the application dance

OK, so here's how it goes. You identify the shows that draw good crowds, buying crowds. You get an application and find out what they want from you. You will need images of your work. Some want slides, others CDs, some still use photos. You will have to describe the images with words that imply artistic gravitas, but without sounding too over-the-top because usually there are other artists judging you and you don't want snorting happening when your stuff is looked at. Sometimes they want an "artist statement" too. If most were honest, I bet they would read something like: "Look, I found out I can do this thing and I like it and it's better than a desk job and people actually buy it and I want to keep doing it so let me just set up at your show. OK?" What they write instead uses words like "inspired by" and "influenced by nature's ever evolving beauty" and "vision". Snorting happens, I'm sure.

Now, I love what I do. It makes me happy. I AM inspired by nature, aren't we all? Creating beautiful things makes me happy and it thrills me when people like it enough to buy it. It makes my soul sing when my work is praised by folks other than family. But I am just not into writing statements about it.

Anyway...you get these images. You can pay someone to do it or you can do what I do: take your own and photoshop the bahoosits out of it to correct your incompetence. You fill out the application, attach your descriptions and statements and checks and SASE and whatever else they want, send it off and wait. And wait. See, the June shows want your apps in by New Year's Eve but they don't even look at them until April. Meanwhile you are trying to set up your schedule for the year based on the weekends you may or may not have free. It is frustrating.

The apps I have out right now are for Arts in the Park in Richmond, Va and 100 American Craftsmen at the Kenan Center in Lockport, NY. You will be the first to know how I do. They are both lovely shows which I will tell you about if I get in. If I don't..well, Google is your friend. :)

More about this app thing to come. I have to go write a statement about how nature drives my creative soul.