Amy's Thought's On All Things About Becoming A Professional Emerging Artist

Sometimes in the life of an emerging artist we learn about the character of people, and sometimes they learn about ours.  An artist Co-Op is supposed to be a Cooperation between artists, to run a gallery.

 

I was blessed to be a part of one for three years, and three months.  Until those last few months, I hadn't sensed any discord in my presence.  Yet in the last few month, simple things like not being given the normal code for our door on the day I worked, and being left off the work schedule began to appear. 

 

I simply thought this a period of adjustment for a new part time manager, at the gallery, who had called me to introduce herself during "The Paint Kerrville Event", put on by another organization about the time that our prior part time gallery manager at the Co-Op had retired from working there.

 

However, according to our President for this current term, when I submitted two of my three paintings for our Member Show that runs through Jan. 2023, (our Busy Season of Sales), I did something he believed was unworthy of an artist Co-operative membership.

 

I wanted to show two paintings that were NFS, (not for sale), along with one from my relatively new children's line,(1 year old children's line). which would be for sale, and which the guidelines state that we can replace with another painting should it sell.

 

Our guidelines clearly read that we don't allow for NFS paintings to be hung in the gallery.  However, I am not just an artist.  I am also an art collector.  Being an art collector, I had noticed that when I wanted to invest in a painting in our gallery one month, it was listed as  NFS, (Not For Sale), which opened the door for me to select such a painting for our member show.

 

In our prospectus, it stated that our delivery date for paintings for this show must be 28th of October or before, (which was the day prior to the festival coming to town).  It was decided by someone to change that date to Oct. 25th. 

 

 I called to ensure I had the ability to deliver the paintings prior to whatever the date might be, as the prospectus, still showed the 28th.  By calling the weekend prior to the Texas Reporter Festival, and by speaking to the gallery that weekend, and asking to find out from the new manager what date we would be held to, I was put on hold while he checked with her or on some other document. 

 

He returned to the phone and said, it was indeed the 28th.

I could meet that deadline easily, and signed up for the show the next Monday, (the last morning to sign up, and the prospectus still showed the 28th). I was called after that on the 25th and told, I needed to get the paintings into the gallery "this very day". 

 

I was shocked, that after I had checked, they would still be inflexable, and still moved the date forward by three days.  So I asked for the code to the door of the gallery, and got to work to prepare them for delivery.  I had to ask three seperate times before getting the code, which was given to me only "after Hours".  So I drove at night, in the rain, to get them there on time, so they could be hung three days prior to the festival.

 

I had decided to include one painting, John Leaping For Joy at Mary's Greeting, that was not as young as requested, yet had never been viewed in our gallery.  Usually, in our Co-Op, we can show a painting even more than one time in a year, yet this one had never had the right timing to be shown there yet.

 

So I did disregard the request for work in that painting's instance that was two years old or less, however the spirit of the desire to have new work exhibited was adhered to.  Because no one had seen anything except a veiled baby annoucement card with that image, being veiled by an organza gift bag covering each one, the painting was indeed, new to The Gallery.  (However, I digress because that wasn't even mentioned as a reason to send me the letter I was surprised to receive).

 

This painting image (of a baby in the womb at six month old with the Title: John Leaping For Joy...), had been sent to The National Stamp Committee, and Two Presidents of The United States of America, over the last six years or so. 

 

I had been trying to steward the image well.  Thinking a day honoring the infant or a month, might be needed, as we had all been one, at one time or another.  I had even researched that we had never had a day honoring or a stamp honoring that condition.  I believe we have a perponderance of "parent want to be" people that would enjoy loving and raising an infant, as well as some that don't have grandchildren yet, and want to adopt.  In fact, my own cousin, adopted a "granddaughter" to raise.

 

In fact all around us, news of parents trying to concieve infants, and having to turn to medical methods, or other countries to adopt because of a shortage of babies being born has existed in our country.  I knew our aging population of baby boomers was a concern, yet hadn't known of all the political news about how it might be solved.  I just wanted to honor a condition we each had gone through, and encourage education to young and old, about how to best care for young ones.  If a month, could be spared to do so, I wrote one President of The USA, we could divide the education into weeks. 

 

One week to educate about prenatal care of the mother, from conception knowledge to term.

One week to educate about infant to six months out of womb development.

One week to educate about care from six months out of womb to two years old.

One week to educate about how the parents might improve their health months prior to even attempting to concieve, so they increase their chances of having a healthy and happy pregnancy,  delivery, and baby.  I've had the image since 2011, and was seeking the right place and time to have it have meaning for people.

 

I never heard back from either president personally, and I even followed up on it with the first one.  I believe we have a perponderance of "parent hearted" people, that would enjoy loving and raising an infant, as well as some that don't have grandchildren yet, and want to adopt.  In fact, my own cousin, adopted a "granddaughter" to raise.

 

Now, I did not give this backstory to the gallery.  I didn't think there would be a need, as I was not trying to judge or be judged by showing this painting of a six month old leaping for Joy in a womb, nor debate an issue.  In fact when painted, it was literally a masterwork, that I was blessed to have been involved with,  having it come through my hands to be created, and had meaning personally for me, and was joyous for me that I had been entrusted with that image to steward.

 

I felt the member show was the right timing for me and people in abundance to see the work, with the festival bringing people in from multiple states.  In would be up to a person's own heart and mind, if the painting is even recognized as a baby leaping for joy. 

 

I know this because only parent minded people seem to be able to see it.  One person at church, recognized it right away, and then adopted a child.  Another, young person, not yet thinking of parenthood at church, couldn't tell what it was a painting of at all.  It seems to not be up to me if the painting "speaks to a person's mind or heart", and that is how it is with most paintings, isn't it?   An artist Cooperative seemed the best place to display it at this time, as well as Anne Princess Royal Honoring Queen Elizebeth II.

 

It depicts her mourning her mother Queen Elizabeth II.  I explained to our gallery president and our new manager that this was new work from September 2022, both prior to and after my out of town event, (3 days before my event to create a good study, and one day after the event to finish the painting), and more closely shows my current skill level for the year, and that I wanted to display it in the member ribboned show for that reason, yet didn't want to sell it until the mourning period would be officially over.

 

Now "Officially" in my mind, was longer than the day of or after, and also longer than the country may have declared.  Mourning is a personal matter, yet usually takes the heart longer than we give it.  A need to "conduct business" or to "keep ourselves busy", is often seen as a therapy.  I'd like to see it shown during the mourning period, yet not offer it for sale or placement until after I see if either a museum or The Royal Family in the U.K. would enjoy having it in their collection. 

 

I am not boasting in thinking that the human condition of mourning is an important one to document.  Especially realizing through September, that Anne Princess Royal, was born to a Princess that hadn't realized she would be Queen.  Anne Princess Royal, with head bowed and eyes closed, seemed to be mourning her mother first, and Queen second. 

 

However, Collectable Mickey, was the only one of the three I sent to the show that was accepted for our member award show.  A fourth painting that "was offered for sale", and in fact had a couple that looked at it earlier in the year, and had the female exclaim, "this one, this one!", only to be told by her husband, "Not yet, Not Yet, Not Yet!"  was offered to the gallery to display on a wall for sale as a way of generating a commission.   If I were blessed enough to have that same couple come in during the fourth quarter, to look for and purchase it.  I was not looking for it to be added to our member show, yet to be placed in the gallery to fill the front upper gallery with work, as I wanted "new to the walls" paintings to be in the member show. 

 

I also, in fact offered an extra 5% in commision to our Co-Operative in case "the concern", was to generate as much funds to the gallery as an artist could do with a newer painting.  That painting in question was titled: Who Says Where The Light Comes From.

 

Now, the painting age of the six month baby in the womb painting titled: John Leaping For Joy At Mary's Greeting, was not even given as a reason for my dismissal from the publicly open gallery "that accepts members from novice to Master Painters, without asking questions about their level", (except in the member ribboned show).  The reason given, was that I wouldn't price John Leaping For Joy at Mary's Greeting or Anne Princess Royal after being told, "put a price tag on it, if you want it shown".  Where else are artists to show those few NFS paintings they create, if not an artist Co-operative?

 

We are supposed to list if we are professional or intermediate in skill or desire, for the member show, which is, and has always been, a self reported title.  It's based on our desired level of competition in the member show, each year.  I know this because I have seen professional level artists, list themselves as the lesser label for this ribboned show.  It always simply amused me when I saw that.  I myself was presenting as proffesional for the third year in a row.  Believing my skill would catch up to the level as I painted over the years, (although I'm sure those first two years amused some of the other artists in that show).

 

I have always labeled myself as professional artist in this show, even when still in the learning stage for various media or subject matter, knowing that my work would gain in consistency over time.

 

When I refused to put a price tag on either painting, and still requested that they be shown in the member show, even though ribbons and prizes had already been decided, I was told, "No, yet I could hang the painting someone had offered to buy, and was told that I'd need all $900 of the dollars to be donated to the gallery."  I then, told the President, "No, yet, I would increase the commision by 5%, as a donation of $45, shoud it sell+ the regular 35% to help run the gallery.

 

I was also told, instead of working the front tent, as I had been slotted by the new manager, that I was to work the back, and sell $5 paintings placed in a box, that were donated to raise funds.  I did sell some, and they were worth, in my opinion, much more than the price I was told to sell them at.  I even invested in one myself as a way to improve my conservation skills, as it had a need for cleaning.

 

So instead of complaining about the last minute change, I accepted my new area to man in the gallery.  Being moved from the tent out front, to the classroom area with a quilt show, and a box of donated $5 paintings to be sold.  I still set out the paintings I was told I could bring to sell, along with placing a donated item on the wall of the gallery, with permission, (a fabric bag that seemed to fit near the fabric quilts).  In addition, I showed the two NFS paintings, side by side in professional art boxes, on the floor as there was no room on the walls.  

 

Later, I was sent a letter which included photos, (covertly taken and amusedly so), of the classroom area where I had placed thoses paintings.  These pictures were included along with a letter, saying, I had created, "A Tripping Hazzard" in the walkway and put up an unauthorized mini show after having missed the deadline for the show, which I hadn't missed.

 

We are not to travel alot through the office, to the classroom or gallery during a festival, as we have work areas there.

There is a capacity to hold 16 people, all social distanced by 6 feet in that classroom space I was moved to for the length of the festival shift.  I know this, because I took a seminar there from a master painter in 2020, to see him create his landscapes, and we did all stay social distanced during it.

 

There were no more than 16 to be sure, at any one time in that gallery during the Festival.  Actually way fewer at a time, in fact. 

 

An artist cooperative, is only as cooperative, as the president in charge, at the time, if unscheduled board meetings are to be called to remove an artists' work and membership from the co-operative after three years of faithful service to an artist cooperative.

 

 I believe this was simply a control/power play... and not on my part.  I believe the phrase Artist Co-Operative means different things to some people.  What do you think it means?  As even that very day, I had offered important information to the president about joining in on "Artists' Sunday", something I had sent written communication to him prior to that day, so it was a courtesy follow up of information.  Or co-operative information, if you will.... so that the gallery could get more publicity, and the artists might benefit together.  It is my third year participating in this event, celebrating the creatives works while celebrating The Creator.

 

 

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