The Point of View post copied below was written and posted 7/16/23 by local artist, Tim Goldsmith — Curator and Education Director at AVA - Association for Visual Arts and an Art Professor at a local college — on his Facebook Page. We know Tim personally and professionally and this post is thoughtful, heartfelt and genuinely meant to help artists everywhere, not just in his professional realms. We also agree with everything he shares from our POV as local art gallery owners.
The more you know…
- Keeli & David Crewe, Area 61 Gallery Owners
“One of the reasons I started this particular Facebook account was to have a professional outlet around visual art in Chattanooga. Partly for my own practice, partly for ease of communication with a group of artists I serve through AVA, and also as a space for writings on topics related to galleries, curation, etc. The views below are my own, based on my own expertise and experiences as an arts professional running a gallery and as an artist.
This past week, selections were made and notices of both acceptance and rejection were sent out for one of the many exhibits that I am responsible for. The responses I received to the rejections were for the most part measured, polite and many took me up on an offer I made to meet individually with artists to discuss growth (something I have the capacity to do as a Curator and Education Director at a non-profit arts organization). I also received some intense communication from angry artists and nasty and threatening communication from one who even came to the gallery in person, which resulted in an altercation that ultimately and unfortunately involved the police.
I am also a college professor, so I like to leverage situations such as these into learning moments.
So let's talk rejection. Rejection is part of the artist's life. For every one time you are accepted to something, you will be rejected far more times. That is the nature of doing business as an artist. For every one gallery, there are numerous artists. For every opportunity, grant, residency, etc. there are more applicants than resources. And every artist approaches their work differently. In my own art career, I have received many rejection letters to things I've applied for. I've also had successes.
In terms of AVA specifically, we now serve over 300 local/regional artists, including the most students we have ever had in our roster. Much of that growth happened rather suddenly in recent months. Adjusting to big changes like that doesn't happen as suddenly. Some are students finding their own way. Some are hobbyists who just enjoy making work and want to share it with others. Others are professional artists trying to make a living and keep a roof over their heads. Others still are more established artists who don't need AVA but still want to be involved in and support the community. The needs of each group are different.
Things to consider when you receive a rejection notice:
-A few of the emails I received from artists said they "were holding off on other opportunities while waiting for news on this show." Why? Don't do that. If this is really that important, you should be working on other work, exhibits, applications, etc. One single show or gallery should not be the make or break for your entire art career. If it is, you might need to do some hard evaluations on your practice. If you have other opportunities, pursue them! You've got things to do! Don't wait around for the one gallery. And be consistent. Don't hold your "best" for one and send something "not as good" somewhere else. Put your best foot forward always. If you have an inventory that sales can't keep up with, get good documentation of those works and maybe think about recycling older works for new projects.
-If you are trying to make a living off of your work, cast a WIDE net. Chattanooga is not a unique market in that many artists cannot make a living depending on sales in their hometown. They quickly run out of friends, family members and neighbors to sell their work to. Those that do sell their work here find that they may saturate the market quickly. Many galleries that represent artists have a limit in their contracts that specify that their artists cannot exhibit their work within a certain (100-150+) mile radius of that gallery. While that might be inconvenient, it is purposeful. For one, it means that the artist is not creating a situation where two galleries are in direct competition around that one artist's work. It also means that the artist has to get outside their comfort zone and put their work in unfamiliar spaces. Many of the artists I know who successfully make a living off of their work have representation in galleries across different states around the country and pursue other projects outside of galleries.
-Be professional. Nasty emails with profanity or even whining do not cast you as an artist in a good light and on a human, interpersonal level, will not endear you to me or other gallerists to want to work with you in the future. It just shows you possess a lack of maturity and professionalism. Galleries are professional spaces. Be professional.
-Art can feel personal. I'm an artist too. I get it. Pouring time and energy into something you make with your own hands, mind and heart means that the work feels like it is a part or an extension of you. But it isn't. It's a made object. You are a whole person with worth and value all by yourself, apart from what you produce. When your work is not accepted into a show, that isn't a rejection of you as a person, or your worth, or value. If it feels that way, take a close look and ask yourself why that is. This particular show had 87 artists apply. As a curator, I made a decision based on previous years to limit the space for 30 in this particular exhibit. It was 32 the year before. 28 the year before that. This meant that 57 artists didn't get their work in. If all 300 artists had submitted, that would mean 270 wouldn't get in. I'm making plans for other exhibits in the future to address this growth. Several artists who have never shown at AVA got into the exhibit. Some artists who have shown repeatedly at AVA didn't get in. Not every exhibit is going to be a salon-style show or even thematic. This limit also allows each artist who gets into the show to have space to "shine" in the exhibit and for their work to "breathe."
-Don't threaten to stop making art altogether as a response. That's your life and journey. If you enjoy making art, keep making art. I don't know what telling me that is going to accomplish.
-Juries are ONE way of putting together a show. Jurors have biases. That's why I hire a different jury every year. A single juror may have preferences or recognize a work of art by a particular artist. That's why I hire three. When the juror is looking at your work, hopefully (and as much as within my power to prepare), they are looking at it blindly and evaluating what is in front of them. We also set forth specific categories for evaluation to remove some of the subjectivity from the process. Otherwise, you are dealing with favoritism or forms of nepotism which ultimately undermine the flourishing and opportunities for the arts in our whole community. A rising tide lifts all boats. The more opportunities there are, the more that benefits everyone.
-I often hear that the Chattanooga art scene is about connections and who you know. So are most art markets anywhere else. If you are dealing with people, you are going to be navigating a community or network of relationships with some sort of history and context. That doesn't mean those reasons are always good but it is still a reality. I know several artists who moved here from elsewhere and really struggled making headway here, and it was and is difficult. Show up to things! Engage other artists about their work. Develop relationships. When I was a kid in Chattanooga, there were like five or six visual arts spaces in Chattanooga that I was aware of that did things with any kind of public-facing presence. Now, there are over 50 in Chattanooga alone, which is incredible! Each gallery and art center has events and exhibit openings. Follow those spaces through newsletters or social media and look at their calendars. If you can't make it to all of them, pick one and start there and try to be consistent. Chattanooga had five separate art openings this past weekend! There are options.
-To the previous point, seek out community. There's a stereotype that artists are anti-social people who just want to make things in a studio somewhere and ignore the world. And while there are certainly artists who do fall adjacent to that category, artists are not islands. And, if the purpose of your art is to just put it out there without any sort of investment in the community around you, why should anyone care about your art? Seek out people (not just artists) who will support you in your work and also be honest with you, challenge you and sharpen you, celebrate when you succeed and encourage you when you fail.
-Do your research. I cannot tell you how many people come into the gallery and pull out their phone to show me their artwork and then ask me to display it in the gallery, sometimes without even introducing themselves or asking me any other questions about how our gallery functions. It literally happened on Friday. My gallery has a process. Each other gallery has a different process. Several galleries in Chattanooga have wait lists. With AVA specifically, some artists blindly join AVA as a member assuming that it means the same thing as being represented. Some of our members didn't realize we are a 501(c)(3), even though it is clearly spelled out on our website and in other places. Our gallery is only a facet of what we do, between our educational and professional development programming and festivals. Exhibits in our gallery, aside from a few member shows, are also for highlighting the work of other organizations, students and schools and goings-on in Chattanooga. If that's not something you need, that's fine. Is the gallery a space with a contemporary focus? Your traditional watercolor painting of a still life in the style of the Dutch Renaissance may not be a good fit there. That doesn't mean your watercolor painting isn't without merit. Is the gallery an academic space? There are limitations there as well, and often with a focus on creating exhibits that supplement student learning. If you find a space that feels like it would be a good fit for your work, inquire about their procedures for applying or selecting artists into their space and follow those instructions. But also note, that doing that work doesn't guarantee you get in.
-Find creative solutions for your work. I personally believe there are not enough DIY spaces in Chattanooga. Several have come and gone like flashes of lightning in short periods of time but I have experienced some of the most compelling work and projects in those spaces. Host a house art show and invite people. One of the best responses to a show I ever had for my own work was a solo show in my basement studio apartment in East Lake several years ago. If that's too much of an undertaking, find another artist or organization to partner with.
-And finally, ask yourself a question. Why am I doing art? Is it to make a living and to pay bills? Statistically, this is the most difficult path. That means you will have certain needs to meet, some of them urgently. A gallery may not be the limit of your process and there are grants, public projects, residencies, etc. to pursue also, many of them involving travel to other places. Is it as a hobby or because you enjoy it? Keep it up! That's amazing! We need so much more of that in the world, particularly these days. But also ask yourself, is a gallery the best place for your work? What other avenues might you pursue to share your joy with others? Are you just starting out and figuring things out? You aren't alone in that process and there are countless other artists before you who are making steps in that same journey. Take risks. Apply to things. Ask an artist to mentor you. If your work does not get into a show, stop and reflect and see if there are ways for you to polish your presentation. Did you follow the instructions or format? Do you have good pictures of your work? Sometimes, submissions for things are weeded out early in the process for something as simple as that, especially when there's a large volume of material to consider.
-There is not one particular way to live and work as an artist. Galleries are one way. Festivals are one way. Teaching is one way. Murals and public projects are one way. Working side jobs to fund your work is one way. Commissions are one way. Residencies and grants are other ways. And there are others still. The vast majority of artists make use of some combination of all of these and it's a lot of hard work. And while I believe that the arts are an essential part of overall human and cultural flourishing, do remember the economic practice of buying and selling of artworks exists in a "luxury market."
I am truly grateful to get to work in this community and with many of you. Have a blessed day and week ahead.”
For more creative wisdom and fun art shares, follow Tim here: https://www.facebook.com/tim.goldsmith.106
and join AVA - The Association for Visual Arts to connect and support Chattanooga’s visual arts community.