Blog Post
WHAT NOT TO DO
Nicholas Harper • February 2, 2021
Generally speaking, a cardinal rule for artists to follow when desiring an exhibit, is to not approach the gallery director during an opening and ask about how one should get said exhibit. An especially bad no no is to pull out your cell phone and ask to have the director look at your images on your phone or to peruse your Instagram feed.
While it's entirely appropriate, even encouraged, to introduce yourself and make yourself know to the director, even going so far as to say you're an artist yourself, leave the self promotion to a bare minimum. Perhaps instead of talking about yourself, make a substantive comment on the current exhibit or the curatorial programming of the gallery in general. Then, be off with yourself. That is unless you're going to buy some art.
While it's also OK to give your card or to ask if it's alright that you follow up with the director down the line as to how to submit for an exhibit, during an opening simply isn't the right time for this. The director needs this time to do everything in their power to work for the benefit of the exhibiting artist. Of course they should make time to speak with as many people as possible regardless of buying intentions, but the goal that evening is to sell art. This is true, even if the art being sold is that of the director himself...
All of that said, and as is the case with every cardinal rule, sometimes they're meant to be broken, as was the case with Eli Libson. Eli approached me during an opening to talk about an exhibit idea that he had in mind. The exhibit was for myself, not at my gallery, but at Gallery 360 in South Minneapolis. It was opening night and, if I do say so myself, it was a rather well attended opening and work was starting to flow off the wall sales wise.
It was at about the very peak of the opening that Eli approached and introduced himself. Being a tall person himself, it was actually a bit of a relief to talk to someone similar in stature as bending down to hear and converse throughout an evening can play it's tole on a persons lower back region. Perhaps that helped his cause. It also didn't hurt that he had a great personality and so his approach didn't come off anything like an intrusion or rude in any way. But whatever the circumstances, I found myself in the mood to hear what he had to pitch, even if it was for other artists and for my gallery and had nothing to do with the evening in question.
Eli's idea was right up my alley, a group exhibit of four like minded artists with a bent towards the fantastical and wondrous. Two of the artists he named I knew well and instantly knew would be a great fit for the gallery. Eli's work I wasn't familiar with, and so out came his phone with images at the ready... A year later, The Unloved Creatures exhibit opened at the Rogue Buddha Gallery, spearheaded by Eli.
If there's any moral to this story, it's that sometimes the rules are to be broken and chances taken. That said, if you try such a tactic on your own, just be cool if it doesn't work out the way you hoped and don't take anything personally. Keep showing up to openings and making yourself known and the right time will present itself, even if it means sending your work via email as is the standard approach. Also, it doesn't hurt to offer to buy the director a meal... ;)
Listen in as I and Eli converse all things art in the newest episode of Art Wunderful on Monday February 1st @ 7pm. In episode 19 Eli Libson discusses his work, influences and new book, Mysterious Creatures Field Guide. You can purchase a copy of his new book as well as select paintings in the gallery STORE.
TRADE SECRET
This is a photos taken at an early stage of a portrait commission featuring a mother and her two daughters. As you can see, I begin a painting with a reddish tint to the panel and then draw my composition directly on top before applying the oil paint. While I usually have a fairly refined sketch to draw from, when applying that idea to the panel it often changes considerably as I bring the image to scale from the sketchbooks. Until next time, Cheers!
Hello and welcome to this first update. I have made the RBG Blog exclusive to members of the Rogue Social Club. This is where I'll be making updates, posting essays and posting new works in progress as well as works only available to Rogue Social Club Members. I'll be making at least one post per week so be sure to check back often!. I look forward to seeing you all at the first Rogue Social event, the ZOOM HOOKUP on April 4th! Until next time, Cheers!
Everybody needs a break from time to time, even from doing that which one loves to do. Certainly this was the case for me. While I have been honored to have so many people help with the gallery over the years, from interns to volunteers, family and friends, the operation of the Rogue Buddha over the past 21 years has very much been a labor of love and an all consuming vocation for me. And so when the world took a nap, I found it to be a great time to do the same, to shutter the doors and rest my weary self for a bit. But alas, all good things come to an end and break time is over. It isn't exactly true to say that I've been "resting" over the past 18 months. Actually the opposite is quite true. If anything, I've still been hard at work but with more of a focus on my own career. I was honored with a solo exhibit at Gallery 360 which saw the release of a new body of nocturnal landscapes for example. I have also been hard at work putting the finishing touches on my first full length album which will be released under the moniker of Bleak Paris in just a few short days. In addition to that I've been back and forth at the easel, working on commissions and some paintings for myself as well as building an entirely new body of work. This work is sculptural with a painting component. I refer to these works as Tabernacles and they are highly inspired by my best friend and favorite artist, Michael Thomsen. Speaking of Michael, he will be exhibiting along with me in a new exhibit which opens in tandem with a Halloween Ball on Saturday October 30th! The event is called Mysterium. Tickets are now available through this website. If Halloween is your season, and you want a super special experience, I highly encourage you to snag one of the few available VIP Experience packages that we're offering! The package includes a private tour of the exhibit, a three course meal prepared by the NE Social and an exclusive VIP Lounge on the third floor! Lastly, I've also been busy writing. Whether these writings will ever see the light of day is anyone's guess. Perhaps I'll use a nom de plume for that... ;) Speaking of writing, I have crafted a few new episodes for the Art Wunderful Podcast and am looking forward to getting back to the microphone. I'm hoping to release a short episode this coming week followed by an episode that will feature a listening party for the new album release the week after! I also have a number of great artists lined up to be interviewed including Jana Komaritsa and artist, long time friend and now gallery owner, Heidi Jeub. And so my break/un-break is officially over as we once again open the gallery to the public on Oct 30th and thereafter. There may be some changes to the gallery hours and lighter exhibition schedule for the near future as I continue to focus on my own art and music. Who knows, there may be other surprises in the works that will see the gallery taken to new and exciting heights... ;) Hope to see you all on the 30th! Much love to you all and Cheers!