Visual Artist Curriculum Vitae.....HELP

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Permalink Reply by Diana on March 6, 2011 at 7:44am

An artist’s CV (curriculum vitae)  is basically education, awards and shows -- sometimes publications  and residencies. Academics use CVs the most – it includes education, classes taken, classes taught, essays. monographs and books published, professorships, asst professorships, etc etc.

 

 Here’s an outline for someone who has an art education and has exbited a lot. (quickly look and then scroll down)

 

ARTIST C.V.

 

Put photo or logo goes here

 

Loryn Spangler-Jones

Lives and works in ------

Address and phone and email

 

Education/Artist Training/Workshops

Courses, degrees, post grad academic achievents

 

Exhibitions  (chronological order STARTING with most recent)

2011 blah

2010  blahblah

2010 blah blah

 

Gallery representation/agent

Scholarships/Awards

Publications

Monographs

Catalogues

Features

Artist residencies

Bibliography

Art-related employment

Professional memberships

Other

 

Many galleries request CVs, but many don’t.  If a gallery requires a CV and it knows that you are self-taught, that sez something in itself.  It may not WANT to show your work unless you have some exhibits/publications/awards in your belt.  Asking for a CV may be its way of filtering out artists it doesn’t want to represent.

 

SO WHAT TO DO?

 

OK NOW THE PROBLEM IS – what do you do when you’ve never exhibited?

I found a couple of “CVs” from artists who hadn’t exhibited before:

 

“Twenty years making my full time living as an artist. I sell my art on the street, at fairs and festivals.  When a person is standing in front of my art, they do not ask for references. They either buy it or they don’t.”

 

“I've been working on my C.V. for years. Instead of paper and type, mine utilizes canvas and color."

 

 

Well, these probably won’t look so great to the gallery, right?

 

 

Solution 1.  This is if you don’t have a list of accomplishments for a proper C.V.

My idea is to just write a short bio and then follow it with some quotations from some of your fans right here on LMM.   I’d still call it a C.V. though. Or C.V. in Progress might be more clever.

 

Here’s an idea.

 

“Lorlyn Spangler-Jones is a self-taught abstract painter from ----. While she has been creating art in throughout her life, it was not until --- when she started painting full-time.  (OR SEE BELOW **)  She has painted ---- small works and ----- large works as well as ----- videos of her art and poetry and is ready (to participate in a group or solo show) or  (to be represented by a gallery.

 

“Spangler-Jones’ colorful, emotional charged acrylic paintings express her continual inner questioning and philosophical deconstruction of her personal experiences.

 

Spangler-Jones is an active member of the artist community http://lovingmixedmedia.com, where her work has been featured several times.  (any other communities like etsy or red bubble?)  The Australian/Norwegian artist Gary Reef is her primary mentor, along with U.K. artist Michelle Brown. 

 

NOW insert some great LMM quotes here.  Make them short, have the quoters describe what your paintings look like and how your paintings make them feel.

 

Solution 2:  incorporates the above C.V.-in-Progress

But then you start accruing accomplishments, because that;s what a CV is – pretty much a list of places you’ve exhibited, where you studied and under whom, workshops, awards, etc.

 

I would also:

1.      Join a local art group or local art association.  It could be a women’s art group or a local community center group—in the DC area there are TONS of them and they are ALWAYS having unjudged group shows.  That would be a great start to start collecting creds.

2.      Look for a place where you could do your own show. It could be a local restaurant or a quirky gallery or theater or community center.

 

So these are my ideas for now.

Let me know if you want me to take the CV-in-Progress and polish it up into something you can submit.

Yr pal

dq

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Seaman on March 6, 2011 at 8:27am

Wow - diana has some GREAT advice!

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Permalink Reply by Loryn Spangler-Jones on March 6, 2011 at 9:10am

ummmmmmmmm

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Permalink Reply by Loryn Spangler-Jones on March 6, 2011 at 9:09am

okay Diana... i just picked my chin up off the floor.  You are an absolute wealth of information!!!  i would love to work this CV out with you...

i am currently exhibiting in a local gallery and have a contract to exhibit in another gallery beginning in May. (Yay for me).  that being said don't know if we could include the second gallery or not in the CV.  Love your idea about using LMM, again i am humbled by what this site has done and continues to do for my career!!!

i will also be participating in two workshops at A & S...not sure what you think there...

thanks again Di!!!

xo

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Permalink Reply by Mike Marquez on March 6, 2011 at 1:00pm

Loryn if you'd like you can take a peak at mine, it's on my website http://www.michael-marquez.com/about/, 

also if you're looking for a really good resource for information you might want to check into the book "The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love" by Jackie Battenfield, it's a great book, we used it in our Senior Seminar course my last year of college, it runs about 17-18 bucks at Barnes & Noble.

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Permalink Reply by Loryn Spangler-Jones on March 6, 2011 at 9:54pm

Mike...thank you so much for the book recommendation. and your website! goin' there right now.

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Permalink Reply by Loryn Spangler-Jones on March 6, 2011 at 10:01pm

First of all your work is fantastic and i really admire your courage and bravery to Create what is so REAL to you.  the installation shots were amazing!!!! 

Second of all thanks for letting me take a peek at your CV.

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