So- aim smaller! As has been said, if you belong to a painting group, most have a regular exhibition, otherwise cafes, pubs local community centres etc..
I have a revolving two paintings in our local community hub and have sold a few there.
I don’t do social media but hear from friends that they sell on instagram and Facebook. I think you have to keep plugging away at it.
Other wise, yes there’s the garage, under the bed, behind the wardrobe…..or eventually paint over them, and as Kirstie says- never give up!
Another idea I have in mind is to give a few framed paintings to a local charity shop, clearly signed. They will then be seen in someone’s home and your name will be out there. If you don’t get anything from it at least you’ve helped a charity!
Good luck.
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